Will Germany’s 4-2-3-1 system be the blueprint for the new season?

07/07/2010 by sgmboro 1 Comment

Germany have been one of the success stories of the World Cup so far. They have demolished the likes of Australia, England and Argentina and scored 13 goals in 5 games, conceding just 2 in that time. Their success has been based on a steady, organised backline combined with a deadly attack and that has propelled them from big outsiders to win the tournament to odds on favourites going into tonight’s Semi-Final with Euro 2008 winners Spain.  

A lot of Germany’s good play goes through their midfield three of Sami Khedira, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mesut Ozil. Khedira has been the anchor man in the midfield alongside the box to box style of Schweinsteiger, who has been arguably the player of the tournament. Ozil is the playmaker in this system and his movement and vision brings the wide players of Podolski and Muller into the game. Those two have been given a licence to roam while Klose will finish anything he is given in the box.  

The system the Germans play is a more rigid version of the 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation Boro used last season. Westley played Bostwick in the defensive midfield role last year and then rotated Bridges, Byrom, Long and Murphy in the 2 positions ahead of him. Boro would then play 3 in attack which were also rotated regularly. However, with the loss of Andy Drury and Mitchell Cole plus the signings of 3 midfield players Robbie Sinclair, Peter Winn and John Mousinho, it got me thinking whether Westley will adopt a different system going into the new season?  

The signing of Mousinho tells me that Westley may want to shape up more defensively this season. Mousinho’s signing certainly gives us that option and is a good move for Boro. He’s an experienced league player and was a key component for Peter Taylor’s promotion winning Wycombe side a couple of seasons ago. He hasn’t joined us to play a bit part role. He will be in and around the first team along with Michael Bostwick, who also signed a new contract. They are two players that if fit, will be in GW’s side.  

As they are both defensive minded players, Bostwick and Mousinho could play in those two positions in midfield behind a playmaker. It’s a position that would have been ideal for a Boyd, Miller or Drury and is one where I think Joel Byrom could make his own. He didn’t really shine in his first year at Stevenage, but improved as the season went on and would be a big asset in a free role behind the lone striker.

This formation would certainly suit the players we currently have at the club. The defence was very settled last season and that has been strengthened in the summer. Midfield is also looking healthy and while we may not have a “prolific” goalscorer in the style of a Klose, we have a number of strikers that all have different qualities. I would say Boylan is the most “natural” goalscorer in our squad at the moment. Beardsley’s work rate is a big asset, while Tim Sills’ intelligence on the pitch brings players into the game.

One of the reasons why Boro were successful last season is that they had a flexible squad that could cover for all situations. They had enough attacking talent to beat teams at home, but were also well organised away from Broadhall Way, where they could get a goal and then defend their lead. Westley would start with a 4-4-2 for example and then adapt it depending on how the game went. The flexibility of the squad was key and that will remain the case going into League 2.

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Lopo’s View

16/04/2010 by sgmboro 5 Comments

It’s been a season that no Stevenage fan will ever forget and it seems that destiny is finally taking over as we only require 3 more points to win the league. 14 years ago when I was 6, I remember the last day of the season when Steve Berry, Smudger and co lifted the title. 14 years on and my desire has grown and after years of mid table obscurity it has made me feel proud to finally see my hometown club so close to being promoted into the football league. After being in the Conference since I started watching Stevenage it will be strange not to be playing the same team’s week in week out, but the relief to be up is fantastic!

With 3 games left no doubt the trip to Kiddy will hopefully be the highlight of the season and I hope we will take a big number to see the boys across the line. 2 years ago when Mr. Westley returned to BHW I was sceptical to say the least, however the squad he has assembled along with the financial support from Phil Wallace and the board has seen us come through a very tough division. I felt after losing to Cambridge in the playoffs last season that we were never going to get promoted, but to bounce back with teams such as Luton and Oxford giving us a fight and Rushden, York and AFC Wimbledon having impressive seasons makes winning it this season all the more special.

