Well we played this system to good effect for a good few games. The same players have done better. The tactics seem more negative than ever. All three has to be the assessment.
Don't mind the system. Score first, defend well, counter attack. Do we have the players to play that system? Players who will keep possession, pass, pass, pass, make the opposing players chase the ball, tyre them out, counter attack, defence splitting passes, break fast, get shots in. DO WE HELL AS LIKE. We sit on our own 18 yard line and allow ourselves to go deeper and deeper and end up on our 6 yard line. We invite (no matter Wigan or Man U) the opposition to attack us, we get the ball and give it straight back so they can have another go. It's like watching paint dry.
i said in the colback thread 4 games ago the problem is centre mid and every game since we have been over run there. We have a decent striker up front, decent wingers (mcclean has been poor as of late), decent defence and keeper but the centre of midfield might as well not exist. It's embarrassing!! I think half of our attackers problem is the centre mids not finding or creating space for them. I fear for our season if someone like Meyler or Gardner can't improve the centre (which they probably can't). We will suffer until we buy someone of quality there in Jan
If we are going to play this system, the whole team have got to step up but we are carrying too many passengers at the moment. There were signs at times today that we can play the ball about and keep possesion but could not maintain it. I think we have to look at our options and we probably don't have many in centre mid. Surely that being the case we play to our strength and that looks like Fletcher. I feel we should push someone up alongside him and utilise his power in the air. Our wide men have failed to supply quality ball and he looks isolated at the moment, there's no way in hell he can kep scoring with almost every touch. team for next game: Mig Bardo Carlos JOS Rose Larson Gardner Vaughan Johnson Saha Fletcher Sess McClean to the bench!!
We simply MUST play 2 up front in the derby, otherwise we will lose the game. I will guarantee you now that Pardew will come here and attack us and if we just sit back and invite the likes of Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Cisse and Ba to attack us we will lose handsomely imo.
Good post However ... or ... Mig Bardo Bramble JOS Rose Sess Gardner Vaughan Johnson Saha Fletcher Bramble has been better than Cuellar imo and deserves to be there As for Sess, he may not be the player we have seen last season, but he was still quality and more likely to punch a hole in the Man City defence than anyone else. I thought he and Fletcher were our best players and when Sess went off we looked even less likely to score -in general, the team were far from being improved without him.
I'd go with Shameless' 2nd team for the very points he makes. I suspect Jack will start ahead of Vaughan tho. Sess and AJ should get plenty of joy out of their fullbacks
Id go with a 4-2-3-1 for this game and revert to 442 if its not working. ..........................Mignolet.................... Gardner...bramble...oshea..........rose .................Larsson...colback................ Johnson..........sessegnon...........McClean .........................Fletcher........................... i think it'll be a tight and tense affair. Sebs delivery/shooting from dead balls could be the difference in this one, especially if they can't get collocini and or Steven Taylor back. If we can get that front 4 working we will have a very good season.
All we want is someone in the ctr.to take the ball, go forward 5,10,15 yard's and PASS the ball upfield to one of our own,the amount of dosh these player's are on (ffs). Anyhow mon will be off shopping come jan.
Still think Larsson could be the man to do this, his assist for Fletcher at West Ham a prime example. When Bardsley gets back I do think Mon will let Gardner stake his claim for a spot in the middle
I'm sorry mate, but that is all he did in the whole match. It really surprises me that people slang off every other player but Seb seems untouchable. He is slower than a very slow thing on the wing. He is bypassed at will by opposition players in MF, getting outpaced there too. He does nothing to protect the back four. His decision making is usually crap. He makes late tackles giving away stupid freekicks. Yet one pass makes him untouchable. Or people hoping we get a freekick edge of their box so he can shine there. With a better all round player in MF or on the wing, it would increase our forwards chances substantially. As they would be supplying more than one pass to them. I think McClean playing so badly lately, has let other players slide under the radar as far as their own performances go! I do agree about Gardner being given a good run in the attacking MF role. I too think he is better suited there than Seb.
Larsson is not; never will be a central midfielder imo. Evidence of this is the total lack of quality and control we have had in almost every game so far this season in that department. Gardener has to be brought back into the centre and Bardo back at RB asap. We also need to be sending our scouts out now to find a powerful, dominant central midfield player that can influence our play and effect the opposition. We need a Ya Ya Touré type of player in our centre. A pacy striker and a powerful central midfielder please in January or next summer Martin and Ellis?
It is down to the system of play but also down to the quality of players. To play the way MON wants we need better players in who understand his way of playing. Wingers who get up the wing quickly and can put the ball into the middle. A CM or two that can tackle and pass the ball and, full backs who can support the wingers when we are on the counter. At present we are not doing that and that is down to the players however, MON needs to realise this and change it around.
How often have we seen Seb and Colback receive the ball in good field position, only for them to turn around and play the ball backwards. Even Cattermole is more attack minded. (His sending off was when he tried to break from defence with the ball, lost control and caught their player high in the oppos half.) The only time Jack and Seb end up there, is when the ball has arrived up forward through other routes. I think Colback has it in him to improve, but at this present time he is too young and inexperienced to handle it for 90 minutes.
