With this manager and group of players

nezbfc · Dec 28, 2014

Red Rain said: ↑

When most posters begin to assemble a dream team, they simply fill in the gaps around the players they see as an established base. My problem with this method is that one of the players who would appear in most teams is the player who I see as a huge issue for the balance of the team. Connor Hourihane is that player. There is no doubt that he contributes more going forward than any other player, and yet his lack of work ethic when out of possession, his lack of a real feel for the defensive side of the mid-field game and his poor tackling are a huge problem for us defensively. For most contributors on here, his positive contribution when we are in possession means that he is exempt from criticism when we are out of possession, but for me, he is the biggest issue when talking about the balance of the team. If we intend to build a team around him that is capable of being promoted, then his playing position on the field is the first problem that has to be solved. If this conundrum cannot be solved he should be sold and the cash generated from the sale used in team building.

Solving the problem of Hourihane will give us the system for the rest of the team. To be honest, I do not know what that system will be until I can clearly see how Hourihane should be used, but what I am sure of is that playing him on the left of midfield is not working, just as playing Berry on the right side of midfield is not working. As you know, I have likened the Hourihane problem that faces Danny Wilson to the Butterfield problem that faced Keith Hill when he first came to the club. Keith Hill solved the problem by playing Jacob at the head of midfield in a 4-4-1-1 system and there is a temptation to try to solve the Hourihane problem in exactly the same way. However, that will give us another problem, because I do not think that Winnall can fit into that system as the target man. He is just not strong enough to control the ball and hold off the central defenders until support arrives. A second problem is that we do not currently seem to have the type of quick, workaholic winger to play in that system.

Given the problem of solving the balance problem created by Hourihane using 4-4-1-1, is there any other system that might offer us a better solution. I have not seen Williams yet, but just as I speculated before Trotta arrived on the qualities I thought ideal for a new forward recruit, I will speculate on the qualities that I feel that we need in a new right back. In the way that the modern game is played, the full back position is virtually an additional midfield player. He must have a good engine, he must be an excellent passer and of course he must be able to defend. A full back with all of these qualities, with special emphasis on the good engine can become a wing back. In my view, we have three central defenders who can play the wing back system, two markers and Cranie to read the game and pass the ball out of defence. The system also gives the team two forwards, although we still need a target man to pair with Winnall and Cole becomes no more than an impact substitute, which in my view is a shame. Unfortunately, the system requires 3 workaholic passers in central midfield, and that is where it all falls down in my opinion.

To summarise, I cannot see how the balance issue can be solved and for all his positive qualities, I believe that Hourihane is the problem at the core of the issue. Thank goodness that I am not manager eh.
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I think that is a fair shout. But until we have tried him with a (dare I say it) Dawson "type" player at the side or just behind him we can't really say if it is just conner who is the problem. The main point you already discuss is that we don't have any body in midfield who can offer that grit. (Well maybe jennings can to some extent but he is liable to a silly tackle and red card when he is most effective at other things)

With this manager and group of players

nezbfc Well-Known Member

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With this manager and group of players

nezbfc Well-Known Member

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