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Formation Change

Formation Change

H

Hesmagicyouknow

Joined
Mar 19, 2018
Messages
37
9 points from 10 games, and players looking knackered, and not many goals in our last 10 games either, and our recognised strikers have about 5 goals between them.

Are we now easy to play against? not seen us dominate a game for a good while, and when all else fails we lump up to Stockley but no one around to pick up the knock downs coz Maguire and Barky spend more time defending these days.

time for a change of formation? or personnel?

4-4-2

Rudd

Fisher
Bauer
Davies
rafferty/Hughes

Pearson
Browne
Sinclair
Barky

Nugent
Maguire

perhaps.....
 
Hesmagicyouknow said:
9 points from 10 games, and players looking knackered, and not many goals in our last 10 games either, and our recognised strikers have about 5 goals between them.

Are we now easy to play against? not seen us dominate a game for a good while, and when all else fails we lump up to Stockley but no one around to pick up the knock downs coz Maguire and Barky spend more time defending these days.

time for a change of formation? or personnel?

4-4-2

Rudd

Fisher
Bauer
Davies
rafferty/Hughes

Pearson
Browne
Sinclair
Barky

Nugent
Maguire

perhaps.....
Click to expand...
It looks a decent line up, but he'll never play 4 4 2. I agree with all your comments as well
 
Stockley was out of favour early season. Opposing teams hadn't gelled after summer transfers. They started shutting up shop by pressing in 1s and 2s against us and breaking quickly whilst maintaining a good defensive shape.

We threw on Stockley against Rovers in order to bypass the midfield where we had started losing possession as the defence were being hurried whilst they tried to pass the ball into the middle third.
It worked and we started using Stockley more regularly. Problem is when we do there’s nobody anywhere near him. When we don’t use Stockley we often work the ball wide so that we have the touchline for safety. We then cross the ball fromin front of the opposing defence because the full backs seem to have been told not to go past the opponents 18yard line.
 
sedgwick__7 said:
Almost nobody does at this level anymore.
Click to expand...
Your right Sedge, they don't. He's right though, regarding his comments about how we are as a team at this moment in time. The last time we looked like we were dominating a game was in the 1st half at Leeds with guess what? The high press. Yes, teams play different ways, but, as I've stated a few times now, we're at our best when we are in their faces all over the park, we've got the legs in the team for it, it's what we're good at. In this division, the all importance of the first goal is huge, particularly for us.
 
Mer5eywhite said:
Stockley was out of favour early season. Opposing teams hadn't gelled after summer transfers. They started shutting up shop by pressing in 1s and 2s against us and breaking quickly whilst maintaining a good defensive shape.

We threw on Stockley against Rovers in order to bypass the midfield where we had started losing possession as the defence were being hurried whilst they tried to pass the ball into the middle third.
It worked and we started using Stockley more regularly. Problem is when we do there’s nobody anywhere near him. When we don’t use Stockley we often work the ball wide so that we have the touchline for safety. We then cross the ball fromin front of the opposing defence because the full backs seem to have been told not to go past the opponents 18yard line.
Click to expand...

It's not just where the full-backs cross from but the quality of their crosses in, just not good enough the majority of the time. Wouldn't surprise me to see Neil wanting to bring in a new full-back with an improved crossing ability.
 
princeinpieces said:
It's not just where the full-backs cross from but the quality of their crosses in, just not good enough the majority of the time. Wouldn't surprise me to see Neil wanting to bring in a new full-back with an improved crossing ability.
Click to expand...
Even when we do get behind and cross, it’s often square and to the front post for the keeper to gather, instead of pulled back between the six yard box and the penalty spot ?
 
Mer5eywhite said:
Stockley was out of favour early season. Opposing teams hadn't gelled after summer transfers. They started shutting up shop by pressing in 1s and 2s against us and breaking quickly whilst maintaining a good defensive shape.