Our squad is full of talent, despite a few players who I personally don’t rate and I’m sure will not be here next season. I think that the squad we have is more than capable of being an established football league side as long as we keep onto our best players which we have struggled to do in the past. The likes of Michael Bostwick, Mark Roberts and Chris Day will all be essential to keep hold of as I don’t think we will find better replacements. Credit must also go to the backroom staff of Dino Maamria, John Dreyer and Graham Westley who have done extremely well to get us into the position we are in.

The player of the year award will be hotly contested this season with several players up for the award showing a good team effort opposed to a one man team that some clubs rely on year in year out. I personally think Ronnie Henry deserves the award simply because he has improved considerably since becoming a right back. Changing from one position to another is certainly not easy let alone to then become such an important player within the squad. Also, Ronnie is the longest serving player at the club and that is increasingly rare at this level. He deserves credit for that.

Other players in contention include Scott Laird, Michael Bostwick, Chris Day, Yemi Odubade amongst others. All these have made massive contributions and one who has made a massive improvement during the season is John Ashton who has become a top quality centre half after being a bit of a liability at times.

Any real Stevenage fan will feel so much relief if we do go on to get promoted and as Westley has said there is only one way to get promoted and that is as Champions! It has been one hell of a season and let’s not forget our third trip to Wembley on 8th May. Exciting times to be a Boro fan.

Roll on the Football League and let’s get behind the boys for the rest of the season.

Lopo

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Are Boro better without Morison?

22/12/2009 by sgmboro Leave a Comment

When Steve Morison left Broadhall Way in the summer for Millwall and League 1, many believed Stevenage would struggle to deal with the loss of their prolific striker. Some would argue that Boro still haven’t really replaced him, but the table suggests that Boro are doing just fine without him. Graham Westley’s side are 2nd in the Blue Square Premier, 5 points behind leaders Oxford United. So are we actually better without Steve Morison in the team?

Morison was signed by Mark Stimson just after the start of the 2006/2007 season. He joined after catching Stimson’s eye while playing for Bishop’s Stortford in the Blue Square South. His impact at Broadhall Way was immediate. He played up front on his own, with George Boyd playing just off him. The partnership just clicked. Boyd enjoyed his new role in an attacking midfield position whilst Morison was pouncing on any chance that came his way. Stevenage had the best strike force in the league. Morison scored 76 goals in 142 appearances in his time at Boro and is seen as one of the best players to have ever graced the Broadhall Way turf.

After months of speculation about his future, Morison finally left Boro for Millwall days after captaining the side to another FA Trophy triumph. Morison had been the captain of the team for the majority of the season, with Westley later saying that he was the only one who wanted the job at the time. After a poor start to the 2008/2009 season, GW said that there was a ‘split’ dressing room and that it was quite hostile at times. Not a nice place to be. Fair play though to Morison for stepping up to the extra responsibility. Although, he wasn’t one of the best captain’s that Boro have ever had, he did the job he was asked to do and was instrumental in the teams push for the play-offs in the second half of the season.

So what are we missing? Well it isn’t his goals. Stevenage have scored 6 more goals after 24 games this season than at the same stage last season. Although, I don’t think that is the whole story. While the stats will say that the team is better going forward this season, the goals have been shared out more throughout the team rather than relying on the one man.  It’s also worth noting that Boro are a much improved side this year and more chances have been created in the opening half of this season than at the same stage last season. Our problem this season is not being clinical enough in front of goal and maybe if we still had Morison in the side now, we would be closer to Oxford or even above them?

However, in my opinion I think the team has improved as a whole since Morison’s departure. Last season, Boro were a bit one dimensional. Morison was the target man and the player that all of Boro’s attacks went through. Westley’s team was built around his star striker, he was the first name on the teamsheet. However, if he was injured or marked out of the game then Boro would usually struggle. That was evident in the opening weeks of the season when Morison was suspended after being sent off at Wrexham. Boro failed to win any of the games he missed. This season we are not reliant on one man. We are more of a squad and I think that is one of the reasons why we are where we are now. GW can now chop and change his team how he sees fit and it seems to be working.

