Darlington v AFC Telford

[JE93]

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

[Geordie Quaker]

Fully in support of that side and set-up, although whether he has had the time in training to fully brief them on the system is the main concern.

For me, deviating from the 4-5-1 system that was serving us well last season is the main reason for our 'indifferent' start. We had a system that worked and threw it up in the air when signing Ainge. Shoehorning both him and Styche into the team has had a real knock-on effect to our stability. That and our defenders being a bit plop.

[HarrytheQuaker]

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

And why would you want the captain dropped??

[JE93]

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

And why would you want the captain dropped??

I don't want the captain dropped. I want us to play with 1 striker.

My point was Tommy is trying to put both Ainge and Styche in the starting line up. He sees Ainge as a forward and signed him as a forward so therefore putting them both on the pitch means we play 2 out and out strikers which leaves us open in midfield.

Styche being unavailable means he gets to play Ainge up front on his own without having to drop one of our better players in Styche. Hope being that if he sees that 4-2-3-1 works as a system he will stick with it. Potentially moving Ainge back to CB to partner Galbraith when Styche returns.

[HarrytheQuaker]

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

And why would you want the captain dropped??

I don't want the captain dropped. I want us to play with 1 striker.

My point was Tommy is trying to put both Ainge and Styche in the starting line up. He sees Ainge as a forward and signed him as a forward so therefore putting them both on the pitch means we play 2 out and out strikers which leaves us open in midfield.

Styche being unavailable means he gets to play Ainge up front on his own without having to drop one of our better players in Styche. Hope being that if he sees that 4-2-3-1 works as a system he will stick with it. Potentially moving Ainge back to CB to partner Galbraith when Styche returns.

Ainge was bought as a striker so I'd expect him to stay there but obviously will be needed time to time to cover in defence, His link up play will come with Styche will just takes a little time.. Rome wasn't built in a day..

[Spyman]

I don't think there's any doubt that Ainge and Styche is/will be a potent force at this level.

The question is how do we combine that pairing with a solid team behind them.

We know from last season that playing Styche on his own with Syers behind instantly made us harder to beat while still providing a goal threat. If we are going to persist with the Styche/Ainge partnership then the rest of the system needs to be adapted to become more solid.

That either means better defensive players who need less cover, or perhaps means playing a narrower midfield or not giving the wingers and fullbacks as much freedom to get forward.

From comments I've read it sounds like we have two attacking full backs and we've also got two wingers who attack and get to the by-line. If we're playing full backs who bomb forward do we need to consider taking one of the wingers out and replacing with someone more central who can drift wide when needed so we effectively have three in the middle, one who sits deeper and one who drifts wide?

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

And why would you want the captain dropped??

I don't want the captain dropped. I want us to play with 1 striker.

My point was Tommy is trying to put both Ainge and Styche in the starting line up. He sees Ainge as a forward and signed him as a forward so therefore putting them both on the pitch means we play 2 out and out strikers which leaves us open in midfield.

Styche being unavailable means he gets to play Ainge up front on his own without having to drop one of our better players in Styche. Hope being that if he sees that 4-2-3-1 works as a system he will stick with it. Potentially moving Ainge back to CB to partner Galbraith when Styche returns.

Ainge was bought as a striker so I'd expect him to stay there but obviously will be needed time to time to cover in defence, His link up play will come with Styche will just takes a little time.. Rome wasn't built in a day..

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[m62exile]

Going to be a tough game against a team that are unbeaten this season. Hopefully with Boro and Newcastle on an international break a few more faces can come down to BM. Listening to Tommy's interview he says a couple are back from injury + Wheatley back from suspension, and that Ainge will be going back up front.

My opinion of the team hasn't really changes from the Ashton game. (I'm not really taking anything from Alfreton based on a fairly unsettled team with square pegs in round holes). As before i dont think Tommy has built a bad team. I think for the time being we need to shift the focus. We need to focus on clean sheets and we need a formation that will put the emphasis on players getting compact when we're out of possession and being hard to break down. We have players at the other end who can get goals and if we only need one to win a game then I think we'll win a lot more than we'll lose.

We also have a free crack at playing 1 striker this weekend with Styche away on international duty. I don't think he should be dropped. He's in good form. But this weekend we have the opportunity to play 1 striker without the pressure of dropping the captain or not playing one of the marquee summer signings.

