Michael Appleton was forthright regarding playing style and recruitment ahead of the Shrewsbury Town match on Saturday.
Player Movement: MA spelt out how close Imps are to a number of incoming signings, with one or two highly likely by the end of the day (Thursday). He is certainly looking at players he can coach and develop. However, that is a learning curve whereby they will be exposed to real game situations such that they will need to adapt and learn. Therefore MA is not looking exclusively at just younger players as experience around them is necessary. In reality, players that join mid-season are not necessarily signed to simply improve the squad but rather to improve the starting 11. If the players in the building can’t cope with that it’s tough as they need to deal with that. That’s life, the reality of football. In all his time in football as a coach and player, MA has never been involved with a successful side that hasn’t had competition at the highest level. Regarding outgoings, MA is speaking regularly with some of the players as he needs to be fair to them and we could hear something over the next couple of days. Bossie is out for 6 to 8 weeks with a similar leg injury to before only it is his other leg this time. MA doesn’t really want to rely on Eardley and Max Melbourne as a centre half cover so whilst players in that position weren’t envisaged at the commencement of the window that now needs revising. Also, don’t be surprised if a contract extension for Aaron Lewis is sorted in the next few days.
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Playing out from the Back: MA resolutely clarified his view on playing from the back in light of recently conceded goals. It is part of the process of taking the club forward with trust having to be given to the players especially if they want to play that way for their own development and progress. They have to make the right decisions. The players don’t have to do it at every opportunity but MA gives them licence to do so at the right moments. Premier League clubs have some success but MA feels that is back to front (thinking). It is something that should be introduced and retained from the grassroots level. The tactic is not done for show, the idea is to suck opposition onto ‘us’ which in turn creates bigger number (offensively) up the pitch. If the opposition is being pressed really high really quickly the defence can be set up to get organised and defend from the halfway line.
There is repetition in training whereby different scenarios are recreated to benefit the players. If the players are able to do it they stay in the side; if not they don’t. Ultimately if the players can’t do it and do it well then changes are made and those that can are brought in.
Shrewsbury: The overall view is that they are a good side who are very difficult to beat. They deploy good structure having three centre-halves (big strong, athletic) that quickly become a back 5 when out of possession. However once in possession, the wing-backs break forward extremely quickly. The Shrews exhibit good delivery from wide areas with decent central players also. Although the away form has been very different from the home form there have been some good performances on the road and MA stated that it won’t be long before the away results are addressed. It is perhaps that home support provides The Imps with the edge that makes the difference currently. Shrewsbury is an opportunity for the players to address what went wrong at Sunderland in the first half and compete from the offset as they did in the second half.
Will The Imps win, lose or draw against Shrewsbury Town?
Win
Lose
Draw
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Writer: hulloutpost
MA: "I'm doing it for their benefit, it's not for show.":https://t.co/Aw64dG9PeN#SALOP #ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps
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