Minimum Standard of Performance

[Clarity]

2. Larry: 'does anyone really care about the entertainment value as long as we are winning?'

A couple of points here:

1. I would put youth development quite significantly behind improved recruitment processes and tactical coaching methodologies in terms of priorities. I'm certainly not 'obsessed' with it. However, I would argue that clubs that punch significantly above their weight tend to be effective at either developing young players for their own first team or selling them on for a profit. I would also argue that given that we are lucky enough to currently have a decent crop of youngsters in the squad (McWilliams, Pollock, Chuks, Horsfall) that one of Brady's targets should be to capitalise on this potential and develop them into either League One standard starters or lucrative saleable assets.

By 'youth development' I also mean the practice of bringing in and developing young players with potential who have been 'raised' elsewhere, hence the fact that I've included Horsfall in my list of players who we need to develop.

2. You'll notice that I used the terms 'progressive possession-based passing' football rather than 'entertaining'. 'Entertainment' is not my primary concern; producing a team capable of sustaining long-term L1 football is.

My argument is that long-ball football simply doesn't work in League One anymore, regardless of how 'entertaining' or 'dull' it might be. My argument is that primitive long ball football might get you promoted out of L2 but that it is highly unlikely to be successful at L1 level against teams who have the technical passing ability to achieve 70+% possession.

The aesthetics question is a different kettle of fish entirely. Personally I found Curle's style of play depressingly dull and primitive with a few honourable exceptions (the play-off games). Does that matter? Not if the side continues to win, but if you're playing s***e football and losing then fans start to question why they're bothering.

 





 

I admire your optimisism but unfortunately long ball football will pretty much always happen in this league. They may not plan to play this way but, It invariably starts with centre halfs who tend to panic when nothing is on. How many times did the ball go long Saturday? Our keeper kicked long our centre halfs kicked long, its what happens. I've been watching the Cobblers for over 50 years, mainly in this league. To succed you need a good centre forward who can make his presence felt and win his fair share of ariel duels. Recent succesful teams had Oliver, Bayo and Marc Richards. I would love to see us play like Man City but it ain't happening

[bungle]

I admire your optimisism but unfortunately long ball football will pretty much always happen in this league. They may not plan to play this way but, It invariably starts with centre halfs who tend to panic when nothing is on. How many times did the ball go long Saturday? Our keeper kicked long our centre halfs kicked long, its what happens. I've been watching the Cobblers for over 50 years, mainly in this league. To succed you need a good centre forward who can make his presence felt and win his fair share of ariel duels. Recent succesful teams had Oliver, Bayo and Marc Richards. I would love to see us play like Man City but it ain't happening

No one is arguing that we should 'play like Man City'. I think that 'playing-it-out-from-the-back' for instance is suicide at this level as the Vale keeper proved on Saturday.

However, there's a big difference between the kind of direct but fluent football we used to play under Wilder and the primitive hoofball we played under Curle. The best sides
at this level play a mixture of direct balls forward/into the channels along with some quick passing through the midfield and out onto the wings/through overlapping full backs. Sides that have a bit of variety and multiple 'routes to goal' are less predictable and ultimately more successful.

What I want to see is some evolution of the playing style. When we go up I want to be able to look at the squad and the tactical playing style and think 'yes, we can hold our own in L1'.

 

[Manwork04]

It’s like Groundhog Day every time we get promoted, sell our best players, sign a load of loans in Jan and get relegated.
The only way that will stop is if we increase our revenue in line with what we would need at league one.

More corporate, away capacity and much better sponsorship agreements for a start.