Morecambe 2-0 Lincoln City: Match Stats & Views From The Forum

Views from hulloutpost following Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat away at Morecambe: “First half was a non-event. Two sides that are clearly happier counterattacking basically cancelled each other out. We did start brightly and Hakeeb was on it for 5 minutes and then proceeded to balls up absolutely everything he tried after that. I wasn’t surprised to see the shepherd’s crook at half-time for him.

Montsma bringing the ball out from the back truly looks a thing of majestic beauty until he gets to that bit called passing. He has such natural technique and range but he just can’t control the accelerator. It’s like having a 17-year-old driving a Ferrari. If only he could get his gears sorted he would go to another level. We never saw him coming out with the ball really 2nd half, so perhaps MA told him to cut it out or he would be joining Hakeeb in the naughty shower.

Second half a well-drilled, functional, committed, and battling Morecambe side realised we didn’t have the tools to hurt them tonight and you could see them incrementally pressing higher and higher up the pitch until they got their goal.

It really was a young side, with Bridcutt looking like the school teacher playing with an enthusiastic bunch of 5th formers who eagerly ran about in good faith without achieving much. Out of possession we were so easily outmuscled and picked off in midfield. Morecambe kept taking the candy and played with a calm and steely determination which pretty summed up why they clinically finished their couple of sights of goal and we fluffed our lines.

We couldn’t keep the ball which meant Fiorini and Bishop at no point really influenced the game. We just never got going. When we did have a few crumbs, Morecambe to their credit defended resolutely to a man with commendable work rate, application, and excellent tackles/blocks. No way were they letting us get anything tonight.

Sorensen is a bits and pieces player who is a cog in the system but doesn’t have a signature ability going for him just yet. He’s a decent team player and makes little runs or tracks and fills in space when out of possession. However, he’s not going to put in a reducer tackle, or sprint ahead with a driving run, killer pass or goal threat. He’s just tidy, in the system we play.

There are clearly many players in a very young team that simply need a run of games, due to inexperience or to get themselves match fit and fluid in our system. They need to get wiser, stronger, and chill out when they try to up the tempo. We’re fine when we’re taking pace out of the game and knocking it about, and of course, there are stages in the game when that is appropriate. Unfortunately, when we needed to, or tried to up the tempo, for whatever reason (be it technique, trying too hard or a need for more practice together to make it happen) you could see the players tightening up with their passes, crosses and shots. They really need to look at Bridcutt who is never hurried, flustered, and just takes a touch to create half a yard. That thing called experience again.

When we upped the pace we never stroked the ball around, everything was forced and hurried. Basically, the players need to learn to relax and even become more robotic in what they do – less overthinking and emotion, more ice and calmness – that way the fluidity will come as a smoothly operating machine.

I think as fans we need to be patient and give them space to develop without stressing them out. There are some decent players who need to beef up, get savvy, and hone what the manager wants them to do. If they can be left long enough to do that, given the encouragement without an impatient crowd on their back I see absolutely no reason why they can’t become a very good team.

In the short term, we’ll see a real mixed bag of results and performances, a.k.a. inconsistency, which you would expect from such a young outfit. We will also see some brilliant spells in some games but the trick will be to ‘bottle that’ and do it regularly. Until we learn how to cope with the opposition spoiling tactics though, that momentum is not going to come.

Anyway, at least tonight’s fans were an easy crowd and nobody was on the player’s backs. Obviously, it was an older audience so I’m pretty sure there was a good understanding of where we are at and an acceptance that we are going to have occasions when it just isn’t going to be our night.”

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More views from the Match Thread:

sedgleyimp: “We just can’t seem to put together two decent performances after each other at the moment.

Credit to Morecambe who deserve their win. They have players who work hard and in Stockton a match-winning striker. I did expect that to finish 24th this season but if they can keep him until the end they will be fine.”

PerthImp: “We got what we deserved – nothing from a performance that just never got going. So many misplaced passes and we were second to every ball. Credit to Morecambe – they had done their homework, withstood early Imps play then settled and took control of the game. Can’t help thinking we need one or two six footers and a more physical presence – we look small against some of our opponents. Skilful players and tactics will take you so far but you do need a bit of physicality at times. Is it just a case of still suffering from lack of fitness and injuries or do we need something more? On to Saturday.”

Chesterimp: “As much as we all love TJ and Montsma, they were both poor tonight, Montsma looking for the Hollywood pass all the time giving it away too easily (including when Bridcutt concededed the free-kick for the 2nd), TJ turned way too easily for the first and the same thing happened a short while later.”

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Morecambe 2-0 Lincoln City:

Match Stats & Views From The Forum:https://t.co/diVK97lGVh#Shrimps #ImpsAsOne

— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) October 2, 2021

Morecambe				Lincoln City
Stockton 53', Wootton 79'
Letheren				Griffiths
McLaughlin				Poole
Gibson				Robson
O'Connor (c)				Montsma
Wootton				Eyoma
Diagouraga				Bridcutt (c)
Phillips			64'	Fiorini
McCalmont				Sørensen			65'
Stockton				NLundulu			77'
McDonald			77'	Adelakun			45'
Gnahoua			83'	Scully
Substitutes
Andrésson (GK)				Long (GK)
Cooney				Bramall			65'
Delaney			77'	Jackson
Mensah				Bishop			45'
Jones			64'	Sanders
Ayunga			83'	Gallagher
McPake				Longdon			77'

Game Statistics
8	Goal attempts	11
2	On Target	3
7	Corners	11
6	Fouls	6
1	Yellow Cards	0
0	Red Cards	0
44	%	56