Slade has banged on in the past about his "attacking 4-4-2 principles", but I can't understand why anyone, especially him as a manager, should believe that a 5 man midfield (whichever way you arrange it) is necessarily a defensive option. Quite the contrary if the game plan is correct.
Gaining control of the midfield is vital to attacking build up play unless you're going to go over the top by lumping it every time. A competent holding player should allow the back 4 to maintain a higher line up the pitch and compress the opposition into the middle third rather than letting them take pot shots around our penalty box.
I can't understand why he is obsessed with playing two wingers for width when we've got the likes of Fabio and Malone to provide width on both flanks. If we play 4-4-2 again and **** up tonight he should be put on his bike. Of course if he playes 4-4-2 and we win, he will be the best thing since sliced bread (for a week) - and so it goes on.
Gaining control of the midfield is vital to attacking build up play unless you're going to go over the top by lumping it every time. A competent holding player should allow the back 4 to maintain a higher line up the pitch and compress the opposition into the middle third rather than letting them take pot shots around our penalty box.
I can't understand why he is obsessed with playing two wingers for width when we've got the likes of Fabio and Malone to provide width on both flanks. If we play 4-4-2 again and **** up tonight he should be put on his bike. Of course if he playes 4-4-2 and we win, he will be the best thing since sliced bread (for a week) - and so it goes on.
