Never said Bolton changed formation. They didn’t play the passing game I believe we set up to counter. They played more directly. Or plan B. We didn’t have one.
Johnson hinted he would move to a back 4 after the portsmouth game. Basically said he might need to change to accommodate all the attacking players we now have. I bet in Batth he also thought he had more pure defensive nous in the middle. I am not convinced by that reasoning personally. Until we can shore up the middle of the park when we lose the ball opposition will be straight onto out back line and having 3 in the middle gives you much cover. Either we need to sign that fabled defensive midfielder, or we play 3 and wing backs, in my opinion anyway.
I'm not sure what you mean by pattern of behaviour. I think Johnson was wrong to go with 4 at the back when we've been more successful with three. Its also another defeat against a team playing 3 at the back/wing backs, which seems to be a major weakness. Johnson won't have got to this level without knowing how to set a team up to play against that formation, which suggests that the inability to play that way comes from the players. Professional players should be able to play in a back four or a back three. I watched a Step 4 side switch seamlessly from 3 to 4 mid game yesterday, so our lot should be able to change from game to game. In general though, while a manager takes ultimate responsibility, his success is reliant on the players and their ability. It doesn't matter how good a manager is, if players don't follow instructions, don't put in enough effort, or simply aren't better than their opponents, the manager will judged on their ability and their performance more than his own. The best example of this is David Moyes. He's seen as a failure by us but I know for a fact that his reputation wasn't too badly damaged amongst his peers. The sad fact is that the squad he had here wasn't good enough.
Well I have slept on it and am still annoyed and frustrated. I appreciate Flanno has had a couple of off games, but so have many others, so to drop him and change shape completely makes little sense. I would really like someone to ask why he decided a back 4 was the way to go, what was the thinking behind it when we have played a 3 so much better. The midfield looks completely lost at the minute, Neil looks to be playing 20 yards deeper and I dont believe it suits him at all. Gooch for all his faults, must spend half the game wondering what his next position will be or if he will have to move 2 or 3 times to suit random substitutions. It must be a nightmare for him spending all week focusing on one position to then have to shift to a completely different one. What really gets me is having watched the mess of a first half NOTHING was changed at half time, how anyone watching it can justify keeping the same formation and same 11 in place for the start of the second half is beyond me
Whilst I agree with must you say, the “all at league 1 level” is bordering on arrogance. we play at league 1 level. Regardless of where we are, we have league 1 players and are a league 1 club (with upper premier league support). If we were in the premiership league, nobody would say “all at premier league level” just because it’s the top level. We shouldn’t be saying it here either imo
Well, what do you mean? We lose games sometimes? He seems to repeat mistakes from time to time but I wouldn't call it a pattern.
I think we have both been saying this since the start of the season, when we had an abundance of central defenders and no full backs, but he has a plan and sticks to it no matter what, the big disappointment of O/9 not quite fulfilling his potential in central midfield and the decline of Winny combined with the dreadful displays by Gooch have highlighted the lack of foresight on LJ's part which is seriously damaging any chance we have of promotion this season, unless big change is coming tomorrow on the recruitment front, its a long shot but so are our chances under this coach.
Whenever LJ has players to choose from he ****s it up. His bonkers ‘Desmond’ formation he kept trying last season when it was clearly failing every week. Whenever changes are forced upon him through injury, he gets it …. Coz he has no choice. Ie going 3 at the back He cannot think quickly enough in game time to alter / turn a match with subs. It’s like all his coaching ideas are from a book or video, not borne of match reality I’ve had enough. He is too stubborn/arrogant to change which to me means he is not good enough. The players need an absolute rocket too mind, but play them in their natural position, ffs. Or make sure they are drilled to play in two positions esp in defence and midfield.
Or drilled in 5/6 positions if you are Gooch, who he seems to think is better than any other player we have at the club who naturally plays in those positions.
Ignoring all the buzz words about transitions, trigger points, ppg, pitch personalities and the other ****e bandied about, we need to go back to the basics we were doing so well. Stop ****ing tinkering and trying to be clever as it doesn't work. For me our best formation is ........................ GK ............ CB........ CB.... CB WB.................. DM............. WB ....................... CM ............ AM.................AM ..................... CF The 3 easily becomes a 4 as the DM drops in when the WB goes forward. Then we start at a high tempo and defend high up with the 3 front players putting pressure on the opposition defenders to force them into long punts or mistakes. The wing backs pressure the opposition midfield high up and maybe try (as a radical idea) to stop the occasional cross into our box
The Gooch thing rankles with me. Whilst he has been mostly (>90% probably) poor. He’s played in 4 positions almost every game. Surely this would detrimentally impact almost any players form? Do we have anyone else capable of that? I’m not sure!!
For me one of my 'trigger' points after a result like that is how do I defend the players and manager, to the mags etc on the golf course or pub. Atm there is no defence, we cannot do much about the players. So, because of set-up/tactics and how (un) motivated the players when they cross the white line. Plus for this season LJ has form for several poor set-ups and players being out muscled etc. It is probably time to change a manager for somebody who can organise a defence and get the players pumped up for a game. Frequent posters on here probably recall I follow Rugby. A huge part of preparation for a rugby game is being up for the physicality, scrums, tackles etc. Football is certainly not so physically tough, but players cannot be namby pamby as ours are.
Since sitting through the double relegation under short, I take everything that comes out of anyone's mouth from the club with tone of salt. Heard it all before,and been taken in by it. Including the brand now tattie field we "play" on.