Based on that and guessing that the players back fit are Galbraith and O'Hanlon. I'd like to see us set up in a 4-2-3-1.

---------------------------- Maddison ----------------------------

Trotman --------- Burn ------ Galbraith ----- O'Hanlon

--------------------- Elliott ------- Wheatley -------------------

Thompson ----------- Syers ------------------ Nicholson

----------------------------- Ainge -----------------------------------

Subs: Bancroft, Glover, Hughes, Saunders, yth.

When we lose the ball that gives you plenty of bodies behind it to make us hard to break down. Elliott and Wheatley have the energy to get up and down the pitch all game. Up front we know what Ainge can do. So we need to give him the service. Make sure Thommo and Nicholson stay wide and get balls into the box. We know Syers will pick up good positions and he can finish when he has the chance.

I’d expect that’s what we’ll see. Only concern I have is making sure we can manage to get bodies around Ainge. He ain’t going to be running in to channels or getting any success over the top so we’ll need to be able to get people around him quickly when we have the ball.


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[MCFCDarlo3]

Coming up from Mancland, hope I bring some luck with me.

[HarrytheQuaker]

Tough game Telford are unbeaten and score goals so let's hope we can stop the rot, they concide goals let's hope we have our scoring boots on..

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[Darlopartisan]

According to the Echo Galbraith is still injured so Hughes will parter Burn in the back 4 , O’Hanlon is also fit.
So the back 4 should be Trotman Burn Hughes O’Hanlon

[poppyfield]

According to the Echo Galbraith is still injured so Hughes will parter Burn in the back 4 , O’Hanlon is also fit.
So the back 4 should be Trotman Burn Hughes O’Hanlon

Henshall is also fit for the game , with Wheatley back after suspension things are looking better.

[Darlo Dodger]

Coming up from Mancland, hope I bring some luck with me.

Me too but, looking at my attendance record so far, the odds on me bringing good luck with me are not great.
I have been to 2.5 games so far this season:
H v Curzon Ashton (L)
H v Altrincham (L)
The first half away to Ashton United (losing 2-0 when I had to leave. Things only improved when I was well away from the ground)
Here’s hoping that you bring more good luck than I, or so it seems, bring bad

[PierremontQuaker03]

Still confused why we have not got a defender in on loan - or is it to save face over the loan out of Vaulks.
We play Ainge at CB for a couple of games, then now we are playing Hughes at CB.
The squad is extremely small and therefore will need to be supplemented by loan signings - yet we put kids on the bench with no intention of bringing them on.

[PierremontQuaker03]

From Craig Stoddard:

No Simon Ainge for Darlington. Had a fitness test before a game recently due to a back problem, assume that's why he's out today.
Maddison
Trotman
Hughes
Burn
O'Hanlon
Wheatley
Elliott
Thompson
Syers
Nicholson
Saunders
Subs: Glover, Burns, Henshall, Lycett, Morrison

[Wijnhard's_Schlong]

No Ainge today

As if this wasn’t going to be tough anyway.

[darlo reborn]

OH DEAR

[Comfortably_numb]

OH DEAR

Oh dear what? Am wandering about Edinburgh zoo...

[darlo reborn]

OH DEAR NO STYCHE OR AINGE

[Comfortably_numb]

We’ll be fine - blind optimism

[feethams flyer]

So much for the forward line everyone would fear.

[darlo reborn]

1-0 Nicholson

[Comfortably_numb]

Magic

[Comfortably_numb]

From what I’m reading via the Echo we seem to be doing well. Is it another case of enforced changes making a difference as opposed to TW’s preferred line up & tactics?

[Darlopartisan]

2 up Saunders

[Darlopartisan]

If we do win this, man of match is Hughes no question

[HarrytheQuaker]

If we do win this, man of match is Hughes no question

He is that will shut up a few who have called him

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[Darlo2807]

Hughes MOM, completely deserved. Brilliant defensive performance

[tdk1]

3-0. I did not see this coming, excellent stuff. Listening to radio Shropshire and they are saying we have been way the better side.

[QUAKERMAN2]

Helluva result with 3 key players out and looking like Hughes finding his true position.This could just kick start our season, great performance against a team 2nd top at the start.This league is wide open ( except for Chorley) but a long, long way to go.This win will work wonders for confidence, onwards and upwards.Well done TW and AW.

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[Darlogramps]

We should play without Styche and Ainge more often.

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