Solution to the current problems.

T

ThorntonPool

Well-known member
Another defeat.
For me, there is 3 common themes in all of our defeats this season: 1. We are not defensively solid enough. 2. We lack height and physicality, especially at set pieces. 3. We lack a plan B.

So, my suggestion for our next starting 11 is a 4-2-3-1 formation, consisting of: Maxwell / Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Viking, Mitchell (or Garbutt) / Williams, Robson / CJ (right wing), Keshi, Yates (left wing) / Madine.

1. By playing Williams and Robson as 2 holding midfielders in front of the defence we should be more secure defensively, and much harder to counter against.
2. Bringing in Williams and Madine gives the team extra height. This will help for both defensive and offensive set pieces. We will no longer be a small team.
3. Madine has played well in his last 2 appearances and definitely gives us a plan B. We have the option to go more direct and he is much better at holding up the ball than our other options.

I'd also add that Yates was on fire for Swindon coming off the left wing. It hasn't really worked so far for him through the middle. Also, Bez hasn't done enough for me to nail down that position.

Got to be worth a try surely? We can't go on losing games in exactly the same fashion for much longer.
 
Agree, I think the recent signings will make us more defensively solid - the full backs are a significant improvement. But in the attacking third, the final ball and presence in the box is dreadful. Consistently dreadful. It's no coincidence we started playing better in the last 10 when Robson was getting beyond their defenders. Our midfielders are all alike and none are willing to take a chance and make that run.
 
No, Blackpool played awful in the 2nd half but I've posted that on another thread.
I also posted that no matter how well we play I always have that nagging doubt that the opposition will nick a goal.
I'll be very surprised if I dont hear on the local news tomorrow morning that hundreds of Blackpool fans have thrown themselves off Watson road bridge.

It is incredibly disappointing (yet another thing I've posted earlier) but it's a tin pot competition to see how your reserves get on.
Gabriel impressed me tonight but it may be a false dawn.
IMO I'd try Yates on the left, CJ on the right and ANYONE who isn't scared of shooting through the middle. Who that player is? Answers on a postcard
 
Think you might be on to something.

I'm all for being patient and sticking with an XI for an extended number of matches, but I think some of the overarching problems like final third decision making and chance creating might be down 100% to formation.

When teams park the bus against us when we're playing a 4-3-3 with only one striker, it's incredibly difficult to create chances and I think Yates' struggles have demonstrated that. Yates hasn't scored because he's been poor at finishing, he's struggled because he's so isolated up top and has had very little clear cut chances.

If we switched formations to play two up top then he might get the support he needs.

I don't think we should abandoned what we have done yet, but Critchley has got to address how to create more chances with our 4-3-3 when playing against teams that are compact and park the bus.
 
Not too fussed about tonight, although some comments on here got me thinking about England's "successes" in football, cricket and rugby union World Cups. We never won those respective competitions outright and can claim that we drew this evening.
Why do I have this feeling that a point on Saturday will be satisfactory?
 
Technically a draw tonight. We didn’t get the bonus point. There, sounds much better.
We have a new defence and players still to start.
Agree about Yates playing on the left.
I do believe we need additional firepower up front or it could erode team confidence and derail the season.
 
ThorntonPool said:
Another defeat.
For me, there is 3 common themes in all of our defeats this season: 1. We are not defensively solid enough. 2. We lack height and physicality, especially at set pieces. 3. We lack a plan B.

So, my suggestion for our next starting 11 is a 4-2-3-1 formation, consisting of: Maxwell / Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Viking, Mitchell (or Garbutt) / Williams, Robson / CJ (right wing), Keshi, Yates (left wing) / Madine.

1. By playing Williams and Robson as 2 holding midfielders in front of the defence we should be more secure defensively, and much harder to counter against.
2. Bringing in Williams and Madine gives the team extra height. This will help for both defensive and offensive set pieces. We will no longer be a small team.
3. Madine has played well in his last 2 appearances and definitely gives us a plan B. We have the option to go more direct and he is much better at holding up the ball than our other options.

