Analysis: Tactical blunder leaves Shrewsbury Town with more unanswered questions
It was both refreshing and worrying to hear John Askey admit he got his formation wrong after a disastrous first half cost Shrewsbury at Fleetwood.
His honesty will not have made any Town fans feel better after watching their side again fail to pick up three points on the road.
The story here, at a blustery Highbury Stadium, was a formation blunder.
It was clear as day, so the Town boss had nowhere to hide with other excuses, and rightly held his hands up after picking a 4-4-2 that just did not work.
It was the first time Shrews have lined up with that formaion4-4-2 under Askey, a system a number of Salop fans have been crowing for.
But, despite his post-match honesty in defeat, Town fans will be rightly concerned about the regular switching of formation and personnel.
The constant changes will not help with consistency. Thirteen games – and two wins – into the League One season, Askey is still searching for a settled formula to best fit his players.
It seems as though 4-4-2 will not be up on the tactics board at Sundorne Castle any time soon.
Hosts Fleetwood, using the same formation, dominated Shrewsbury all over the pitch.
Joey Barton’s hosts eased into a 2-0 lead by the half hour mark and were good value for it.
While Askey blamed himself for the system, he could not excuse a lack of effort and commitment from his players and admitted he had to dish out a half-time rollicking to wake his charges up.
Harsh half-time words, along with an overdue change back to 4-3-3 – as Askey culled Fejiri Okenabirhie and Lenell John-Lewis – made a difference. Town were the better side in the second half but could only muster Josh Laurent’s goal to show for it.
Shrewsbury’s players did not adapt to the 4-4-2 and looked lost in the formation in the first half.
They broke down and were disjointed in attack, overrun in midfield and too loose in defence.
Askey was right in saying his side were well off the pace and losing physical battles all over the park.
The boss admitted he opted for 4-4-2, the first time two strikers have played together from the off in the league this season, to combat the elements. Storm Callum was raging and wind and rain made for tough conditions. But the hosts dealt with them well.
He felt a 4-4-2 would bring a direct approach rather than their normal measured, passing football. It was not the day for pretty football, he said.
Shrewsbury looked much better after Greg Docherty and Aaron Amadi-Holloway entered at the break.
Supporters were displeased at the decision to drag off Okenabirhie – after waiting weeks for the midweek hat-trick hero to start a league game.
Off also went the ineffective Lenell John-Lewis, handed a starting spot for his physicality and after impressing against Tranmere in the Checkatrade Trophy.
Shrews got their goal back but didn’t use the momentum to go on and trouble Alex Cairns’s Fleetwood goal anywhere near enough.
The keeper had one save to deny Town an equaliser, and that came from a Mat Sadler header into added time.
It was somewhat surprising to see Askey decide against the 4-3-3 that has served Town well in keeping clean sheets against Walsall and Accrington Stanley.
The switching of formations and admission that he’d got it wrong will not sit well with supporters who are questioning the boss’s tactical nous and personnel selection.
Fans quizzed John-Lewis getting the nod in the newly-assembled partnership up front, while Amadi-Holloway was the half-time sub and top scorer Lee Angol was left on the bench until the final minute.
Askey said Angol’s omission was performance-related and he needed more energy in attack.
Popular on-loan Rangers midfielder Docherty again missed out, raising more questions from frustrated supporters. He changed the game with his energy after arriving at the break.
These decisions are leaving supporters with more questions than answers about the direction Askey’s Salop are heading.
Town only dropped one place to 17th but face the daunting prospect of Sunderland and Barnsley heading to Montgomery Waters Meadow in the next eight days. The relegated Championship pair will come to Shropshire as favourites and, should Town emerge pointless, they will be in a dangerous position and Askey will begin to feel the pressure.
But games against Sunderland and Barnsley are, ultimately, not where Shrewsbury should be judged this season, so making a decision on the boss’s future after those seems harsh and unwise.
Askey can take some solace as, yet again, his side only lost by the odd goal. The fifth occasion that outcome has condemned Shrews in 13 league games.
He will be cursing his judgement after the decision to start with an alien system essentially saw the game beyond his side after half hour.
Paddy Madden and Wes Burns goals were all too easy for a Fleetwood side without their top scorer Ched Evans. That will concern and frustrate the manager, particularly having assembled three clean sheets on the spin.
One word uttered during the build-up to the Fleetwood trip was ‘momentum’ after Town put a decent run of form together.
It looks like a step back after a misjudgement from the boss – and inexcusable and concerning perceived lack of effort from players – left Town looking a shadow of themselves in the first half. A tricky run of games make the next week look a big ask and Askey needs some decisions to go his way.
