Stockport County 3-1 Crewe Alex 25/26 League Cup Review - Missed Opportunity

The following observations I make fully acknowledging the context of this game. The context being Stockport have a squad full of top quality L1 players. The context being that the Alex could have named a full strength starting XI tonight and still lost by the same scoreline and in the same manner, if not more.

The context being that Bell couldn't have known or maybe didn't expect Stockport to go as strong as they did and name 6 of their starters from their game with Wycombe on Saturday. The context being that he needed to rotate to a certain extent just to protect certain players and give minutes to others. All that is factored in and understood. So, let's get into my review of the Alex's league cup exit:

Too Many Changes

9 changes is simply too much. Sorry, it is. It's disrespecting the fans who travelled in their numbers. I get giving game time to some players who are trying to force their way into the managers plans. But some players I don't think needed to start. I won't say who, as it's not fair to name them, but there were some starting and sub decisions I found baffling.

I just think had they started with a few more first teamers like O'Reilly, Agius and Sanders, they might have had more of a chance at springing an upset.

Get out of his own head

One of the biggest factors which will either propel the Alex to a good season or hold them back and see them destined for a mid-table one is the managers mindset. Last season, he was his own worst enemy at times, putting out defensive minded, negative teams and formations whose only purpose was to seemingly go for a point, play as little football as possible and stifle the opposition.

The biggest thing that's changed over the summer is that whole attitude has disappeared in the first 2 games of the season. Bold, brave formations and starting XI's have been rewarded with 2 exciting and promising performances. Well, tonight was the Bell of last season. A bizarre system, an approach which screamed "don't get hammered" and everything I thought we'd waved goodbye to in the summer.

I don't expect this to be a factor now that they are out of this competition. I'm hoping that the positive mindset we've seen from the opening 2 league games returns from Saturday onwards. But this was not a good night for the management in my opinion, as the old bad habits came creeping back in.

Back 5

Speaking of which, the return of the back 5 wasn't a welcome sight. I'm not quite sure what they expected from the trio of Golding, Croker and Connolly, given Golding was only in his 2nd full day at the club and Croker was making his senior debut in professional football. I do worry when I hear Bell say "we won't play a back 4 all season", which I find bizarre. If a certain formation works all season and you don't require a plan B, then why wouldn't you keep playing it?

Having alternative formations can be useful, but I just don't get what Bell would have learnt from playing this system tonight, given so few of the players that started will expect to be regulars going forward and given the quality of the opposition they were up against. It just seemed like a pointless exercise, system wise at least.

Small Squad

You can make excuses for why Bell did what he did tonight team wise, but please don't use the myth that the Alex have a small squad as one of them. They really don't.

They have, by my count, 30 players on the books in some form, be that loans or contracted players. How many other clubs in L2 could have 2 players out on loan(Williams, Roberts), have 1 MIA(Bogle), have 3 players potentially sat at home resting(Demetriou, Hutchinson, Thomas and Moult?), have 4 out injured(Lankester, Tabiner, Holicek, Tracey) and STILL name a 19 man squad without any scholars in it?

Now, could it have coped with a league game next Tuesday, the 2nd round of the league cup the following Tuesday and then the Vertu Trophy opener against Chesterfield the Tuesday after, 4 straight weeks of Saturday-Tuesday-Saturday to open the season? Maybe, maybe not. But please don't use the 'small squad' myth as justification for throwing this game away.

Positives

All the above being said, there were some positives out of tonight. I think a couple of players have done their chances of staying in the starting XI/squad no harm. Lunt was impressive and tenacious as usual, Tezgel got a goal which will be a real boost to his confidence, Golding got through 60 minutes of work, Armstrong impressed off the bench and they created a few chances. The night wasn't a total loss.

Ref Assessment

Woeful. Crewe grabbing shirts. Free kick Stockport. Stockport grabbing shirts. Nothing. Some of his decisions were bordering on farcical, although he didn't have any major decisions to make and didn't influence the result.

Management Assessment

I'm not sure what they hoped to achieve with this team, or this formation. I don't really think deep down they learnt anything new and in the end, it probably amounted to nothing more than a fitness work out for the 16 players who played.

Player Assessments

Sam Waller

Had a few shaky moments, but I don't quite get the criticism from some. I thought he was fine and made a number of decent stops. He doesn't displace Booth, but I see some Crewe fans are on him because he wasn't prime Gordon Banks right out of the gate. Why does this fanbase have delusions of grandeur when it comes to what they expect from keepers?

Stan Dancey

Had a few nice moments, but found it tough going starting at RWB against the hugely talented Owen Dodgson. Didn't shy away from getting stuck in and asking for the ball, so credit to him.

James Golding

Battled well against 2 lively strikers in Lowe and Wootton. He seemed to lose Wootton for the opener, but aside from that I thought he was looked ok on his debut for the club and only 2 days after being signed.

Phil Croker

Like the other 2 CBs, he did find it tough going at times handling 2 L1 calibre forwards. But on his senior debut in pro football, I think he can feel satisfied with his efforts.

James Connolly

Took a worrying whack in the first half but recovered. As with the other 2, he did look all at sea somewhat for the first 2 goals, but I don't think his starting spot is under threat for Saturday. He won't up against quality like Wootton and Lowe very often in L2, if at all.

Charlie Finney

I think he did ok, but I wouldn't be in a mad rush to start him. It was a tough first start of the season for him granted, but I just don't see the toolset he has to make him an effective LB/LWB in L2. His long throws weren't very long either. I don't think Hutchinson should worry about his starting spot.

Luca Moore

I saw some say he struggled, but I thought he did ok. Had some nice touches and I don't think he looked massive out of place.

Jack Powell

Not great. He's too casual and wants too much time on the ball. I wouldn't expect him to start many games going forward after what he produced tonight.

Owen Lunt

He was quiet, but I thought he was better than the stats showed. He was his typically tenacious self and I'm sure he'll have learned a lot from tonight.

Adrien Thibaut

It was his first start since April, so you can forgive rustiness, but the chance he missed early on was a big one and it's those moments which unfortunately he has to be taking to show he can make it in the EFL. Worked hard and battled with their CBs, but he got little joy for the rest of the night.

Emre Tezgel

If I was reviewing him on 86 minutes, I would have said I wasn't overly impressed with what I saw from him in his first few appearances. But he took his goal well and should have had a 2nd in the final minute. That should do his confidence a lot of good and give Bell food for thought going into Crawley.

Subs:

Olly Armstrong - MOTM

The pick of the subs for me. He was excellent in midfield and then at LB. He defended well against the quick and powerful Fevrier and the way he turned him inside out to force a chance was super impressive.

Lewis Billington

A brilliant cross for Tezgel's goal. Hopefully we start to see those deliveries from RB in the league.

Callum Agius

Saw a lot of the ball, but wasn't able to make much happen as the game slowly slipped away from the Alex.

Tommi O'Reilly

A few nice twists and turns, but like Agius he wasn't able to find any end product, which is fine.

Jordan Hodkin

Battled gamely in a left attacking role.

Overall Verdict

Am I angry at losing? No. Am I angry at Bell making changes? No. Am I angry at 9 changes and a white flag being raised before the game even kicked off? Yes. Again, a full strength Alex team could have easily lost that game in the same manner by the same scoreline, if not worse. We don't know. But I just think they went too far with their changes and the result is a disappointing exit.

Still, win against Crawley on Saturday and this defeat will quickly be forgotten about.