Defence today

[Darlogramps]

With Hunter and White available again, it'll be interesting to see who lines up in defence.

Do we go back to the defence that's been solid all season, with Brown at RB?

I suspect Cartwright may get the nod at RB, with Hunter (depending on how his injury has improved) and White coming back in.

But that would mean leaving out Brown who admittedly isn't a natural RB, but has done well there this season.

And he is our captain.

[Bogratsteve]

Can't see MG leaving Brown out so our normal back 4 I suspect unless Hunter is not 100% but Echo today's says he's back, interesting his comments on Mota, never seen him complain about Thommo's lack of work rate and inability to track back in defence for the last couple of years

[RUMPLESTILTSKIN]

Can't see MG leaving Brown out so our normal back 4 I suspect unless Hunter is not 100% but Echo today's says he's back, interesting his comments on Mota, never seen him complain about Thommo's lack of work rate and inability to track back in defence for the last couple of years

Probably because he bought them to do different jobs! Just a thought. Maybe Thommo can't and Mota can but isn't. Just another thought.

[Bogratsteve]

Possibly right

[Darlo_Pete]

According to the Echo Hatch doesn't start today.

[My opinion]

Diificult for MG regrds the defence...We have been crying out for a specialist right back all season in my opinion...Now that we have one does he leave him out?
I thought Cartwright had a good game last week, I was watching him and was impressed that everytime an attack broke down while he was up the field, he sprinted back to position even though the ball was going down the opposite side.....A sign of good discipline

[Ingleby]

I thought Cartwright was ok. But I'd expect him to get better and better with matches.
I'd play him.

I'd also play White and Hunter. Brown can come on for White after his yellow card.

[Bogratsteve]

Cartwright is only here for a month (now 3 weeks) so to drop the skipper for a loan player may not sit well with the other players, very difficult but I fully expect Brown at RB unless of an injury worry.

[Ingleby]

Cartwright is only here for a month (now 3 weeks) so to drop the skipper for a loan player may not sit well with the other players, very difficult but I fully expect Brown at RB unless of an injury worry.

And it will only ever be one month if he's sat on his backside the whole time.
Tough decisions but Brown is a CB. Our 3rd best CB currently.

[Darlo_Pete]

It would be tough on Cartwright if he was dropped, after a good game last week. We need specialists in each position, not a player playing out of position.

[DarloDean]

Should play Cartwright in RB in my opinion over Brown.

We have him for a reason, a proper RB, let's use him.

No disrespect to Browny it just makes sense if we play him now, his confidence goes up, he grows and it could be very beneficial in the long run.

[theoriginalfatcat]

We have him for a reason, a proper RB, let's use him.

Agreed, Brown could have a rest - nothing wrong with having a rest.

[divas]

Looks like Cartwright, White, Brown, Watson

Hunter on bench

[PierremontQuaker03]

I think this thread could reappear at the top of the board a few times today!

[Darlo_Pete]

What defence, it appears to have gone AWOL in the first half.

[My opinion]

Thought the discussion was going to be about who played RB....Can't believe the Gray opted to leave Hinter (our best CB in my opinion) on the bench with the pace Kendals CF had...I thought he went to the Soenntmoor game te do his homework.
Grays choice of team cost us badly today..Brown was out of his depth and should never have started.

[TinShedDarloFan]

Since moving back to into central defence Brown has played brilliantly which is why he'll of started there again today, it was always going to be a question of who started beside him inplace of Hatch, it was simply a terrible start which was against the norm for these players, Gray did well in changing it when he did which steadied things but before hand i think most would of put Brown in there

[Bogratsteve]

Hunter/white all season and that's part why we had the best defensive record of any club in our league or above, you don't change a winning combination unless forced.

[Darlogramps]

Hunter/white all season and that's part why we had the best defensive record of any club in our league or above, you don't change a winning combination unless forced.

With respect, that's very easy to say in hindsight.

Brown is our captain and had an excellent game at CB against Harrogate.

White has been phenomenal this season, so there was nothing to suggest what happened in the opening 15 minutes was going to happen.

I understand the argument for keeping the same pairing (and if I'm honest, I agree with that point). I was surprised he left out Hunter.

But given he was starting our captain in his favoured position, alongside our most experienced defender, you can't criticise Gray for making the personnel decision he did. Many would have made the same choice.

However, why the defence failed so badly in the opening 15 minutes is something that must be looked at and sorted.

[Darlogramps]

Since moving back to into central defence Brown has played brilliantly which is why he'll of started there again today, it was always going to be a question of who started beside him inplace of Hatch, it was simply a terrible start which was against the norm for these players, Gray did well in changing it when he did which steadied things but before hand i think most would of put Brown in there

I agree 100% with this.

There was no reason beforehand to suspect that starting with the defence we did would lead to those problems.

s*** happens. We learn from what happened, put it behind us and move on to the Farsley game.

[super_les_mcjannet]

That about sums it up for me. No one seemed overly bothered before kick off with the defence, obviously Hunter had a slight niggle we suspected.

15 mins in then it was obvious we needed the pace of Hunter, Gray made the change. Maybe we learned that White, Brown and a young full back on his 2nd start was not the way to go.

The defence is taking the hit and maybe rightly so but the midfield was missing in action for the same 15 mins and with 3 in the CM for Kendal they outnumbered Portas and Galbraith.

Totally dissappointed but this is football and you just have to get on with it.

[Bogratsteve]

To be fair Gramps it was not hindsight,
if you look back through the thread I pointed to brown starting RB and White/hunter CB

[super_les_mcjannet]

To be fair Gramps it was not hindsight,
if you look back through the thread I pointed to brown starting RB and White/hunter CB

Whilst I would have had no issue with this, we may well have not made an impression on Cartwright dropping him after a reasonable performance. Maybe we see him as a possible signing in the summer and thought we had enough whilst enouraging the lad to possibly join.

A number of people have wanted a RB to come in, now if he had a great game today and we won everyone would be happy. Most would even say it was right to rest Hunter with a niggle injury but hopefully he would be back for Farsley.

The slight gamble backfired in a way bigger than anyone anticipated.

[princes town]

The defence is taking the hit and maybe rightly so but the midfield was missing in action for the same 15 mins and with 3 in the CM for Kendal they outnumbered Portas and Galbraith.

Totally dissappointed but this is football and you just have to get on with it.

This is right. For the first 15 minutes the midfield seemed to go awol as well. There was massive gap between defence and attack that shafted us from a defensive and attacking perspective. I suspect a degree of over-confidence and early ambition caused us to lose our shape. We could have been 5 down at half-time. The game reminded me of Farsley last year when we were pulled all over the place. I think away from home you need to earn the right to play. For me Hunter and Mitchell must play on Tuesday as they give us pace to recover poor defensive situations. I'm even of a mind that a back 5 (2 wingbacks) may serve us best in future. Kendal deserved it today - better organised and a more efficient game-plan.

[Spyman]

If Gray had picked Hunter and moved Brown to right-back, or left Brown out altogether and we'd lost, people would be questioning why we changed the defence that was successful against Harrogate.

[Ingleby]

If Gray had picked Hunter and moved Brown to right-back, or left Brown out altogether and we'd lost, people would be questioning why we changed the defence that was successful against Harrogate.

But we did change a defence that was successful against Harrogate. Hatch was dropped, who had a very good game may I add.