September 2024 (Page 7)

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We are nine games in to Yeovil’s 24/25 National League season so let’s look at what the data is telling us about the team’s performance in each game. Has there been a tactical change in recent games and how has our form been affected? 

NB. YTFC Performance score is my score based on the data, not the result

Yeovil 0 Hartlepool 1

First up was a tricky encounter with former manager Darren Sarll’s Hartlepool.

YTFC Performance Score: 1/7
Yeovil xG: 0.73
Hartlepool xG: 1.22

Hartlepool’s xG was nearly 0.5 higher than Yeovil’s. Despite Yeovil having 60% of the ball their first shot came in the 75th minute. My results predictor has Hartlepool winning that match 47% of the time and Yeovil on 20%.

This left the expected points from the game looking like Yeovil Town on 0.93 and Hartlepool United expected points 1.75. 

Braintree 0 Yeovil 1

Second game was a trip to National League South Playoff winners Braintree.

YTFC Performance Score: 4
Braintree Town xG: 0.72
Yeovil xG: 0.92

Results predictor has this game down 38% of the time as a Yeovil win. This leave the expected points looking like this:

Braintree Town xP: 1.15
Yeovil Town xP: 1.50

Yeovil Town 3 Ebbsfleet United 2

A dominant performance from the Glovers, the best attacking display of the season

YTFC Performance score: 7
Yeovil Town xG: 3.49 (2.67 from regular play and 0.82 from set pieces)
Ebbsfleet United xG: 0.44

Result predictor had Yeovil winning this game 95% of the time leaving the predicted points looking like:

Yeovil Town xP: 2.90
Ebbsfleet United xP: 0.06

 

Gateshead 3 Yeovil Town 1

Longest away trip of the season was up next as the Glovers travelled to Gateshead. Despite the scoreline the overall  performance was at a very good level.

YTFC Performance Score: 4
Gateshead xG: 1.82
Yeovil Town xG: 1.34

Note the Gateshead Set Piece xG 0.76, that is entirely from the penalty at the end. Without that Yeovil have a higher xG (I’ll come back to that shortly).

Result Predictor shows Gateshead winning 49% of the time and the expected points in their favour as well.

Gateshead xP: 1.75
Yeovil Town xP: 0.99

Now if we take the penalty away, the result predictor reads in Yeovil’s favour with a Yeovil win percentage of 43.5% and a draw at 28.5%. this leave the Expected points looking like Yeovil’s 1.59 and Gateshead down to 1.12. 

Yeovil Town 0 Rochdale 1

Bank holiday Monday saw Rochdale visit Huish Park and snatch a 1-0. Despite the result the performance from the Glovers was solid if unspectacular.

YTFC Performance Score: 5
Yeovil Town xG: 0.55
Rochdale xG: 0.27

Result predictor was in favour of a draw at 49% or a Yeovil win at 36%. Expected points was in favour of Yeovil as well.

Yeovil Town xP: 1.58
Rochdale xP: 0.92 

 

Boston United 1 Yeovil Town 3

3 points in the bag at Boston but what does the data tell us? Yeovil got lucky, even against 10 men for 70 minutes. Thank you Brett McGavin and Ollie Wright.

YTFC Performance Score: 2
Boston United xG: 2.24
Yeovil Town xG: 1.92

Results predictor has Boston winning this game 45% of the time. Which means expected points is in their favour as well.

Boston United xP: 1.6
Yeovil Town xP: 1.16

Fylde 3 Yeovil Town 4

Next up was another long trip for the Glovers as they travelled to Fylde and got a great win, but did the performance match the result?

YTFC Performance Score: 3
Fylde xG: 2.34
Yeovil Town xG: 2.24 (thanks to a massive (1.22 from set pieces)

Expected result was in Fylde’s favour as they win 40% of the time.

Fylde xP: 1.44
Yeovil Town xP: 1.33

Yeovil Town 0 Solihull Moors 1

Glovers were back at home as the faced Solihull. Solihull took the spoils and the data shows they deserved it

YTFC Performance Score: 1
Yeovil Town xG: 0.5
Solihull Moors xG: 0.9

Solihull win the game 44% of the time.

Yeovil Town xP: 0.93
Solihull Moors xP: 1.7

Yeovil Town 0 Altrincham 0

Yeovil entertained Altrincham but not the crowd as both teams failed to find the net. 

YTFC Performance Score: 3
Yeovil Town xG: 0.56
Altrincham xG: 0.71

A slightly better performance from the glovers but hardly any threat. Altrincham have the two best chances, which gives them a 36% win chance. Draw being 39%.

