If everyone was fit and available who would you pick? No doubt that Cranie-Ramage-M'Voto-Nyatanga has been the most solid, but with no proper full backs we really struggle to keep possession and have no platform to build from so the team gets criticized for not playing attractive football. Bree would help with that. Holgate is surely worth a spot, but is he good enough going forward? I'm not sure Smith is ready to play every match. If you move Cranie from right back do you play him at centre back? My head hurts.
Crainie is arguably one of the best ball playing defenders in this division. It's difficult to argue he isn't a proper full back, as before he signed for us I believe most of his career was spent playing that position. Nyatanga was solid on the ball at the weekend and some of ball playing last night was perfectly fine, he just lacks the ability to run with the ball. Our full backs have all been left exposed when on the ball in recent weeks as our midfield has been so weak, confidence has been low, and our movement poor. That improved greatly once Pearson signed, and improved again last night having Pearson on the pitch. I'd be happy with this back four until the end of the season, and potentially beyond. Ideal for this league.
Cranie Ramage Holgate in a 3 Bree Pearson Scowen Malkovic with wide men bombing on Hourihane behind Waring & Winnall Attack attack attack attack attack
I don't have a problem with Cranie at full back, in fact I think that may be his best position, but he is not the type of player to get up and down the touch line and offer us width and an overlap. That isn't a criticism of him he just isn't that kind of player. Nyatanga is a centre back. Albeit one that is pretty comfortable on the ball, but he will not cross the half way line with or without the ball as he is built to defend. As you said we now have hopefully a much more competitive midfield, which should allow our full backs to get forward without fear of being caught out as much. This will give the centre mids another player to pass to and give the winger an overlap option making it much easier for us to keep possession. To play the way people want us to play we need forward thinking full backs and the ones we have just aren't.
I know we weren't overly aggressive last night with our attacking play, but Nyatanga but around three or four crosses in to the box from wide positions that were in the opposition half. He won't overlap, but he will show himself for the ball. Completely disagree on Crainie. He loves offering support to the wide right player, but often because of how comfortable on the ball he is he decides to cut inside rather than overlap, but again he always shows for the ball. I honestly believe his best performances in a Barnsley shirt have come this season playing at right back. I've never fully rated him, but I think he's by far our best player when in that position. I also think there might have been instructions (as mentioned by Red Rain) to not lose our shape, therefore restricting the full backs' willingness to get forward.
Holgate in for BFJ to learn alongside Ramage. Smith to play in the games where we want to be offensive with Lewin dropping into the middle and Holgate having a rest, Cranie at right back because he's the best we have by a long way
I also think there might have been instructions (as mentioned by Red Rain) to not lose our shape, therefore restricting the full backs' willingness to get forward.[/QUOTE] Instructions limiting everyone from getting forward (which is the only criticism I had from last night) We have genuine height in our side which could cause all sorts of problems for the opposition from set pieces. Yet, with a full 20 mins to go, no defenders were allowed forward for free kicks.
I'd leave it as it is for now. It's settled. We've conceded 5 goals in our last 7 league games. That's the best stretch we've gone on since that mad run under flicker.
I don't think cranie is as good as the young lads at full back but I agree he does go forwards just like you said he tends to run inwards than outwards
