A few words about yesterday..

I've heard/seen Flitcroft's interview, and a few things worry me.

When speaking about the first half performance - "it's everything that I'm not as a person..."

He's trotted that line out a few times now, as did his mate before him.

He then explained his decision to select Etuhu at RWB/RB - "I had no cover there so asked Kelvin to do a job"

No cover? Seriously, he's suggesting we'd no other option at RWB/RB?
He had Scott Wiseman playing centre half - a RWB/RB by trade. He had Bobby Hassell on the bench - a player that's played RB/RWB for this club for years.
He also had Stephen Foster on the bench - our best centre half. And Martin Cranie can operate - and has - at RB.

So I'd suggest we did actually have cover/options at RWB/RB. In fact, most sane people with a BFC persuasion would probably have played Wiseman at RWB/RB, and gone with Foster or Hassell at centre half.

But, as Flitcroft stated in his interview - "we went with Wisey in there because we needed his pace.. he was outstanding"

If we're now at the point where we're picking a bad defender because he's quick, we may as well get Usain Bolt down Grove Street for a trial..
Personally, I prefer my defenders to be able to defend in the first instance - Hassell and Foster are proven 'defenders' at this level, hence our continued stay in this division.

Central midfield yesterday was a joke.

Because Flitcroft decided we needed Wiseman's pace at centre half, and because he decided we had no other options at RWB/RB, we had Tunnicliffe in midfield. Which I find bizarre.
Etuhu was flourishing in there, but no, he sticks him out wide.

Then there's Jim O'Brien. A decent winger on his day. However, a central midfielder he most certainly isn't. As he showed last week in Bristol.
But Flitcroft again selected him in there, again ignoring Jacob Mellis. The man with over 10 assists and 4 goals to his name this season. The man who can unlock defences.

It's bizarre, head-scratching, and the sort of selection policy that led me to eventually wanting his mate out.

Is it wrong of me to want our best players to be picked, and in their best positions?


The last 3 games, we've gone in at half time behind - 1-0 vs Wolves, and 2-0 in Bristol and yesterday at Oakwell.
We've kind of fought back in the second period, and fair play to the manager/players for that. But it's my opinion that we've given ourselves too much to do by half time because the manager has got his team selection/tactics wrong.

 

Can't argue with any of that YT. In fact I agree with every word. I was baffled by the selection yesterday.

 

Outstanding post. I agree with everything. Why can't our managers do simple things?

 

Outstanding post. I agree with everything. Why can't our managers do simple things?

 

Things have started to go wrong and he's starting to panic?

 

Or maybe he's in the same position as every other manager that's started to make strange selections?

 

What's that?

 

Is that the sharpening of knives I hear, already?

 

No. Just a realisation we've got some pain on despite a great run

We need to stick together but the silly tinkering needs to stop.

Also, the club need to pull out all the stops for a credible alternative to Golbourne.

 

Absolutely, flat back four and everyone doing what they are good at. 3-5-2 is dead for this season, inadequate person and insufficient recruiting time.

 

We havent got 2 good enough centre backs to play 442. We have an ideal RWB in wiseman and a more than capable LWB in kennedy and hassell, foster and cranie are good enough as a back three.

 

That's the back 4.

 

a lot of what you say I would agree with...just strikes me that everyones gone in to panic mode though.

 

agree entirely, we struggle at the back and have done most of the season, yet our best defenders are on the bench

 

I said this after Hill left when Wuseman was booed of the field as soon as flickers could he would start sneaking him back in the team away from home at first. i am afraid his comments about him I quote " we have the best centre back in the championship" and then " Scotts a lovely lad I love him to bits"
have only made my worst fears come true, we are stuck with him playing until the end of the season he is a disaster waiting to happen and I will put my tin hat on and repeat IF A BAD APPLE IS RUINING THE BARREL THROW IT AWAY DONT CUT IT IN HALF AND PLACE IT BACK

 

Speaking of knives, I'm eating beef later, but I'm going to ignore the knife, and use a spoon to cut it...

Of course, as one of the few on here who didn't want him to get the job, I'm going to come across as against him, or sharpening my knife etc. But trust me, I'm not.

I'm merely bemused at the unnecessary tinkering, and just as I was with Keith in the end, I'm baffled as to why our better players are ignored whilst habitual failures are given chance after chance.

It's got that ridiculous, that Wiseman having an average game (6/10 in my opinion) leads to a lavishing of praise from Flitcroft and a few of his disciples on here.


The non selection of Hassell and Mellis in particular, is bizarre.

We're not talking about two players that have let us down habitually. I'm struggling to recall either of them having what I would deem a 'stinker'. Yet there are players who have had a number of 'stinkers' but they continue to be selected.

 

I agree with all of that. I posted similar, at less length yesterday.

 

correct me if i'm wrong, the last 2 games have seen just steele kennedy crainie perkins and dagnall have been the only players to play these 2 games and all the unbeaten run and there for me lies the problem, too many changes

 

Spot on Whitey, and Mr.C.

My thoughts exactly.

Flitcroft showing worrying signs of losing it, team selection and formation wise. Obviously still an ace motivator but it seems his head is getting muddled when setting the team up. Ditch the 3-5-2 as we haven't got any decent wingbacks, and play our best players in their best positions.

 

I completely agree with you YT, football is a simple game and it frustrates the hell out of me when managers make things complicated for no reason.