Overall, I think that Morison’s move to Millwall has suited everyone. Moro got his well deserved move into the football league after 3 fantastic seasons at Broadhall Way and is now beginning to show his supporters at the New Den why Kenny Jackett spent £160k on him. Meanwhile for Boro, Morison’s departure has allowed the team to move to the next level. Boro are a better team without him. No one player has stood out this season so far because all 11 players are working hard in each and every game and it is getting results. Graham Westley has adapted the way the team plays to compensate for the loss of Morison and as a whole it looks more solid and balanced. Hopefully it will continue going into 2010.

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Lopo’s View

24/08/2009 by sgmboro Leave a Comment

It’s been an interesting several months, a mixture of high, low and unbelievable moments which seem to be a regular occurrence as a Boro fan! 

We finished last season well with a long unbeaten run and another Trophy win. However the 4th May 2009 will not be a day to remember as we surrendered a 3-1 lead at The Abbey. I went into that game feeling confident that we would go there and get to Wembley however tactically we got it wrong and paid the price for missed chances, poor refereeing decisions and generally just poor tactics. 

My wounds were healed slightly by winning the FA Trophy again against York but it was a comfortable game for us and we deserved to win. The victory also saw Steve Morison play his last game for us and he went out in style scoring the opening goal and being given the man of the match. It wasn’t my personal choice as I felt Ronnie Henry was brilliant at right back and Andy Drury played very well in the whole just behind Moro and Boylan. 

With Morison’s departure a replacement was never going to be easy to find, however Graham Westley swooped to sign Charlie Griffin from Salisbury who scored 21 league goals last season. When he first arrived I was unsure, but I kept being reminded of 21 league goals he scored in a team worse than our own! So far Griffin hasn’t quite lived up to our expectations however I’m sure there is more to come. 

Joel Byrom’s arrival for £15k was seemingly a good deal as he was very highly rated by Northwich fans and I think, potentially, he could be a good player for us. He was brought in along with Stacy Long as a replacement for the outgoing Gary Mills who decided Mansfield was a bigger club for him to move to! Byrom’s red card against Tamworth was a bit stupid but he is still young and I am confident he will find his feet soon. Yemi Odubade is without doubt an impact player with electric pace. It’s enough to give defenders at any level nightmares, but hasn’t been given much of a chance so far with just a couple of substitute appearances and a tap in at Oxford on Saturday to his name. 

Stacy Long was, in my opinion the best signing of the summer, however so far Westley hasn’t quite found him a place in the side with Mitchell Cole continuing on the left. It’s a real shame as I feel Long is a very good player and hopefully he will be given an opportunity to find his feet and kick on. Chris Beardsley was the final signing of the summer and one that I was slightly unsure of initially, but after seeing him against albeit a poor Ebbsfleet team I felt he offered a bit more than Griffin and deserved his goal too. 

This season so far has shown players in a different light such as Lawrie Wilson picking up some good form and looking twice the player he was last term. The start of the season has also highlighted a few worries about a couple of our other players. Darren Murphy in my opinion has not improved enough and seems to lack pace and technical ability to cut it at this level. He is strong and gets stuck in, but sometimes that does lead to his downfall especially with poor officials blowing their whistle every 2 minutes! Some people have criticised John Ashton and in some ways I would agree, but I definitely prefer him at the back and Bostwick playing in midfield. I think the team is far more balanced when Bostwick is in the middle. 

The squad is generally in good shape, however it seems that “so near but yet so far” is our motto, especially after last season’s defeat in the play-offs. After Woking’s relegation to the Blue Square South last season, we are now officially the longest serving team in the Conference! That is something that will hopefully be changed soon by winning promotion to the football league. It’s going to be another long hard season ahead with inevitably more drama, but hopefully more success.

If you want to write your own column for Stevenage Borough then contact sgmboro@hotmail.co.uk for more details.

