We need to revert back to playing 4-4-2. I cannot recall us being successful playing any other way. Despite this we persist in trying to play another way! Either a 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1, 4-4-1-1 or other. Generally with a lone striker and packed out midfield. Invariably with the extra man in the midfield we look comfortable in possession and dink the ball about but to no effect, because the 5' 9" headless chicken up top isn't a target man and doesn't get the service. As a result, we have possession but fail to make it count. Keep it simple. If it aint broke don't fix it as they say. My words of Wisdom for tonight!
Got to play a system that suits the players we have. At the moment 4-4-2 leaves us wide open when out of possession and he would end up having to play central midfield players wide, as he tried and failed miserably at Bristol. Reason we are struggling is that the other teams are better than us, have played together as a team for longer and know their jobs - clear Hecky knows what he wants and a couple of players with experience in the spine of the team will make a big difference....don't have to be old either....Gardner at Villa has played a lot of championship games and would be a good signing.
Yes you need to match the system to the players - Not sure 4-4-2 is the best system for our current squad at present - and more importantly neither is Hecky. But the OP said he couldnt recall us being successful with any other system. We did OK in the mid '90's with a different system (and players)
Yes you do need the players for it and I don't think out current midfield has the experience to cope with 4-4-2 but I'd like to see two of Bradshaw, Thiam and Ugbo play together and drop one of the midfielders we're currently carrying. 4-5-1 has seen us have midfielders struggle and would mean only one of Bradshaw, Thiam and Ugbo play at any one time.
and your point is? i know we've been successful playing 442. the OP stated he couldn't recall us being successful other than playing 442, i pointed out we had been.
If you want to play 4-4-2 with wingers as previously stated as an aim by the owner and last 2 coaches, then you have to recruit into it. Simple fact is we haven't and Hecky is now realising that you can't always 'coach' natural instincts out of players and has had to adapt the system.....we have a choice, replace those we have brought in or play a system that suits them....would be a shame if we did not realise the talents of the likes of Moncur and McGeehan by freeing them up to get forward....trouble is it means playing one up front or abandoning the wingers and playing wing-backs. I think we have seen how Hourihane adapted (though to me it still stifled him) and we think we can do the same with Moncur (sorry but I don't think that is going to happen and yet he could be our key player if given more freedom).
I haven`t seen all the games as some have (home only) but from what I`ve deduced so far a lot of our defensive problems seem to come from wide areas where the opposition seem to get a lot of time and possession. Everyone likes to see full backs bombing forward and being comfortable on the ball (McCarthy) but first and foremost I want my full backs to defend. In equal measure I like us playing with two wingers but then they have to work backwards as well as forwards especially in a 4 man midfield. We`ve had some of this from Adam this season but much as I`ve liked the promise of Hedges he needs to work harder for his full back. I think that`s where we miss Isgrove. I also think that Pearson shows great promise but in the game against Forest particularly in the first half he gave far too much time and space to the opposition. We`ve proved before that 442 works even for us in this league but it takes a tremendous amount of hard work to make it happen. Work in progress I suppose.