Yeovil Town xP: 1.1
Altrincham xP: 1.5

So if we work out all the xP from every game it leaves the table looking like this:

Note Altrincham being 3rd from bottom. The bottom two have already sacked their manager, Yeovil having played both. In fact Yeovil have played all of the bottom 3 and 4 of the bottom 7.

Yeovil are performing pretty well and roughly on the points they should be. However, then I spotted a recent dip in form. Here you can easily see we have been second best in the last four games, including two games against two of the worst performing teams in the league to date – AFC Fylde and Altrincham.

If you remember the Gateshead performance without the penalty was a positive one. The last four games are all suddenly negative, which shows a drop in performance, including games against arguably three of the teams Yeovil should be stronger than. Especially if you look at the expected points table above, playing teams below them.

Last Friday I spotted this, which made me think: Why has the performance suddenly dropped? What has changed?

At first my thinking was that we have had members of our regular back four missing, including Morgan Williams who had been injured. Then it clicked, our dip in performance has coincided with us moving to a new tactical formation with 3 central midfielders.

Let me explain….

Mark Cooper has moved away from his successful box formation which he had started the season with. Read Cooper talking about the box formation following the win over Taunton Town here.

This is generally how we have lined up for the first five games of the season and the box is there with the two central midfielders and two central defenders.

In the last four games we have started the game with three central midfielders. One holding and two slightly further forward. Which looking at it you would think should be more solid and being able to control games.

Against Altrincham I specifically observed the midfield closely, as I felt something wasn’t right and what I saw shocked me slightly.

As the Yeovil defenders pick up the ball and start passing it around, the Defensive Midfielder (in this case Charlie Cooper) drops in with the central defenders or sometimes deeper than them. There is no issue with this. However, at the same time where are the other two central midfielders? Coming short to help progress play? No they are closer to Aaron Jarvis.

As the crowd grow impatient due to the lack of speed in passing and the lack of progressive passes, the ball is then launched forward to a now front five, which sometimes becomes seven with the full backs joining in. Altrincham comfortably dealt with this. Now, this might be how Mark Cooper wants them to play, but I can’t believe it is.

“We tried to stick to our identity pleased me the most. I know there are certain sections of our crowd that want us to boot the ball forward, but I will not do that and maybe my opinion is what makes us effective.” Mark Cooper after beating Ebbsfleet

This is how we look with the ball as it is being passed around at the back. Often the Full backs are higher as well believe it or not.

Don’t believe me? Here is a photo of this very thing happening.

Question: Can you spot Charlie Cooper?
Answer: He the player closest to Ollie Wright by a good five metres.

Question: Which Yeovil players are moving?
Answer: Three, Whittle, Nouble and the ball carrier Williams.

Morgan Williams has five static Yeovil players in front of him and two others on the other side of the pitch making runs away from him. There are six Altrincham players Williams has to get the ball past before any of those in green shirts can get it, a near impossible task.

How can this be resolved?  Charlie Cooper was 20 meters further forward in the centre circle straight away that gives a link between defence and midfield. He could receive the ball on the half turn and we would be past 3 defending players. He would then have three Yeovil players directly in front of him and one Altrincham player, instantly Yeovil would be in a great attack position.

It’s not just Charlie Cooper, if Sonny Blu Lo-Everton or Matt Worthington notice that Cooper is out of position, why isn’t one of them filling that space? If they’re not noticing it, why not? The more different options you have to attack the more a defence has to think and react, which in itself creates more space. The attackers are often getting the blame for not enough quality but if you are feeding off scraps you will always struggle. I would suggest it is the supply to the forwards that is the issue.

“We didn’t have any quality, our forward players produced zero quality.” – Mark Cooper after losing to Solihull 

“You expect them to produce the bit of quality they are in the team to produce.” – Mark Cooper after losing to Hartlepool

The lack of movement off the ball is a worry to me. It is magnified at the throw-ins. They take forever and no one seems interested in receiving the ball, with most players are just standing still. It may be that Mark Cooper wants the control the ball and the game like that, but the speed they are currently playing at it allows the defending team to get set in their defensive shape, which is then harder for Yeovil to breakdown. 

Two of Yeovil’s best chances on Saturday came from players breaking on the transition, this meant the opposition were on the back foot and out of position. Play faster and this will happen more often.

I am not sure if this is how Mark Cooper wants them to play, the players just aren’t used to the system yet or something else. Perhaps the four goals in the second half at Fylde has made Mark Cooper want to play a more direct style. However, for me, the midfield needs to be activated and link defence to attack. Currently the midfield is being bypassed.

