THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

So, with my worst fears of the away result confirmed, the game on Saturday has become extremely tricky?

How do we approach it? We need to score and score plenty but absolutely cant afford to concede a single goal. Is it all out attack or is it measured and controlled until at least half time and see whats what from there?

I think we have to go on the attack our best hope is scoring first and hoping Crawley start to wobble

This will likely be the last 90 minutes of the season for these players, there is absolutely no point in being cautious. We saw what happened when we put some pressure on their back line; Dean nearly scored after three minutes and we pressured them into nearly scoring an own goal from 30 yards. We need to swarm them from minute one, try and get a goal inside 15 minutes and hope that nerves will start to creep in for them.

Do the complete opposite of what we did last night. We sat off Crawley as if they were Man City. It was embarrassing to watch and even more embarrassing when you consider we're supposed to be a team that plays football the right way.

Williamson reverted to GA style of football last night. Not a fucking clue why. You've spent your entire time at the club developing a specific style of play, only to change it for the most important game of the season.

We press them hard right from the first whistle. We have to just throw absolutely everything at them. Of course, we have to be sensible enough not too leave ourselves too open and concede a 4th or 5th but we need to put them under pressure. If you look at all of the big 2nd leg comebacks of recent years, Liverpool against Barcelona, Sheffield Wednesday against Peterborough, they start aggressively and get the early goal. That's the key. As soon as you get the early goal it puts doubt in the opposition's mind and helps our fans to start believing we can do it. The obvious factor in both of those 2 games I mentioned were the incredible atmospheres. We're obviously not going to be as loud as Anfield or Hillsborough but I hope we get behind them and give it a good go.

To clarify, I absolutely don't think we'll do it, but I'm just trying to convince myself it is possible.

All out attack for the first 15 mins - game changes with an early goal

It would, but if the tie isn't settle already, then an early goal from Crawley absolutely does.

I wouldn't go ALL OUT attack. I'd still attack with some level of caution, knowing how absolutely wank this defence is. If we've still not scored by the 50th min mark, then that's when all out attack should commence.

Play exactly the way we've played at home for most of MW's tenure

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"It's not about hoping this little moment will change our momentum, its about our daily actions and courage in everything we do.. We've got to stop believing in fairytales"

- Graham Alexander, October 2023

Well yes. Do what Sutton did to us in 2nd half the other week.
Constant onslaught.
Not that I care much any more.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

After last night I absolutely hate to be at all positive (those players do not deserve any positivity from us) but I can see us being 2-0 up at half time on Saturday. If thats the case then you never know. Well, actually you do know, in as much as we never keep a clean sheet, but in the spirit of trying to find motivation to bother to go to the game on Saturday - you never know.