I'd also add that Yates was on fire for Swindon coming off the left wing. It hasn't really worked so far for him through the middle. Also, Bez hasn't done enough for me to nail down that position.

Got to be worth a try surely? We can't go on losing games in exactly the same fashion for much longer.
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Defeat ????
1.1 draw Literally nobody cares about a meaningless penalty shootout.
 
After tonight and the last few games the nail ons for me are Maxwell, Gabriel after tonight, pure class, CJ,, Robson,and Anderson, perm any 6 from the rest. I wouldn’t give Yates another full game,why would you?, he wears Del Boy gloves. Virtue comes into the equation if fit and NC fancies him.
We often arrive in December with less than 20 points,so why should this season be any different?
Finally it must be a culture shock for some of these players, Squires Gate? The fitness levels must suffer which could become a problem in winter for NC and his high energy game.
Maybe this is his reasoning for trying to get every position covered.
As we never have a cup run he may divide the season into 2 halves of 25 ish games in each.
Just a thought.
 
ThorntonPool said:
Another defeat.
For me, there is 3 common themes in all of our defeats this season: 1. We are not defensively solid enough. 2. We lack height and physicality, especially at set pieces. 3. We lack a plan B.

So, my suggestion for our next starting 11 is a 4-2-3-1 formation, consisting of: Maxwell / Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Viking, Mitchell (or Garbutt) / Williams, Robson / CJ (right wing), Keshi, Yates (left wing) / Madine.

1. By playing Williams and Robson as 2 holding midfielders in front of the defence we should be more secure defensively, and much harder to counter against.
2. Bringing in Williams and Madine gives the team extra height. This will help for both defensive and offensive set pieces. We will no longer be a small team.
3. Madine has played well in his last 2 appearances and definitely gives us a plan B. We have the option to go more direct and he is much better at holding up the ball than our other options.

I'd also add that Yates was on fire for Swindon coming off the left wing. It hasn't really worked so far for him through the middle. Also, Bez hasn't done enough for me to nail down that position.

Got to be worth a try surely? We can't go on losing games in exactly the same fashion for much longer.
Click to expand...
i think its quite defensive playing with a back 4 and 2 holdling midfielders, one of the things with Williams tonight was just how deep he plays, which encourages teams onto us. Williams offers nothing (so far) going forward, I thought maybe he could play as a sweeper in a back three but he cant head the ball and i think his positional sense isnt that great either.

Virtue and Robson in front of a back four has enough bite particularly when you consider Anderson wins a lot of ball high up as do Yates CJ and Bez. Yates does seem like a fish out of water at the moment, neither fish nor fowl. Madine might be a decent plan b and might provide some decent link up for Yates if played together. MItchell going forward is phenomenal but worries me defensively. think he might be better deployed as a winger or wing back rather than full back.

in league 1 defences are always going to be leaky, even the best defenses average around 1 goal per game conceded, so the emphasis has to be in attack, the big problem for me is that we are really good going forward but lack the capability (currently) to hurt teams with that final pass or strike.
 
If a player is so successful in a position that it makes you want to sign him, why make him play a different role? I'm referring to Yates. Play him on the left.
Some players are versatile and are comfortable in several roles. He ain't.
 
I don't think it's a case of "sitting on ones hands" as being the solution, but a virtue (pardon the pun) that is required during this bedding in period.
One cannot be forever patient, however I am sure Saddler (and most fans) will want to see progress as the season goes on. For me, this season is about re-establishing ourselves as potential promotion candidates and that when we do return to the Championship, then it is for a sustained period.
 
In my view we are just fielding 11 players not a Team just to many new players and need time to Gel.
 
If we put Yates on the left, and it's worth a try, he's going to be competing for a place there with Lubala, Mitchell, Kaikai, Kemp, Anderson and possibly Garbutt.

Based in what I've seen I'd pick Anderson or Mitchell ahead of him in that position. And use Sarkic behind the front 3 with Robson and maybe Virtue as the central midfielders.

