Following Tuesday night’s 2-0 defeat at home against Portsmouth in League One, we asked our members what three things they learned from the match.
Here’s what NottyImp said:
1. We will struggle against well-organised, physically robust teams. We have a relatively young and light-weight set of players who aren’t yet quite on the right wave-length to be able to counter-act a strong, street-wise set-up like Portsmouth.
2. Playing it out from the back isn’t working. That’s not to say it can’t, but currently, it’s a largely sterile tactic that is also costing us goals. The penalty last night was as a direct result of a poor pass out of defence, for example. We need to do it better, do it less often and with more purpose.
3. More change is on the way. It is likely, after the summer, that most of the old favourites will have gone and I’d be surprised in the starting XI in August 2020 has more than 1 or 2 who started this season. The style of football is also changing and, as fans, we’re probably going to have to adapt to that as much as the players!
And here’s what Jamesimp said:
1. We are still in transition, new players need more time to gel and play the way they’re asked. There certainly has been a change in style, last night we started with two up front and then brought on Walker and Hesketh with equates to the kitchen sink, alas it did us little good, we don’t seem to have the killer ball.
2. Portsmouth did not press particularly high last night but yet again we came unstuck playing it out of defence, fair enough start off playing it short to suck the opponents in but we have to try the long ball more when we are chasing the game.
3. Last night we were simply out-thought and outfought, the wages Portsmouth can pay is probably triple ours and shows what money can buy. They scored at the right time following a careless challenge and controlled it from then on, we never looked like breaking them down because they so well organised.
4. Grant is not a winger, he can play a pass/cross OK but does not have the pace to outrun the defender, he’s not got quick feet either.
Thank you to Graham Burrell and Lincoln City Football Club for the photograph!
"We're probably going to have to adapt to that as much as the players!"https://t.co/KpVN9B6soO#ImpsAsOne #ProudToBeImps #Pompey
— Vital Lincoln City (@VitalLincoln) January 30, 2020
https://www.facebook.com/VitalLincolnCity/posts/2690628844306677
