Barnsley bottom of the league.....

I agree, but our lack of goalscoring very rarely gives our players anything to defend.

I think he was right in looking for a goalscorer first and hopefully he's got one in Tudgay. Now we just need to start scoring first...

 

Let's be reight, we have problems at both ends of the pitch. If we concede a corner or the opposition lump one in to the box from either wing we're in all sorts of trouble. Going forward we neither create enough chances or score enough goals.

At the back we're susceptible to crosses, but neither the full backs nor the midfield players do enough to stop crosses coming in. Wide players like Mellis and Noble-Lazarus offer little cover, or if we play the diamond, the full backs are expected to provide the width going forward and are often stranded up field when the opposition counter attack leaving their wingers all the space in the world to get decent balls in to the box.

Up front I don't think there's anything wrong at all with Davies and Tudgay, but the style of play means the ball is never played in to them earlier enough. We dilly dally on the ball in defence and midfield and allow the opposition to get everyone back in position. And we've no width. Wide players, who always appear to be played on the wrong flank, cut inside instead of getting down the wing and delivering crosses.

The way we play is a recipe for disaster. We're too slow with the ball and we surrender the width of the field to the opposition. Beating us is simple. Get everyone behind the ball to stop us playing and break with pace down the wings. That's pretty much what everyone since the Birmingham game has done, the majority with a fair degree of success.

 

Good post Jay, I'd say that was a very fair and very accurate assessment of our weaknesses and the way we play.

 

Spot on.

 

The same Tudgay that won't be staying? Do doubts pissed off at carring the last two defeats despiet scoring and he probably upset Keef saying if we got more crosses in we'd score more.

The style of play causes us not to score, it is as simple as that.

 

Agree with that to some extent.

We do pass it sideways too much, we do dwell on the ball a little too much too. But I think the whole point and strategy of the way we've set up to play is to create a style that'll last. I remember a few years ago Swansea were doing something similar - difference being (and I know it's a massive difference) they were winning games 1-0 rather than losing. Wigan are doing it now in the Prem.

The key difference between this year and our good form last year is the system - we used to play with wide men and remember plenty of goals (some of my favourite from last year - Gray v Hull I think where Doyle played a 50 yard pass to O'Brien who crossed for Gray and O'Brien to Done v Blackpool after Butterfield played a perfect pass through their defence) that came from crosses. Even Mellis this year v Bristol. But we've been playing too narrow - we got lucky in that system worked earlier in the season when he had little alternative considering all his wingers were injured but it doesn't now. He even mentioned himself the other day that we need to get the ball into the box and mix it up.

But, after all that I still enjoy watching us, knowing we're trying to do the right way and build slowly and play football properly. That's why I'm never too downhearted by results - I've convinced (or been convinced/expectations lowered) misen that it's the right thing in the long term. Could be wrong but that's why I think we need to keep Hill. He's trying to put a style to us that we've not really seen in over a decade. And it takes time when you're not throwing money at it. But at the minute, I don't think he

I'd go back to 4-5-1, I'd sacrifice Davies because Tudgay is a better target man and go back to getting balls into the box but still keeping it on the floor, dawdling or no dawdling.

 

Pedestrian is my adjective.
We have lacked the influence of Perkins, and more importantly Butterfield.
Mellis may have the goals and assists to back him up, but he's a passenger far too often, and isn't like our former Jacob, who alongside Perks set our tempo last term.
And Dyson, your faith is admirable.

 

Idiotic.

 

Admirable.
And trust me, I will still be KING KEITH'ing it on the 15th at Oakwell.
I am still behind him. Give him a bit more time is my motto. Unfortunately, I have no faith in him turning it around. Which GUTS me.