Grandstand: Crewe (H), Saturday 28 September

Big game tomorrow. Here's our #4QuestionPreview via our Crewe counterparts.

A classic of the "I'd bite your hand off for a point and a clean sheet" genre, but will life be that kind? Definitely feels like we may have another week or two of needing to weather the storm until we've got enough injured players back to be able to properly regroup.

What chance of Messrs Demetriou and Bogle coming back to haunt us?!?

Good to see Spellman possibly back from injury. Only seen him for 45 minutes v Barry Town United pre-season but he looked fast, put in decent crosses and was generally positive in his play.

He looks like he has goals in him. Hope he gets 30-45 minutes tomorrow...

A point will do today

Yes, at least gaining a point would stop the rot

Looks like a 4-2-3-1...

Omar Bogle is still absent from the Crewe Squad. Micky D playing.

BTW we won!

Good game, good result against in form side.

I admit to being very pleasantly surprised. Very much improved on the last three performances. Several players, Baker, Jameson, Morris much improved. Two great goals. The on loan goalkeeper playing for Crewe was a bit dodgy and that may have helped our boys a bit. But it was a good all round effort. I hadn't seen Spellman before and in the short time he was on today he looks like he will strengthen the squad. Hudlin's height once again useful in defending high balls into our box as we tried to play out time. And pleasing that the home attendance stayed at 4,000 despite recent defeats.

Well I certainly got that wrong I’m glad to say ! Encouraging performance after they equalised from a breakaway when we almost went 2 up. Jameson was Rolls Royce today and deserved his mom and did well despite apparently struggling with a leg injury. He saw out the game so I hope he’s ok.

Can't comment on a game I didn't see but happy to comment that was a very good result.

Serious question for those who have seen the majority of our games. The two games I have been able to watch, frankly we looked awful. Would I be right in thinking we have a potentially first X11 capable of challenging but that the squad lacks strength in depth? Or is it on the evidence of today, to use that phrase of Dean Holdsworth, that the players are beginning to gel?

I genuinely don't know and as ever would be interested in people's views.

Thought that everyone put in a shift today. It is often the case of no Kamwa, no County but not today. Baker and Jameson outstanding. A very enjoyable game and result.

A thoroughly entertaining game. We deserved to win, and to do so against good opposition says a lot for the application of the team. We do need everyone to be on the top of their game. A good example would be Kieron Evans whose excellent performance today was in complete contrast to the Swindon performance. I suppose the same goes for everyone today. It was quite obvious that the 'play out from the back' strategy has been abandoned, and as such we were never caught flat footed by losing the ball deep in our own half. Superb performances by Jameson and Morris. Well done everyone.

Not sure the play out from the back has been abandoned?

lowandhard wrote:Well I certainly got that wrong I’m glad to say ! Encouraging performance after they equalised from a breakaway when we almost went 2 up. Jameson was Rolls Royce today and deserved his mom and did well despite apparently struggling with a leg injury. He saw out the game so I hope he’s ok.

He seemed to pick up a groin strain early in the game but otherwise was fairly much faultless. But the defensive display was so much better overall...

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Can't comment on a game I didn't see but happy to comment that was a very good result.

Serious question for those who have seen the majority of our games. The two games I have been able to watch, frankly we looked awful. Would I be right in thinking we have a potentially first X11 capable of challenging but that the squad lacks strength in depth? Or is it on the evidence of today, to use that phrase of Dean Holdsworth, that the players are beginning to gel?

I genuinely don't know and as ever would be interested in people's views.

My feeling is that yes, the first team needs to be on the pitch to get results. However, it’s not simple in that we really don’t know what that team is because of injury and the younger players acclimatising to life in league two.could be a roller coaster season.

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Can't comment on a game I didn't see but happy to comment that was a very good result.

Serious question for those who have seen the majority of our games. The two games I have been able to watch, frankly we looked awful. Would I be right in thinking we have a potentially first X11 capable of challenging but that the squad lacks strength in depth? Or is it on the evidence of today, to use that phrase of Dean Holdsworth, that the players are beginning to gel?

I genuinely don't know and as ever would be interested in people's views.

I do wonder whether sometimes fans should have a reality check. We are talking about a side that plays in League 2 and has for many years being operating on one of the lowest budgets in that League. This season instead of picking up journeymen to fill the squad, County have gone down the route of signing youngsters and have unfortunately had the 'spine' of experienced players (Clarke in defence, Morris and Wildig in midfield and CBR in attack) has been affected by injuries.

I know County have been shipping goals recently but when you look at the all the parts of the team there isn't really too much wrong. Defensively we have decent defenders, but have two wing-backs where full-backs are required and CB's that have a history of making mistakes. Glennon is looking better as a full back and I think Baker and Jameson are making less mistakes (just have been punished for that odd error). Today will have helped all three immensely.