What we haven't got is anyone who looks convincing in the central attacking role, and that includes Madine, who doesn't convince me. Yet, anyway. Try him Saturday by all means. And Yates doesn't convince me, he will score occasionally through persistence but is not a real goal threat in League One. And doesn't look like a wide player tbh. A decent striker would have scored 2 or 3 by now, we aren't perfect going forward but we do go forward a lot and get plenty of shots. He somehow stays out of the way of it all! I can't see a position for which he would be out best option.

If we could bring in 2 more players I'd be after a central striker and a midfield player to play alongside Robson. Two good signings and we would be sorted I reckon. I don't think Williams is the midfield answer, Virtue might be, if he can get fit and have a run of games, but you see Bridcut on Saturday and wish we could kidnap him or somebody similar. I don't think we have a central striker on the books that matches what we are trying to do. Our biggest shortfall. Always the hardest position to fill.
 
I’m sure if things don’t improve then NC will change a few Personel into different positions or even try a different formation. He has plenty of coaching badges so I’m sure he isn’t just gonna Plug away with the same old tried methods that aren’t working. There’s always the age old problem of envy. Other teams trying that little bit harder against us because we have been active in the transfer market. I’m assuming he has brought in Yates to play the central striker and although he doesn’t yet look right for the role I’d be surprised to see him benched or accommodated into a different position. I’m sure with a goal he will be off and running.
 
I know you’re unconvinced Voy but Yates ( from the very limited number of direct shots on goal he has had) for me has shown he has a bit of a shot on him. Would think in a side performing well he would get to double figures playing off someone else....which we won’t do of course.

so why does manager persist in picking him in this system ?

if the manager truly believes in the player and his place in the system why isn’t it working?

Are these not coaching and selection issues rather than gelling issues?
 
clappers said:
I know you’re unconvinced Voy but Yates ( from the very limited number of direct shots on goal he has had) for me has shown he has a bit of a shot on him. Would think in a side performing well he would get to double figures playing off someone else....which we won’t do of course.

so why does manager persist in picking him in this system ?

if the manager truly believes in the player and his place in the system why isn’t it working?

Are these not coaching and selection issues rather than gelling issues?
Click to expand...
I think Yates will get a goal occasionally, but he would be doing better if he was the real deal. It's not like we are struggling to get the ball forward.

Phil_bfc deux said:
NC has won 1 game out of 9 since he arrived under the scouse fanfare
Click to expand...

Do you like scousers, phil?
 
But maybe he could be the real deal in time though...if for instance the system is tweaked to one that suits him? he could be a revelation. A plea for Yates Based patience if you will 😉
 
ThorntonPool said:
Another defeat.
For me, there is 3 common themes in all of our defeats this season: 1. We are not defensively solid enough. 2. We lack height and physicality, especially at set pieces. 3. We lack a plan B.

So, my suggestion for our next starting 11 is a 4-2-3-1 formation, consisting of: Maxwell / Gabriel, Ekpiteta, Viking, Mitchell (or Garbutt) / Williams, Robson / CJ (right wing), Keshi, Yates (left wing) / Madine.

1. By playing Williams and Robson as 2 holding midfielders in front of the defence we should be more secure defensively, and much harder to counter against.
2. Bringing in Williams and Madine gives the team extra height. This will help for both defensive and offensive set pieces. We will no longer be a small team.
3. Madine has played well in his last 2 appearances and definitely gives us a plan B. We have the option to go more direct and he is much better at holding up the ball than our other options.

I'd also add that Yates was on fire for Swindon coming off the left wing. It hasn't really worked so far for him through the middle. Also, Bez hasn't done enough for me to nail down that position.

Got to be worth a try surely? We can't go on losing games in exactly the same fashion for much longer.
Click to expand...
TP.
That's a good selection. I'm not a Williams fan and I'd replace him with Virtue when he gets fit. I think it's time to give Madine a start but he needs to man up a bit and stop complaining about a bad back as soon as it gets a bit chilly.
 
lythamite said:
In my view we are just fielding 11 players not a Team just to many new players and need time to Gel.
Click to expand...
I agree....
The best 11 technically doesnt necesarily mean the best team....
Eg Nobby Stiles did the hard yards
Likewise K Southern
 
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