I havent seen to much of the team this season and still dont feel compelled to return after 3 seasons. But i had the chance last night on TV. What strikes me is there seems to be no identity or plan in how we play. We look like a set of 11 lads picked and put on a field to do their own thing. I saw no defined or repeated patterns of play, although we did lump it into touch from the keeper a lot. Players were a great distance apart in their formations. We dont look like a high press or high energy team and our sitting back seemed to be through lack of ideas rather than design. People criticised Val’s style but it was absolutely clear what our plan was. We will have to rebuild next season probably with less resources. I would normally see that as good for once but I'm not sure we have a plan upstairs than can be translated to the pitch.
I said very similar to the bloke I sit with second game of the season. It is this year in a nutshell for me. We are a side (I didn't say 'team' on purpose) who seem to have been sent out with an instruction not to give the ball away and that's that, nothing else. No-one will convince me that something catastrophic hasn't gone off in the dressing room this year either. The lack of cohesion we've shown has to have more to it, it can't just be 11 weak characters because some were far, far better last year. It's been a proper 'kick in the balls' season, we've gone immeasurably backwards and the next managerial appointment is absolutely crucial to arrest the slide.
it is why I loved Val (and Duff) a very clear game plan, all players tuned into it. rather than wasting money on numerous players the best thing we can do is spend money on the manager - it makes an enormous difference. we have far too many players and lack identity
I do think Collins had a plan. It was just a really badly executed one, which had become embarrassingly easy for just about any team in League 1 to play against.
Collins wanted to play 5-3-2 but we didn’t have enough defenders to allow Williams to play right wingback. Cadden is way off the pace.
I think the game plans been clear all season. Possession football without the game getting stretched to protect against our weaknesses. The problem is that since the Lincoln game especially, sides have realised that they we haven’t got the legs or physicality to cope with a high paced game. If you put it on us we can’t cope & the ball has to go long. People are talking on here like it’s some kind of tactic to go long to Cole & McAtee but it’s not it’s just because teams aren’t giving our better footballers like Kane, Connell & Earl time on the ball. Kane was dictating games for 2/3rds of the season & Earl had all the time in the world when he first came to us. Now teams just press them both & kill our attacks before they start.
