How Long Will BM Last at this rate?????

[MeMeMe]

Real issue here is McD is reliant on the style and core players that won us the Championship. He built a good team to do this and it worked well (with a good dose of luck too), however it is not effective in the Prem and lady luck does not visit much. So we entered with a good Championship team and same tactics, then when we were being beaten changed to five in midfield to shore it up with a big target man up front. Now both 'big target' men are unavailable, so we are limited with what we can do with the team and tactics we have / McD knows.

This season, we are going down. If we sack McD then we lose someone with good Championship knowledge and maybe unsettle a good Championship team. It will be long haul, but what may happen is McD remains and if he gains or fails to gain promotion next season then he will go. No win situation for him now, apart from him retaining our place in the Prem, which will not happen.

[winchester_royal]

Don't agree with either of those bits. We just saw exactly what we were seeing last time we played 4-4-2. Players being game but getting totally over-run in predictable fashion. We could have picked up plenty more points this season if McDermott wasn't out of his depth.

We'd have been better off sticking to 4-5-1 and playing for a draw. Although thanks to McDermott we don't really have the players to make it dangerous. Just as we don't have the players to make 4-4-2 even remotely resilient.

Our squad isn't considerably worse than several others in the league. It's just been mismanaged. It was definitely capable of surviving this season with a fair wind and a credible plan.

We weren't 'over-run'. All of their threat came down the flanks, we kept Gibson and Osman very quiet. 4-5-1 with any of our current strikers not suspended would have given us no goal threat at all. 4-4-2 was the right decision IMO. We've not got the defence to keep a clean sheet at Goodison park, whether we play 4-4-1 or 10-0-0.

I can't think of one squad that ours matches in this league. McDermott has made mistakes this season, but there's no such thing as a perfect manager.

[bracksroyal10]

Tbh I think Mcdermott was quite naive in playing 4-4-2 away against Everton. We should have packed the midfield with Akpan and Legs the two ball winners and physical players to take Fellaini out of the game. Then Guthrie the third man in the middle there to keep the ball and play a more supporting role behind presumably Alfie.

Even if we had done that I still think Everton would have been too strong for us it was just one of those games in my opinion even if Le Fondre's shot had gone in I don't think the story would have been all too different.

[Hoop Blah]

Unfortunately McDermott doesn't really have the options in the squad to play 4-5-1 without Pogrebnyak and so he's left himself a bit snookered if he's unavailable. The Roberts injury is a bit of a hinderence to him really, even if Roberts doesn't like or flourish in 4-5-1, he probably remains the next best option after the big Russian.

McDermott also probably felt he had to play Le Fondre after his impact as a sub during our run of results, but to start him he had to play 4-4-2. Weak management? Perhaps, but keeping the players happy is quite a task and so perhaps it was something he had to do and risk an unlikely result at Goodison for the sake of squad harmony.

The Roberts injury is an interesting one, and reminds me a bit of Glenn Little's struggles with fitness when we were relegated last time round. He's an aging player who's really struggled to shake off an injury (unless you think it's a cover up). The club seem to have failed to resolve it or to cover this weakness in the squad and it's costing us as, despite never looking like scoring, he was an important option for us.

[Sanguine]

Unfortunately McDermott doesn't really have the options in the squad to play 4-5-1 without Pogrebnyak.

Now to me he doesn’t look ready, but from a squad perspective, this should be Blackman, shouldn’t it?

[bracksroyal10]

Unfortunately McDermott doesn't really have the options in the squad to play 4-5-1 without Pogrebnyak.

Now to me he doesn’t look ready, but from a squad perspective, this should be Blackman, shouldn’t it?

This ^

Blackman has pace and the physique to be able to do this and make a nuisance of himself. I also think Mccleary could be given an opportunity up front I am sure that used to be his regular position. If that is the case I think it could work.

[maffff]

Unfortunately McDermott doesn't really have the options in the squad to play 4-5-1 without Pogrebnyak.

