For all the talk of the back 3 being the biggest issue I thought we actually looked worse when we switched to a 4 yesterday.
I agree. But I don't associate the reason as being because we took off a CB. That was the second home game in a row that Still just kept of throwing on attacking players, seemingly without any clear idea or structure. For example, what role has Archer been sent on to do in both matches? Because it's been really difficult to work out, other than "hopefully score a goal". Still is far from the only manager to do this. Arteta, for example, is a big culprit.
That's because we were chasing the game and Stoke were very effectively sitting in and breaking fast. He has yet to try a formation that I believe is naturally our best given the personnel. 4-2-3-1. Downes and Charles are both DMs by trade so they should be the double pivot and then you don't require the extra CB imo especially at home. We have gone behind in all of the matches so far and that is not by design so it's time to try something different from the start. I also think that we went about trying to break down the ten men wrong, too much was in front of Stoke with crosses coming in from deep and the tempo was too slow, we needed some more quicker passing and movement and trying to get in behind.
To be honest I'd probably take Downes out the team, we only need one DM against most sides in this league imo and I don't like Matty playing further forward.
You'd agree that we need to start games more on the front foot than we have been?, teams are very adept at holding on to leads by sitting deep and I think we would be a better team leading than being behind every time.
I get that negotiations and things won’t get done until the transfer window has started (tbf I also kinda take umbridge with that too as you definitely can get things moving before the window opens, we just never seem to) but we are now 3 games into the season and have made no meaningful changes to the team in a way that’s had a benefit. It’s not like we have a transfer that we are waiting to meld into the first team. We have a 21 year old striker from the German second division and a right back, when we already had a right back who was in the team of the season last time in the Champ who we let go for ****ing free. With how much time we had to plan and target players, that is piss poor to only have that done by the time the window opens. Like has been said the word around the club in January was to not bother with signings in January because we may as well save it for the summer. That clearly turned out to be a load of bollocks. It’s insane to me that yesterday we started with an entire first 11 that was here last year and people are like “what are you all moaning about?”. But hey it’s only the 7th transfer window in SR’s reign. I’m sure they just need more time still to get it right.
He’s not been much good since Martin left if we’re being honest. Maybe he very much is a role type player and not a don’t play that role anymore
It's a bit of 50/50 for me, on the one hand yes it was his choice but it is never a good look for a club that you've allowed yourself to be in a position where on of your top players is allowed to walk out the door for free. There were definitely offers for him after he was in team of the season and we decided not to take them only to be punished for it the season after.
& he was one of our best players that helped us go straight back up? That’s worth more than a smallish transfer fee for a player in final year of his contract to me personally
So you have complained when “everyone is for sale” and now you are complaining that we kept one of our best players and he refused to sign a new deal? We clearly felt keeping him for the extra year and then losing him for free was worth more than the offers we were receiving, plus there was the chance we’d have a decent season and he might sign a new deal. In hindsight we should’ve sold him but I don’t remember many complaints at the time that we rejected West Ham’s offers
