Ahead of Saturday’s match at home against Sheffield Wednesday 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.
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Here’s what sedgleyimp said:
1. Pick up the pace of the game. I generally don’t have a problem with building from the back and keeping hold of the ball. Hoofing it forward just gives possession back to the opposition nine times out of ten. What I do have an issue with is how ponderous it can often become. Playing the ball across the back four and stretching play can be an excellent tactic, but only if it is played at pace and doesn’t allow the opposition the opportunity to re-group. So we need to pick up the pace of the game and start to stretch the opposition rather than do it slowly slowly.
2. The players need to be brighter off the ball. Movement in space was seriously lacking last Saturday. Some players were content to amble around and not look for the spaces. Often players on the ball were looking to make a forward pass but there was just nothing on. So players need to be playing smarter when they don’t have the ball. This might lead to fewer occasions where a pass is made to an attacker still facing our goal with an opponent breathing down their neck. They have nowhere to go in those circumstances other than backwards. Start making those clever moves off the ball. It will make the opponent’s defence think more and just might lead to gaps appearing.
3. Tactically match them up. One that probably won’t happen but Wednesday usually play with 3 at the back and 5 in midfield. This is a formation we haven’t of late coped with. The middle of the park will be key and if we have only two in there, it’s a recipe for disaster. So why not try something that little bit different and by that I mean we play 3 at the back and deploy wing-backs. We have two young full-backs in Norton-Coffey and Bramall who have the speed to play as wing-backs. Width against Gillingham was supplied by these two in any case. We seem to have enough fit central defenders with the return to fitness of Walsh and Eyoma who can fit in along with Poole. It will be a big change in tactics but one which I feel can work with the players we have. Certainly something a little outside of the normal needs to be tried.
Thank you to Graham Burrell and Lincoln City Football Club for the photograph!
Have a go at our Lincoln City v Sheffield Wednesday Quiz:
Sheffield Wednesday (h): Three Things The Imps Need To Do To Win:https://t.co/wziqfyuoFV#ImpsAsOne #SWFC
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) March 2, 2022
