You see, I think we need them to be playing with less freedom than they were under Johnson. At times we were scintillating going forward, some of the best attacking play I’ve seen from an SAFC team regardless of level. But too often that was come by at the expense of structure and discipline. So in my opinion it is that that I think needs implementing. Hopefully striking a good balance between the two.
I think Neil will do well but he has one hand tied behind his back due to the disastrous transfer dealings at the end of the window. If we had only kept one of Flanagan or Younger we would be in a far stronger position. To get rid of both without replacing either is scandalous it really is and Speakman's should be ashamed. We were told we plan months in advance for a transfer window yet we come out of it weaker than when we went into it. No matter how good a motivator and tactician Neil is this is going to make his job so much more difficult. The best we can hope for is 09 getting fit ahead of schedule and filling in wherever needed and doing a dam good job wherever he is needed - as he always does.
To be fair we’re stronger in our stronger areas, just weaker in our weaker area. Need some injury luck for the rest of the season
Well said - someone talking sense at last about the things that matter. It’s a bit of a generalisation but we are becoming paranoid about anything that appears to go wrong. The important thing is to get behind the lads when the whistle blows at 3.00 today and keep it going for 90+ minutes. We are all in this together! HTL Oh, and by the way who cares if Charlie Methven turns up at an away match? As long as he sings his heart out for the lads.
There's a time and place for blind faith mate, nowt wrong with it imo. The Roker Roar wasn't built on, "Well I would cheer a little louder but I'm quite concerned about the share percentages and why we haven't banned minority shareholders from attending games."
Totally agree actually I was meaning free from all of the jargon and bullshit so focus maybe is the better word tbf I was on the red wine at the time, just pleased I managed to put a coherent post together even if it wasn’t what I meant
Some of our best performances have been with 4 at the back. With the amount of forward wide players we have 4 2 3 1 would probably be our best formation
Clean slate and all that, the Keane stuff was nowt to do with Alex Neil, let's just hope he can sort out the abysmal defending problem
I was thinking 4-3-3 might be our best formation the other day... Patterson Hume - Baath/Wright - Doyle - Cirkin Matete - Neil - Winchester Pritchard - Stewart - Clarke I'd have Matete playing a slightly deeper DM role with Neil being the link to front 3 and Winch being a box to box. Pritch and Clarke in behind Stewart, switching around in pretty much a free role. Whether it would work I don't know but I think that plays to our strengths.
If that's his starting formation that's fine as long as he explains to the full backs that's what they are and not wing backs, and whatever forward formation we play the full backs need cover while we are defending. That has been our biggest problem playing 4 at the back when we push forward and lose procession we are heavily out numbered. Against Doncaster it looked like Cirkin was the only player that was aloud to play on the left, then he gets heavily criticised we he gets outnumbered when we lost the ball. However if that's Neil's way of playing with his no bull **** approach I'm sure he'll get it across quite quickly. I'm quite excited by his appointment, just wish it had been 10 days ago
Yeah I'd go with Gooch, Roberts or Dajaku for the width. As good as Prichard is we always seem a bit lopsided when he is out wide.
Think he might use Clarke and Roberts out wide. He likes to have his wide men to come inside on their stronger foot.