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Lopo’s View

14/04/2009 by sgmboro Leave a Comment

After a fantastic 24 match unbeaten run it all came to a dramatic end a couple of weeks ago with defeat at Kidderminster, however bouncing back was key and last Tuesdays impressive 2-1 win against rivals Cambridge certainly showed that despite having injuries, suspensions and a terrible referee we are able to compete at the top end of the table. Since my last view we have played 12 games, winning 8, drawing 3 and losing 1 which certainly shows promotion form and has included wins against teams we have struggled against in the past. 

Defeat at Aggborough was a disappointment especially as we were 2-0 up before Darren Murphy’s red card which seemed to change the whole complexion of the game. Before that game we went 24 unbeaten which was a new club record and a  record to be proud of. We have looked a far better team since them terrible home games against Histon and Grays, where it felt like a chore to even turn up and watch!

Some spirited performances and good signings have given the club a huge lift. It’s a lift that we seem to keep using in our pursuit for play offs. Jon Ashton has settled in well, despite a couple of shaky performances. He seems to have cemented his first team place well ahead of Mark Albrighton. A lot of games have surpassed with Boro playing generally every 4 days and picking up good results in the process, However with such a tight table, poor early form could cost us dearly.

Away from the league, Boro once again find themselves at Wembley after beating Ebbsfleet in the semi final of the FA Trophy. I am very happy to be going to Wembley again. To win a domestic trophy that all non league clubs would love to get their hands on would be a big achievement. We have won every game in the FA Trophy this year and most of them have been comfortable wins against good, established teams such as Burton, Forest Green and Ebbsfleet.

Over the next month or so we have cup finals in every game we play. We are underdogs to reach the playoffs, but are far from out of it. As I write this we have games to come against Ebbsfleet and Crawley which are key as we then face our two major playoff threats, Torquay and Kidderminster. Despite injuries it was great to see John Martin back last Tuesday against Cambridge. He settled straight back in and for me was MOTM in the midfield. Gary Mills has impressed me in the two performances I saw him in against York and Cambridge. It pains me to say it after being Mills’ biggest critic during the season and I’m still not convinced he is good enough, but I hope the form he has produced recently continues.

With the player of the year award being given out at the weekend, I think there are many contenders to pick up the prize. Obviously Steve Morison’s goals have been important and great performances from Chris Day, Ronnie Henry, David Bridges and Michael Bostwick haven’t gone unnoticed either. New arrivals Mark Roberts and Andy Drury will also certainly be in with a shout.

There are some huge games coming up and a good support is key if the playoffs remain a possibility. Let’s hope we can help guide Boro to the football league and another FA Trophy.

Lopo

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Lopo’s View

30/01/2009 by lopo1 Leave a Comment

Things are certainly looking up at the newly named Lamex stadium! We are on a twelve match unbeaten run and finally looking like we could be general promotion contenders but are the games in hand that teams around us have going to scorn our superb late form. The squad is looking good with dead slowly being removed from the squad and players like Drury and Bridges impressing since getting a run in the team. With Steve Morison set to leave in the summer especially if promotion is not achieved goals will have to come from somewhere else and there have been a few games where Moro hasn’t been the only player on the score sheet.

It’s been a little while since my last view and the squad has changed quite a bit. I was talking about lowering expectations at Broadhall Way but the recent upturn in form has certainly given supporters more hope but we have to realise that we have 15 games remaining and to seriously be considered as promotion candidates we will need to win most of them. Unless teams like Kettering, Torquay and Wrexham lost most of their games in hand we may have to accept that a realistic finish will be between 8th and 11th. We’ve certainly come along way since Grays at home in December where I left early for the first time after a half hearted and disappointing performance. A spirited draw away to Oxford and a good home win to Rushden really turned over a page and we look a more balanced team than we did previously.

