Tactics

[moonwalklikebas]

Winning at chelsea - Brings on a striker - Lost that game
Fulham - Same scenario - Draw
Newcastle - Same scenario - Draw

Winning by two goals against and Arsenal side who dominated the second half and nearly got their 3rd on 4 or 5 chances. He brings on the saviour Mcanuff, Poggers and Church. If he took of ledge (Who looked shagged after 75) and brought someone on to calm the tempo we would have won.

But his persistence in bringing on strikers to 'win games' Is not working.

This isnt a dig at Mcdermott but his desire is costing us, his loyalty to players is costing us (Go on Churchy get 5 minutes, oh crap they have scored)

Just dont understand it and last night was not good enough, changes were wrong at the wrong time.

[TBM]

As i said previously - 4-2 with 2 mins of the 90 to go and you take off Roberts and replace him with Church, another striker. IF he had got Pearce on there and played him in a back 5, then i don't think we would have conceded the corner for the 3rd goal which would have meant we didn't concede the 4th

[MouldyRoyal]

The way I see it is that our direct, straight attacking style is good for scoring, but we have no viable mechanism for controlling a game when we're leading. We seek to do what we did last year, absorb pressure and counter-act but that doesn't work when teams have vastly better forwards. We're always allowing teams a route back into games.

This seems to be coupled with our lack of ability against pace. Of course, last night's opposition will be one of the quickest we face, but I've got to wonder about Brian's tactics against such strike forces. He was actively pushing up the defence and trying to play with a high-line last night. This just seemed allow their midfield to play weighted through balls into the acres of space behind our defence and watch as Walcott and Arshavin run onto them.

We also seem to have problems with players who sit in the hole between midfield and our defence, like Berbatov last week. We're not sure whether our midfield should drop back (and get awfully squashed and compressed) or a CB should step up (leaving more space to play balls behind).

I'm sure I'll be accused of hyperbole and knee-jerking by most nobbers (Dirkers et al.) because I levying criticism. Honestly, not my intention and the above are things that have been apparent in recent games not just last night. There are problems that need sorting, if there weren't, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now.

[Vision]

The way I see it is that our direct, straight attacking style is good for scoring, but we have no viable mechanism for controlling a game when we're leading. We seek to do what we did last year, absorb pressure and counter-act but that doesn't work when teams have vastly better forwards. We're always allowing teams a route back into games.

This seems to be coupled with our lack of ability against pace. Of course, last night's opposition will be one of the quickest we face, but I've got to wonder about Brian's tactics against such strike forces. He was actively pushing up the defence and trying to play with a high-line last night. This just seemed allow their midfield to play weighted through balls into the acres of space behind our defence and watch as Walcott and Arshavin run onto them.

We also seem to have problems with players who sit in the hole between midfield and our defence, like Berbatov last week. We're not sure whether our midfield should drop back (and get awfully squashed and compressed) or a CB should step up (leaving more space to play balls behind).

I'm sure I'll be accused of hyperbole and knee-jerking by most nobbers (Dirkers et al.) because I levying criticism. Honestly, not my intention and the above are things that have been apparent in recent games not just last night. There are problems that need sorting, if there weren't, we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now.

Well I'm one of those that's accusing others of knee jerking but there's nothing in what you've said there that isn't an actual issue for is in general and not just from last night alone. We'll never know for sure of course but McAnuff in the middle of midfield for a forward after an hour and I'm pretty sure sure we'd have won that game in 90 mins.

The thing is though that we're at the top level now with players who can hurt you if they're on form. But we need to help ourselves by cutting out the basic mistakes and by shoring up the midfield when necessary. I do hope McD isn't put off the idea of using a 5 man midfield by the Spurs debacle or any issues he may have with Guthrie.

[Snowball]

If we DO go 4-5-1 I think Roberts is a much better bet than Pog

[Royal Biscuitman]

As i said previously - 4-2 with 2 mins of the 90 to go and you take off Roberts and replace him with Church, another striker. IF he had got Pearce on there and played him in a back 5, then i don't think we would have conceded the corner for the 3rd goal which would have meant we didn't concede the 4th

I have a sick feeling that the manager only took Roberts off so that he'd get a standing ovation - He was causing them all sorts of bother, even if he was knackered leaving him on would have caused them to worry about his presence.

