It is great news that we have signed the big man up front that most were waiting for, but as I said in Talking Tactics, that does not mean that our Hourihane/Winnall problem is solved. So, my question is, what formation/players should LJ go for on Saturday?
------------------Townsend---------- ----Roberts-Mawson-Nyatanga- Wabara-----------------------------Smith -----------Pearson--Scowen----------- -----------------Hourihane--------------- --------------Winnall--Smith------------ Sent from my GT-I9195 using Tapatalk
But you're making an assumption he will play both Smith and Sam. Sam, for all his undoubted qualities is undeniably injury-prone, so I don't think it's a given that Lee will feel constrained to play them both at the same time. That may even solve your conundrum?
Either Wabara Roberts Mawson Nyatanga Smith Pearson Hourihane Scowen Winnall Smith Or Wabara Roberts Mawson Nyatanga Watkins Scowen Pearson Harris Winnall Smith
OK, let’s play at being manager of a football club. What do we need to consider when deciding on a formation and which players we should use. Basics We need to get the balance right. We need some height in the team in order to compete on set pieces at both ends of the pitch (say 3 or 4 players). We need someone who is capable of providing a good delivery on attacking set pieces. We need a player to take direct free kicks in goal scoring positions at the edge of the opposition box and we need a penalty taker. In midfield, we need a balance of creativity and defensive ability, but they must all be capable of hard work (lots of running both when the team has the ball and when it does not). At least one of our midfield players must be capable of running with the ball at their feet and beating his opposite number, because nothing creates space for others more effectively. Our defenders, particularly our full backs are going to be used to pass the ball forward as well as being good at defending so they must all be decent passers, but the full backs need to be almost defensive midfield players in the quality of their passing if the balance of the team is to be right. Central midfield needs to prevent the opposition midfield running past them either with the ball or to get on the end of one two passes, but must be capable of doing the opposite at the other end of the field. If the team does not contain wide midfield players, the width has to come from wing backs and the full backs need to be capable of performing this task. Up front, the question is one player or two. If it is to be one, then it must not be Winnall because he cannot do the job. Essentially, the manager’s job is to achieve a balance. Balance between the individual strengths and weaknesses of the players. Balance between defence and attack. Balance between the need for width and the need for strength down the centre. Balance between getting the ball forward quickly but not missing out midfield totally and falling into the trap of hitting the ball from front to back. Balance between strength/height and skill/ability. At the same time, he must consider the opposition strengths and weaknesses and plan his team and its shape so that the team can take advantage of where the opposition is weak and plan to counter where the opposition is strong. At the same time, every manager will have his favourite system. The system that he would want to play provided he has the players who he judges are capable of playing effectively in that system. The fans are no different in that respect, except that the manager's player recruitment strategy will be aimed at assembling a group that is capable of playing his favoured system. So what do we think is Lee Johnson's favoured system. Well, one thing we can be certain of is, it will not be 4-4-2. He has no record of playing it because it is weak down the centre of midfield and he has not brought to the club the quality wide players that you ultimately need to make the system a success. That still leaves a lot to chose from but judging from the systems he has used whilst he has been here, it will be 5-3-2 / 3-5-2 or the diamond (4-1-2-1-2) or 4-5-1 / 4-3-3. Personally, I do not like 5-3-2 for reasons that I have stated many times previously, so I have eliminated that system from my personal selection. Of the remaining two systems, my personal choice would be the diamond because I would prefer to see 2 players in attack and I believe the diamond provides the strength down the centre of midfield that is the weakness in the conventional 4-4-2. Of course that means that the full backs must become wing backs in order to provide width to midfield when attacking and this has influenced my choice player at full back. Having selected the system the players that give the team the best balance within that system are: GK - Davies RWB - Bree LWB - George Smith CB - Mawson CB - Nyatanga DM - Pearson * RM - Scowen LM - Hourihane AM - Ryan Williams TM - Michael Smith * ST - Winnall The following substitutes give cover to those selected, but also allow the system to be changed to 4-5-1 / 4-3-3 if necessary. Subs GK - Townsend FB - Wabara CB - Roberts MF - Harris * MF - Crowley * GK - Townsend ST - Watkins * Loanees
Hell play four at the back. Diamond in midfield Pearson scowen hourihane then either crowley or Williams on point Watkins and winnal up top to start
Great post really constructive the only change I would change to that is Wabara for Bree I just think he will deal with Wingers one on one better at present plus the experience element he brings as well plus I would start Watkins at the Side of Smith because just at Present I believe he's due to hit a Purple Patch regards to Goal Scoring I think it would be the wrong time to take him out of the 1st Eleven plus he's Quicker and Stronger than Winnall . Not set in stone because Winnall would come back fighting for his Shirt !! Also don't like the look of your Bench with Townsend on there twice
I don't think you can have enough goalies on the bench and having Townsend twice means that if he was sent off you would be able to bring him on again. Brilliant! Substitute the second Townsend for either Wilkinson * or Rothwell *
Personally I like the idea of the two townsends. You could possibly drop another for a third Townsend really just to be on the safe side. By the way what is a TM? My brain isn't working
As always, great post etc.......I think this thread goes to show the strength in depth we now have and credit to the management team for sticking to their guns and holding out for the players they want to bring in. Interesting to hear LJ say that we had two others nearly over the line but that they want to bigger offers, one abroad. I like your diamond proposal and the player selection but are you now suggesting the Conor and Sam CAN play together. A few days ago you put fwd the argument that they couldn't. So thought provoking as usual but also unusually flawed and inconsistent in that regard. My own personal choice would be: Davies Mawson Roberts Nyatanga Bree. Smith Pearson. Scowen Crowley Smith. Winnall Subs: Townsend (just the one). Wabara. Harris. Watkins. Williams. Wilkinson. Maris. As previously stated......we now have some really positive selection issues.
