Some thoughts on yesterday.

It was a real 'League One' experience yesterday. Terrible surface, pretty primitive facilities (and stewards!) and a PA announcer who sounded like he was doing the village fete! Let's hope we don't have to go back there next season.

I'm a bit bemused by all the talk of Drury at 'right back'. My impression was that Lambert changed the system to a 3-5-2 with Askou on the left of the three, Doc in the middle and Drury on the right. Lappin appeared to me to be a bit further advanced than a normal left back and Gill therefore was an extra body in midfield nad a pretty ineffective one, too!

Yet I have heard no mention of this in any reports - everybody just seems to say Lappin was left back and Drury was right back. Lambert just glossed over it in his interview saying that Drury did well 'on the right'.

I was amused early in the second half (about the 50th minute) when Drury attacked a cross on the far post and somebody nearby said 'What's he doing on the right?' clearly having not noticed Drury at all in the first half!

Doc was again really excellent and I have to say that I am happy to 'eat my (past) words' about him. For me the biggest improvement Lambert has made to our defending is the way he has got the players (and especially Doc) to stop giving away free kicks. All the defenders, even thos who were clumsy (Doc) or hot-headed (Russsell) seem to have been drilled into staying on their feet, keeping their arms down and NOT FOULING. This has made a huge cifference. Doc has hardly conceded a free-kick in his last three games! Now if Lambert could get Martin to stop making unnecessary pushes on their defenders in forward positions things might improve further.

Finally on yesterday..Smith was all energy again, I thought Adeyemi did well and maybe Cody has now done enough to earn a start plus our support put theirs to shame...but thank God it wasn't raining!

Posted By: BillySteele, Nov 1, 11:30:59