[ManchesterRoyals]

Winning at chelsea - Brings on a striker - Lost that game
Fulham - Same scenario - Draw
Newcastle - Same scenario - Draw

Winning by two goals against and Arsenal side who dominated the second half and nearly got their 3rd on 4 or 5 chances. He brings on the saviour Mcanuff, Poggers and Church. If he took of ledge (Who looked shagged after 75) and brought someone on to calm the tempo we would have won.

But his persistence in bringing on strikers to 'win games' Is not working.

This isnt a dig at Mcdermott but his desire is costing us, his loyalty to players is costing us (Go on Churchy get 5 minutes, oh crap they have scored)

Just dont understand it and last night was not good enough, changes were wrong at the wrong time.

I agree should have done it against Swansea when we were 0-2 up and same last night when we were 4-1 up should taken hunt off and plugged the midfield with 5

But guess what he couldnt, why because hes had a tiff with guthrie so no one to put in the middle of the park

Bad management

[nevo1970]

We can score but are leaky at the back as our CB's perhaps are just not good enough in a 4 man defence. Perhaps playing 5-3-2 with wing backs and 2 holding midfielders may reduce our fragile back line whilst keeping 2 up top with support from the wings and the 3rd midfielder being more attack minded. Stating the bleeding obvious but we need clean sheets and 4 at the back is not delivering it. Finally when we were promoted last time I think there was a stat that had Marcus saving the most on target shots across the season - he was stopping them going in by having a blinder, now they are going in hence our issues.

[melonhead]

cant sit back and invite it against a team like arsenal

would have been 10-4

[ManchesterRoyals]

We can score but are leaky at the back as our CB's perhaps are just not good enough in a 4 man defence. Perhaps playing 5-3-2 with wing backs and 2 holding midfielders may reduce our fragile back line whilst keeping 2 up top with support from the wings and the 3rd midfielder being more attack minded. Stating the bleeding obvious but we need clean sheets and 4 at the back is not delivering it. Finally when we were promoted last time I think there was a stat that had Marcus saving the most on target shots across the season - he was stopping them going in by having a blinder, now they are going in hence our issues.

Pearce was on the bench too so 5-3-2 was a option but same old same old didnt change the system and it cost us

[Royal Biscuitman]

Was McDermott thinking too far ahead - He admits he had his penalty takers written down during the game and took Roberts off with about 2 minutes to go in normal time presumably thinking we'd done enough?

[ManchesterRoyals]

Did anyone else find the sky interview with BM worrying when he said he was worried at 4-1, so he doesnt have much faith in the team to hold on to a 4-1 lead then

[melonhead]

i think it shows a totally accurate assessment of the team and its defensive abilities

[ManchesterRoyals]

i think it shows a totally accurate assessment of the team and its defensive abilities

So no faith in the defence holding a 3 goal lead?

[nevo1970]

Sir Steve had Wally as defensive coach, no such thing I believe nowdays so perhaps thats a good place to start - get someone in who can drill the defence because BM being a Striker will not be doing it well enough IMHO

[ZacNaloen]

Gibbs was a full back, he should be doing the defensive work

[Vision]

Good Idea. I'll give Lawrenson a bell.

[Snowball]

i think it shows a totally accurate assessment of the team and its defensive abilities

So no faith in the defence holding a 3 goal lead?

No faith (perhaps) in his team holding out for 51 minutes against a very good Arsenal side
with Chamak, Walcott, Giroud, Arshavin attacking

and we all know how a goal on 45 can have a big effect.

We know that an early goal to make it 4-2 changes the complexion of the game

whereas going in 4-0 down seems massively worse (even if it isn't) than 4-1

[melonhead]

i think it shows a totally accurate assessment of the team and its defensive abilities

So no faith in the defence holding a 3 goal lead?

such faith would be a tad misplaced on the evidence of his own eyes from the previous games

[ZacNaloen]

I wasn't comfortable at half time at all so seems a sensible position to take tbf.