Now to me he doesn’t look ready, but from a squad perspective, this should be Blackman, shouldn’t it?

This ^

Blackman has pace and the physique to be able to do this and make a nuisance of himself. I also think Mccleary could be given an opportunity up front I am sure that used to be his regular position. If that is the case I think it could work.

from the little I've seen of him he looks very lightweight and tactically naive to me.... v.Sunderland he made a nuicense of himself by being a bit light and knowing how to get himself brought down (he also seemed a lot less selfish than I expected), v.Stoke he was non-existant, second to every ball and shielded or bullied away from it. I personally think he'd be completely anonymous, he wouldn't know what to do to get the ball or get into the positions to get himself taken out when going for the ball, although might be alright on the few occasions it goes to feet.

It's all experimenting we could do without right now....

[bracksroyal10]

Unless any of our young strikers force their way into the first team grab the opportunity with both hands and make themselves a hero. Obita has been around long enough and has shown he can do it against the PL sides and Samuel's name seems to be popping up a lot recentley.

I will be the first to admit I do not know a great deal about our youngsters but wouldn't it be great to have young homegrown lads fighting for the cause if they were needed. We need more of this playing without fear element within reason.

[Hoop Blah]

Unfortunately McDermott doesn't really have the options in the squad to play 4-5-1 without Pogrebnyak.

Now to me he doesn’t look ready, but from a squad perspective, this should be Blackman, shouldn’t it?

This ^

Blackman has pace and the physique to be able to do this and make a nuisance of himself. I also think Mccleary could be given an opportunity up front I am sure that used to be his regular position. If that is the case I think it could work.

Possibly either of them, or Robson-Kau as was suggested last week. That's still looking for emergency and untried/tested solutions to a pretty forseeable problem (just like the many right wingers we tried to cover for Little as he remained injured for the whole season). It's another lesson the club maybe didn't learn from last time around.

Hunt is probably the one that is most suited to the role, but it seems blindingly obvious that playing him upfront on his own isn't ideal when we're running out of games to get some all important results.

[RockheadRumple]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

[The Prisoner]

IN for being thick and slightly confused by this season's cackfest!

[floyd__streete]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

For me it should be 4-5-1 every week to ensure we are not overrun in midfield given how uncomfortable on the ball too many of our players are. We can't play 4-4-2 at the moment as Hunt and ALF aren't good enough to play that lone role up top, so thank TSI for the lack of quality additions to the forward line in January.

"Taking us to the next LOLeveLOL"

[Maguire]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

For me it should be 4-5-1 every week to ensure we are not overrun in midfield given how uncomfortable on the ball too many of our players are. We can't play 4-4-2 at the moment as Hunt and ALF aren't good enough to play that lone role up top, so thank TSI for the lack of quality additions to the forward line in January.

"Taking us to the next LOLeveLOL"

But if we go 4-5-1 it has to be with a third midfielder who offers something going forward (McAnuff, Guthrie, whoever). Playing Akpan, Leigertwood, and Karacan is going to get us nowhere.

[bracksroyal10]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

4-5-1 - The formation that has kept us in games away from home the majority of the time.

4-4-2 - When we use this from the start of games home and away we seem to very vulnerable .... 4-4-2 at best is a formation for the second half when we are chasing games/goals.

At home it should be 4-5-1 from the start most of the time we have still been in the game using this come half time.

Guthrie, Akpan and Legs in the middle without a doubt and you have a perfect balance in the middle of midfield. We have had and you will see so much more possesion with these guys in the middle as a pose to Jem who is prone to giving away cheap balls a lot of the time.

Pretty sure the majority of our points are as a result of us starting with a 4-5-1 formation even if we do go to 4-4-2 at the end of games. I still think BMD was naive to do it at a team like Everton's ground and if we do it at Old Trafford, we will get torn apart as we simply cannot cope man for man against United's midfield. This is why we need to pack it against the big boys.

