That talent would flourish in a solid system with structure. When he’s played well it’s almost been in spit of out setup rather than because of it.
There is often a lack of movement ahead of them, but I think Kitchen and particularly Moon are very hesitant when looking for a forward pass. What won't get mentioned is that Jordan Williams' pace was a real asset yesterday, and often allowed the centre halves to be more direct. But then again, Benson misplaced a pass yesterday and a bloke near me blamed Williams for it.
Probably a fair comment. Given his lack of physicality I can’t see any situation where we can carry him in a midfield 2. We need to switch to a 3 so someone else can do the running and tackling and lose either a centre half or a forward.
None of us here are employed full time in football so maybe I’m miles off, but I’ll never understand why the aim wasn’t to get Benson, Gomes and Styles in to a midfield three with Palmer as a back up option and fighting it out for a start. Variety, numbers, balance. We’ve never tried it once but it seems like such an obvious thing to do.
Williams’ pace is always a positive attribute. But with ten right footers in the Starting XI yesterday for every positive aspect his pace brought, cutting inside to someone else who also wanted to cut inside ruined good opportunities. We had more impetus once Styles came on without really looking like we a plan or control, and that was mainly just down to adding balance.
I don’t understand it. We are outnumbered and outmuscled in midfield every week and lack drive and creativity
I’ve never known in my lifetime, I don’t think, us so regularly setup in a way that you know we’re making it easier for the opposition. I’ve obviously known us just not be good enough for long spells, but always with at least a plan or a desire to be setup to compete.
I was saying something similar yesterday. I’ve seen us good, bad and indifferent but never seen us defeated before we even kick a ball often without a whimper. We give the opposition control of the game and they just overun us in the centre. Even on the worst of days in the worst of seasons I’ve gone with hope now I assume we will lose. The set up is all wrong.
All this negativity towards Benson, but I think it's Gomes who's nowhere to be seen most of the time. Lots of pointing by Gomes with no end product when he gets the ball (other than a 5 yard pass backwards)
That’s one of the reasons I think we need a really strong willed, focused, manager to come in. I don’t automatically mean we need a Warnock/McCarthy type, I just mean someone that’s got their plan, will implement their plan, and ignore almost everything that’s gone before them. Someone that is fine with our own plan off the field (recruitment and thought process wise) but knows exactly how to use the tools to set up the team to be solid and get the best out of the players. I know that’s a little bit ‘beige’ as every team wants that, but if anyone appears indecisive or forgiving in the interview process we should rule them out instantly. These players need to be categorically told what their role is and how to do it - that’s how young players develop.
But we were far more exposed to the counter attack. Callum pushed forward and left huge great empty avenues behind him for Hull to exploit, which they did. Not that I'm blaming Callum, the system is clearly pants. When we played a wing back system that actually worked we had Matty Appleby as a sweeper who would go out to the wings to cover, on both sides, when Eaden or Barnard/Thompson marauded forward. And we had Shez/Bosancic/Tinkler who watched the game from a deep lying midfield position and actually evaluated the game, moving to where the cover was required. We've none of that now. Our wing backs go forward and no one covers the space behind them, or even attempts to, because that's not part of the plan, the plan is to just leave it empty and presumably hope no one exploits it, which, unfortunately, they do, and score against us is the same manner every week, or, as the case was with Hull, we get lucky and they hit the post and Collins produces a worldy to prevent it being 4. They tactics are so bad and so ill thought out it's scary. Unless every week in every passage of play every player completely ignores what they're supposed to be doing, but I don't believe that.
Gomes was poor yesterday but he had to do the running and challenging for both him and Benson. His game is tidying up and playing it simple. Again points to needing 3 in midfield to get the most out of that.
I remember at Bolton when everyone was drooling over him, my takeaway from the game was the couple of challenges he clearly bottled. Maybe I’ve had a downer on him since and being a bit one eyed, but I think he’s awful. We’re playing a midfield 2 consisting of a lad who’s about 4 stone wet through and a guy who sh1ts out of tackles. Hull are a poor side but they cut through us like they were PSG. Agree with many on here who would like to try a 3. For me Gomes would sit and Styles and Palmer would start until Benson grows a pair and actually looks like he wants to be here.
I don't think that's beige. That's what we've usually had. Well, any manager that has been half-way decent has done that and even some that I didn't rate.
We were chasing the game so I can understand Callum being given license to roam forward, but the cover should be there as the defensive shape should understand their instructions and act as a cover - with the midfield like you mentioned. Spot on with everything you say.
I meant ‘beige’ as in stating the obvious or being par for the course with every appointment at every club. I just think right now that strong willed has got to be at the top of the characteristics we need with the appointment
I know that's his game but he did very little running and challenging yesterday. I thought he'd been subbed at one point
Just think he was knackered by half time having to do all the running and tackling in midfield while Benson fannied around losing the ball and refusing to run. But definitely not Gomes best game yesterday.
