County v Barnet: Match Thread (07/03/2020)

Four points ahead before
A ball is kicked gives us the
Confidence to go all out attacking.
Three goals to two win for County.

And the award for most pointless act goes to...

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see the thing about that gazz, no matter how grim it may be, is that i still can't help focussing on his mahoosive forehead as the most startling thing in the picture...he's got a head like a

Today JG opted for the 3-4-1-2 shape, possibly to 'match up' with our opponent or, perhaps equally likely, to try to find structural integrity and balance, and to relieve Lloyd of the defensive work required of the wide attackers in the more favoured 4-2-3-1 shape we often deploy.

As such, there was an element of the post-January 2016-17 season about the game, when we would see Lloyd often more central with Big K. Perhaps it's therefore not as likely to see him destroying defences in this position, or for him to bring us quite the excitement he did when playing the left attacker role in a 4-2-3-1, but it's the business end of the season and I think JG is probably trusting that if that one chance comes, he'll bury it.

Away from the shape, Bell got the nod over McAlinden. Their #5 could see over the Railway End and was powerfully built to boot. With our #9 being expected to come back into our own box on set-pieces to defend him, I think that's what you call doing your homework. (As an aside, it continues to disappoint as to just how many people openly jump on every little error Bell makes while others MUCH more experienced play worse and get zilch. It was pleasing in the second half to see JG applaud him for his work, I think he needed it to be honest because he must sense the reaction to him on the pitch.)

Dimaio started ahead of Osborne in the #10 role, Keane's absence saw Turnbull in central midfield with Sam Walker, and Jackson started left wing back ahead of Clarke. Jackson struggled early in the season at LWB but, with games, looked good in the left attacker role in the 4-2-3-1 so I thought it would be interesting to see how he got on when asked to revert to LWB once again.

With us doing better from set-pieces of late, another point of interest would be where they would actually come from. With the highest lines (Bell, Lloyd and Dimaio) largely being narrow, the natural width needed to come from Minihan and Jackson imposing themselves high, or from Bell and Lloyd making width from central areas. When it's the latter, I think you can often benefit with a bit of a ruthless Warburton type finisher at #10... which we don't have. (That said, Dimaio was one of the few players in the first half who had clearly refused to take one of the panic pills being passed around prior to kick-off. He went about his game effectively and was unlucky to suffer a dead leg which saw his game brought to a premature end.)

But forget players and shape. You have to come out for the fight. It's not optional. And too many of ours didn't. We were second to the first ball, the second ball... you get the idea. We dropped and dropped and still didn't pressure within our half. We looked disorganised. And when we did have it, we looked scared to death to play like we can. Instead of passing out to Minihan and Jackson to get some width and progression up the pitch, or to try to find Dimaio on the half turn, we played either backwards football or hit and 'hope Danny can get onto it' football.   Meanwhile, Barnet passed the ball to each other and, you know, moved afterwards. They worked up the pitch as a team in an organised fashion.

Oh right, I've written all this and we're apparently not even in the 8th minute when they took the lead. Please bear with me for just another 40 minutes.

So the lead was taken by Barnet, albeit in circumstances which, as it happened, felt dubious. We were back on our 18-yard line, not pressing very well and they slipped a ball down the left side of our central defence. Their fella seemed yards ahead of our back line within the penalty area so no idea what went wrong (defender malfunction, lino malfunction?). Hinchliffe was down to his feet near the corner of the 6-yard box, Cowan was trying to get back to make a challenge too. Their man went down in the threesome and the ref blew. (Please read that sentence without smirking) So, offside or not? Foul or not? No idea on both counts but it didn't 'feel' right but could, of course, been right. Their player walked up and Ben dived right while he placed it left.

Bell had one nice piece of play when he isolated their LCB and had lovely body shape when receiving a ball to chest. He cushioned it past the defender and ran him down our right wing. It needed a first time ball as he had comfortably beaten his man and Lloyd was one-one-one in the box - the only two outfielders in the box. But Bell checked back and the moment ultimately dwindled into slow-playing backwards, again a constant theme of the ineffective first half.

Like Bell, Lloyd had a moment or two as well. On one occasion, he was getting to the byline on the left wing when he was very obviously hacked down with the ref five yards behind the yellow card offence... a corner it was apparently as the defender's eight foot toe had prodded the ball away. On another occasion Lloyd left the defender sunbathing after feigning a first time cross. Unfortunately, since our default is to play the first-time ball in, we had committed to it in the box and so the pull back to the penalty spot was met by... no-one. "Where is everyone, that's a great ball!" Except, not so much when no-one else plays for that ball.

