The confidence to try things, express ourselves and shoot on sight has really been instilled in us in the past couple of weeks and it has resulted in us playing good, attractive football.
Gradually, things are changing under Andy and Steve. There is a lot more possession-based work with us being on the ball and seeing what we can create, rather than playing on the counter-attack and soaking up pressure.
Did Boothroyd actually advise to soak up pressure with a weak, inexerienced, injury prone defense and counter attack with little to no pace in the attack? I didn't see counter attacks, I just saw get the ball up front and hope that we keep hold of it. 'Andy and Steve' are a breath of fresh air.
I like them a lot, honest and trying to play good football. Which the Team and players are responding too. My only concern was i liked AB when he first came, though the football was not great he was honest and seemed to say the right things.
I would like to see thorn given the chance, and just pray we continue and he doesnt then resort to banging it forward in hope.
I have never changed my opinion, that as long as we give 100% and attempt to play well, if we lose beacuse they are better that is life! I hate it when we roll over and surrender!! we have a decent side on the whole, a play off shot would not have been beyond us, if we had played like this all season IMO.
I'd wager after that interview that McSheffrey was one of the guys unhappy with the long-ball style of play! Ditto Bell given the interview he did with the Telegraph last week. What a transformation in performance by them both.
the only thing that worries me with Thorn is, is he a little one dimensional given that he's no experience or badges? What happens when his tactics don't work.
the only thing that worries me with Thorn is, is he a little one dimensional given that he's no experience or badges? What happens when his tactics don't work.
I don't think so as in previous high-profile cases (Grant, Southgate perhaps, Platt in Italy? ) they were given a deadline to get them by. Although Platt got around it anyway by using technicalities of job title, having a qualified Assistant. So tbh we can just turn round and say Harrison and Thorn are joint-manager. Harrison probably wrote half of the courses for the badges, never mind has them
the only thing that worries me with Thorn is, is he a little one dimensional given that he's no experience or badges? What happens when his tactics don't work.
Absolutely. He actually changed the shape from a Mourinho-style 4-1-2-3 to a classic 4-1-2-1-2 Diamond for Saturday. That was incredibly brave and requires real graft as the former is more like 1 central striker : positioning Sheff in "the hole" meant Eastwood and King were narrow rather than spread, with less defensive responsibility, and Sheff was playing "between the lines" and almost a 3rd striker-just check out that run for his goal, and the one for Husseys lovely cross that was well saved by Loach, and the one for the dribble that set up Sammys blast. He'd not have got in those positions as one of a 3 spread accross the front line, or as a LW.
I think Thorn's clever enough to be adaptable formation-wise, but the principles of pass-and-move football will remain in general. As a scout he must have seen more matches than most managers, and been exposed to every style of play going. Not to mention that his previous role required a deep understanding of a players role, strengths and weaknesses.