If I see three central midfielders on the team sheet against Oldham, I will hope this issue has been resolved.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Yeovil Town head north this Saturday, to Boundary Park, Oldham to be precise and as we all know, you can’t have a game of professional football without a referee.

Thankfully, we have one lined up – Mr Paul Marsden.

Mr Marsden has been in charge of a trio of National League games so far this season and hasn’t been afraid to reach into his pocket.

19 yellow cards (although two were for the same Hartlepool player) is a fair return.

We haven’t seen Mr Marsden since the behind-closed-doors era, he took charge of a rather uneventful 2-0 win over Altrincham at Huish Park were Messrs Murphy and Dagnall scored Yeovil goals.

If you the calendar way back, he could also be found awarding a penalty to Macclesfield Town – against Yeovil – in November 2018. Tom James breathed a bit too heavily on Elliot Durrell and down he went (See below). Former Glover Michael Rose did the rest from the spot.

Given his location, it’s no surprise he’s taken charge of more Oldham games, including twice last season.

He will be assisted by Jack Nield and Thomas Harland, whilst Ben Robinson is the fourth official for the game. 

 

 

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Yeovil Town’s Under 18s will play their South West Counties Floodlit Premier league games at Huish Park this season.

The Young Glovers were meant to get their league campaign underway last Thursday, but, due to Paulton Rovers still being involved in the early rounds of the FA Youth Cup, that was postponed,

So, this coming Monday 23rd September, the Under 18s will – at the second time of asking – get their campaign going.

Brislington have already played their first game, beating Portishead Town 3-1.

Brislington are the visitors and tickets are now available to all fans – CLICK HERE

Tickets are priced at £4 for adults and £2 for under 18s.

Kick Off is as 7:30pm

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Yeovil Town Women’s unbeaten league record brought to an end

Match Round Up

Yeovil Town Women suffered their first league defeat since the reformation of the team on Sunday, as Cornish outfit Helston Athletic overcame the Glovers 3-1

Paul Knight made three changes to the starting eleven who drew with Sticker on matchday one, as Emily Hall replaced Les Spearing in goal, as well as Georgia Coles and Terri Will replacing Ava Beattie and Becca McManus.

Yeovil’s outing in Cornwall did not get off to an ideal start, as the hosts opened the scoring within four minutes. Beky Storey was the goal scorer, with Sasha Sparkes providing the assist to give Helston a dream start.

Unable to produce a response to Helston’s quick start, Yeovil were punished for a second time two minutes later, as the hosts’ lead was doubled, courtesy of Roxi Cook.

Despite the Glovers beginning to grow into the game as the half progressed, Helston added a third on the half-hour mark to rub salt in the visitors’ wounds.

Yeovil’s first 45 minutes away from home in the Regen Arable Division 1 South finished with the score at 3-0.

With a meaningful response being a requirement in the second half for Yeovil, they could not have asked for a better beginning, as Becky Miles pulled one back after a minute in the second period. This was Miles’ second goal in as many games.

 

Despite a gallant effort in the second half Yeovil were unable to retain their unbeaten league record since the reformation of the club. It must be considered that the away trip to Helston is the furthest of the season, and considerably further than the club have ever had to travel for a match since the team was reformed.

The result leaves the Glovers with one point from their first two games in regional football and consequently 5th in the table.

Match Action

 

 

Match Snaps

A huge thank you to JQ Photography who has allowed us permission to use a few photos from the game.

 

Up Next

Yeovil Town Women return to action on Sunday as their focus switches to the FA Cup. The Glovers host Pucklechurch in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup Second Round Qualifying, the Bristol side knocked them out of the competition last season. 14:00 KO Alvington.

 

