THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Movement. Players were constantly moving, looking for space, wanting to get on the ball. Those on the ball had options, and knowing they had options they looked to play the pass rather than a hopeful ball forwards. Let a capable group of footballers play football and it's amazing what they can do

The players got closer in the 2nd half to the Cowshed than they had so far this season.

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Disclaimer: All my comments are my opinions unless stated otherwise. I'm just a fan following my club.

Big psychological lift yesterday at the stadium. Felt like positive vibes from the kickoff. Unsure if it's the manager doing that or just a relief at what seems like a positive change.

When we gave a bad goal away it did feel like much less of a big deal than it did previously and we always looked like scoring more goals.

MW empowered the starting line up with the freedom to think, express and create - which thankfully allowed them take the game by the scruff of the neck. It won't always work but for the first time this season it feels like a glimpse of what each player can offer individually, and what they look like as a cohesive, collective unit

For me this genuinely feels like a new start, a corner turned, and that the current squad has both the skills and the brains to get us on an upward trajectory

Apart from all the possession + shots + 4x goals + 4x hitting the post + style +running, the best bit for me was our heads didn't drop when against the run of play they scored.

In other games the opposition would have gone on and dominated the game and win it

Bravery, from the manager’s selections to the players on the pitch. Grant starting raised a few eyebrows, not really been near the starting eleven recently, but played a big part in the thrashing of Bradford.

Gilbey playing further forward with Payne deeper worked a treat, seeing at one point Tucker on the edge of the Bradford box, trying to find O’Hora with a cross, fantastic stuff.

Max Dean, still a kid really, leading the line like a seasoned old pro.
You could lavish praise on every player on that showing.
So much positivity to take from last night, stunning performance based on being brave and going for it.

Keep it going and the rewards will come

Its a relatively modern phrase in football but 'playing without fear' is something that we have been struggling with.

I guess it seems very difficult to play without fear in the middle of a losing streak where every mistake seems to lead to an opposition goal but actually I think when players start to make supposedly safe, easy passes it means they are playing with fear and its a spiral of decline.

Last night, i thought we did actually, for the most part play without fear. For maybe 10 minutes after conceding I thought the players very nearly retreated back into themselves but managed to get passed it. Of course playing that way will inevitably lead to conceding gaols sometimes, thats just football and if it comes with the belief that we can score, then its a good trade off.

On that front, I thought the fans did well last night after the equalizer to not get nervous and transmit that to the players too much.

The management turned up, the players turned up (maybe not Grant) and what fans that were there also turned up. Its up to the club now to entice the missing 2 or 3 thousand back

Easy to be overly reductive about it. But in part, yes. One may call it lacking confidence in the coach. Other parts are lacking self-confidence, lacking confidence in fellow players and cramping-up when the crowd is on your back - judging and criticising you.

All interrelated and negatively cyclical.

Other attitude and coach-related factors here: https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/ ... n-bantams/

We’re not there yet, though last night was a huge intake of white dust.

For the first time in ages the football played by us throughout the match is a selling point for anyone rocking up to watch a game of football.

Edited, for the record, would-be fans at our home.

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Three cheers for his nut brown arsehole, hip hip.....

what changed ?

stadium MK has become fortress MK
Players have freedom
Not playing hoofball
organisation
passing
confidence
work rate
fans getting behind the team and toxicity gone
Players showing they are much better than this season to date
We have found a proper striker
Playing as a team
Kev started talking about his tool again sadly !