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Usually follow the games via Stuart Watson's tweeted comments as relayed via the EADT, but it's not loading for me today (yes lots of other means, but I'm superstitious about following it mainly on that platform).
So today the town centre is awash with people dressed as characters from Alice in Wonderland engaged in a mass outdoor escape room type deal - I know it's a commercial venture, but seriously bravo to whomever came up with this; terrific to see so many people dressed up and having fun in town - those and all the Wols, neat to see the place looking a bit more chipper.
Anyone interested in what we've been doing out at Freston on our Neolithic dig then we're burbling on about it all tonight at 19.30 at Wolverstone Berners' Hall (free).
Here's a background bit, which (a) involved me being interviewed by Deckchair Davis, and (b) shows how big the site is compared to Portman Road, so vague TWTD link...
Mooched down to London yesterday to see the new World of Stonehenge exhibition at the British Museum - *well* worth going to, though need to pre-book and it was still pretty packed. Spent two and a half hours there (partly because spent a bunch of time waiting for people in front of you to move so you could see the object/panel)., noggin kind of full at that point and a swifty needed in BM Tavern across the road.
They even had a section of Seahenge on display which was very cool (I'm one of those who begrudgingly admits that Boudicca was the last decent thing to come out of Norfolk, ok maybe Coleman's mustard too).
As for the requisite exhibition shop, I had to laugh at the travel pillow (bravo designer):
Stepping back from it all, it seems that while the new structure in place running the club is making all the right moves, and getting drift-away fans to return for these big Xmas games, ultimately what happens on the field is the only way to keep this momentum going (an interpretation that will have no one falling off their seat in surprise).
Cook has been previously been successful with his chosen team set-up; someone here the other day noted that this structure is pretty much followed by every team above us (or at least none of them are playing 'classic' 4-4-2), but within all of that to what extent do the genuinely successful teams have (a) a preferred non-4-4-2 line up, *but* (b) are tactically flexible in the moment to win the game when Plan A isn't panning out?
All of this is a long-winded way of returning to the concern that Cook is perhaps a little intransigent in his outlook, and that his coaching staff may be too junior to challenge him, and me wondering *what is Peter Reid's remit in all of this*. Is he in a role whereby he can suggest/push for different tactics, be that shutting up shop when ahead (e.g. Cambridge), or going 4-4-2 (with Pigott or whomever) when the usual scheme isn't working out?
I fear we are being worked out, and if these bumper Xmas games fizzle out results wise all the good intentions of Ashton et al will be for nowt.
Seems we are being very forward looking and professional with stats, marketing, physical training etc. but all a bit pointless if how things are managed at team level are old school / stuck in one form.