Dont get me wrong. Poor game against an opponent whose standard we wont play again this season. However there is no doubt the energy of Ralls and Adeyemi plus 1 striker helped us big time. Also Slade surely noticed how bad we were when Le Fondre replaced Whitts and we were back to 442. Ralls and Adeyemi need to keep their places. Both will provide much more than Gunner. Whitts in the AM role and FFS get Noone on the wing. Harris on the other Jones up front. Play 451 for the rest of the season and we will stay up. Revert to 442 like the last 20 with Gunner and Whitts in a 2 man midfield then we are going down. Oh and dont give Slade any money.
The inclusion of both Ralls and Adeyemi to start at the expense of one of the two up top was a significant change for Slade. I've said on another thread that they were the two that made the difference. Although it worked as a system, the lack of cohesion between the players and the slowness still persists. Noone is no good playing the No.10 role like he has been recently - he hasn't the ability to get his head up and pick a pass. Out wide for him with Harris the other side and 3 in the middle is the answer. Many have been saying it for a while now, but 5 in midfiled is definitely the way to go. If Macheda is favoured as the one up front again anytime this season, it'll be too early.
It still wasnt good Sparkey but lets face it we are a complete and utter shambles under Slade and a 5 man midfield with energetic midfielders is a start to improvement. Any talk of play offs are ridiculous. This is now a relegation fight. Pack the midfield with players who can move and put our wingers wide. I did say 1 up front but that really started when Jones came on. Mason coming back will be a bonus to play behind Jones. My guess is Slade will revert to his favoured system. I think our squad of players are a side that should finish just outside the play offs. With Slade I fear its the relegation zone. Hope he proves me wrong. Looks like hes signing a Millwall left back to replace our Brazilian international.
Guarantee you he starts with Whitts and Gunner as his CM's and Macheda and Le Fondre up front against Fulham