Taking a point away to Cambridge was also deserved although we left it late as the rivalry seems to grow and grow.  Following a late equaliser for Rushden on New Year ‘s Day we have won 5 straight games and seem to be playing a lot better football. Two easy and convincing wins over Lewes and Barrow have shown good strength at home and a dominating cup win over Farnborough and win away to Salisbury have shown we can control games away from home and in the Salisbury game show good determination too. Kettering was a game that was difficult to call pre match after Kettering’s heroics on the previous Saturday against Fulham they made several changes and dominated a poor first half. Their goal just before half time spurred us on in the second half and we deservedly equalised and then won it through hardworking Peter Vincenti’s goal 6 minutes before the end. Vincenti has never been top of GW’s list of midfielders and the arrival of Murphy and form of Bostwick and Bridges I expected him to be on his way this month but good form in the reserves and HSC has given PV another chance to impress GW.

Defensively we look so much stronger at the back with Albrighton and Roberts showing a good partnership. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Albrighton when he first came here but since Ronnie Henry’s surprising and successful move to right back him and Roberts have prospered and look set to continue that partnership for the rest of the season. With the midfield looking stronger with Bridges and Bostwick my preferred two, surely  time has to be almost up for Gary Mills who for me has never looked comfortable and with Murphy and Vincenti impressing I cannot see why Westley could seriously choose him even on the bench ahead of them. With McMahon going earlier this month and John Martin still a possibility to go I was unsure whether we would have enough creativity in midfield but Andy Drury and David Bridges in my opinion have settled in very well with a good run of games and I hope that continues.

Boylans injury doesn’t seem to be looking too good after the ridiculous tackle by Barrow’s midfielder Bond couple of weeks ago. With Willock as backup GW has still decided to use Mitchell Cole up front alongside Morison which I have always thought Cole should be considered up front more regularly when Boylan was injured earlier in the season. With January coming to a close I am expected a couple of loan signings to complete the squad and with Luke Oliver joining Wycombe John Ashton would be perfect to replace him as cash strapped Grays look keen to sell. It won’t be easy for Ashton if he did join with form of Roberts and Albrighton but as he showed at BHW earlier this season he is as good as they get in the Blue Square Premier.

An exciting 3 months left of the season could bring anything up especially in the playoffs situation with 8 or 9 teams realistically pushing to be at Wembley come May. I may be a difficult 15 games but winning most and hoping some other teams do us some favours we do have a chance of being in the mix.

Lopo

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The lowering expectations at Broadhall Way

11/12/2008 by lopo1 Leave a Comment

Following several poor weeks and mind baffling interviews from the manager, players and chairman, I have decided to finally give up on promotion for this season and lower my expectations for every game I go to from now on.

In May, Wallace spoke like a chairman should saying we needed someone with Conference experience who could get us up and entertain. Seven months on and we have found ourselves in mid table obscurity, playing poor, boring football. I enjoyed watching Boro play stylish football just over a year ago, but the record books have never said anything about stylish football and sometimes we have to find a way to get out of this division and then build on the entertainment side.

Being pre season bookies favourites have built up even more expectation and unfortunately we don’t look capable of really pushing for that unless changes are made. Reading Wallace’s interview a couple of weeks ago surprised me. After several poor results and the poor standard of football being played he still jumped to the manager’s defence from a demanding crowd. The boo’s in some cases have been warranted.

Tuesday saw a deeply disappointing performance and at times poor attitude from some of the players. Steve Morison’s recent comments have disgusted me and his contribution despite being top scorer of the division has still been below par. His moaning and whinging attitude has surprised me and him criticising the fans will not be a popular decision. Moro is without doubt one of if not the best striker in the Conference, however getting to big for his boots is an understatement.

The appointment of Dino Maamria was another baffling decision for me. Dino has a certain reputation and won’t be to everyone’s liking and for me it showed again that Westley can’t seem to keep a coaching team together with Steve Greaves leaving. Westley has continued his old ways of blaming anything but himself even though most of the time his tactical decisions and team selections have cost us this season. He will always have an explanation of some sort.  

I will always attend every game possible and despite the problems we have will never stop supporting Boro, but Westley needs to understand the fans point of view. He has a busy January to sort out an unbalanced squad if the football is to improve and see the fans start coming back to BHW.

Lopo

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