If its that easy to stifle 3-5-2 why didnt we do it to them as thats what they played?? This was man against man who wants it more. They did is the answer.
The comparison of tiredness of our players to other therms players, in the case of our wide men, how many other wide men have had to bomb up and down an entire flank on their own for 90 minutes a game for an entire season? It has to be extremely draining and as a match goes on they will get more and more tired.
You're right about passing it to James Chester, who was the only one apart from Brady who carried the ball forward and tried to create something..
Yeah I'd play Rosie, ok his crossing isn't as good as elmos but as Elmo seems to have gone on strike it won't make too much difference
the problem with elmo is that for most of the season the other team members have been running round making lots of space and plenty of ball for him, Now they have stopped last two games he looks lost and just does not push on forward any more.
Also the fact that apart from the strikers, SB seems to insist on pretty much picking the same players (if available) for every game irrespective of how they've performed, means that effectively they have played more games than most others team's players. Elmo and Quinn in particular look completely spent forces with a few others not far behind.
Lack of pace is showing, build up play is to slow, movement is lacking, someone to win the 60/40 against tackle is missing, there is a lot wrong and only 6 days to do something about it. WE HAVE NO OPTION BUT TO HOPE WE CAN STILL DO IT
It almost certainly was the formation. If you ask any pundit or manager in the game about us, one of the first things they say is that we play a 3-5-2. If was clear after about half an hour that it wasn't working; Barnsley stifled us in midfield, closed down our wide men and stopped us from playing. Liam Rosenior spent 85 minutes warming up and when he came on and went 4-4-2, all of a sudden we got into their box and got at them. We saw it against Boro and Ipswich, so why didn't we change it sooner? It perhaps didn't help that the players were off their game, but we don't seem to change stuff until the last minute by which time the damage is done. Let's face it, we're on the verge of blowing it. For all those that are saying "look on the bright side you moaning ****s", just stop it. You can be optimistic but you have to look at the facts. The bottom three sides all played, 1 point, no goals. At no point in any of those games did we look like scoring. That's appalling and the players should be disgusted with themselves that they had 3 chances against, let's not decorate this, **** teams and blew it. Leeds aren't going to do us a favour, it's all on us to beat the league leaders in a game that should have been academic. Cardiff will rape us if we play like we have been. Let's drop the current formation and adopt something else.
I do wonder whether that clattering Elmo took at home to Leeds has caught up with him, I was surprised at the time that he wasn't out for a while. I agree that lack of mental toughness is a major problem. I posted before yesterdays game that I expected Faye to be our main man at Barnsley because of his experience and bottle, he might be 35 and past his best but he was still one of our better players yesterday. Everyone knew before yesterday that Barnsley would be up and at us, that shouldn't have been a shock. In the first half Chezzy did a pass up the right wing that earlier in the season he would have managed, yesterday it sailed into touch. He then looked at the ground in disbelief. Mentally we were battered at Oakwell.
They've worked us out all season. Kenny Jackett played 3-5-2 against us September 15th last year. We blew them away 4-1. We didnt match up to them is all. Heart desire hunger will to win were all lacking. As far as i can remember we stayed 3-5-2 when Rosy came on. He went to LWB and Brady was pushed into attacking midfield with Quinn dropping back.
No matter what formation we play we should still be able to pass to each other, tackle and stay with runners and the fact we aren't playing 5-5-0 means we should be creating a lot more than we are
Elmo dropped to bench please replaced by rosenior or fathi... The fact wolves lost 4 of their last 5 games and only beat us while burnley and huddersfield hammered em at monileux.. Same for bristol city.. We are the worst team in the league these last two weeks.. Something has to give and give a performance of their lives against cardiff
Lack of tactical nous from Brucey is the fault. Surely anyone could see that yesterday, and the other two games, we had been out-thought. Yesterday, I would have moved Faye to a defensive midfield slot based on Elmo not wanting to bomb on. This would have allowed Meyler to push further forward and give their defence something to think about. Barnsley would have played all week vs their reserves using a 352. We need a Plan B and on current form Brucey is lacking any ideas
If we go up or not been a great season. I will be backing the lads next season whichever division we are in.
In one report flit croft said his two full backs have never played in that system before. How can a team look more comfortable who have never played it than players who have done it all season.
If a footballer can't run up and down a wing for 90 minutes a week, he shouldn't be a ****ing footballer.