| Clean sheets and in game management 17:01 - Sep 7 with 1374 views | Mullet |
I was talking football at work today and mentioned how refreshing it is to have these at ITFC again.
Mick was probably the last manager we had who you could trust to change a game with a sub, Bart the last real keeper before Walton who inspired a sense we'd keep teams out too. It's been a long few years, but it's an aspect of McKenna's management that makes me so confident stood in away ends etc.
Ironically it was a City fan who asked if it was because we had such a big budget, with that and the 5 subs and you can dismiss them a bit. But whatever the context isn't it nice to go to games and feel like a loss or a draw isn't to be expected?
I wonder how we'd fare in the 2nd tier right now with the team we have. Let alone the scope to improve it. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:13 - Sep 7 with 1314 views | catch74 |
Early days but interesting to see from last year league 1 - Sunderland, Wigan and Rotherham coping with Blackpool and Hull from the year before also stable in the Championship. I’m not sure any of them blew us away particularly (maybe Rotherham made us look pretty average.)
The goalkeeper bit is interesting too - thinking Leicester this season, a lot going wrong for them but Schmiechel has been so important for them. As a number of people have said Walton the most important player signing of Gamechanger so far. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:21 - Sep 7 with 1261 views | clive_baker |
16 goals conceded in 30 league games under McKenna is ridiculous really. It's true what people say about the basis of good sides, they're often bl00dy hard to score against. It's in part because we've got an excellent keeper and very good defensive unit, but also its % based in that we have a lot of the ball, and they can't score if they're not in possession. The abiity to control games and stick to our plan is impressive, there's rarely panic, we seem to undstand our roles very well and trust the process.
4 defeats in 30 league games since KM joined, and 2 of those were in his first month. 2 league defeats since 29th Jan FFS. There's no room for complacency but we're certainly a proper force this season and it's great to see. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:22 - Sep 7 with 1254 views | Mullet |
| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:13 - Sep 7 by catch74 |
Early days but interesting to see from last year league 1 - Sunderland, Wigan and Rotherham coping with Blackpool and Hull from the year before also stable in the Championship. I’m not sure any of them blew us away particularly (maybe Rotherham made us look pretty average.)
The goalkeeper bit is interesting too - thinking Leicester this season, a lot going wrong for them but Schmiechel has been so important for them. As a number of people have said Walton the most important player signing of Gamechanger so far. |
He's got more than enough potential to be massive for us up a level like BB was. I do feel as though we have invested in players with high ceilings and resale value too.
Leicester feel like they're at the end of a dynasty and it might take them a while to stabilise. I can't imagine they will ever get to the top again without a new spine bedded in. IT's what has cost United in many ways post-Fergie. | |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:43 - Sep 7 with 1173 views | Mullet |
| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:21 - Sep 7 by clive_baker |
16 goals conceded in 30 league games under McKenna is ridiculous really. It's true what people say about the basis of good sides, they're often bl00dy hard to score against. It's in part because we've got an excellent keeper and very good defensive unit, but also its % based in that we have a lot of the ball, and they can't score if they're not in possession. The abiity to control games and stick to our plan is impressive, there's rarely panic, we seem to undstand our roles very well and trust the process.
4 defeats in 30 league games since KM joined, and 2 of those were in his first month. 2 league defeats since 29th Jan FFS. There's no room for complacency but we're certainly a proper force this season and it's great to see. |
The fluidity and ability to change before going behind has been key often. Wearing teams down psychologically so that we can score and make them worry about conceding more than equalising is key.
I guess the gold standard is often AC Milan when Maldini flourished and you had Baresi next to him and a wealth of talent ahead of them to hurt teams. It's a different time and philosophy but the general premise is the same in any sport.
The fact we could bring in Burgess on Saturday and him be MOTM whilst Fridge doesn't make the squad is also telling. | |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 17:44 - Sep 7 with 1169 views | cbower |
So true. Whilst Mick's tactics have been lambasted by many, he did at least have a plan. He was able to tweak in game and his man management is almost universally admired. Hurst had a plan, executed it badly, panicked for the Norwich game, abandoned his plan and was an awful man manager it would seem. Lambert's tactics amounted to some splitting centre backs trying to play from the back but looking terrible. He progressed to trying to endear himself to the fans by buying them beer and fighting opposition managers and ultimately the term 'Lambingo' was coined as he made changes galore. For the final few months of his tenure he actually gave up. Cook was simply inflexible, wedded to a style and used subs to just change personnel rather than tactics. McKenna seems to tweak tactics each game, changes in personnel generally have a logic and it seems he spends much more time on the training ground as a coach. Hurst, Lambert and Cook all seemed quite keen to ostracise individuals and Cook seemed to repeat the mantra that he wouldn't chuck players under the bus whilst simultaneously doing exactly that.
I do feel the clean sheets stems from the quality of Walton. Those infront of him must have so much confidence in him that it impacts hugely on their game. As for surviving or flourishing in the Championship with this squad, i don't reckon we are good enough in terms of strikers and would expect that to be the area of focus were we to go up. The pursuit of Hirst and as Phil imdicates Will Keane would suggest McK feels the same.
[Post edited 7 Sep 2022 17:59]
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:00 - Sep 7 with 1099 views | Dubtractor |
It has been notable just how comfortably we have seen games out when ahead this season. You usually expect teams to throw the kitchen sink at you in the last 10 minutes or so, and that was our undoing too many times under Cook (often against fairly limited opposition), but we seem to just control the end of games.
Its still early in the season, and we have tougher tests to come, but it has been very impressive so far on many levels. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:05 - Sep 7 with 1081 views | BlueBadger |
| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:00 - Sep 7 by Dubtractor |
It has been notable just how comfortably we have seen games out when ahead this season. You usually expect teams to throw the kitchen sink at you in the last 10 minutes or so, and that was our undoing too many times under Cook (often against fairly limited opposition), but we seem to just control the end of games.
Its still early in the season, and we have tougher tests to come, but it has been very impressive so far on many levels. |
What's pleasing me is that I don't think we're anywhere near hitting top form yet either. We're going to be dishing out some utter wallopings this season. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:08 - Sep 7 with 1066 views | Illinoisblue |
I hate talking about being comfortable because football karma dictates that will lead to Ipswich 1 Cambridge 2 (Lankester 90+6) but…. You’re right. This feels different. And we’d be 7 wins out of 7 in the league were it not for a silly penalty and some uncharacteristic sloppiness, twice. Long long way to go but looking good. |  |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:13 - Sep 7 with 1034 views | Mullet |
| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:00 - Sep 7 by Dubtractor |
It has been notable just how comfortably we have seen games out when ahead this season. You usually expect teams to throw the kitchen sink at you in the last 10 minutes or so, and that was our undoing too many times under Cook (often against fairly limited opposition), but we seem to just control the end of games.
Its still early in the season, and we have tougher tests to come, but it has been very impressive so far on many levels. |
I was thinking more holistically to be honest, his reign since he got here saw us adapt his style relatively quickly and remain pragmatic until we could adopt it fully. | |
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| Clean sheets and in game management on 18:55 - Sep 7 with 915 views | ibbleobble |
It’s our control in possession of the ball that impresses me most. We move and transition through the lines with ease and defend better higher up the pitch. Our shape without the ball is far better too. All these things combined together breed confidence. |  | | |
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