Fleetwood matchday thread-Return of Ben -Brave New World

Is that our ambition for today, score our first league goal of this year. 😆

I think the pain will go on. The injured still injured or not match fit, the new blood not match fit. The opponent tough.

What’s going on with our strikers. WE AINT GOT ANY. 1 released before Ben got here. Both season long loans terminated. Nichols told to go. You need at least 4 and we only got 1? I’m taking my boots today.

We also should switch to a back 4. 5 across back cost us in last home game.

With players coming back, manager coming back, new players having come in we’re going to at least be unpredictable.

I think we’ll win this.

But then I haven’t seen us for six years so it’s less an opinion more a desire.

JCH nets two, a newbie also scores.

What's the likely formation? Is it 4-4-2 with Kilgour at RB? Or 5-3-2 (in which case who is the other wing-back)? Hope it all goes well for Gino Ginelli and Barrett.

Decent 1st half from Rovers. Gino Ginelli looking lively and Barrett quite involved. THD is a bit of trouble against Burns. Madden + Evans got more into it as the game progressed. Not a lot of action in the final third for both sides. JCH looks fitter, but getting a bit frustrated with some of the referees decisions. Fingers crossed 2nd half. So far so good.

Im content with that result, not happy but was expecting another loss. Clean sheet and something to build on as the cliche goes.

Just got back!

Ok...
Encouraging.

Big misgivings with not playing two up front, maybe there was a reason for that?

It looked like 4-3-3 in first half with Barratt getting forward to support, and Ginnely (my m o m first half) looking mildly threatening.

Tom Davies looking unfit and made a couple of silly mistakes.
Craig was his useful self.
THD shored up right wing threats and Kilgour looked competent....until second half when there was space for him to move forward into, but was unconfident to patrol such a move.

We were screaming for right wing outlet and Rodman for Barrett was the obvious choice and subsequent drawn foul, resulting in our best chance..

First half we could've been two down if not for better finishing (keeper saved one for corner, other was blazed way over) but the interesting point on both moves is they were counter attacks, and one was a sublime through ball from them to set Madden through...

Second half I thought we were more than matched in midfield and penalty chance apart, was playing catch up. We had several really good opportunities of set pieces but never looked anywhere good enough on delivery, Shane as they were wasted chances.

Problems...
Sercombe going off. We definitely lost momentum in midfield and quality deliveries.

Tom Davies and Barratt (m o m ? Ber must have been good in sponsors lounge or his family voted) just don't look fully match fit.

We are desperate for a decent strike partner (or two !) for JCH. I say two striking addition at least need to be made.


Non problems...
We are obviously working in progress and BG first game back with players more aligned to him was a reasonable work out. We weren't dominated as before. We weren't last gasp defending.

We played with purpose, more organisation, a method, more forward movement in possession and movement off the ball.

We limited opponent to half chances by mistake and made them earn their clear cut chance by counter.

Fleetwood aren't a bad team, they'll end up in top half and we matched them. I thought a draw was fair result.

Not mentioning pen miss these things happen.
Not mentioning 'questionable' refereeing decisions as these things happen more frequently.


A reasonable start if BG has a clean slate, with encouraging pieces within this new fangled four at the back with wingers thingy type of football (?), with more attractive football in the concept and a clean sheet.

I see this transition as medium to long term working progress, the question is: is anyone gonna be patient enough to ride through it?

The reason we didn't press forward more with formation is because the midfield is totally disorganised. Nobody knows where to move or when, huge gaps between players, so they aren't confident to press forward.

Ollie tried, he was screaming at people to step forward, nobody did.

We have one of the best centre forwards in L1/2, but are probably the easiest team to defend against.

Who knows, Garner may work it out, but there's an equal chance that any of the 6000 people on the terraces today could turn in to a football manager, given the chance.

Yep, we got exactly what we deserved with that penalty. The way we cheated to con the referee was just embarrassing.

Lino looking straight at it as well. Where do they get these people, they seem to go out of their way to give incorrect decisions.

I really enjoyed that and can see what Ben Garner is trying to do. If we had a striker or two who looked interested we would have won.

Good game of football today.