We are thirty games into Jackson’s reign and during that time we have conceded 32 goals.
With some results including 2-3 yesterday, 0-4 v Oxford, it feels like we have been leaking a lot more goals than that.
Meanwhile, from those 30 games we have kept 12 clean sheets. To not concede in 40% of your games is impressive and on par with what would be needed for a promotion campaign. For perspective:
- 39% in 2018/19
- 43% in 2011/12
The issue this season has been that, when we do concede, it’s often followed by a second. Sometimes a third or fourth.
Jacko’s three at the back is giving us a chance at defensive stability that we didn’t come close to under Adkins through the first two months of the season.
However, once the opposition find a weakness in the line-up, they appear to be able to exploit it on a repeated basis. Does this issue resolve with better players?
Comments
Seems like a management problem there doesn't it?
Since the Bristol Rovers game when we won 3-2 after being 2-0 down (Jacko was caretaker) we have only managed it once in about 35 occasions.
Firstly we almost have to play 3 because we haven't had 2 that are good enough most of the time. The 3 really does go a long way to hiding the shortcomings of some of them. But you still have this short comings. There is often a lack of leadership and on pitch organisation.
Most of the goals in our games, at both ends, come from someone normally more than one person making a mistake or doing something stupid.
Once we have made one mistake we don't have the confidence, desire, inner belief, call it what you like, to put it behind us and move on. That's not unique to the defence either. This team would crumble if we conceded the goal we did at Wembley.
Also any mistake we make at the back is amplified because we don't really have a method of scoring goals. Which in turn makes the defence more nervous of making a mistake, which makes them ironically more likely to do so. Especially once they have already made one.
The defences shortcomings are amplified by the rest of the teams, the inverse is also true. If we had kept the 25 clean sheets (that Adkins was criticised for targeting) there would be less focus on the lack of goals from midfield and the wastefulness of our strikers.
In short the defence would improve with better individual players, of course it would, but would be less of an issue if we had more suitable players.
I use suitable as opposed to better because I don't think, generally speaking, our players are that bad, I do how ever think a lot of them are unsuitable.
Only Clare has played the majority of games (and that's not really where he wants to play nor arguably his best position), whereas most of the others have been in and out frequently. We need at least another CB that can play the majority of games, can tackle players with pace and have a bit of confidence on the ball.
This squad has also not proved particularly resolute in the face of adversity. We've started so many games well, and then conceded on the 20-35 minute mark. They don't deal with the mental hit of that, hence capitulating to large defeats.