Rotherham United 0 - 0 Bradford City
Impressive in a deserved victory over Chesterfield, the Millers were reasonable bets to beat a Bradford struggling for form and goals and hovering just outside the relegation places.
Not unreasonably after such a good display, Ronnie Moore picked the same starting 11 as played against Chesterfield. He made one tactical change, playing Law on the left and Ellison on the right. The idea of that, presumably, was to make sure that there was cover for Mullins against the quick and dangerous Omar Daley. By and large that worked, but, crucially, it limited the Millers' attacking strength on the right.
Bradford ditched the 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation that had been seen them soundly beaten at Northampton and played, instead, a rigidly-stuck-to 4-4-2.
Bradford's formation consisted of three units. Their defence maintained a solid, straight line throughout and focussed solely on winning the ball and clearing it out of their defensive third. They kept three midfielders on patrol in the central third of the pitch, allowing one of the two wide midfielders to support the two forwards. The forwards operated as a typical target man and runner combination.
Without runners from midfield or full-backs offering width, Bradford's attacks were fairly insipid. However, by keeping seven men in purely defensive or defensive midfield positions, they denied the Millers space in which to work openings. No Rotherham player could receive a forward pass without being under immediate pressure. Consequently, the Millers' play consisted of square balls or possession-keeping triangles in defence.
Effectively, the game was a stand-off. The Millers passed the ball across the back line, into midfield and back again, waiting for a Bradford player to break ranks and allow us space behind and between midfield and defence. Bradford, a study of concentration and discipline, simply maintained their shape. Typically, we would blink first, sending a long ball forward to a tightly marked Pope and yielding possession. A few reasonable crosses and some good, but long range shots, from Le Fondre and Law were all we could muster.
Only by getting the full-backs to make overlapping runs on the wings could we stretch the solid banks of Bradford players, but committing defenders forward allowed the possibility of the counter-attack. Daley had the best chance of the first half after the Millers lost possession in the final third and a quick ball down the wing allowed Daley a sight of goal. Warrington blocked well.
The second half was much the same story. What was needed was someone to take possession of the ball, either in central midfield or on the wing and drive at Bradford, committing men to the challenge and so making space for others. Neither Harrison nor Taylor can do that (both are "get it and give it" midfielders) and Law and Ellison need space to build momentum.
The overall effect was that the Millers became essentially two teams. Harrison and Taylor dropped deeper, to pick up the ball from the defence in an area that allowed them space to interplay. Ellison and Law pushed wider and further up the field, in the hope of getting behind the defence.
However, that left the Millers as an attacking foursome, virtually divorced from a defensive six. That meant longer balls out from defence (and so less retained possession in the Bradford half) and the virtual ceding of central midfield to Bradford. With six players operating with 15 yards of our own area, Bradford could hold the ball higher up the pitch and find balls down the side of our defence and through the middle. They were effective from corners and, with confidence building, drew three fantastic saves from Warrington as they picked up on loose balls in scrambled exchanges outside our area and bore down on goal.
With a tiring Pope and a peripheral Le Fondre securely marked, there was no escape valve for the Millers. Bradley came on for Harrison, but, with the momentum against us, could not draw the ball out of our final third. Warne, who replaced Law, offered some aggression and challenge and that helped even the final few minutes and secure the draw.
Overall, a point gained. Bradford showed enough grit and ability to suggest their position in the league is false and that they will trouble other teams over the course of the season. The Millers lacked someone to commit the Bradford team or the real quick passing to slip through them, but you have to credit Bradford's discipline and willingness to work to stop us playing. Arguably, after such a big effort against Chesterfield, they were simply out of gas as the game drew to a close (especially Pope, who was playing his second game in four days after a long lay-off). At least the Millers maintain a two point per game average, which over a season is enough for promotion.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Saturday, September 25, 2010
An advert for League Two decided by a moment of class
Millers 1 (Le Fondre 53) - 0 Chesterfield
This looked to be a fixture between two clubs whose squads look strong enough to be in the promotion hunt come May. It also promised to offer a genuine measure of the quality of both team's results so far. Both teams had had similar fixtures and results to date, beating Hereford , Cheltenham and Barnet and drawing at Morecambe.
Both teams were unchanged from last Saturday's victories. In broad terms, both adopted a 4-4-2 formation, but neither were entirely rigid.
Chesterfield employed Talbot as an orthodox winger on the right, but allowed Dean Morgan licence to cut infield from the left flank, to support Davies and Lester. The Millers were more flexible still, Law having licence to drift inside to link play and Le Fondre dropping off from the forward line, to create a 4-2-3-1 formation when Chesterfield had the ball.