OppositionKick OffH/ACompetitionScoreLocationScorers
September
01.09.2024SGS Olveston Utd14:00AFAC 1st Q Rnd0-2SGS CollegeN Nicholls '8, B Miles '92
08.09.204Sticker14:00HLeague2-2Alvington LaneB Miles '11, E Hall '55
15.09.2024Helston Athletic14:00ALeague3-1Helston Ath FCB Miles '46
22.09.2024Pucklechurch AFC14:00HFAC 2nd Q Rnd1-1 (4-3Pens)Alvington LaneCarslake '57
29.09.2024Bideford AFC14:00ALeague0-9Kingsley RoadCarslake '10, Hodge '20, Nicholls '45 '85 '90, East '50, Miles '65 '69, Beattie '75
October
06.10.2024Weston-super-Mare14:00HLeague2-1Alvington LaneCarslake '11, Miles '32
13.10.2024Southampton Women's FC14:00HFAC 3rd Q Rnd 1-1 (4-2 Pens)Alvington LaneBall '35, Evans S/O '81
13.10.2024Feniton14:00ALeagueP-PTBC
20.10.2024Plympton14:00ALeague3-0Paradise Road, Plympton
November
03.11.2024Cheltenham Town14:00AFAC 4th Q Rnd7-0Newlands Park
03.11.2024W*ymouth14:00HLeagueP-PAlvington LaneRearranged for 27.04.25 at Huish Park
10.11.2024Sticker14:00ALeague4-0Burngullow Park
17.11.2024Feniton Women14:00ALeague1-4Station Road, FenitonCarslake '26, Davenport '46, Wensley '59, Miles '60
December
01.12.2024Bideford AFC14:00HLeague7-0Alvington LaneMiles '14 '75, Will '42, Davenport '56, Hughes '76, Nicholls '78, Carslake '79.
08.12.2024Weston-super-Mare14:00ALeagueP-PTBC
15.12.2024Honiton14:00HLeague6-0Alvington LaneHughes '8 '40 '49, Davenport '17, Fordrey '44, Childs '68
January
05.01.2025Plympton14:00HLeague3-4Buckler's Mead Leisure CentreUndisclosed Scorers
12.01.2025W*ymouth14:00ALeague1-3Bob Lucas StadiumFordrey '8, Carslake '44, Hunt '69
February
02.02.2025Feniton14:00HLeague5-0Somerton Sports Club Hall '9, Hunt '11 '34, Childs '12, Fordrey '80
09.02.2025Saltash Utd14:00HLeague3-0Alvington LaneMiles '17, Hunt '39, Carslake '53
March
02.03.25Honiton14:00ALeagueHoniton Sports and Social Club
09.03.25Weston-super-Mare14:00ALeagueThe Optima Stadium
16.03.25Keynham Town14:00ACounty CupKeynsham Town FC
23.03.25Saltash United14:00ALeagueKimberly Stadium
April
27.04.25W*ymouth14:00HLeagueHuish Park
 

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In the only goalless encounter of the weekend, Yeovil shared the points with Altrincham on Saturday. Let’s take a look at what happened across the rest of the division.

There were many high-scoring affairs yesterday, none bigger than at Victoria Road, where Dagenham & Redbridge annihilated early league leaders Gateshead in a 7-1 drubbing. Three sets of doubles for Josh Rees, Junior Morias and former Glover Dion Pereira helped fire the Daggers up the table. Across the league, there were five games finishing 3-1, with perhaps the biggest surprise of the set coming at the Shay as FC Halifax Town toppled Eastleigh.

Southend United’s inconsistent start continued with defeat at home to Sutton United, an early John Akinde goal against one of his former employers wasn’t enough for Braintree Town, as they fell to a 3-1 loss away at Barnet, while a potential early relegation six-pointer ended in victory for Tamworth, condemning Maidenhead United to another defeat. The final 3-1 result went in favour of Oldham Athletic, as they took all three points home from Woking.

There were even more goals going in across the league, as York City defeated 10-men AFC Fylde 3-0, the result also spelled the end of Chris Beech’s time in charge of the visitors, becoming the second managerial casualty of the season – a nod as well to Callum Harriott, the former Glover got himself on the scoresheet for the Minstermen. Forest Green Rovers missed the chance to reach the summit of the division in a 2-2 draw at home to Wealdstone, a Callum McFarlane double securing an important point for the visitors.

Tuesday’s visitors Solihull Moors made it two wins in a week, and two away wins at that, as they defeated current playoff contenders Rochdale at Deepdale in a 2-1 win – Boston United and Aldershot Town played out a 1-1 draw, while Ebbsfleet United secured their first win of the season at the ninth attempt, defeating Darren Sarll’s Hartlepool United in a 1-0 win.

National League results – in full

Barnet 3-1 Braintree Town
Boston United 1-1 Aldershot Town
Ebbsfleet United 1-0 Hartlepool United
FC Halifax Town 3-1 Eastleigh
Forest Green Rovers 2-2 Wealdstone
Rochdale 1-2 Solihull Moors
Southend United 1-3 Sutton United
Tamworth 3-1 Maidenhead United
Woking 1-3 Oldham Athletic
Yeovil Town 0-0 Altrincham
York City 3-0 AFC Fylde
Dagenham & Redbridge 7-1 Gateshead

National League table

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Whilst the Glovers were drawing a blank at Huish Park on Saturday, plenty of our loanees were in action out and about.

