Match Report and MoM v Wolves

DJ said:
I have seen Adam Smith play on both flanks as a full back, wing back and winger. Never seen him as a central midfielder before.
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I actually think he could be good in that position. He’s certainly got the legs to play there and a couple of years ago I‘d have been keen to give it ago. With Billing and Lerma in the squad no, it’s obviously not something worth considering except in the very worst of injury crisis
 
We don’t seem to be playing fast one touch attacking football this season in comparison to previous ones. Not sure of the reasons why, but only a handful of our players look comfortable on the ball. Lerma, Danjuma, Smith, L Cook and H Wilson look to have the necessary quality on the ball, but some others less so.
It was seriously evident in the first half v Wolves where our passing was laborious and aimless with Wolves doing a high press job on us. We don’t seem to play at all well against teams that close us down as soon as we get the ball and more often than not we get overrun in midfield. Luckily when Jeff came on 2nd half we gained control in midfield and he in my mind is probably the best signing EH has made, what a player. There is no doubt we have missed Brooksy big time and when all the squad are back fit we should be ok.
 
DodgerCherry said:
We don’t seem to be playing fast one touch attacking football this season in comparison to previous ones. Not sure of the reasons why, but only a handful of our players look comfortable on the ball. Lerma, Danjuma, Smith, L Cook and H Wilson look to have the necessary quality on the ball, but some others less so.
It was seriously evident in the first half v Wolves where our passing was laborious and aimless with Wolves doing a high press job on us. We don’t seem to play at all well against teams that close us down as soon as we get the ball and more often than not we get overrun in midfield. Luckily when Jeff came on 2nd half we gained control in midfield and he in my mind is probably the best signing EH has made, what a player. There is no doubt we have missed Brooksy big time and when all the squad are back fit we should be ok.
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A sudden lack of basic skills turned us from world beaters to also rans midway through the first half at Newcastle too. Needs sorting.
 
Topfarrier said:
Nope pretty sure it was 4411 with a natural no10....:grinning:...... Cheese played 433 btw.
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So did Barcelona. Yeovil went out the football league playing 4-4-2. We could go on like this all day... formations all work and all fail. I just personally think we need an extra midfielder and free the forwards up. Who knows! We will probably try it against Spurs and Liverpool and you will be on here telling me it doesn’t work despite them playing it ;)
 
canadiancherry said:
Someone else suggested similar earlier, but after Wolves' first goal I was yelling (at my computer monitor) for Eddie to take off Francis and Billing (aka, Booking).
It was crystal clear at that point that the plan was not working at all, and it seemed inevitable that they would score again if we didn't change something drastically.
And then 10 minutes later, they did score of course.
For what it's worth, I would have brought on Jack Stacey for Francis, switched to a back 4, and brought on Lerma for Billing. I guess Smith would have moved into a midfield 3 with Cook and Lerma.
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I would have moved Smith to full back and brought on Danjuma. Iwould have started Smith at full back.
 
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Neil Dawson said:
So did Barcelona. Yeovil went out the football league playing 4-4-2. We could go on like this all day... formations all work and all fail. I just personally think we need an extra midfielder and free the forwards up. Who knows! We will probably try it against Spurs and Liverpool and you will be on here telling me it doesn’t work despite them playing it ;)
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so 4-3-3? Personnel?
 
New Forest Cherry said:
so 4-3-3? Personnel?
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Personally I think there are several ways we could play 4-3-3 and they can be as attacking or defensive as you like.

If we wanted to play from the back with a high tempo pressing game then something like this:-

——Ramsdal———-
Smith Cook Aké Rico
————Cook———
——-Lerma Billing—-
Fraser—Wilson—King

For a more defensive game when we want to shut up shop, just switch Lerma and Billing to be in front of the back 4 instead of Cook.

Another way to play 4-3-3 (which could easily be interpreted as 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1) is with a no. 10. Something like this perhaps?

——Ramsdale——
Smith Cook Aké Rico
——Lerma Billing
Danjuma Brooks Fraser
———Wilson ———

The point is you need to have variations within your system. That’s more important than the formation itself. We had this in our 2015 version of 4-4-2 but we don’t seem to have the same flexibility now.
 
Tinpot Club said:
Personally I think there are several ways we could play 4-3-3 and they can be as attacking or defensive as you like.

If we wanted to play from the back with a high tempo pressing game then something like this:-

——Ramsdal———-
Smith Cook Aké Rico
————Cook———
——-Lerma Billing—-
Fraser—Wilson—King

For a more defensive game when we want to shut up shop, just switch Lerma and Billing to be in front of the back 4 instead of Cook.

Another way to play 4-3-3 (which could easily be interpreted as 4-4-1-1 or 4-2-3-1) is with a no. 10. Something like this perhaps?

——Ramsdale——
Smith Cook Aké Rico
——Lerma Billing
Danjuma Brooks Fraser
———Wilson ———

The point is you need to have variations within your system. That’s more important than the formation itself. We had this in our 2015 version of 4-4-2 but we don’t seem to have the same flexibility now.
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Bob on... saved me answering :grinning:
(You will all be glad to know!)
 
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