How much do you think Damien Matthew has had an impact?

Swisdom

For those of us who go to see the youth team you will note that Matthew's team like to retain possession and attack with pace - something evident by the first team at the weekend.

I was wondering how much of the current style of play we can attribute to Damien (and of course Keith Peacock) or whether it's a more natural progression away from the "lump it" we were starting to see a little too much from Parky

Either way I thoroughly enjoyed Saturday. You can see it was a work in progress and is evolving but the players seemed to know what was required of them and once they familiarise themselves with the changes I am very hopeful

DRF

In his post match, Powelly commented on the numberof young players in our squad and I assume Mathewes had breifed him on them with his prior knowledge of them.

As to his actual impact, like the involvment of Kins, Breaker, the physios, we can not know what goes on behind the scenes, but i'm sure everyone wil enjoy speculating...

Henry Irving

Too early to say, especially as Plymouth sat deep and invited us on. We did seem to try the long pass less but in part that was because PAFC didn't close down very quickly and packed the midfield leaving no one to aim at.

And Waggy's chance in the first half was from a long pass.

For all the passing we didn't create many clear cut chances.

As someone who was advocated pairing up Matthew and Powell as long ago as the Brighton 4 - 0 game(I thought I'd get that in somewhere : - ) ) I think he will have a big influence overtime but I also think we will play plenty of "direct" football ie long passes for Eccels/Joe/Waggy to chase and turn other teams defences. Nothing wrong with a long pass IMHO. Hoddle played lots of them.

bingaddick

I think we all have great respect for Damien. I don't get a chance to watch the youth team these days but I hope he has had some influence now with CP, but then I would ask why were the youth team players encouraged to play one way, and the first team play a different way under Parky.

It concerns me greatly that there seem to be two different hymn sheets when all should be singing from the same one.

Back in the days of Curbs, and I accept it may have been more spin than substance, I thought that considerable time had been spent looking at clubs like Ajax to see how they are organised on the playing side. We all know that Ajax are set up so that all teams play the say way. Cruyff, when he went to Barca, set them up the same way and look what has happened to them.

I really hope that our club which until a few short years ago, was known to try to play a passing game, goes back to that philosophy because to my mind

a) it will help us play our way out of this division
b) it will help us attract more support
c) it will form the building blocks of propelling the club back to the top and most importantly, staying there.

Scoham

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]We did seem to try the long pass less but in part that was because PAFC didn't close down very quickly and packed the midfield leaving no one to aim at.

That's a good point. Would the players have kept posession so well if Plymouth played like Walsall (think it was them), pushing high up with a lot of closing down?

Against Sheff Wed we passed it around quite well in the first half, but in the second half Sheff Wed pressed us more and we didn't keep the ball so well.

nth_london_addick

Damians Footballing style is short quick pass and move but to retain possesion it can only aid us in our style and ultimately performance, i have been banging the guys drum that he will be a great manager but i have been reliably informed that he will be a great coach or number 2 because he doesnt like the other side of the game. i hope powelly keeps him with him and tries to teach him the other stuff becuase i rate him big time

Granpa

I reckon we are talking about the new First Team Coach, and well deserved as well in my opinion. Somebody said earlier on here that we were starting to see a little too much of the long ball game under Parky. I make that the understatement of the Year !

TEL

I like the pace we had in the side...Waggy was outstanding now that he doesnt have to protect Francis (which McOxo did really well). The pace of Waggy/Anyinsah/Ecclestone and Reid wold frighten most teams in this league.....if only we could work out how to fit them all into the side together. If ist down to Damian, then good on him, I thought we saw the best of Fry, Mc Oxo , Waggy and dare I say it that even Francis wasnt as bad as he has been.

Red5

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]Nothing wrong with a long pass IMHO. Hoddle played lots of them.

Agree, but there's a big difference between a long pass and hoofing the ball up the pitch which is all we were doing before.

Swisdom

[cite]Posted By: Red5[/cite]

[cite]Posted By: Henry Irving[/cite]Nothing wrong with a long pass IMHO. Hoddle played lots of them.

Agree, but there's a big difference between a long pass and hoofing the ball up the pitch which is all we were doing before.

And this weekend it wasn't as aimless as it has been too.

A lot actually hit Anyinsah and stuck rather than being aimed at his head and being a first-time lay off

nth_london_addick

the standard daily run that normally ends up with our midfield dropping deeper than him instead of looking to recieve the pass didnt happen daily did the run the midfield moved forward with him a 1-2 happened and the ball went in.


in the past he would make that run and then semedo and racon would end up behind him.


thats something else that had changed

Mendonca In Asdas

Francis looked like a different player in my opinion , ok setplays weren't great , but he looked a lot more comfortable out there , like he was finally enjoying it.

sillav nitram

pace, what pace, we didn't have any?

Swisdom

[cite]Posted By: sillav nitram[/cite]pace, what pace, we didn't have any?

Yes Wagstaff moved in slow motion all game especially for his goal
Eccleston was practically running in treacle when he made that tackle then got on the end of Francis' pass to run, again with no pace, at the defenders and then to go on to score.

It was like watching a team full of Phil Chapple

stilladdicted

I noticed that Chrissy spent quite a bit of time during the game talking to Damian, I also remember the excellent link up play between Waggy and Solly in a pre-season friendly. I don't know who's influencing what, but I'm pretty pleased to be seeing a collaborative and talented team.