Not sure they play the same position? Mattsson has always played CM/DM I think, whilst Schwartau usually plays wide midfield or has previously played centrally behind a striker? Given the time of year, would a "Christmas tree" 4-3-2-1 suit the squad? Kovacevic Stacey Medic Darling Schlupp Wright Topic McLean Schwartau Kvistgaarden Sargent? Not sure it's defensively solid, particularly given our back line, but I think with someone like Sargent we need to try and attack our way out of the relegation zone? Holding on to 0-0 draws and capitulating is soul destroying and a series of 1 and 0 points is never getting us safe. Play for 3 points and accept the occasional thrashing feels like a route out.
It's got to be worth a try. Hard to argue that it's not "defensively solid" too given it's an experienced back 4 plus 2x defensive mids. There's only 3 attacking players on the pitch plus Kenny.
Hahaha not sure where my brain was going there and sorry you had to write all that…I meant Marcondes not Mattsson
I agree, our goals have too often come from a ball down the left hand side, this could hopefully be helped by actually having a fit recognised left back consistently, or by stretching our midfield 2 across the pitch and then going through the middle of us. I think we need to go to a 3, all of our midfielders look like that’s what they are used to playing. I agree with the front 3 you’ve selected as well. The other option might even be to start Makama as the focal point with Sargent where Schwartau is, so that he and Kvistgaarden can interplay and run beyond
I personally do not think that the problems were caused by a christmas tree formation, a flat back 5 or two fat ladies in midfield formation. The basic problems were Knappers poor recruitment of players and Mannings poor coaching.
This was a suggested formation moving forward, not a formation that Manning had deployed as far as I can recall.
So how is a change of formation going to improve the players we are lumbered with? Getting them fit will help but won't improve the quality.
Please see posts #21 and #24, again just our suggestions - certainly no tactical qualification on my end. I agree that Knapper is at fault for the squads construction
My over flippant remark was a way of saying that minor tinkering with things won't get us out of this hole. I fear they are going to give Knapper another chance and leave him to pick another Head Coach which to me spells disaster. That squad is not good enough in my opinion to ' play ' its way out of trouble and the transfer window might be too late to save us. I have been saying this for some time but IMO we need a new SD who knows this league and could find a couple of enforcers in the next window and another Head Coach in the mould of Saunders and Lambert who can get them 100% fit and scared to come in at half time if they haven't given everything on the pitch. It wouldn't be pretty but IMO it represents our only hope. The culture down there is summed up by Duffy. He returned to his local 10 days ago after a couple of weeks away. He was in there yesterday when my son went in for his lunchtime drink and was still there with his mates at about 7 when my son nipped in for a swiftie whilst taking the dog for a walk. Can you imagine many Managers tolerating that?
Something I've said for few years now, we're pathetically weak in the middle, we have no bite in the tackle, nor the risk to take a yellow. The central defenders don't defend and are more concerned with knocking it around between them to get the stats up, because 'modern game philosophy'. It might upset a certain member of this forum, however we need to change the play, long throws, long balls, clearances up the pitch not left-right-back-back-right-left tippy-tappy nonsense..
Amazed it took you so long to remove him from his position. As said many many Bristol City fans were very happy to see him leave Ashton Gate for Carrow Road and you paid us 1.2 million as well. His football was awful on the eye and bloody boring with the same subs at 60 minutes. He will leave with a handsome payoff and will probably end up in league one where he needs to improve as a manager.
I'm not saying that there is one in his contract or not but he may have had an offset clause in his contract, we simply wont find out these details. "If the contract includes such a clause, the old club's payments are reduced or stopped if the manager takes a new job and starts earning an income. If there is no offset clause, the club may be legally obliged to continue paying the manager's salary until the contract expires, regardless of whether they are working for another team. Contractual clauses Offset clause: This clause can specify that the manager's new salary will be deducted from what the previous club owes them. No offset clause: Without this, the previous club could be required to pay the full amount of the remaining contract, regardless of the manager's new employment. Why these clauses exist To limit costs: Clubs include these clauses to mitigate the financial risk of sacking a manager and having to pay their salary for the remainder of their contract. To ensure fairness: Offset clauses can ensure fairness by preventing a manager from getting paid by two clubs at once. To avoid a breach of contract: A club that fails to honor the terms of the contract could face a breach of contract claim"
I don't know about some but for me the "long throws, long balls, clearances up the pitch" were an ever present under Manning, if anything we didn't take enough care in our deep playmaking or play enough accuracy with our long passing
Russell Martin trying to teach this team to play out from the back, mid-season with a team sapped of confidence, is an absolute recipe for disaster. I look forward to his announcement