We threw on Stockley against Rovers in order to bypass the midfield where we had started losing possession as the defence were being hurried whilst they tried to pass the ball into the middle third.
It worked and we started using Stockley more regularly. Problem is when we do there’s nobody anywhere near him. When we don’t use Stockley we often work the ball wide so that we have the touchline for safety. We then cross the ball fromin front of the opposing defence because the full backs seem to have been told not to go past the opponents 18yard line.
Click to expand...
Or in order words, we've nobody capable of taking their full back on! Barky with his pace maybe but how often do we see it, as he's busy tracking back all the time after we've failed in seizing the initiative of a game. Bodin can beat full backs bit he's fucked again now
 
Hesmagicyouknow said:
9 points from 10 games, and players looking knackered, and not many goals in our last 10 games either, and our recognised strikers have about 5 goals between them.

Are we now easy to play against? not seen us dominate a game for a good while, and when all else fails we lump up to Stockley but no one around to pick up the knock downs coz Maguire and Barky spend more time defending these days.

time for a change of formation? or personnel?

4-4-2

Rudd

Fisher
Bauer
Davies
rafferty/Hughes

Pearson
Browne
Sinclair
Barky

Nugent
Maguire

perhaps.....
Click to expand...
I don't think we're easy to play against, but we're certainly easy to defend against.

AN will never change to 4-4-2 though - when his 4-5-1 fails, he'll blame the players (Green etc.), or the opposition for not defending properly by passing it out from the back like they're supposed to, but never, ever his precious system.
 
Naughton's moustache said:
Your right Sedge, they don't. He's right though, regarding his comments about how we are as a team at this moment in time. The last time we looked like we were dominating a game was in the 1st half at Leeds with guess what? The high press. Yes, teams play different ways, but, as I've stated a few times now, we're at our best when we are in their faces all over the park, we've got the legs in the team for it, it's what we're good at. In this division, the all importance of the first goal is huge, particularly for us.
Click to expand...

The obssession with 4-4-2 and a big man/little man up top is just a nostalgia thing. It's a bit outdated now I can't remember the last time a club was promoted from this league playing like that. That said we do have to be flexible from time to time and perhaps Neil is occasionally guilty of persisting with the same system when we need to change it.

I think the system as a whole has worked well for us for 2 and a half years, now isn't the time to ditch it all together. The manager needs to make some tactical adjustments and we need to actually improve our first team in the transfer market, which up until now we've been failing to do, on the whole, for some time. Hopefully Sinclair is just the beginning of that this window.
 
Naughton's moustache said:
Or in order words, we've nobody capable of taking their full back on! Barky with his pace maybe but how often do we see it, as he's busy tracking back all the time after we've failed in seizing the initiative of a game. Bodin can beat full backs bit he's fucked again now
Click to expand...
You don’t need trickery to beat a full back a quick switch and an overlap will do it.
 
Mer5eywhite said:
You don’t need trickery to beat a full back a quick switch and an overlap will do it.
Click to expand...
Yeah it will, but if you look at the Boro an Reading games, how many times did we get behind their defence? I can't recall once to be honest. Everything was in front of them, as you rightly say, the diagonal punts into the box were usually easily dealt with. An as for the sideways passing!!!
 
Really feel for Stockley. What else can he do ? Man of match against Norwich and improved us no end at Rovers. Having played up front as target man, I know how hard it is to hold up and link up play. It’s not like a defender who can kick the ball in any direction including the stands. He has to try and control the ball and use it. I know AN would like us to play total football like City with mobile players interchanging but the players that we currently have aren’t up to it imo.
 
Barrington Horne said:
Charlton at home......start fast and go with creativity.

Nugent
Sinclair Harrop Barky
Bayliss Pearson
Rafferty Bauer Davies Fisher
Rudd

Might work?
If not working go two up top with Stockley coming on.
Click to expand...

Sounds good to me and that lineup would be capable of utilising our most successful high press strategy.
 
Rudd
Fish BD BFG Raff
Browne Pearo Harrop
Barky Big J Maguire

Let the three up top play as attackers not defenders and lead the press in their half
 
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