Brady outlines his reasons for decision to switch to a back three against Walsall

‘Fair play to them. They do what they do and they do it very well and they have been successful.’
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Jon Brady has explained why he made the decision to switch to a back three for Saturday’s game against Walsall.

Cobblers have mostly played a variation of 4-3-3 this season and they’ve been largely successful in doing so, including last time out when winning 2-0 at Barrow.

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However, Town were bullied by Walsall in the first-half of the reverse fixture and Brady did not want to risk the same happening again so played an extra defender in Tyler Magloire as a predictably attritional contest ended goalless.

Jon BradyJon Brady
Jon Brady

"It was about standing up to the fight,” said Brady. “We knew they were going to turn it over the top of our back-line and we needed that extra man at the back and I thought Tyler was immense. It was his first 90 minutes in a long time and I'm really pleased with him.

"The other reason was to stand up to their physicality on set-pieces. Every throw-in 30 yards out they try and put it in around the six-yard box and get the knockdown.

"They are a tough team and they work the percentages but I don't have any qualms with that. Fair play to them. They do what they do and they do it very well and they have been successful.

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"You have to stand up to them and I wanted a team that was big and strong and physical that could do that and then play on top. We had our moments but I think it was a fair result overall."

Brady’s decision to switch formation worked from a defensive standpoint as Cobblers kept their second clean sheet in a row, but they struggled to create much going the other way. Their best chance came right at the death when Owen Evans denied Josh Eppiah.

"It's another clean sheet which is important," Brady added. “I can't remember (Tom) Kingy having to make a save. There was not much at all really.

"Did we work their goalkeeper enough? No. But it was hard against their back three who were immense physically and in the end it's a good point and a point gained.”

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