It may cause what supporters perceive to be anxious moments, but Luke Woolfenden has moved to calm fans’ fears and confirm Town’s policy of playing out from the back is set to continue.

Manager Kieran McKenna has underlined the importance of his players being capable of performing that way because, exemplified by recent performances, it releases space further forward on the pitch, something upon which the Blues have been adept at cashing in.

Former East Bergholt High School pupil Woolfenden said: “Coming through the academy, it was something instilled in me from an early age, from Bryan [Klug] and all the other academy coaches.

“If you want to be a footballer you have to be good on the ball — you can’t just be good at heading it and kicking it. If you want to play at a high level, that is.”

Asked if there was a danger of nervy moments from the crowd transferring on to the pitch, Woolfenden added: “Not really. Obviously, the objective is to draw the pressure on, so there might be times when the fans think ‘He doesn’t know what he’s doing with it’.

“The idea is to get the pressure because there’s no point in passing on time against a team that sits back. If the striker comes to press me, I’ll wait until the last minute then he’s out of the game and we’ll be 10 v nine. Do you know what I mean?

“If you’re in the crowd and further away, you don’t see the whole picture and it looks as if it’s closer than you think. Relatively, it’s comfortable most of the time. The gaffer was telling us this morning that we’ve conceded the least number of shots from high pressure moments and we’re all pretty comfortable doing it.”

Woolfenden was quick to praise the contribution of January’s new arrivals as Town have won four games in a row ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Bolton.

“I think they’ve all been brilliant, really.” He commented. “Obviously, I think Hirsty [George Hirst] would want more goals but the work he puts in together with his hold-up play has been beneficial to all of us.

“It’s the same with Mass [Massimo Luongo]. He’d have wanted more minutes and he’s been unlucky with a few niggles, but everyone can see the quality he has now that he’s playing.

“You only need to look at the passes he plays through to the forward lads, but he also does the ugly side of the game, which a few people throughout the leagues probably don’t want to do, really well.

“Broady [Nathan Broadhead] has been on fire the last couple of games. I think it took him a game or two to get into how we play and getting into the patterns, but now he’s looking unstoppable and contributing goals and assists, getting better all the time.

“There’s also Harry [Clarke]. I almost forgot about him to be fair. Yes, it is good to have him back, not just as a player but also because he’s a great lad and he can play virtually anywhere. We went to school together, maybe not best mates but we were cool.

“The last time Harry was here, he was a striker, so I don’ know how he’s ended up as a full-back. But, again, he’s shown what he can bring to the squad and the team.

“The whole squad should take credit and the gaffer always says in his interviews that beyond the 11 players on the pitch at any time there are plenty of others in support who put in all the hard graft at training during the week.

“Last weekend, for example, Harry played against Burton then Janoi [Donacien] came in against Accrington on Tuesday. It’s the same throughout the side; the gaffer can make changes and it’s seamless the way players can come in and do a job.”

Asked about the importance of following a disappointing goalless draw at Bristol Rovers by winning four games in a row against sides in the bottom half of the table, Woolfenden went on: “To be fair, throughout the whole squad we weren’t in much of a panic, although we knew we had to be more clinical when it came to taking chances early doors.

“When you don’t get an early goal it allows teams to sit back, slow it down and frustrate you for the whole game. It also makes the crowd get on your back and it becomes that much more difficult.

“In the more recent games, we’ve been getting early goals and it has really helped us. Since the 0-0 at Bristol, we’ve not only won four games, we’ve also scored 12 goals and conceded none.”

However, despite taking maximum points from their most recent four fixtures, Town still find themselves five points adrift of second-placed Plymouth, as well as leaders Sheffield Wednesday, who also have two games in hand. How much does it frustrate Woolfenden and his colleagues.

He said: “To be fair — and I think everyone would say the same — we’ve not really spoken about it. I know it’s a cliché to say we are only focusing on ourselves but that is actually what we do. We don’t really talk about it to be honest — we just do our own thing and whatever will be, will be.

“We obviously know that both Sheffield Wednesday and Plymouth are picking up wins, regardless of how they play, and it looks as if it’s going to go to the wire in term of who’s going up?”

