I think it's fair to say that our tempo has changed since the Millwall game onwards. Well, the first half of that game anyway. Edit - In other words he learnt a lot from the Ipswich loss. Got to be the sign of a quality manager, who's not all that arrogant.
I'm trying to get my head around how this makes sense. If you look at the most recent games, we're in good form with successive wins and clean sheets. If you look at the season as a whole, we're 6th. If you look at LR's tenure as a whole, we've gone from a side hurtling towards League 1 first to a solid mid-table side and now a playoff side. The only way you can make it seem bad is if you specifically pick out a short period in which we had a couple of bad results in a row, of which there aren't many to choose from. Now that would be a selective memory.
Cardiff at home won't be a banker by any stretch. But we do need to make hay in November if were going to be realistic playoff contenders. February too, but it ain't the easiest run in.
Been away so just catching up, I think the summary is: Previously, we were ****, and it was all Rosenior's fault. Now, we are good, and it's because Rosenior has been listening to people like me. Did I miss anything?
The one thing you missed is that next time we drop points it will be because Rosenior has reverted to his own tactics. Already established.
I think most on here agree the performance v Southampton was a big turning point for us and a much better mentality and we didn't get the points that day so that doesn't add up at all. I can't tell if there's a few people on here that genuinely can't see how we've improved over the last few games, or if they're just feigning ignorance because it backs up the stance they've taken. In the past 3 games we've generally spent more time in the opposition half than most previous games, it certainly feels like we've created more chances per game than most previous games, we've scored goals and created chances from some very direct passages of play which wasn't happening previously, we've spent far less time aimlessly passing side to side in front of our own box and have been quicker to work it into their half than we have been previously, Allsopp has had to make less saves than previously, we've gone all the way back to the keeper from prominent positions far less than previously, we've continued forward after beating the press rather than recycling more often than previously... There's been loads of changes, all essentially coming from us speeding up a bit more and looking to open teams up and have a go. And the beauty of it is... So far it's been working for us really well, demonstrating the quality people on here have insisted we have in the side. Seri is a brilliant example for me. He rarely turns with the ball at his feet and instead he lays it off to a CB or full back most of the time, which contributes to the slow build up - but in the past few games he's started turning with the ball at his feet at every opportunity and got good forward passes off to advanced players as a priority and he's brilliant at it.
The improvement has been down to a gelling of late window signings though. What are we 9 games off the end of the window? No surprise we're beginning to look more fluid and less disjointed. But that's not a significant shift in tactics. That's just a largely new squad finding it's feet having been assembled to better implement the managers style. Just a continuation of the gradual but sustained improvement under Rosenior.
That may well be true, which would potentially mean the players haven't previously been doing what Rosenior has wanted them to do. It also begs the question why every team doesn't seem to be improving as they've all made signings. I think there's an element of a shift in tactics as both Millwall goals were very direct and we seem to mix it up a lot more now. I think the biggest factor is a combination of an increase in confidence fueled by a shift in mentality. Even versus Preston you could tell we've been working on getting more shots off as a few players seemed much more willing to pull the trigger than the previous couple of games. We're still improving in that regard - but if we're improving then there's inevitably a difference somewhere, ergo, we definitely aren't playing the same way we were a few months ago, whether that's down to the new players being more settled in or Rosenior making improvements. Personally I believe the biggest reason for the recent 'change' is more to do with Ipswich teaching us a lesson and us adapting and responding appropriately. For me, it's as if the mentality has changed from controlling games telling ourselves the wins will come naturally, to a mentality of attacking the opposition and using space and quality to exploit them. That could be Rosenior's doing, or as you say it may be a natural evolution due to more time behind the new signings. Either way, we're better now in every area as far as I'm concerned. If we play this way and lose the next game I won't be bothered about the performance. If we spend most of the game re-re-re-recycling at every opportunity for the sake of keeping the ball then I'll feel like we're reverting. I'm on Tan's wavelength with his consistent comments. I want to see us keep taking those risks to win more games. We're seeing that now and it's great. We just need to improve at finishing the chances you'd expect us to.
Not every team made signings as significant to their squad (Allsopp, Philogene, Morton) as late in the window as we did, so not sure that comparison is quite true. We played very well for a large portion of the Millwall game (before dropping off second half) and against Ipswich (between their first two goals) which a number of us pointed to as positive signs that others dismissed.
2 spot on posts again Mr Benjo Rosenior admitted in an interview something along the lines of Ipswich being a learning experience. There has been a noticeable change since, long may it continue. Of course, players will gel and bed in but there's things that have changed too in the way we are playing (as Benjo nicely covers). We are moving the ball more quickly from defence, even Jones and Greaves who previously were too safe and even ponderous at times, and there's less focus on recycling. The one player who does still dwell on the ball a tad too much imo is SMc; hopefully he too adapts to move it earlier; but tbf, defensively, especially aerially, he's been very good. We 'just' need to improve in the final third with decision making, drilled plays, cohesion, finishing, etc. rather than relying on goals coming from individual brilliance or gifts, which if we're brutally honest is the only way we've managed to actually score recently. But that doesn't detract from the positives Benjo posted.
I wish I had the time/expertise to put 2 clips together of Greaves v’s Bristol City away last season and Philogenes goal on Saturday. Last season Greaves had the chance to play in Ebiowei who was 1 on one with his full back but turned back inside for some centre back keep ball. On Saturday he saw the pass and just played it. You see what happens when you give the ball to our players in advanced positions. I understand when there is nothing on, or we are trying to take the sting out of a game that keeping the ball is better than hit and hope. But just moving it forward to one of our players quickly is an easy way to increase the tempo we are playing at and get at the opposition, ultimately creating more chances.
I suspect he didn't give it to Ebiowei because Ebiowei would have done bugger all with it, because he wasn't very good. The contrast between Philogene and Ebiowei is spectacular. Both have a tendency to fiddle too much, but at least with the former you get end product. For me, Greaves has always been pretty positive playing at left back, and joins in attacks when he can. The other advantage of playing him there is it allows Macca back into the side, and gives us a tall and robust back line. The disadvantage, of course, is he doesn't have the pace of full-back so gets caught out.