With both Morgan, Davies and Talbot all being quick, the Millers adopted a deliberate policy of dropping deep quickly as soon as they lost the ball and only challenging for possession once Chesterfield were 15 yards into the Millers' half. With Taylor and Harrison patrolling 10 yards or so in front of the defence, Lester had no space to drop into and turn in, forcing him to play tight against Geohaghan. With Law and Ellison diligent in supporting the full-backs, neither Talbot nor Morgan could get behind the Millers back line.
As a result, after a scrappy start, much of Chesterfield's attacks were long balls from defence or centre-field, looking to stretch the Millers by releasing Davies on a chase to the corner. It had some success, with Cresswell conceding corners from intercepting through balls under pressure, but it the main, Chesterfield's attacks resulted in shots from outside the area which did little to trouble Warrington.
Key to the Millers success in the first half was Nicky Law. Committed in supporting his full-back, he was energetic and willing in midfield, pulling the Chesterfield left-back out of position, creating space for Le Fondre and Pope to run into and drawing central midfielders into defensive areas, opening space for runners from deep. As a consequence, Le Fondre appeared more often than usual in wide areas, in the role of prompter and provider instead of finisher. Harrison, nearly profited, when the Chesterfield defence failed to pick up his run into the penalty area, but his jump to meet Le Fondre's cross was mistimed and the ball squirmed awkwardly wide of his shoulder. It was noticeable that Chesterfield's most fluent period of the first half came after Law was injured in a challenge with Chesterfield's keeper, Lee.
The other critical element of the Miller's performance was the simple recycling of possession by Harrison and Taylor. Allowed to sit deep - and so able to attack runners coming on them rather than chasing back - they were able to pick off possession and play it simply. Neat one touch passing exchanges with the central defenders opened up the angles to release Law and Ellison or find the feet of Le Fondre or Pope.
Ironically, the best chance of the half fell to Chesterfield, when Lester a sloppy Taylor pass allowed a quick prod forward, which Lester, sharp on the turn, was on to away. Warrington's block was proficient, but Lester's effort was neither placed, powered or deft enough to beat him.
In an attempt to alter the balance of the game, Chesterfield brought Niven, a combative, tenacious central midfielder, on for Allott. Niven's role was to ruffle Pope in possession and pick up Le Fondre when he dropped deep, to allow the defenders to keep their shape better.
Although they succeeded in stifling Pope, Niven's deeper-lying role allowed gave Ellison and Law more room to come inside and for the full-backs to overlap. From this combination, a Mullins through ball found Le Fondre who had pulled wide on the edge of the area. Taking the ball on the half turn, Le Fondre drove towards the by-line, opening up an angle for a cross. With tremendous technique, he chipped the ball over Lee and into the goal at the far post, where Ellison was available to head in if needed.
Chesterfield responded positively. Mattis pushed forward and Niven gave up his purely defensive role, operating as a more orthodox central midfield pairing.
However, it was the replacement of Lester with Gray that evened the game up as a contest. With Lester out of the attack, Chestefield were able to utilise the pace of both Davies and Morgan through the centre. Taylor and Harrison dropped deeper, to compress the opportunities for the through ball. This gave Gray, a tall, athletic player, with technique, care and vision, to use the ball and prompt attacks.
With the sun low in the sky and in the eyes of the Millers defence, players headed up instead of out and the midfield and defence became too close to one another. Morgan picked up the ball from the edge of the area, drilled in a shot, which Warrington saw late and did tremendously well to push wide. That followed an equally good save from a strong Davies shot which came in after Mullins and Law failed to block a Whittaker cut back.
As the game moved into its final phase, Pope visibly tired, but his physical presence was important. To inject energy in the last few minutes, Bradley replaced Harrison. Bradley is a taller, stronger player and more willing to chase the ball outside of the centre of the field and his extra energy allowed the Millers to get a foothold higher up the pitch. In the end, Pope (in particular), Law and Ellison were able to hold the ball in the corner long enough to see out the four added minutes of time.
In the end, Le Fondre's audacity and ability won the game, but Moore's decision to employ deep lying central midfielders and to cede possession until the ball was in the Millers' half negated the key attacking weapons of Chesterfield. Chesterfield are a strong team and certainly the best seen at DVS this season but, in truth, only Gray's introduction threatened to turn the balance of the game. But by then the Millers had a lead to defend and their tenacity and determination in holding on to it suggests that their promotion aspirations are genuine and credible this season.
This looked to be a fixture between two clubs whose squads look strong enough to be in the promotion hunt come May. It also promised to offer a genuine measure of the quality of both team's results so far. Both teams had had similar fixtures and results to date, beating Hereford , Cheltenham and Barnet and drawing at Morecambe.
Both teams were unchanged from last Saturday's victories. In broad terms, both adopted a 4-4-2 formation, but neither were entirely rigid.
