Now this might not be for the easily offended so I will warn you now. Whilst travelling to the game I saw the team and thought ****, he's trying to appease loud mouth amongst the fans. The game starts and it's clear they have control of the midfield. 3 vs 2 only one winner in that department. Winnall needs to learn about positioning and discipline, he drops into areas he just doesn't need to be in. But my attention today was on the middle two. Pearson and Hourihane. Off the ball Hourihane doesn't have a scooby doo in a two. Just no idea. Today I saw a midfielder rush the player from 15 yards away with no pressure on the ball already. Leaving Pearson to cover two positions. Then he just jggs back like hes got all the time in the world. Not good enough. Now Mr Pearson, Hes got a problem when Barnsley have the ball. He just doesn't offer anything to provide an option. Nothing Zilch zero. Mawson or Nyatanga have the ball and he just stands there. He then gets marked and still just stands there. Why doesn't he move and try and offer a option . Even if it's a pass straight back to centre backs they will have chance to change position so that an new option might appear above Pearson. Don't any of them sit at home and actually watch other games? For me they don't. and they fecking should start. Go and Watch what Everton do. Stones might have the ball 4 times in a minute just by doing this but it doesn't matter because he and they are trying to make things happen without just booting the ball in the air. Lloyd Isgrove. Are we trying not to offend Southampton and Manchester United with his and Pearson constant selection. Please don't try and tell the Fans that Digby doesn't have Match awareness when you're picking these two donkeys. This guy gets chance after chance by Johnson and he fecks up chance after chance in and around the box. Our youngster get one chance, if they don't play well we don't see them again for months. I've defended this Head coach a lot but hes starting to make me look a fecking idiot. Lets start and play a simple brand of Football that the players know, like understand and will thrive in. Sorry if this post doesn't fit together and there are Spelling...... mistakes ect but I'm still very angry. Wigan next week though
I'm so disappointed Gordon Owen. It's not a surprised that all teams that do well do similar things well. Similar systems, similar tactics.
Good to hear footballing views on here, instead of the cranks we've had lately. I can't comment on the game, my last game was Blackpool, I nearly fell asleep, I'd rather spend my Saturday afternoons with my toddler now. I'm not ruining his life introducing him to Oakwell.
What brand would that be then? Because unless I'm mistaken we lost 8 on the spin playing a different system and picked up a point today...
Hourihane has played his best football both under Wilson and Johnson in a midfield 2. We have improved immeasurably over the last 3 weeks playing 2 up front after trying other systems that didn't suit the personnel. agree about isgrove and Pearson though.
I'd go and it'll not be popular but with Williams getting back 4231. Williams in the hole . Hammill one side Watkins on the other. Push them up high. Hourihane and someone else in midfield. By pushing the Wingers up high to create one on ones with the full backs you allow the midfielders the space and time on the ball. Be patient and try and create one on ones across the pitch. At the start of the season we played okay in a 433 but very rarely tried the 4231 other than the Everton game when hourihane played wide
Sorry but i'd have to disagree. Sitting in the middle part of the east stand I notice the middle of the pitch a lot and off the ball hes been awful off the ball.
You could substitute that with another name if you wanted. Abbott or Bree can play there although not sure the later would suit a more defensive role in midfield.
The 3 goals in 4 games since moving into a 2 might tend not to back you up. Off the ball he needs to remain switched on at the same time it's why you employ a negative defensive player like Pearson.
Can't he still shoot if we change system? It would allow him to move through the game more if we could control the game more and build pressure. In a two hes got to be deeper.
Was he getting into advanced forward positions when we did. Err no. We have tried other systems they have failed miserably. I'm no 4-4-2 traditionalist I'd prefer a variation of 5-3-2 myself. We do not have the personnel to do this as shown by the miserable performances prior to selecting 2 wingers. The last 4 games have been a massive improvement.