Oldham have been playing a diamond midfield this season similar to what we were successfully doing when we had Williams. I'm not usually one for setting up to stop the opposition, but this type of system has to be stopped. When it works it is very hard to deal with, but equally it can collapse on itself. They will have 4 players in a central area in midfield with all their width coming from the full backs. Instead of being "solid" as we were against Port Vale we need to press high and close down any space in that midfield area. If we win the ball early in their attacking moves their full backs will be caught up the pitch leaving space for our wide players. I think Pearson/Scowen is a must in centre midfield tonight with Hourihane in front of them behind Waring. Lalkovic could have a field day if we win the battle in the middle of the pitch.
To stop a diamond, you need to match them and play a diamond. Have we got the players to do that? That would mean the back five staying from Saturday and any top two, depending on how Winnall is doing. Lalkovic would have to be in the attacking hole, Pearson in front of the back four, Hourihane left side and probably Berry on the right hand side unless Scowen can do a job there. Would worry me having no width though
Matching them like for like is basically saying we are going to do what you're doing, but better! With the players we have available I don't think that's sensible. We don't HAVE to match them like for like we just have to make sure that we are doing whatever we are doing better than they are. If we play a high tempo we must win the ball and not chase shadows. If we play wide we must be a threat and peg their full backs back. If we go long the ball must stick in the final 3rd etc etc. When we played the diamond the key was finding space in midfield, which Williams was an expert at. Once we lost him it didn't work. I think Pearson and Scowen can cut out this space and it won't work for Oldham either.
If we do that we may as well throw the towel in and let them have the 3 points. Absolutely no point in playing at home and being worried about stopping the opposition playing. They're not Real Madrid, they're Oldham Athletic. I'd play the team that played against Port Vale apart from I'd start with Winnall and Scowen for Hemmings and Hourihane. Hourihane needs a rest, he's been pretty much ineffective this past couple of months.
I'm not saying we should sit back and plug all the holes, I'm saying if we play a certain way we will be able to hurt them. On Saturday we played a robust team that was sent out to deal with Port Vale's physicality. Oldham offer a completely different threat and I think it is arrogant to ignore that.
Who's suggesting we do that? You always have little cameo roles for players. Doubling up on a tricky little winger, playing M'Voto against any big men etc. There's no way any team doesn't consider the oppositions strengths but it should not counteract it at the expense of your own strengths. Playing Berry, Scowen, Hourihane and Pearson in midfield is minimising our attacking capabilities and handing the initiative to the opposition.
We don't have a left back capable of playing as part of a diamond formation. However, if we're going to accommodate Winnall and Waring how else would we prevent ourselves being overrun in midfield? Plenty to think about for Danny.