Four of them were in the FA Cup, which renders them cup-tied for their parent club this season.

We’ll start with Will Buse who made his debut for W*ymouth. 

That lot by the sea beat Sholing 4-1 to progress to the 3rd qualifying round, Buse played the full 90 and was in the thick of it in the early exchanges, making a couple of big saves at 0-0.

 

Next, to another seaside, Weston-super-Mare to be precise.

The Seagulls also booked their place in the next round by beating Wimborne Town 2-0.

Both goals came early on in the game and Dylan Morgan played the full game.

Another team in the hat are Salisbury who beat AFC Stoneham (remember them!?) 7-1.

Jordan Thomas played the full game and was involved in at least one of Ronan Silva’s four goals in the game.

Jordan Thomas in action for Salisbury
PIC CO ThoseWhiteLines

Finally, there was a seven goal thriller down at Plymouth Parkway.

Parkway, with Corey Koerner in their starting line up, were on the right side of a 4-3 scoreline, despite being 2-1 down during the first half at home to Westbury.

Yeovil Town loanee Corey Koerner (L) in action for Plymouth Parkway
PIC C/O Viv Curtis – Tiverton Town

This means that all four loanees are ineligible for Yeovil in this season’s FA Cup.

Right, elsewhere, Street went top of the Western League Premier with a 2-1 win over St Austell.

Jacob Shore and Krystian Woods were both used from bench whilst Sol Padmore was also in the squad.

Mason Alden was in the starting line up for Welton who had a day to forget. They lost 10-0 to Barnstaple.

Young ‘keeper Will Howard kept (another) cleano for Cullompton Rangers, they beat Axminster Town 3-0 to stay top (and unbeaten) in the South West Peninula League East. 

Team sheets from Sherborne & Sturminster Newton are harder to come by, but we’ll edit as information drops.

 

 

 

 

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It was another goalless show from the Glovers at Huish Park yesterday, but it was an improvement on Tuesday’s performance. Here are Ian’s conclusions from the 0-0 draw against Altrincham.

It was better than Tuesday. Tuesday was the lowest of low bars, of course, but it was a definite improvement. I thought, given the calibre of opposition, we played some nice stuff. I think we got the ball forward more quickly and looked brighter, especially in the first half where we couldn’t capitalise on our momentum unfortunately. Altrincham made it to the playoffs last season and they just wanted to get on with their game and knock it around quickly and I think you could see their quality in possession. I don’t think we asked enough questions of them in the second half though. Of course there is plenty of room for improvement, but we’re learning how to compete at this level again after having it largely all our way last season. 

The little nippy fellas got their chance. With Frank Nouble and Brett McGavin having started every match, Mark Cooper freshened things up and brought both Sonny Blu Lo-Everton and Josh Sims back into the fold. It was a different set up for Yeovil in 4-1-4-1 with a more advanced Matt Worthington and Charlie Cooper sitting. The Glovers did get more bodies forward but once again Aaron Jarvis toiled, but it still didn’t quite click in the final third for him to get any quality service.

The wingers need to start delivering. We’ve clearly got some talent in the attacking areas. Sam Pearson, Josh Sims and Jordan Young have all shown quality with us or elsewhere, but we’ve not seen enough consistency so far. Pearson, the ever-willing runner, works so hard but couldn’t get the final ball right yesterday. It feels like Josh Sims just needs to get round a man and smash it in the top corner to get his confidence. Jordan Young, scored at Boston, but what else has he done this season? In the last two matches he’s not made the impact you’d expect fresh legs to make. I’m left wondering what a now cup-tied Dylan Morgan would add to this team.

Michael Smith really sets the standard. I think we could have a Michael Smith conclusion after each match. The Yeovil right back was everywhere yesterday. He had a busy afternoon on the defensive side and did his usual marauding full back role getting forward. He was so unlucky not to score for the Glovers when he picked the ball up late in the second half and just decided to go for broke. His measured effort looked destined for the goal only to be denied by the bar. He called a stop to his afternoon before the final whistle, which is a concern, but fingers crossed it’s nothing too serious.

Can we win the bloody toss please? We’ve been turned around in 4 out of the 5 home matches this season. Each week there are groans, but yesterday there we boos for it. Marginal gains is a buzz word in sport these days, but I don’t think you can put shooting towards your supporters in the second half in that category. The impact that Thatchers stand has had over the years in drawing the ball into the goal and making goalkeepers wilt has won games for Yeovil. It’s huge. Please can we get practising the coin toss in training?

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Pictures courtesy of Gary Brown. Please ask for permission before using.