Slade has banged on in the past about his "attacking 4-4-2 principles", but I can't understand why anyone, especially him as a manager, should believe that a 5 man midfield (whichever way you arrange it) is necessarily a defensive option. Quite the contrary if the game plan is correct. Gaining control of the midfield is vital to attacking build up play unless you're going to go over the top by lumping it every time. A competent holding player should allow the back 4 to maintain a higher line up the pitch and compress the opposition into the middle third rather than letting them take pot shots around our penalty box. I can't understand why he is obsessed with playing two wingers for width when we've got the likes of Fabio and Malone to provide width on both flanks. If we play 4-4-2 again and **** up tonight he should be put on his bike. Of course if he playes 4-4-2 and we win, he will be the best thing since sliced bread (for a week) - and so it goes on.
That's option D. We can't risk confusing Russell. Not that it is too difficult. Starts when we talk about option B. He must have a difficult time when he rings call centres. Press 1 etc...
hopefully got the best of both worlds. 3 points but he cocked up. Why does he put us in these positions? He just hasn't learned. 2-0 bog down the midfield, they have to attack, look to counter. What was he thinking in bringing a full back on at 2-1 and dropping a midfielder. Is that a 532? we've not discussed that one before!!!! Don't mess about with a back 4 and make a 5. I think Gunner in front of the back 4 and whitts in the middle would have been a better option. Ideally leave back 4 and mid 4 as they were and put Dikagcoi in front of the back 4 but he's no where to be seen. is he injured?
Slade just cannot be allowed to get away with last night. Again he just hoped City could get a killer 3rd, and when we didn't he just allows the team to play too deep, leaves our midfield overrun and then makes weird substitutions. Jones got Humpty out of jail but for how much longer have we got to put up with his staggering incompetence. ps. The defending again for their 2 goals was shocking. Manga now has to come in for Connolly. No excuses. pps. One question. What is Trollop's role in all of this? I thought he was more switched on than Humpty; surely he must have seen the problems manifest themselves again and given his opinion to Humpty? Maybe Humpty was listening to the voice of experience that is Scott Young
Not sure why you have a downer on Connolly Nin. He didn't do much wrong last night (Peltier was trying to mark Bidwell for their first goal and failed) and made one brilliant tackle to save a certain goal. The problems are midfield and Slade's lack of tactical nouse. The second half was virtually a reply of the Wendies game. Their substitutions changed the game in taking off the lumbering black guy who did sod all in front of their back four and the introduction of Jota and Mceachran who ran the game from the moment he set foot on the pitch. However, it was evident from the start of the second half that we were just sitting back with 2 banks of 4 rather than taking the game to them again. As a result Watt got worn out chasing the around the park and Mason???? What is he for? Poor first touch, looks to have got slower, useless in the air and didn't press their defenders the way Watt did. Agreed on Trollope. Does he have any influence now?
Is Dickachoi injured? Surely he'd be ideal to come in to shore up midfield when we've got a 2 goal lead?
