TOPIC: The Defence

Anyone who was at the game want to give us an update on how the 5 at the back system worked out. Grainger any better than usual? How did Raynes look against his old team?

1st half they were making me a little nervous. Everything seemed to come down Mansfield's left through their number 10 and he was getting past Miller, then Atkinson anf Raynes far too easily. Raynes in particular seemed a little too prone to panic and , as some had pointed out after the friendlies, his distribution isn't the best.

Grainger had one very dodgy moment when he did the whole 'shield the ball out for a goal kick' thing only for their bloke to nip behind him and win a corner - that wasn't exactly wonderful! Brough was clearly relishing in the 'wing' part of his job title but might need a little encouragement with the 'back' part.

Second half I thought it all looked a lot more solid. It's not my favourite formation to be honest, but the midfield trio played very well in front of it and there is certainly potential. I'd have CMW (or even Troy!) in for Raynes though.

Thought Raynes had a fine game. Won a lot in the air, kept his position well and was calm. Didn't see much wrong with his distribution??

He got a brilliant yellow card when their pacy forward got 1v1 with him, showed him outside so he was skinning him away from goal, took him out just before he got in the box to stop him getting a clear sight of goal, prevented it being 2-0, got the yellow card, free kick was taken then we went up the other end and equalised.

I have seen enough of CMW to suggest he should be nowhere near our back 4 or 5 his concentration is not good enough...

If Troy is fit he shoul play , best defender we have

What no one has mentioned yet was that the 3 CB's were spread across the whole pitch a la Dutch style which made it very interesting to watch. I haven't seen any friendlies so this was new to me. It did cause us to look a bit open and get caught a few times. Having spent 45 minutes trying to explain what we were playing to MRF I think he finally got it as he thought we were playing 4-4-2 with three defenders. Numb or just drunk? probably a bit of both.

I was baffled i must admit... the drink played a part in my fuckwittery

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I still have serious concerns about us at the back,

I'm far from convinced by Atkinson and I honestly don't see why people rate Brough so highly, every time I have seen him play he has been poor.

I still think we need an experienced centre half.

Brough and Miller to me are solid players and should be the mainstays of the defense, Atkinson although he didn't do too well against Mansfield i feel is probably our best centre back (Not including anyone who is on the transfer list), not sold on Raynes just yet and i still think Grainger is crap...