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Post-Neil Short Term Changes

Post-Neil Short Term Changes

S

SF

Joined
Apr 23, 2004
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What do you want to see?

We've got to be realistic with the players we have but obviously what we've been doing lately hasn't worked.

For me, the only way this squad gets results it with the aggressive high press, we're not going to carve teams open with our passing and our defence is too weak to not have two midfielders sitting in there to protect them. With Pearson's pace we could afford to have whoever was playing alongside him to push up more but we don't have that with Ledson and Whiteman.

By rights, we should get battered in our next three games so its a perfect time to get back to the tactics which saw us win at Bournemouth, Reading and Brentford.

Front 4 at Reading - Riis, DJ, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Bournemouth - Maguire, Browne, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Brentford - Maguire, DJ, Barkhuizen, Sinclair

Can we assume that our most effective front four against the better, possession based sides is; Potts, DJ, Sinclair & Maguire?

Historically we seem to step up for these sort of games and I actually think we might win one of them.

​
 
352 because our fit fullbacks are shite. Riis upfront every game, barkheizen tracking back like he can do so well.
Iversen
Storey Huntington Hughes/cunningham if fit
Barkheizen Potts Ledson Whiteman Gordon
Riis Sinclair
 
sf said:
What do you want to see?

We've got to be realistic with the players we have but obviously what we've been doing lately hasn't worked.

For me, the only way this squad gets results it with the aggressive high press, we're not going to carve teams open with our passing and our defence is too weak to not have two midfielders sitting in there to protect them. With Pearson's pace we could afford to have whoever was playing alongside him to push up more but we don't have that with Ledson and Whiteman.

By rights, we should get battered in our next three games so its a perfect time to get back to the tactics which saw us win at Bournemouth, Reading and Brentford.

Front 4 at Reading - Riis, DJ, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Bournemouth - Maguire, Browne, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Brentford - Maguire, DJ, Barkhuizen, Sinclair

Can we assume that our most effective front four against the better, possession based sides is; Potts, DJ, Sinclair & Maguire?

Historically we seem to step up for these sort of games and I actually think we might win one of them.

​
Click to expand...
It’s a good post is this because it does get to the grass roots of making the best of what we have.
And whilst I have been quite open in saying we might just have a decent set of players I’m questioning myself now
1) Maguire. It’s all been said. He is a league 1 player and needs to be just that
2) Sinclair. A master in going AWOL of late, but does have a goal in him.
3) barky. I am lost here as I think he is but to be honest what is his actual position?
4) Potts. He may just be an option and as yet has he actually had a chance ?

but most worryingly it’s so hard to see where the next goal is coming from, really hard
 
Finding a system at Deepdale which makes best use of DJ, Gordon & Riis could change our fortunes but none of them look interested right now.
 
Be brave on the ball and take some risks, play with aggression and purpose and without fear of making mistakes.

I want to see Riis given much more opportunities too, there’s a real directness about him. Build the team around Whiteman and push DJ into the 10 and encourage him to find space and press high.
 
It is a fair OP - but to go off-tack a bit - I guess this has been said by others- but I was a bit annoyed we weren’t able to have this discussion after the Boro game - because the writing was well and truly on the wall then.

That Luton game was an absolute belter for a caretaker manager to use the “post-sacking bounce” opportunity to take 3 points - which would have taken us to within touching distance of safety.

Now, we almost have too long to think about it - with top of the league Norwich, then Swansea and Brentford waiting their turn to dampen down renewed optimism.
 
The high press exposes our shaky defence. That’s been the problem all season. We aren’t solid at the back and miss pearson. If we do that against Norwich and Brentford we will be annihilated.
 
milkyken said:
The high press exposes our shaky defence. That’s been the problem all season. We aren’t solid at the back and miss pearson. If we do that against Norwich and Brentford we will be annihilated.
Click to expand...
We didn’t do too badly playing the high press at Norwich and Brentford.
 
milkyken said:
The high press exposes our shaky defence. That’s been the problem all season. We aren’t solid at the back and miss pearson. If we do that against Norwich and Brentford we will be annihilated.
Click to expand...
It could work if we have two midfield sitters.
 
From what two guests on the podcast have said in recent weeks, AN kept training very serious and focused. Nowt wrong with that but the absolute flatness of this season could be explained after four years of humourless graft each day. Lighten the mood
 
Four, four, fucking two.

We can't play it out from the back so lets have two banks of four, with proper wingers and someone running beyond the target man.

Iversen

V D B - Storey - Huntington - Cunningham

Barkheusen - Whiteman - Ledson - Gordon

Evans - Sinclair​
 
Riis plays every game up front with either Maguire, Evans or Sinclair near him in a front two. Exploit his pace and power to get in behind.

Cunningham is our only decent full back and as we know from previous experience he is arguably a better wing back than full back. So play him as wing back, with Barky on the other side. I'd prefer three centre backs as Huntington can use his experience to guide Storey through the game. I'd use Hughes as the left centre back.

Ledson and Whiteman in midfield, one sits, one goes.

The only issue with that system if it is one is Gordon doesn't really fit, unless you use him in a free role in front of Ledson and Whiteman.

Mainly I want us to show a bit of fight.
 
sf said:
What do you want to see?

We've got to be realistic with the players we have but obviously what we've been doing lately hasn't worked.

For me, the only way this squad gets results it with the aggressive high press, we're not going to carve teams open with our passing and our defence is too weak to not have two midfielders sitting in there to protect them. With Pearson's pace we could afford to have whoever was playing alongside him to push up more but we don't have that with Ledson and Whiteman.

By rights, we should get battered in our next three games so its a perfect time to get back to the tactics which saw us win at Bournemouth, Reading and Brentford.

Front 4 at Reading - Riis, DJ, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Bournemouth - Maguire, Browne, Sinclair, Potts
Front 4 at Brentford - Maguire, DJ, Barkhuizen, Sinclair

Can we assume that our most effective front four against the better, possession based sides is; Potts, DJ, Sinclair & Maguire?

Historically we seem to step up for these sort of games and I actually think we might win one of them.

​
Click to expand...
High press game returned and investment in players that can carry it off and stay injury free ....... ha ha ha.... fat chance,
 
Need Cunningham back fit. Not a Huntington fan but he needs to come back into the side. Could probably do with Gallagher starting as well.

Need to get a set of guys onto the pitch who know how to get the job done for this club, then reset in the summer.
 
milkyken said:
We didn’t though .did you watch the Brentford game?
Click to expand...

Yes. But not the Norwich game.

Don’t remember the ins and out of the game, these many months later. But as I think you might actually be Alex Neil, you can perhaps fill me in . 😁

Honestly - I just remember a really impressive performance and a heady victory. Agree that our defensive options don’t look solid now. I think it was in the early part of the season though.
 
Bobbage said:
Four, four, fucking two.

We can't play it out from the back so lets have two banks of four, with proper wingers and someone running beyond the target man.

Iversen

V D B - Storey - Huntington - Cunningham

Barkheusen - Whiteman - Ledson - Gordon

Evans - Sinclair​
Click to expand...

4-4-2 is illegal in modern football. Even suggesting it makes you a dinosaur.

You have to do either 4-5-1 or 5-4-1 and pass it out from the back, otherwise you are dick.

Modern football, Bobbage 😴
 
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