The team is finally evolving

[sucatraps]

We still have the opportunity of buying a team captain, playmaking/breaking midfield master, in the mould of say:- Thomas Gravesen, but younger if possible please Sir Steve? Teamed with the creativity we already have or are developing would be a masterstroke!

[Uke]

Can we please stop all this exciting talk about the team having a bright future - this is the Team Board and such talk is of course frowned upon!

[Coppelled Streets]

Can we please stop all this exciting talk about the team having a bright future - this is the Team Board and such talk is of course frowned upon!

And the reality is we wont spend much again this summer.

[Uke]

Can we please stop all this exciting talk about the team having a bright future - this is the Team Board and such talk is of course frowned upon!

And the reality is we wont spend much again this summer.

because we don't actually need to spend much to achieve the primary goal of Prem survival and financial viability.

LOL at anyone even contemplating dusting off passports or booking Wembley tickets.

My RTGs = Realistically Tinted Glasses

[bobbybottler]

It isn't just the team personnel that has evolved, it's the playing style.

I'm going to generalise now: In the Championship season, with Sidwell in the team, the outlet ball from defence would be up to Kitson dropping short who would then feed the wings, or more realistically the unmarked full-backs who would then drive the ball forward. Attacks would then be built up on the flanks while the strikers and at least one central midfielder (most usually Sidwell) would get far forward, often beyond the front two. Last season, this pattern was again in place, but in the extended absence of Kitson it'd be Doyle who'd drop short (with Lita staying distant trying to find space between a centre-back and a full-back).

Now Sidwell has gone, and we finally have a quality replacement, the playing style looks to have changed to follow suite. What I see happening now is a subtle change - Marek is the outlet ball from defence, everything going forward goes through him. He seems to draw the wingers into play directly without passing to the full-backs. This in turn means that Hunt and Oster are receiving the ball when not necessarily running at full tilt, they then pass and move. This seems to suit Oster just fine but Hunt is less suited to this more measured approach. Hunt seems to be most influential when the play is less structured and he can use his outstanding fitness to full effect.

IMO the problem at the start of the season wasn't solely down to trying to bed new individuals in, it was trying to play to a Sidwell-era tempo without having the players to do it. We still haven't got the players to do it, but we're playing a slightly different way now, and the results have improved a bit. I'd also argue that having this slower tempo, with the emphasis on wingers passing and moving rather than beating players and getting to the by-line as quickly as possible, means that even if Little was fully fit I'd still pick Oster ahead of him.

There you go, just opinions, no insults, please feel free to pick holes.

[PEARCEY]

The way I see it we're ok at centreback, I still have faith Sonks will pull it together.

We have: Ivar, Bikey, Sonko, Cisse, Pearce - I'd ditch Bennett and Duberry

Ideally I'd like to see Fed go on loan somewhere he might get a games and bring in a new keeper to compete with Marcus for first spot.

Fullbacks I'm hoping Shorey stays, Rosenior and of course Murty for his experience. If Golbourne isn't doing anything I'd probably hold onto DLC for cover at LB. Otherwise unfortunately I think it might be bye byes.

Wingers: Little, Hunt, Convey & Oster. We really need a new quality right winger. Henry to go back out on loan or released.

Midfield: Harper, Matejovski, maybe Fae and a new box to box attacker. Cisse and Oster providing a little depth, maybe Karacan coming through. Thanks but time to move on to Bryn.

Strikers: Kitson, Doyle -- goodbye Lita and Long on loan. Which means we need one young up coming talent and a bigger more experienced striker too.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

I would not let Long go out on loan. He has made an impact more than he is given credit for. Winning a free kick against Brum on Saturday that led to the second goal was another example of his input. He is great to come off he bench and at some stage deserves a decent run in the side and not just a couple of games.

[chilipepper91]

The way I see it we're ok at centreback, I still have faith Sonks will pull it together.

We have: Ivar, Bikey, Sonko, Cisse, Pearce - I'd ditch Bennett and Duberry

Ideally I'd like to see Fed go on loan somewhere he might get a games and bring in a new keeper to compete with Marcus for first spot.

Fullbacks I'm hoping Shorey stays, Rosenior and of course Murty for his experience. If Golbourne isn't doing anything I'd probably hold onto DLC for cover at LB. Otherwise unfortunately I think it might be bye byes.

Wingers: Little, Hunt, Convey & Oster. We really need a new quality right winger. Henry to go back out on loan or released.

Midfield: Harper, Matejovski, maybe Fae and a new box to box attacker. Cisse and Oster providing a little depth, maybe Karacan coming through. Thanks but time to move on to Bryn.

Strikers: Kitson, Doyle -- goodbye Lita and Long on loan. Which means we need one young up coming talent and a bigger more experienced striker too.

Those are my thoughts anyway.

