Re: I don't understand the propensity Well said mate I totally agree. This team of ours is a hard working team, and OBrien grafts and closes them down quick which stops them playing. Cannot do two jobs
It's certainly another option. I reckon you'd have to go with Etuhu at the base of the diamond as Perkins and Dawson have shown they have a lot to offer going forward. We'd need to play Wiseman at RB rather than CB as he's quick enough to get upfield and provide width. Horses for courses whether you pick Foster or Hassell to partner Cranie.
Re: Yeah, I'd go along with that He's been a bit hit and miss recently Jimbo, but he always tries hard. I don't know what is is with him, he looks good when the team is buzzing and dominating play, but he's not as well equipped for the battle as some players. He gets easily frustrated. Six points from the last 9 is still a good return, we need a performance tomorrow like those of Brighton and Watford.
We played well with that formation early on in the season until Mellis got injured RedStar. I would see a lot of pluses in a 41212 or a 41231 which would help us get attack and get RNL and say o'brien in.
Re: I don't understand the propensity We win as a team, we lose as a team.[/QUOTE] Bang on! For me though its the pig headedness earlier in the season when they decided the defenders we had were good enough that's cost us way too many points. Maybe they are when we play a side of similar stature but how often does that happen? and when it does it doesn't matter how good you are if you need a pair of steps to challenge for high balls
I don't want us changing our team or formation to accommodate RNL. Slight tweeks are all that is required.., e.g. Resting Perkins, at 60 mins, and using Dawson. I'm not saying RNL doesn't have a part to play, but he hasn't done enough yet to warrant us changing the structure of the team. These players have done far better since Christmas than anything we saw early on. Stick with them, and swap like for like when using subs.
When you say early in the season do you mean the early part which saw us at the foot of the table on on of the worst runs of form in the clubs history under a manager so poor that he's proving he cant even cut it in league 2?
The Diamond in itself wasn't the problem though,just the inability to get the ball forward a bit quicker
Exactly. Our biggest strength is our central midfielders. We don't have any wing backs left and RNL proved he can't yet be trusted out wide so those 4 in midfield are the logical choice for me.
Heh heh, can't beat the old 41231 formation. The opposition will be too busy working it out to realise it contains 12 players! Or have you sacrificed the goalkeeper for an extra midfielder?
Thought the same. Madine had his best ever game, they were piss poor and looked like they'd never score, we brought ourselves down to their level. A win today should do it, we seem to play well against the better opposition.