Ahead of Saturday’s match at home against Rochdale in League One, I asked the Vital Lincoln City members what three things they think The Imps need to do to pick up all three points.
You can discuss what has been said in this article HERE, as well as many other topics on our 100% Imps forum! We have also published a Lincoln City v Rochdale Quiz, which can be found just below the three things. Every page view helps raise money for Lincoln City Football Club!
Here’s what sedgleyimp said:
1. Don’t let the tempo drop to a position where you just won’t get it back. I think many have highlighted the very contrasting halves we played at Ipswich on Tuesday night. The first half was full of running and attacking intent. The second was akin to a park the bus attitude to protect a lead, which was only altered once we had conceded the equaliser. Defending a hard-earned lead away from home is of course a perfectly acceptable tactic if used well, and up to the point of their goal was working. What was clear from that point in the game is how difficult it is to get back up to the higher pace so late in a game. Momentum had been lost and despite making a couple of late chances it never attained the first half team performance. We will never know if we had come out all guns blazing at Ipswich at the beginning of the second half if we would have got that required second goal which would have put the game beyond them, but keeping the tempo is probably very important for our young team.
2. Get into them early. Rochdale are on a shocking run of form and their belief will be quite low. That said in this division anyone can beat anyone and whilst the game remains scoreless, their confidence will grow. If we get an early one against them we could go on to score a hatful on Saturday. If they keep us out in those first 20 minutes or so, we will start to try and rush passes and snatch at chances which will leave players out of position and getting caught on the counter-attack. It has to be remembered that just before their recent run of failing to score they were capable of scoring quite a few, whilst also conceding plenty. Their non-scoring lack of confidence needs to be maintained.
3. Corners and set pieces. They had become better up to Grant’s injury. On Tuesday we had a significant number of corners in the first half and none were really any good. Rochdale’s defence will concede goals but the likes of McShane will deal quite easily with lofted corners. A bit of thought and invention though will get us goals from set-pieces.
Have a go at our Lincoln City v Rochdale Quiz below:
Thank you to Graham Burrell and Lincoln City Football Club for the photograph!
Rochdale (h): Three Things The Imps Need To Do To Win:https://t.co/ydp5F0rDfa#ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps #RAFC pic.twitter.com/N5lEQlZWEq
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) March 10, 2021