I would not let Long go out on loan. He has made an impact more than he is given credit for. Winning a free kick against Brum on Saturday that led to the second goal was another example of his input. He is great to come off he bench and at some stage deserves a decent run in the side and not just a couple of games.

Indeed, and his pace nearly got us a 3rd.

[Royal Rother]

Although many of us felt he was a bit slow giving him an extended opportunity, Coppell's softly softly approach with Bikey has worked very well and I would imagine that Long is probably only an injury to Doyle or Kitson to getting a similar chance to establish himself. Hopefully because he has not been over-exposed too early in his development he will be big, strong and good enough to rise to the challenge when it arises.

I thought he was excellent against Brum and although his final ball can be very suspect, considering how late he started in football, and how much he had to learn when he came here, his development has been amazing. Next year could be his year!

[Archie's penalty]

It isn't just the team personnel that has evolved, it's the playing style.

I'm going to generalise now: In the Championship season, with Sidwell in the team, the outlet ball from defence would be up to Kitson dropping short who would then feed the wings, or more realistically the unmarked full-backs who would then drive the ball forward. Attacks would then be built up on the flanks while the strikers and at least one central midfielder (most usually Sidwell) would get far forward, often beyond the front two. Last season, this pattern was again in place, but in the extended absence of Kitson it'd be Doyle who'd drop short (with Lita staying distant trying to find space between a centre-back and a full-back).

Now Sidwell has gone, and we finally have a quality replacement, the playing style looks to have changed to follow suite. What I see happening now is a subtle change - Marek is the outlet ball from defence, everything going forward goes through him. He seems to draw the wingers into play directly without passing to the full-backs. This in turn means that Hunt and Oster are receiving the ball when not necessarily running at full tilt, they then pass and move. This seems to suit Oster just fine but Hunt is less suited to this more measured approach. Hunt seems to be most influential when the play is less structured and he can use his outstanding fitness to full effect.

IMO the problem at the start of the season wasn't solely down to trying to bed new individuals in, it was trying to play to a Sidwell-era tempo without having the players to do it. We still haven't got the players to do it, but we're playing a slightly different way now, and the results have improved a bit. I'd also argue that having this slower tempo, with the emphasis on wingers passing and moving rather than beating players and getting to the by-line as quickly as possible, means that even if Little was fully fit I'd still pick Oster ahead of him.

There you go, just opinions, no insults, please feel free to pick holes.

Excellent analysis BB. I disagree about a certain Glen Little though! I think I prefer the all-action style we had with Sidwell in there but the introduction of Matejovsky (and the more subtle approach he has brought us) has helped the team to stabilise after the initial shaky post-Sidwell period.

One of the best threads I've seen on here for a while btw!

Hands up who would take Sidwell back now?

[Hampshire Royal]

Agreed!!

[winchester_royal]

We have an exciting batch of youngsters at the moment....so big money does not have to be spent

A new winger and a new striker is needed but apart from that not a lot else

Marek is looking a superb buy and i still have faith fae will come through.....so no new cm needed atm

[winchester_royal]

I am going to risk the wrath of some on this board and say that i would rather have matejovsky in the team than sidwell

[Smoking Kills Dancing Doe]

I am going to risk the wrath of some on this board and say that i would rather have matejovsky in the team than sidwell

I think Sid gave us a little more balance.

Marek with the right players around him could have a far bigger impact than Sid.

Different players, but certainly think Marek has the potential. Just imagine when he's settled in fully and has had a proper English pre season under him....

[Archie's penalty]

I am going to risk the wrath of some on this board and say that i would rather have matejovsky in the team than sidwell

I think Sid gave us a little more balance.

Marek with the right players around him could have a far bigger impact than Sid.

Different players, but certainly think Marek has the potential. Just imagine when he's settled in fully and has had a proper English pre season under him....

A mouth-watering prospect no doubt about it!

[royals pete]

I am going to risk the wrath of some on this board and say that i would rather have matejovsky in the team than sidwell

I think Sid gave us a little more balance.

Marek with the right players around him could have a far bigger impact than Sid.

Different players, but certainly think Marek has the potential. Just imagine when he's settled in fully and has had a proper English pre season under him....

A mouth-watering prospect no doubt about it!

Marek totally different player to Sids, in fact more classy in some respects. I think he will become a BIG player for us. But what bothers me with this board is that if we let people suggest other players to bring in, the flood will start on the likes of Nugent. Don't want him, leave way ahead to Coppell.

[Vision]

It isn't just the team personnel that has evolved, it's the playing style.

I'm going to generalise now: In the Championship season, with Sidwell in the team, the outlet ball from defence would be up to Kitson dropping short who would then feed the wings, or more realistically the unmarked full-backs who would then drive the ball forward. Attacks would then be built up on the flanks while the strikers and at least one central midfielder (most usually Sidwell) would get far forward, often beyond the front two. Last season, this pattern was again in place, but in the extended absence of Kitson it'd be Doyle who'd drop short (with Lita staying distant trying to find space between a centre-back and a full-back).