Inspired by stunning goals from both Nathan Broadhead and Kyle Edwards in recent games, Woolfenden was asked who he considered to be Town’s best free-kick taker, and after hesitating for a moment he replied: “In terms of delivery I think you’d have to put Leif [Davis] up there, but it’s a tough one.

“I’d never really seen Kyle take one until the other night but it’s hard to separate them. There might be a few surprises in there as well.”

Woolfenden has also earned a reputation as a goal-line clearance expert in recent weeks, in particular for the extraordinary one at MK Dons when the home side were repelled several times in the space of a few seconds before Town came away with a valuable three points courtesy of a 1-0 win.

Seen to kiss the post against which he fired a clearance, with the ball somehow not crossing the line, he said: “Yes, I make it two in the last three games. Is that right? The one where I hit the ball against the post, I still watch it back and I’m still confused how he missed. I’m thankful that he did, obviously, but it was a mad few seconds for sure.”

Photo: Matchday Images

ThaiBlue added 19:22 - Mar 9 Sorry i dont agree we play that play from the back makes me edgy walton also has been poor with silly short passes and distribution
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gosblue added 20:32 - Mar 9 In recent games our back line has sometimes been guilty of not looking after the ball well and passing into risky areas. It looks great when it comes off but better teams may punish us. I think we do much better when we occasionally go long into the channels for Burns/Jackson or the 10s to run onto. This makes the opposition think twice, which in turn creates space around the centre circle for Morsey or Luongo to receive the ball from the back. We are very lucky to have a back three intelligent enough to see when to go long and when to go short. We just can't afford to be careless. Exciting times COYB

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DaGremloid added 21:44 - Mar 9 Sorry Luke - playing risky balls across the box like our backs do will never calm my fears. It's a car crash waiting to happen every time.
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ArnieM added 22:05 - Mar 9 …..”If you want to be a footballer you have to be good on the ball — you can't just be good at heading it and kicking it”. But Woolfie can't header the ball!! All he does is put it straight up in the air . He rarely if ever, clears it. He might be “ good on the ball” ( I'd dispute that) but he's not a very commanding, dominant central defender(which is supposed to be his main role) . Sorry Woolfie if we do go up you'd be one of the first I'd move on. Cue the down arrows …..

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Horsham added 22:53 - Mar 9 God sake people. We play a style of football. Want to go back to lumping it up the pitch and competing for the second ball and having hairy arsed donkey defenders?
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armchaircritic59 added 02:43 - Mar 10 Quite a few dinosaurs in here. They'd hate watching Manchester City. Not done to bad for themselves playing out from the back. Not making a direct comparison of course, but the style is similar.
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ArnieM added 06:39 - Mar 10 I'm getting used to the new Town style. But to compare us to Man City competence in applying that style is ridiculous, given the gulf in player capabilities. And therein is the cause perhaps, of fans edginess in watching our players adopting that style? It's not the style fans questiin, just some players capabilities to perform it!
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chepstowblue added 07:28 - Mar 10 It will eventually cost us. It looks completely unnatural for players at this level. Even at the elite level players are looking stupid and conceding ridiculous goals that we'd have received the cane for as 8yr olds. I rate Walton very very highly, but at times he's looked paralyzed by fear, not knowing if he should launch the ball long whilst an opposition striker closes him down.The disasters outweigh the benefits, and when it does inevitably go wrong in the coming weeks people who currently advocate the trend will be the first to scream "why didn't he just ****ing get rid of it" ?!!

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Horsham added 07:40 - Mar 10 What will it cost us? Because what has it cost us so far? Sure it will go wrong and everything does but if you can point out what the downside is apart from a few wet wipes wetting themselves then I'm all ears.
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pazzy added 08:50 - Mar 10 nothing against playing out from the bag but with a bit more speed would help but when walton stands with his foot on the ball its inviting a quick challange thats what i dont like
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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 09:01 - Mar 10 I get the theory, but I'm not sure we have fully mastered the techique. Certainly makes me nervous at times. The best is surely to mix things up a bit. But I agree simply lumping the ball upfield on a regular basis isn't an option. We don't have the type of forward player for that kind of approach. So let's just make sure we get (even) better at not messing this part of our play up.

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Linkboy13 added 09:18 - Mar 10 Because of the quality of the pitches in league one it's not always benifical to play a passing game from the back . At Portman road we look far more comfortable playing a passing game. Also you have to have a team that are all technically gifted on the ball such as the likes of Manchester city. I think most of the time it has worked for us but at times i feel we need to adapt to the conditions and the situation.

