TT BLOG

Dom Roman – @DomRoman

Dom breaks down some tactical talking points from TUFC V St Albans

MARKED MEN

When the season gets going and teams have shown their cards and settled into tactics and line-ups, opposition managers and coaches can study what their strengths and weaknesses are, and work out plans to stop them, and as the 1st half lurched on it felt like St Albans City had done their homework. One of their plans to nullify the Gulls was sticking men in and around Oscar Threlkeld and Lirak Hasani in the defensive and attacking areas of midfield. And it worked. When United have prospered this season, Threlkeld has been able to pull the strings in front of the defence and get us moving, but on Saturday his output was non-existent. Without the mobility to escape his marker, it was a game for him to forget. Lirak Hasani has more mobility and movement in his game, but with a defensive midfielder keeping an eye on him, he also offered very little and could not create anything. I’d have liked to see him make more adventurous runs in behind and around the strikers, or even join up with the wing backs, anything just to give the Saints more to think about. Unfortunately without much variety the whole attacking process was far too predictable.

THE GAP BETWEEN MIDFIELD AND ATTACK

I don’t like to get on the backs of the midfield again, but the gap between midfield and attack was very noticeable until the second half sending off and WJD/Mussa substitutions, and at that time St Albans had retreated back so United’s attack automatically pushed further forward anyway. But against 11 men, Ben Seymour and Cody Cooke found it difficult to hold the ball up and also struggled to link up with the midfielders because they normally weren’t close enough. Sam Jones made the point in his talking points that the whole team was too far back and he was spot on! United needed to move up the field and push Saints back, but it felt like the midfield lack the pace or aggression to make this work. With the press too passive and St Albans far too comfortable, the end product was few chances and only one goal. We saw what can happen against Chippenham when the Gulls get the press right and push men into the box, but against more resilient teams we have too often struggled in the final third. That will have to change.

THE NEED FOR CENTRE BACKS TO STEP UP

3-5-2 is a formation that demands centre backs to get forward and we only saw glimpses of that on Saturday. At one point in the 1st half Sam Dreyer made a run down the channel and that effort created space for Matt Carson, because Saints suddenly had another attacker to think about. The centre backs need to be encouraged to do this more often, especially when facing teams that are sitting deep and looking to frustrate United. Of course there is also a chance of a counter attack, but by being braver and pushing extra players forward, United can cause confusion and panic, creating opportunities for the strikers to exploit and increase a goals ratio for 24/25 that is so far rather unimpressive.

FOCUS ON CARSON

Another player who is becoming victim to opposition homework is Matt Carson! The wing back has been one of our top performers this season and is ideal for the wing back role, but with Jay Foulston feeling his way back from injury and the overlap not forthcoming, Matt often found himself suffocated, though he still managed to get some crosses into the box. With more willing movement around him he can make hay again, but there’s been too much reliance on him so far this season and teams are working that out. At right wing back Finley Craske offers a better option defensively, whilst Finn Tonks naturally adds more attacking gusto, so I’m not sure there’s an ideal solution there, but would lean towards Tonks, as the young lad will hopefully improve defensively as the season goes on.