After our recent slump in form I thought I'd take a look and see where I think changes need to be made. Personally I think with a couple of minor changes we could get back to where we were at the beginning of the season. For a start we need to be closing down from the front much, much more. At the beginning of the season we were forcing teams to hit it long with our excellent closing down but now we are sitting off and that doesn't suit us. Secondly I would like to see a couple of tweaks to the line - up. At home I am happy to carry on with the 4-4-2 diamond we have been playing. The defence should stay the same as we have been playing as Egan and Oshilaja are our best centre back pairing when Oshilaja is confident again, Jackson is the only real candidate at right back and Garmston has to be playing ahead of Dickenson at LB as teams expose us down the left when Dickenson plays. It's the midfield where we need to change it up, from the midfield that played yesterday only 1 (Dack, obviously) should be starting for me. The rest should be made up of Wright (much better than A.Morris who when I watched yesterday seemed to not have clue where he should be positioned), Osadebe who although will make mistakes has the most energy out of any of the suitable candidates and Jordan Houghton. At the beginning of the season he was looking like possibly the best signing and although his form dipped, give him some confidence and a run of games and he will get back to his best. Up front, well everyone knows my views on Cody so it should comprise of 2 of Donnelly, Norris and Samuel (perhaps Norris starting is the most important with 1 of the other two). So I'd play: GK: Nelson RB: Jackson CB: Egan CB: Oshilaja LB: Garmston DM: Wright CM: Houghton CM: Osadebe CAM: Dack ST: Norris ST: Samuel/ Donnelly Subs: G.Morris, Ehmer, A.Morris, Hessenthaler, Dickenson, Samuel/Donnelly, Cody/McGlashan Missing out: Davies, Loft, Cody/McGlashan Away from home I think we need to see a change in formation. At the beginning of the season the formation we use at home did work away from home as well. However now we are coming unstuck as playing the 4-4-2 diamond can leave us too narrow or too wide depending on how the opposition line-up and how they move the ball around. I'd like to see us play a 4-2-3-1 as the two wingers will drop back and cover the full - backs when needed and give us the pace we need on the break. I'd drop Osadebe rather than Houghton as away from home we need a bit more protection. I definitely wouldn't start Donnelly as the lone striker as he is not designed to hold the ball up. I would start Norris or Samuel depending who is on form/ fit/ the opposition defenders. I'd line up: GK: Nelson RB: Jackson CB: Egan CB: Oshilaja LB: Garmston DM: Wright DM: Houghton CAM: Dack RW: McGlashan LW: Dickenson ST: Norris/Samuel Subs: G.Morris, Ehmer, A.Morris, Hessenthaler, Osadebe, Norris/Samuel, Donnelly Missing out: Davies, Loft, Cody I'd be interested to here other people's views on this?
I agree with most of that, I do think Dickenson offers more going forward and 1 goal 4 assists backs that up (Garmston 0 goals 0 assists) both have a 50% win rate. I would also play just 1 striker and let Dack cover the other spot, he scores, tackles, makes assists and it would allow another midfielder.
patchy - actually 3-5-2 is more of a diamond shape than 442........but I agree that we need to be more 'aggressive' in closing down when we haven't got the ball. ( not a-la-Loft ). Our midfield has been guilty of being either too slow or non existent when it comes to trying to win back possession. In principle, playing with the pace of Dickenson and MxGlashan should enable us to get forward quickly - and with Dack supporting a lone striker, it could work - but I have reservations about McGlashan. I don't think he's a 90 minute player - and probably is best as an impact sub ( although that has been rare this season ) - and - defensively, he has shown that his 'thinking' is nowhere near as quick as his legs.
The team I would like to start. ................................Nelson........................... Jackson...Egan.....................Oshi.........Garmston ................................Wright.................................... McGlashan...Houghton........Osadebe.....Dickenson ................................Dack....................................... ...............................Norris........................................
Well you may have 12 players in your starting line up but i think we could probably get away with 7.... ................................Nelson........................... Jackson...Egan.....................Oshi.........Garmston ................................Wright.................................... Dack.............Dack............Dack........Dack ................................Dack....................................... ................................Dack........................................
brb Well done -I see you're getting into the spirit of panto season - alas we don't have clones - but we do have clowns in Lofty positions in our team.
Exactly, sometimes i just think...Loft, what does he actually do....no more to the point, who is he but less panto and a more serious point that someone else mentioned, he does not take responsibility and for that reason should not be captain. I used to give captain Barrett stick but at least he did stand up to be counted.