Aside from Dimaio, our midfield was deep and passive - too many aimless balls or negative balls slowing the game down. Both Palmer and Hogan were also guilty of poor distribution early on. We really failed to get the ball enough to either Minihan or Jackson from defence and central midfield. Hogan also over-committed and left himself stranded, desperately trying to pull back their man in a 'just enough to discomfort you but not to foul you' way, who was heading towards the box.

But one thing that's clear with Hogan is that he's mentally tough, not just physically tough. While others might go in their shell at such an error, not he. No, he just says: "B*gger this, I'm going to be a game-changer." And so he stepped out from RCB, at good pace with the ball. That one action and subsequent cross lifted us. In fact, he provided the two best crosses of the first half. His second was the assist for Palmer's wonderfully controlled header. It was our only attempt on target that half but, if you'll forgive the reference, it was a bit like Bould and Adams combining for Arsenal all those years ago. Two uncompromising individuals putting together a wonderful piece of play. It's possible, because of shooting from the Pop, that highlights won't quite do the header justice. It was REALLY well executed. I absolutely LOVED it and so did they. Cometh the hour, cometh the men's men.

The second half was a very different game to the first. Jackson was pulled and Lloyd went to LWB. McAlinden partnered Bell up top. From a side with too many passive onlookers who might as well have bought tickets to watch the game, we were collectively right at it now. It was as if the switch of 'let's worry about them' had turned to 'let them worry about us'. It seemed such a psychological thing - the shape was the same with the exception of Bell being left forward and not right forward - but the energy was there, the team-play, the spirit. We had turned from the 'We're that County side that match up with Brackley and lose 1-0' into the 'we're the Championship-winning County so see if you can cope with this.' Oh yes, the boys were alive and my bits were tingling. I've not been drinking by the way.

Bell looked like a player who wouldn't now be dominated. He had fire in him. McAlinden was chasing down things more in tandem with him, like an angry two-armed Octopus swatting away defenders to create himself a yard. The tireless Minihan shrunk a bit when he was being barracked by JG for 5 minutes because he didn't bounce a throw-in into McAlinden but, my goodness, aside from when he was distracted by that, he absolutely took the game to them on the right with 30-40 yard carries, putting in a number of fast low balls and winning corners. Bully and Walker, so long as they weren't trying to cope with breaks, looked more 'with it' and controlling matters in midfield. Set pieces were largely good once more, and threatening once more. We all jumped to celebrate Palmer's second... only to find it had somehow made its way into the 'keeper's hands on the ground.

This was a County those kids in the Pop, coming for the first time, could be excited about. When previously their highlight was probably missing out on being served in the queue for refreshments over there, now there were players they were probably making their favourites. Yes, as I always say, it is unlikely that a team will dominate you in both halves - things should get better. But it was really rather night and day and great credit to everyone for bringing that out of themselves. And when Barnet finally got through at the end, Ben was there to save the day with a diving catch.

And, to be fair to the players, Barnet's attack through the game was one of the more fluid ones you'll see - it would ask questions of sides in higher leagues, I'm sure. For example, in the second half, Minihan was all the way tracking 'his' man to LB at one point, before having to be back to head behind on his natural right post when a cross came in towards the same attacker for them. In another move Cowan was tracking his man into CDM while another of their players had run beyond Turnbull from midfield and Bully was having to drop into LCB to pick him up. There is no criticism on any of them for doing these things, just to point out that today was a good example of the kind of questions you'll be asked in the FL. Concentration and talking = vital attributes.

As I say, no idea on the penalty concession but other than that, Cowan made some pretty crucial interventions. Hogan and Palmer really rolled up their sleeves to impact the game at both ends. Minihan saved a goal and was a big part of the 'lift' the crowd felt, especially second half. Dimaio has put himself in contention for another start, so long as he's fit. McAlinden showed intent and skill, and Bell had a strong second half alongside him. Set-pieces were strong once more. Considering the first half then, lots of things to take comfort in. Add in more questionable decisions against us (we didn't get anything near their box yet seemed to get fouled at least twice) and it was a well-fought point. Both sides could have nicked it but, all in all, neither side probably deserved less than a point from it. I went home happy!

Seconded!

Superb piece, H!

Excellent stuff as always, mate!

I guess this shows for real the difference having a really good striker makes. Someone who makes the defenders do what they want them to and forces them to do things and go to areas of the pitch they’d rather not be.