Match Day Thread Accrington Stanley v Sunderland - Wednesday 17th March - KO 19:00

Roll on Saturday..... Rochdale & Shrewsbury at the ready, hopefully, while we pump Lincoln firmly down into the play-off spots.

Brilliant stuff for us & Charlie, but it looks like he needs to get around the 18 yard bix a bit more, looking at his miles per gallon stats ...

 

Haha. True that. Quite a stat though you’d think there’d be the odd touch and finish.

Tells me he works on that he’s a 50 a season man

 

Why waste a touch, if one will do?

 

Cos if he scored 50 a season be a fun show.

Jokes aside the man has been brilliant, and having what looks like a very capable deputy there at just the right time is yet another positive for us in what seems an endless stream of them right now.

 

It is almost as though we have extra players that we can swap for poorly performing players during a game and whilst there is still time enough to impact the result. Who knew?!

 

And beyond that, turns out you can completely change the shape and approach of said players as well, not sure how I feel about these wild ideas.

 

What did you think of Gooch playing right midfield?

The swap at halftime was Diamond injured, their full back had given him a clattering a couple of times and the ref did nowt.

 

Lee Johnson:
“For the first time in a long time, these players are actually getting adulation and people are seeing what they do as positive – and we all are, except @Wolfy "

 

Joking aside Nads, most of Wykes goals with his feet have been instinctive and if he took an extra touch he would be closed down and the opportunity gone

 

In all seriousness, I have never known a manager who could change a team around anywhere near the way that LJ can. Yes, in part, it is down to having a rule change increasing the numbers of subs. But I am even including international managers!

 

I thought last night was quite untidy overall to be honest, but those are the wins that get you over the line.

We aren’t playing champagne football often, shouting glimpses that we can, but what we seem to be doing, week in week out, is adapting to the opposition and then outdoing them, that was a failing last 2 seasons.

We rarely score early and trot off, we’ve an intelligent manager who can start a system and change it to combat, so moving individual players around is absolutely natural to him, and it seems they are prepared.

If we are talking about Gooch individually, I’d like to see more from him, I know he’s got more in the tank, he’s not looked as mobile or direct since the last injury. Not a criticism as such just asking for more, cos he’s capable of more.

 

I was delighted when we got him. Just the sort of manager I'd been hoping we'd get, along with the new background set up. Turns out, he's gone beyond my expectations of him.

 

I was like, 'Accrington Stanley - who are they?!'

 

Totally agree mate.

He’s a very modern manager, very self assured you can see it. I can see the lads buying into him on his self conviction alone.

We rarely stick to a plan for a full game. We are winning games late, or we are winning them across 90 mins. We are controlling a lot of games even when not playing well and always comfortable.

The defensive record is actually ridiculous, and we no longer fear corners or free kicks.

Genuinely, I am staggered at the job he’s done, there wasn’t a new manager bounce, there was a short transition and a whole new mentality. I’m excited for where he can take us.

 

Playing twice a week every week hardly leaves time for training, coaching and recovery.

The coach has to communicate the types of formation he wants and keep it simple so players can slot in and rotate to keep mental and physical energies up in the team. No leggy-ness!

We are sometimes 3 or 4 at the back and sometimes Charlie has a pal beside him, O'Brien or Stewart now.

That is it I think.

Leads is good at distribution (if we have movement ahead of him) Scowen is duracell bunny..Power and Winchester slot into that well.

Just to mention I thought Vokins did all right... not the weak link we feared

 

So what about the other 13 first touch finishes?

 

I was so pleased McGeady's Wembley pass dropped to Gooch and not Wyke.

 

Yeah me too. Although I do think Wyke would’ve scored but I wouldn’t have felt so confident. And Gooch has missed his last 3 or 4 1v1s!!

 

If this management lark doesn't work out for him I'd pay him to be my life coach

 

I reckon we'd be pushing if not over 40,000 now. I know for certain my brother and I would be driving up