Did our recent (mini) run of goodish results inspire the, mostly, young team last night - could it signal continued improvement? Several of our underachievers in the 'front of house' department did themselves no harm last night and, if nothing else, gives DC an unanticipated selection dilemma for Saturday.
Confidence is a very major part of football and winning the way they did against a Premier league under 21 team - can only enhance belief. Especially brilliant by and for the Academy lads who came in.
Continued interest in (now) two cup competitions) provides incentive for those players to push on, and should cause some of our established 'regulars' to cast furtive glances in their direction.............and towards Saturdays team sheet !
Whilst I share your hopes, I think it’s a bit premature to think we may have turned the corner.
Wins against minnows in the FA Cup and another against a lacklustre, far from full strength Palace U21 side in Papa John’s are not decent yardsticks to measure any possible improvement by.
Saturday’s game against a normally hard working, gritty Wycombe side will be a much better measure.
They wouldn't have had much of a game plan last night, giving the players the freedom to play their natural game. Back to the game plan on Saturday, whatever it might be.
Exactly TBP and that reinforces the credibility of the players that came in ...... because it was a 'cobbled together' bunch maybe DC felt in inappropriate to weigh them down with too many tactics/game plan ?
I acknowledge that we weren't playing Inter Milan but, my take on (listening) last night was that they 'grew into it' - confidence grew; team spirit and belief grew, hence the result.
Ps Wight - on Saturday we are not playing a team we should fear - sustain confidence and we have a chance of a good result.
(10-11-2021, 11:53 AM)firqdays Wrote: [ -> ]Exactly TBP and that reinforces the credibility of the players that came in ...... because it was a 'cobbled together' bunch maybe DC felt in inappropriate to weigh them down with too many tactics/game plan ?
I acknowledge that we weren't playing Inter Milan but, my take on (listening) last night was that they 'grew into it' - confidence grew; team spirit and belief grew, hence the result.
Ps Wight - on Saturday we are not playing a team we should fear - sustain confidence and we have a chance of a good result.
I think something that hasn’t been noted and needs to be discussed is the switch in last nights game to 4-4-2 and how much more comfortable Azeez seemed in his natural role in centre midfield same goes for the strikers played. Maybe just maybe we might see some 4-4-2 in the league but in my opinion it’s not the be all and end all solution just another option we have up our sleeves
(10-11-2021, 12:45 PM)West Australian Portsmouth Fan Wrote: [ -> ] (10-11-2021, 11:53 AM)firqdays Wrote: [ -> ]Exactly TBP and that reinforces the credibility of the players that came in ...... because it was a 'cobbled together' bunch maybe DC felt in inappropriate to weigh them down with too many tactics/game plan ?
I acknowledge that we weren't playing Inter Milan but, my take on (listening) last night was that they 'grew into it' - confidence grew; team spirit and belief grew, hence the result.
Ps Wight - on Saturday we are not playing a team we should fear - sustain confidence and we have a chance of a good result.
I think something that hasn’t been noted and needs to be discussed is the switch in last nights game to 4-4-2 and how much more comfortable Azeez seemed in his natural role in centre midfield same goes for the strikers played. Maybe just maybe we might see some 4-4-2 in the league but in my opinion it’s not the be all and end all solution just another option we have up our sleeves
Surely it was 4231 last night ?? With Ahadme, Azeez & Jacobs as the three behind Hirst, with Payce & Thompson as the deeper two.
I thought both Azeed and Ahadme had decent games last evening and seemed to have more time and space than usual, whether they made the time and space through their skill-sets or whether Palace gave it to them we won’t know until they play a League 1 game, similarly Hirst. I wish Jacobs had been more impressive, yes, decent enough but he really needed to sparkle in last nights company.
Cowley’s view of last night may well be seen when his starting 11 for Saturday is known.
I thought the starting youngsters did OK and both seemed to fair better than Freeman who still looks inferior to Johnson for me. Bass looked solid in preparation for his likely start on Saturday.
What impressed me most last night, was another dominant performance by Raggett (a man amongst boys) and the ‘play to the final whistle’ performance - something not always evident in the senior side.
In the greater scheme of things this was an unimportant game but what is hard to know at this stage is how much of a confidence boost this will give to those who played last night, the squad as a whole and even us the long suffering fans. Only time will tell but the fact that we kept going right upto the final whistle was what pleases me most.
The performance yesterday shows that we need so little from the team to make us happy. I don't care that it was against a bunch of kids. Finally, a 90 min game to enjoy.
Good to see Thompson and Jacobs have good games. Would like to see these two start more often.
Excited for the youngsters who did their club proud.
Well done to Hirst and Ahadme who shut a few of us up. Keep it going!
(10-11-2021, 02:09 PM)Pedalo_menders Wrote: [ -> ]The performance yesterday shows that we need so little from the team to make us happy. I don't care that it was against a bunch of kids. Finally, a 90 min game to enjoy.
Good to see Thompson and Jacobs have good games. Would like to see these two start more often.
Excited for the youngsters who did their club proud.
Well done to Hirst and Ahadme who shut a few of us up. Keep it going!
I don't want to be a party pooper but I imagine it will be back to the usual suspects come the next league game. It's the Cowley way.
Even if it was against a bunch of kids, it suggests the kids who played in blue, including the young loanees are pretty decent just not experienced at tier 3 type football.