TALKING POINTS

Ian East – @Easters86

Ian discusses the exciting mid-week game at Plainmoor

IMPRESSIVE WORTHING

My first takeaway of the game yesterday was I’d be surprised if 7 teams finish above Worthing this season. Their commitment to fast short passing literally anywhere on the field is to be commended. I’m not a fan of this modern obsession of “playing out from the back” but to see how comfortable all of their players were on the ball and how quickly and seemingly easily they turned defence into attack was something that I was slightly envious of and something I thought we’d do more. It highlighted the bits of our team where we probably need improvement, the middle of the park and that real pace and energy on the forward areas. Having given them all these flowers I think it shows what a satisfying win that was for us in the end.

TIMING

I think Paul Wotton deserves enormous credit for Tuesday night. It’s very easy for managers to sometimes think well we’ve been a bit unlucky first half in that the keeper makes a great save and they score with a long distance shot, so let’s keep it the same for an hour or so and then react, but he didn’t do that. He noticed we weren’t in control of the game, he noticed we needed more ball players on, a different type of threat and while maybe it meant taking a risk or two defensively we had to find a way back into the game because a 2nd Worthing goal, with the way they keep the ball, would have meant curtains. His 2 positive changes and change of shape had the desired impact and it played a massive role in turning the game around.

TIME TO UNLEASH THE MOOSE

I recall a story Neil Warnock told about day 1 of his QPR reign about a player frozen out of the first team who he made captain and built his side around, Adel Taarabt. Warnock was watching Taarabt literally just destroying everyone in training and he asked who’s that and they said “don’t worry about him he’ll get you the sack” but he noticed the talent he had and that he could win games for him if he could get him in the right areas of the pitch and find the right role for him as well as putting players around him. The rest is history. Now I’m not comparing Omar Mussa in National League South to Adel Taraabt who played in the Premier League but there are similarities in the situation. I think part of it has been fitness with Mussa but there does seem to be some trepidation about putting him in the side because his defensive work ethic isn’t great. It’s not as bad as Taarabt and he did his bit last night but the thing with him is he has that bit of individual quality that can just change a game. He has the vision to make a pass no-one else can he has the dribbling ability to make something happen, his dead ball delivery is a weapon and he can come up with a goal out of nothing. I think we need to find a way to get him into the starting XI and if it’s only 60 or 70 minutes that he gives us that might be enough to help win some of these games. I think it would help a side struggling to make chances for it’s forwards with another avenue of attack.

SYSTEM CHANGE?

I’m just wondering if we might be on the verge of a system change. Something to me just doesn’t feel the 3-5-2 is giving us the control and consistent attacking threat that we really should have. If there is a thought to get Mussa in the side then reverting to a back 4 might be a way of moving him in while keeping a bit of protection for the defence. The fact we switched to it so early last night just makes me think Paul isn’t quite happy with the way we are playing overall and he could be toying with the idea of mixing it up. One to keep an eye on especially as there seems to be intent on adding 1 or 2 new players to the group soon.

A GOOD WIN

My final takeaway was that it simply felt like a good win last night. They’re a decent side, one down at the break it would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselves but the lads to their credit turned the game around 2nd half. It keeps us within striking distance of 1st place and it feels to me that we still haven’t really got going yet, we definitely haven’t fired on all cylinders so far, but we are still where we are. That’s a good thing, defensively we look so much better on the whole than last year. Dyer, Dreyer and Foulston have all been really good additions, Craske too looks a decent full back and that strong defensive base is a sound place to start. The attacking areas, ball retention and end product needs work but you do feel it’ll come. Over 3700 in the crowd again last night is fabulous, it all feels like it’s moving in the right direction and it’s just nice to have a team and club we can all be proud of again.