Chesterfield employed Talbot as an orthodox winger on the right, but allowed Dean Morgan licence to cut infield from the left flank, to support Davies and Lester. The Millers were more flexible still, Law having licence to drift inside to link play and Le Fondre dropping off from the forward line, to create a 4-2-3-1 formation when Chesterfield had the ball.
With both Morgan, Davies and Talbot all being quick, the Millers adopted a deliberate policy of dropping deep quickly as soon as they lost the ball and only challenging for possession once Chesterfield were 15 yards into the Millers' half. With Taylor and Harrison patrolling 10 yards or so in front of the defence, Lester had no space to drop into and turn in, forcing him to play tight against Geohaghan. With Law and Ellison diligent in supporting the full-backs, neither Talbot nor Morgan could get behind the Millers back line.
As a result, after a scrappy start, much of Chesterfield's attacks were long balls from defence or centre-field, looking to stretch the Millers by releasing Davies on a chase to the corner. It had some success, with Cresswell conceding corners from intercepting through balls under pressure, but it the main, Chesterfield's attacks resulted in shots from outside the area which did little to trouble Warrington.
Key to the Millers success in the first half was Nicky Law. Committed in supporting his full-back, he was energetic and willing in midfield, pulling the Chesterfield left-back out of position, creating space for Le Fondre and Pope to run into and drawing central midfielders into defensive areas, opening space for runners from deep. As a consequence, Le Fondre appeared more often than usual in wide areas, in the role of prompter and provider instead of finisher. Harrison, nearly profited, when the Chesterfield defence failed to pick up his run into the penalty area, but his jump to meet Le Fondre's cross was mistimed and the ball squirmed awkwardly wide of his shoulder. It was noticeable that Chesterfield's most fluent period of the first half came after Law was injured in a challenge with Chesterfield's keeper, Lee.
The other critical element of the Miller's performance was the simple recycling of possession by Harrison and Taylor. Allowed to sit deep - and so able to attack runners coming on them rather than chasing back - they were able to pick off possession and play it simply. Neat one touch passing exchanges with the central defenders opened up the angles to release Law and Ellison or find the feet of Le Fondre or Pope.
Ironically, the best chance of the half fell to Chesterfield, when Lester a sloppy Taylor pass allowed a quick prod forward, which Lester, sharp on the turn, was on to away. Warrington's block was proficient, but Lester's effort was neither placed, powered or deft enough to beat him.
In an attempt to alter the balance of the game, Chesterfield brought Niven, a combative, tenacious central midfielder, on for Allott. Niven's role was to ruffle Pope in possession and pick up Le Fondre when he dropped deep, to allow the defenders to keep their shape better.
Although they succeeded in stifling Pope, Niven's deeper-lying role allowed gave Ellison and Law more room to come inside and for the full-backs to overlap. From this combination, a Mullins through ball found Le Fondre who had pulled wide on the edge of the area. Taking the ball on the half turn, Le Fondre drove towards the by-line, opening up an angle for a cross. With tremendous technique, he chipped the ball over Lee and into the goal at the far post, where Ellison was available to head in if needed.
Chesterfield responded positively. Mattis pushed forward and Niven gave up his purely defensive role, operating as a more orthodox central midfield pairing.
However, it was the replacement of Lester with Gray that evened the game up as a contest. With Lester out of the attack, Chestefield were able to utilise the pace of both Davies and Morgan through the centre. Taylor and Harrison dropped deeper, to compress the opportunities for the through ball. This gave Gray, a tall, athletic player, with technique, care and vision, to use the ball and prompt attacks.
With the sun low in the sky and in the eyes of the Millers defence, players headed up instead of out and the midfield and defence became too close to one another. Morgan picked up the ball from the edge of the area, drilled in a shot, which Warrington saw late and did tremendously well to push wide. That followed an equally good save from a strong Davies shot which came in after Mullins and Law failed to block a Whittaker cut back.
As the game moved into its final phase, Pope visibly tired, but his physical presence was important. To inject energy in the last few minutes, Bradley replaced Harrison. Bradley is a taller, stronger player and more willing to chase the ball outside of the centre of the field and his extra energy allowed the Millers to get a foothold higher up the pitch. In the end, Pope (in particular), Law and Ellison were able to hold the ball in the corner long enough to see out the four added minutes of time.
In the end, Le Fondre's audacity and ability won the game, but Moore's decision to employ deep lying central midfielders and to cede possession until the ball was in the Millers' half negated the key attacking weapons of Chesterfield. Chesterfield are a strong team and certainly the best seen at DVS this season but, in truth, only Gray's introduction threatened to turn the balance of the game. But by then the Millers had a lead to defend and their tenacity and determination in holding on to it suggests that their promotion aspirations are genuine and credible this season.
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