For the Villa game I think a 4-5-1 would be a sensible approach to keep us in the game until the last twenty minutes and then if we are only drawing by then, we can revert to 4-4-2 and go for the goal. It is essential psychologically that we send out a message to the other teams around us. QPR will be hitting form between now and the end of the season that win will have given them a huge boost.

A lot of people including the man himself is playing down the importance of games like this he certainly did against Wigan and while it was not the end of the world that we lost, this is without a doubt the game that will make or break our season especially considering any points we get against Liverpool, United and Arsenal will be a bonus. You would assume the teams around us will pick up or point or two over that 3 week period. If the Wigan game is anything to go by then the boys need a reality check to realise how important this game is going to be they cannot afford another performance like that against teams that we will feel we could have got points from. If the same happens again I fear it will be too late and Villa will have the advantage psychologically.

[floyd__streete]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

For me it should be 4-5-1 every week to ensure we are not overrun in midfield given how uncomfortable on the ball too many of our players are. We can't play 4-4-2 at the moment as Hunt and ALF aren't good enough to play that lone role up top, so thank TSI for the lack of quality additions to the forward line in January.

"Taking us to the next LOLeveLOL"

But if we go 4-5-1 it has to be with a third midfielder who offers something going forward (McAnuff, Guthrie, whoever). Playing Akpan, Leigertwood, and Karacan is going to get us nowhere.

Yep, sorry - left that important bit out. You've put it plainly enough, I'd have McAnuff in the middle and HRK deserves a regular starting berth out wide, not least because he is our best hope of a goal from midfield if you examine his record.

[Hoop Blah]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

I think you're confusing the majority with fans of either formation trumping up when the other one hasn't worked.

What I want is a balanced squad that allows the manager to play a number of formations and styles depending on the game or opposition, or even the situation within the game (everyone seems to have forgotten all those points we 'threw away' from leading potisitions earlier in the season). Ideally those formations and styles would focus a lot more on being able to retain possession and create scoring opportunties with a bit of guile and craft as opposed to playing the percentages and feed off scraps from the oppositions mistakes.

I quite like variations of 5 in midfield and it's pretty much the staple diet of most Premier League teams because it allows you more control and flexibility than 4-4-2. I think it's a big failing of the management that we didn't go into the season with a reasonably well working variation of 4-5-1 or the players to play it.

[melonhead]

What the f/ck does everyone actually want then, eh? If we lose playing 4-5-1 then the majority demands 4-4-2, but then we lose playing 4-4-2 and everyone is asking for 4-5-1 again. If you're going to complain at least have some solid f/cking basis for your own actual arguement rather than just being really bloody thick.

I think you're confusing the majority with fans of either formation trumping up when the other one hasn't worked.

What I want is a balanced squad that allows the manager to play a number of formations and styles depending on the game or opposition, or even the situation within the game (everyone seems to have forgotten all those points we 'threw away' from leading potisitions earlier in the season). Ideally those formations and styles would focus a lot more on being able to retain possession and create scoring opportunties with a bit of guile and craft as opposed to playing the percentages and feed off scraps from the oppositions mistakes.

I quite like variations of 5 in midfield and it's pretty much the staple diet of most Premier League teams because it allows you more control and flexibility than 4-4-2. I think it's a big failing of the management that we didn't go into the season with a reasonably well working variation of 4-5-1 or the players to play it.

prettty much agree with all o' that

[Extended-Phenotype]

We can't play 4-5-1 without Pog?

Sorry, what was the January transfer window for? And what was the point in siginng Blackman? Why the f/ck use the transfer window to bring in players we can't use NOW? The summer is for adding to the squad, January is for adding to the team.

It's been hopeless. And what, Guthrie not good enough for the bench? Come on, what the heck is goin on here.

[melonhead]

guthrie is injured/having problems with his pregnancy is the heck that is going on

[Extended-Phenotype]

When asked on BBC Berks why Guthrie didn't travel Brian said he was ommited because "I can only pick 18 players". If he was injured or he has wife probs, why not say that?