Our wingbacks are far too high up the pitch and our wide centre backs don’t know whether to go out and defend the wings or hold their positions in the middle. This means the defence is all over the shop. On one instance yesterday Kitching left the ball over the top thinking Cadden would be covering, only for him to still be in their half sauntering back at a pace that would make Dimitri Cavaré look like Linford Christie. The second is that our midfield contribute nothing going forward. Everything goes through the wingbacks then they put the balls into the box. We’ve got Cole and Dallas in the 6 yard box but nobody backing them up towards the penalty spot. We actually put a number of decent balls in yesterday but no-one was there to knock them in. Oxford were there for the taking yesterday as are most clubs in this league but we won’t beat many defending like we have done in the last 2 games. Massive problems to solve.
That's why I'm sure we'll be having a shift in formation from the 3-5+2.. it's not working Collins likes to attack down the flanks we all know. But he played the slightly different 3-2-3-2 with Tampa.. with 2 holding mids to cover if the wingers got caught to far up the field, which also stopped his centre backs being dragged all over the place.. Ive feeling he like Schopp is being told to play a certain way. That's how we play and that's it.. make it work.. but it's obvious with players we have available at present, it's not working. Wide open at the back, sideways and back in mid-field..and not much service to the forwards... Collins has got to do it his way.. whatever that is. And must tell those above that.
I can’t understand why we persist with 2 up front. When at least one of them is completely ineffective, wouldn’t it make more sense to add another midfielder who might be able to impact the game?
I think it's becoming increasingly clear that our 'wing backs' are wingers. None of them seem particularly comfortable defending. Which then makes moving to a flat back 4 impossible too, as none of them are traditional full backs. In the first game, we had the midfield dropping deep to accept the ball, and helping us transition up the field. They've reverted back to being static, resulting in us either having to go wide, or more often than not, go long.
I've no tactical nous at all but unforced errors as in misplaced passes were responsible for two goals yesterday and I lost count of the number of times we gave the ball away in vulnerable positions only for Oxford to squander the opportunity. Several players were guilty of this and it puts the defence under unnecessary and unexpected pressure because when the wing backs have pushed up we are caught short at the back. The French lad should never have had to make the tackle for the penalty which then unnerved his game, the Oxford move began from a Barnsley mistake. Good players shouldn't be making such mistakes imho
Khaled is one of them, no one could be satisfied with his answers on Friday night and on yesterday's performance number 2 could be collins. He just reminded me of schopp
I was just limiting it to on the field. I’d still be typing if I went through our off field problems.
Agree about our wingbacks, it was the same against Peterborough too. Many times already the opposition have either been countering or simply attacking near the box and our wingbacks are near the halfway line. That combined with the lack of mobility of Kane and Russell in midfield puts a lot of pressure on our 3 centre backs. I know it will never happen because we seem to be set in this formation and have employed a coach who plays it but when Cadden cut in from the right yesterday and fizzed a shot just over, it made me wonder what we’d be like with a front 3 of Devante through the middle, Cadden cutting in from the right and Cotter dribbling on the left. No defensive responsibilities for Cadden and Cotter. Like I said, I know it will never happen and we don’t have a left back for it, I was just temporarily wondering. What we do need to do though is definitely bring the wingbacks back a bit.
I did wonder if he had been given instructions by the board that de Givenchy should start on Saturday. Was he making a point in substituting him in the first half - a way of saying that we need to bring National League and lower overseas league players on slowly before they are ready for the first team? Either way, Collins was making a point of some sort.
I think he substituted him on the basis that anyone with eyes in their head could see he was 5 minutes away from being sent off.
You might be overthinking that buddy. He was substituted as he was a gnats whisker from being sent off, not due to any points scoring exercise with the board.
Said as soon khaled arrived what he would be like. Remember one of is first statements when he said the season we made play offs in championship with ismael it was failure due to lack players sold on to bring investment into club
This, pretty much. And we have two of the three midfielders acting like strikers. It's a nightmare at the moment. But, it's not that far wrong either. Get everyone to retract 20 yard and we'd be winning these games.It needs tweaks, it doesn't need revolution, and I'm convinced in a month or two we'll be there.
