County v Blyth Spartans: Match Thread (14/10/2017)

Will Oswell or Maguire win the battle of the strikers?

Will this turn out to be the 4th consecutive game where we concede from a set play?

Will McKenna be ready for a start?

Has the search for a new CB continued and will he be unveiled on Friday?

I have no answers. But from seeing his finishing this season and last, all I know is we'll likely be punished if we offer up opportunities to their little man up top. So let's not, eh! Plus, given Blyth have led at HT in 7 of their league fixtures (we've only led 3 times) then let's hope everyone is switched on from kickoff.

I haven't a clue about this one....FACT!!!

"Reviewing a 1-1 draw on the road to Darlington and preparing for more North East competition in the form of a visit from Blythe Spartans, Martin and Chris chew over a busy week for Stockport County, exclusive interviews with Jim Gannon and Dave Conlon - who partakes in this week's 'Kickup Challenge'."



soundcloud.com/user-415776765/blythe-spartans-the-return-of-alun-armstrong

Really don't know what to make of todays performance, great in spells in the first half and should have been a couple of goals to the good before halftime. Deservedly went one ahead, I would add if the ref gives a penalty for the player jumping with his hand up stopping a goal scoring opportunity then why didn't a red card follow??? However for the equaliser they pretty much just walked through our team as if the last half hour never happened. Second half was dross we stopped playing, running and moving and looked like we wanted to play long balls all the time. In terms of substitutions I thought Thomas did a reasonable job, but Bohan Dixon was just awful looked utterly lost, didn't seem to have any idea where to play, how to challenge, control a ball or even pass. Could we please ensure he never plays for County again. We conceded late by half clearing a ball without looking who the ball or where the ball was going to, memo to players if in doubt always go for row Z. The third not worth a mention as the players looked shell shocked.

An extremely aggressive opening with lots of possession in the Blyth half and pressure on their goal. McKenna was especially effective early on when he could stay wide and act as a winger. Smalley forced their 'keeper into action after only a few minutes from a corner and the save pushed the ball onto the bar - it dropped in front of the line and was somehow scrambled away.

But, for all the pressure during the first 15 and Blyth's seeming inability to cope with the onslaught, no goal came. When Blyth ventured up for 30 seconds they manufactured an effort through Maguire who smacked the post. A second breakaway followed as they forced a corner... from our corner.

On the half hour, we were correctly awarded a penalty when the ball struck their defender's raised hand. Their 'keeper spent the next minute rattling the bar so it was bouncing but Warburton left the CE bouncing by coolly slotting it away.

Within 3 minutes though, we shot ourselves in the foot with the latest example of terrible defending. The players decided to warp from footballers to spectators, and watched Blyth pass and run around them. With little to no pressure whatsoever in our defensive third, they seemed to have all the time in the world to get the ball to an unchallenged player 10 yards out and central to the net. Just. Wow.

Anyway, with the onslaught phase of the game over and Blyth clearly back in it, it was now possible to see how things were taking shape. Our biggest goal threat, Oswell, was isolated. Stopforth, playing in the #10 role, wasn't able to effectively support him centrally or to make the #10 runs when the ball was out wide and being put in. As Blyth held their width throughout with full backs and wingers, McKenna and Warburton (probably the 'on paper' support in this system) were continually shuttling out wide to defend while having to try to join Oswell when we had the ball back. It was looking increasingly hard for them to have an impact now that initial surge of pressure and possession had gone.

Meanwhile in defence... everyone was playing their own version of a defensive unit. Smalley was telling O'Halloran to move closer to him to stop gapping between them but O'Halloran ignored his requests. That's pretty much their partnership style from what I've seen so far. When their #11 stood high and wide, Cowan was so attracted to him he forgot to offer any cover to Smalley or to remember to stay in line/in front of his CBs. The sloppy passes and sliced clearances are more obvious but when you're sat 'in line' with the defence, it really hits home how much O'Halloran walks out instead of pushing out and how little leadership there is in that line.

So, not only did it look like everyone in defence was playing individually but there were some really bizarre things going on too. On one occasion on a Blyth throw, they were clearly going to aim to their tall #11. For some reason, Cowan shouted Mckenna to stand in front of #11 and completely relieved himself of his defensive duty by standing 3 yards from being able to challenge the header with #11. Of course, JG b*llocked him and told him to do his job.

As the tempo was dropping, a few already started to look fatigued mentally and physically. Cue some of the old habits coming back. Cowan took a throw and simply threw it at Oswell's head with no other possibility than a turnover of possession or potentially knocking out Oswell!

HT 1-1 (mini-Herm asks for a Naked bar, 'Peanut Delight' apparently)

The second half started with them having removed Maguire. We quickly had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for an Oswell offside - something that happened a fair bit today, mostly due to dwelling on the ball instead of releasing it. Duxbury then tried one of his mazey 60-yard runs. He was having a lot of success on the left but on this occasion the end result was a rather timid poke towards goal.

On the hour, McKenna was removed for Thomas and Thomas took Warburton's position on the left of attack while Warburton switched flanks. Cowan invited pressure with a risky back pass towards Hinchliffe who, under a sliding challenge, seemed to be a bit timid and he ended up chipping it 10 yards forward to their attacker. It should have ended with a goal to them. We had a chance from a Warburton corner (Ball, I think) but, yet again, it came to nothing. Ball then sloppily lost possession (unfortunately, he was poor today) and it took a wonderful last ditch Cowan tackle to save the goal.

Thomas wasn't really able to add much but did have an excellent run on the break. Between him and Oswell, they really should have turned it into a better chance than what it ended up as. But it was straight up the other end for another Blyth attempt - a second post-hitting one at that!

Warburton was removed for Dixon with 15 minutes to go. Having earlier watched Warburton, a creative #10, sprint 25 yards to cover an out of position Duxbury before sprinting 25 yards forward again to press their RB once Duxbury returned to LB, it's just not good enough that Dixon replaced him and proceeded to literally walk about for 15 minutes. He 'jumped' for headers with no intention to win them and pulled out of the only tackle which presented itself to him. Forgive the pun, but Warburton could have been replaced by a stale loaf of bread and it would have had the same impact as Dixon had. We see a lot of poor quality at this level but, sorry, that can't be tolerated. The only pleasing thing is how much his lack of effort stands out - which surely suggests that most others are at least giving it a good shot.

Anyway, rant over. With four minutes of normal time we brought on Hampson and switched to a back 3 with Duxbury at LCB. Thomas was pushed next to Oswell in an effort to rectify the lack of support. The inevitable happened and we lost in added time, conceding twice in as many minutes.

FT 1-3 (mini-Herm asks to go home FAST)