Midfield is still a bit of work in progress. County are currently playing 4-2-3-1 so the holding midfield is Morris and one more (Antwi usually) with Wildig sitting as an attacking midfielder between the two wingers making up the 3 in front. It's not a rigid formation, in that if one of the two holding midfielders venture upfield then Wildig drops back and there is rotation of positions at play. My feeling is that Antwi either isn't comfortable in the liquidity of the arrangement or has lost a bit of confidence and he seems to be taking the easier options more often than not in playing the ball backwards. There are options, particularly with Whitmore nearing return, Mawene seems an attacking midfielder so could come in and Wildig drop back (but less rotation of positions) and Miley (someone who looks like a defensive midfielder) when he returns from injury. Keiron Evans is possibly too small and light for a central midfield role and looked better on the right wing.

The lone striker role probably doesn't suit any of the strikers on the books, but CBR seems to be closest to being able to win headers and/or hold the ball up. I think CBR will probably get somewhere around 8 goals this season but what he will do (which he does very well) is occupy the opposition CB's and create space for others to score. Most goals will come from the players just behind CBR, the wingers and (rotating) attacking midfielder, so Wildig, Morris, Whitmore, Kamwa, Spellman and Greaves. The concerns will come if CBR gets injured or form dives because though Hudlin will win headers he tends to lose the ball easily and Kargbo (when fit) doesn't seem keen to contest headers or run around too much. Jephcott doesn't fit into the current system, unless utilised in the attacking midfielder role. He needs time on the pitch so that a ball can hit him and go in the goal, just to get that monkey off his back. Unfortunately at the moment there are better options and best opportunity to break his duck could be November with FA Cup and BSM Trophy games.

wattsville_boy wrote:

Stan A. Einstein wrote:Can't comment on a game I didn't see but happy to comment that was a very good result.

Serious question for those who have seen the majority of our games. The two games I have been able to watch, frankly we looked awful. Would I be right in thinking we have a potentially first X11 capable of challenging but that the squad lacks strength in depth? Or is it on the evidence of today, to use that phrase of Dean Holdsworth, that the players are beginning to gel?

I genuinely don't know and as ever would be interested in people's views.

I do wonder whether sometimes fans should have a reality check.  We are talking about a side that plays in League 2 and has for many years being operating on one of the lowest budgets in that League.  This season instead of picking up journeymen to fill the squad, County have gone down the route of signing youngsters and have unfortunately had the 'spine' of experienced players (Clarke in defence, Morris and Wildig in midfield and CBR in attack) has been affected by injuries.

I know County have been shipping goals recently but when you look at the all the parts of the team there isn't really too much wrong.  Defensively we have decent defenders, but have two wing-backs where full-backs are required and CB's that have a history of making mistakes.  Glennon is looking better as a full back and I think Baker and Jameson are making less mistakes (just have been punished for that odd error).  Today will have helped all three immensely.

Midfield is still a bit of work in progress.  County are currently playing 4-2-3-1 so the holding midfield is Morris and one more (Antwi usually) with Wildig sitting as an attacking midfielder between the two wingers making up the 3 in front.  It's not a rigid formation, in that if one of the two holding midfielders venture upfield then Wildig drops back and there is rotation of positions at play.  My feeling is that Antwi either isn't comfortable in the liquidity of the arrangement or has lost a bit of confidence and he seems to be taking the easier options more often than not in playing the ball backwards.  There are options, particularly with Whitmore nearing return, Mawene seems an attacking midfielder so could come in and Wildig drop back (but less rotation of positions) and Miley (someone who looks like a defensive midfielder) when he returns from injury.  Keiron Evans is possibly too small and light for a central midfield role and looked better on the right wing.

The lone striker role probably doesn't suit any of the strikers on the books, but CBR seems to be closest to being able to win headers and/or hold the ball up.  I think CBR will probably get somewhere around 8 goals this season but what he will do (which he does very well) is occupy the opposition CB's and create space for others to score.  Most goals will come from the players just behind CBR, the wingers and (rotating) attacking midfielder, so Wildig, Morris, Whitmore, Kamwa, Spellman and Greaves.  The concerns will come if CBR gets injured or form dives because though Hudlin will win headers he tends to lose the ball easily and Kargbo (when fit) doesn't seem keen to contest headers or run around too much.  Jephcott doesn't fit into the current system, unless utilised in the attacking midfielder role.  He needs time on the pitch so that a ball can hit him and go in the goal, just to get that monkey off his back.  Unfortunately at the moment there are better options and best opportunity to break his duck could be November with FA Cup and BSM Trophy games.

I think the other point to make is that County haven't been doing any 'succession planning' since rejoining the EFL. So you have to look at whom within the squad could ultimately replace the likes of Clarke at CB or Wildig in midfield for instance. Any player, if they don't already exist in the squad, needs to be in-situ to learn from 'the master' before they hang up their boots...

bonson&hunt wrote:Not sure the play out from the back has been abandoned?

Yes, getting a bit ahead of myself. We certainly didn't play any tippy happy from Townsend to defenders today, and if the result is a win and a confidence boost, then it may be a good idea to stick with the same strategy on Tuesday.