I agree with the idea that the players are fed up with it. I don't fundamentally mind us having a system. I don't even mind us setting up inverted and playing 3/5 because on occasion it has worked really nicely - what I do mind, is the fact that it's nakedly apparent after 20 minutes of games that it isn't working and we do nothing about it.
All systems have their drawbacks. There isn't a system that guarantees you win every week. What there is, especially at a level like this where generally, you're not dealing with 11 'perfect' players and are working to make the most of what you've got, is a need to adjust. I'm sure the players grasp that too. They look beaten as soon as we go behind as if they know 'they've done a number on us, and he's not going to do anything about it'
Critch 1.0 gave you the impression that, if nothing else, he'd done his homework but I couldn't grasp the following last night:
They had 2 very inexperienced full backs - why not start Dale who is our best winger technically (or at least bring him on with more than 15 mins to go) - when he came on, he showed he had the beating of their young lad as it's likely any half decent experienced player will put pressure on a kid.
Carey is our best ball carrier in midfield. Say what you like about him, but he's good at picking it up and driving. Vale Park is a huge pitch. Why leave him out on the pitch that is best suited to driving runs in the league and why, when you lose Norburn, bring on Virtue instead? Dembele always looks better with Carey as Sonny is mobile and gives/goes and drives and that makes space for Dembele as you have to track him too.
We desperately lack nous. Whether that's on the pitch or off it or both. We desperately need someone to get us together and go, 'it's ok, we've got an hour - CJ, do x, Sonny, push up, Owen, get tight, Jordan, come deep for 5 minutes...' or whatever. To come up with some plans in game that pose fresh challenges to the opposition. It's like we don't read games. We just do the thing we did in the training session and that's it. Add Bolton, Cambridge, Burton and Port Vale together and there's about 30 minutes of football from 360 where we looked vaguely threatening and I'm pretty sure every single sub we've made in those games has been like for like.
Don't get me on the topic of super Bobby Apter...