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SamWhiteUK added 09:23 - Mar 10 I love all the comments above from people who clearly know better than the coaching staff etc!! Of course, we've had SO MANY disasters playing out from the back this year already, haven't we... Plonkers.
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Bazza8564 added 10:18 - Mar 10 Third article this week from the manager and players asking us to trust them and people still don't get it, Plonkers is correct Sam! Football has changed and yet people still want Mills and Whymark and Belfitt. Well I remember those days, the football wasnt flowing it was thumped forward by Best, Sivell and then Cooper. We only started playing properly when it was over the half way line, everybody did. People always talk about a man getting sent off and playing 11v10, this is the game doing the very same every time the highest pressing player is bypassed. For Plonkers also read dinosaurs......

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Linkboy13 added 10:39 - Mar 10 Don't think we hoofed the ball forward when we won the UEFA cup and i was there home and away. It's all about decision making if the long ball was on we played it mind you we had a class striker in Mariner up front which helped plonkers.
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Saxonblue74 added 10:41 - Mar 10 I posted a comment after the Accrington game suggesting many fans may not understand our style. After explanations from our guvnor and players it seems that's still the case! ArnieM, agree we're not Man City, but it's all relative to the standard of opposition surely?
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The_Prof added 13:11 - Mar 10 Actually, Paul Cooper didn't often lump the ball forward. He very often used to throw it out overarm a considerable distance up the pitch, which allowed the midfield to get on the ball in space. He was a class act. And he once gave me an extra bread-roll for my soup in the Marquis at Layham, so top man :-)
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bringbacktheglory added 13:35 - Mar 10 We will score so many more goals than we concede as a direct result of this style of play. We will all remember the time we mess it up because there will be too many to remember where we score (like Broadhead on Tuesday). Plus, we have not been blessed with a passing style for god knows how many years so it's going to take time for people to adjust. What's it to be.. this style or hit it up to the big man? (Yes there are styles in between but) I know which one I would rather.

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Chickenstochurchmans added 13:52 - Mar 10 Bazza: These days a number of Town games from the 70's and 80's are on YouTube with some quite lengthy clips. I too was expecting the blood and thunder games of my memories but I think that, like me, you'd be surprised to see that Town often played it from a keeper's throw in their own half and their midfield play was quite frequently studiously built up, not surprising with players like Thijssen and Muhren in the team. What impressed me most was the way that Town would continually vary their attacking approach play in the same match.

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armchaircritic59 added 17:59 - Mar 10 ArnieM, I'm not directly comparing us to Manchester City. I said the playing style is similar, and yes, there is a gulf in class. However they are utilising that way of playing against many inferior teams. We are doing very similar.
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gosblue added 19:06 - Mar 10 All of our CBs are guilty of one or two wayward passes per game but we tend to get away with it. I still think better teams will punish us. Obviously the aim is to draw attackers onto us and then pass it through the lines. If they can see a press in midfield, why not cut out the congested midfield and knock it up for our front three to complete with their back line and win us a free kick or corner. We have also had some success recently in sliding the ball between defenders for our wing backs to use their pace. Intelligent passing into good areas is not lumping it, it is bypassing the press. As someone already said, our transition is often too slow.

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Steve_ITFC_Sweden added 06:57 - Mar 11 Bazza, are you saying you wouldn't have Whymark or MIck Mills in our current team, the latter having made over 700 appearances for Town and having played for his country?
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Bazza8564 added 07:24 - Mar 11 Steve, Mills would have been good in this style, he was calm and composed which is what you need, and Chickenstick, yes I agree especially with the style change to bring Muhren into the play in 78, but even that is a far cry from from sucking people forward and playing past them from the Edge of our own box. Passing sideways to bring people closer was unheard of then, and it works. For every fan who says it's a nonsense there are dozens of us who realize how much it is working and how creating an overload is paying dividends with goal after goal coming from us getting 2v1 in wide positions and crossing for forwards to score with their feet, because there is room with the oppo pulled forward out of their own half. Enjoy how the game has changed and appreciate it everyone, third article in a week from KM and the boys, they are imploring you to trust it

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