Now Sidwell has gone, and we finally have a quality replacement, the playing style looks to have changed to follow suite. What I see happening now is a subtle change - Marek is the outlet ball from defence, everything going forward goes through him. He seems to draw the wingers into play directly without passing to the full-backs. This in turn means that Hunt and Oster are receiving the ball when not necessarily running at full tilt, they then pass and move. This seems to suit Oster just fine but Hunt is less suited to this more measured approach. Hunt seems to be most influential when the play is less structured and he can use his outstanding fitness to full effect.

IMO the problem at the start of the season wasn't solely down to trying to bed new individuals in, it was trying to play to a Sidwell-era tempo without having the players to do it. We still haven't got the players to do it, but we're playing a slightly different way now, and the results have improved a bit. I'd also argue that having this slower tempo, with the emphasis on wingers passing and moving rather than beating players and getting to the by-line as quickly as possible, means that even if Little was fully fit I'd still pick Oster ahead of him.

There you go, just opinions, no insults, please feel free to pick holes.

Interesting post. Taking aside the Little/Oster bit there's an awful lot of truth in what you say.

My worry in general though is that despite an attempt at a more subtle approach and the undoubted ability that Matejovsky possesses that cold hard facts are that its not actually providing us with goals (or indeed that many opportunities ) from open play.

Lets face it our goals since the turn of the year off the top of my head are a Nicky Shorey free kick, a quick counter attack in the last minute from Hunt leading to Harps goal at Boro, Doyle chasing a hopeful flick on from Long and battling to create the chance, Kitson's fine individual effort after a quickly taken free kick, Ditto Matejovsky at Liverpool and Bikey 2 goals from set pieces against Brum. Not much in the way of creativity from open play there so the jury is still very much out as far as I'm concerned.

However in keeping with the sentiment of the original post it has to be said that to change a style of play and have immediate success during an ongoing season, in particular during a relegation battle is asking an awful lot. I've said all along that our success is built on buying in players that can be moulded into a unit that understands the way we do things. This of course means that it is very rare anyone will come in and (even if given the opportunity) and have an immediate impact. Its taken a little while for various reasons but Rosenior Bikey & IMO Cisse all appear to have what it takes to be a success here after a bedding in period.

If we do survive this season then i'm quite excited about what Matejovsky and this new style will offer us next season with a full pre-season of preparation behind us. Equally i suspect that if Fae is prepared to knuckle down I've no doubt he has the technical ability to have an impact next season in this new style.

[Royal Rother]

I think you've raised and answered your own question re MM. His input is not producing goals from open play yet but he is bedding in with the team and vice versa. His more subtle approach does require the attackers to be consistently on the same wavelength and that doesn't happen overnight.

Next season we should see the real fruits.

I don't really know why I bothered posting that as it's exactly what you just said. Ho hum...

[MartinRdg]

I would like to see Bobby Convey sold, since promotion his contribution has been of little to note, and is prone to injuries. I'm sure we could recoup our transfer fee paid out again. He'll be at the end of his 4th season this summer and has he lived up to the hype and ability, probably not.

I seem to remember an interview with him where he said the knee injury was the first major injury he's had. I wouldn't say he is prone to injuries just that his knee has never been right since the injury. I think he could still come good.

[papereyes]

BB has it pretty much right, I reckon. There was also the issue that we didn't have the same quality in midfield - with Sidwell, his energy and, I dunno, aggression meant that the midfield did a lot of defending while the attacks went down the wing. Losing Sidwell meant that the midfield did a lot less breaking up of other teams attacks and we conceded a lot more goals. Just having that extra pace and bite in midfield meant that opposition counter attacks could be interrupted way earlier.

So we lost Sidwell and there were real issues with the midfield.

I think we also lost something wide. We have not really had a right winger and this has hurt us at times as well. Players have been squeezed in to play there and, certainly earlier in the season, this had a large effect on how we were playing, especially with midfield having its own problems.

The team needed to evolve, so muh was obvious from very early on this season. I am very glad signs of this change have started now, rather than later.

[79Royal]

Losing Sidwell was one thing and yes, we did lose bite in midfield, but IMO, the bggest loss has been Little. His ability to put in a decent cross from out of nothing, the way he can hold onto the ball for valuable seconds allowing the strikers to get into the box (as opposed to Hunt's head down and run style), the way he keeps the full back pinned in their own half and his willingness to defend have all been major factors in our poor form this season.

Sidwell underpinned the team and as someone mentioned, he would break up play either by a good tackle or giving away a free kick in the opposition's half. Litte though was the one area of real creative quality we had in the team and the lack of that this season has been immeasurable.

The propect of Marek and Little in the same side is mouth watering and I do think that Oster would be a capable backup to that partnership. If we could just teach Harper how to tackle and get Hunt to look up occaisionally, we'd be a really good attacking force again.