2014/2015 Tactics Chat

[LoyalRoyal22]

Be interesting to see what tactics we adopt come the opening day.

If Adkins wants us to play out from the back again( which i prefer long term) it will just be the same frustrating slow football as the majority of last season, nothing has changed, McCarthy/Pearce/Morrison are not comfortable with it. For this to work we would need a center half that can play it out and a Number 10 we have been missing for years.

Alternative is the high tempo 442 which we seem to reluctant to let go


Either way were going to struggle. Would be happy for mid table though if we see some more youngsters on the pitch. Fresh & energetic as Adkins keeps pointing out.


Or a fresh formation altogether? Wing backs maybe


I for one am not forgetting the weaknesses from last season, none of which have been resolved.

[mikey0406]

there are not a lot of teams who play through the back and distribute the ball firstly to the centre backs, the initial ball generally gets distributed wide to either full back with one centre half dropping off and the other playing 5-10 yards infront, close enough to cover but distance enough to give an option pressed on. Our stengths should be either 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 with taylor/HRK or blackman dropping off Pog (based on the team and strengths we have ATM IMO)

[ILoveMoonPig]

The frustrating thing about playing out from the back is the number of times you end up thinking "f*** me! that was close! What was he doing, trying that in the penalty area?!"

Personally, I was expecting Adkins to make us play a high-tempo, short passing game but at times last season, I struggled to work out what our tactics were.

[3points]

Think we will see a definite move away from our long serving 2 winger formation.

Expect it to be more of a 4-3-3 with Pog up top and two of McCleary, HRK and Blackman supporting Pog. I don't expect McCleary to be hugging the touchline this season when he returns. Width to come from Obita and Gunter. Guthrie (or Hector) sitting deep in a midfield three (with Karacan and Williams, when fit, and Taylor, Akpan and Kuhl providing the back up) playing the Gerrard / Gary Medal type role and trying to protect the centre backs and provide cover if the full backs get caught out of position. Defensively this becomes more of a 4-5-1 with the team pressing high up the pitch

[LoyalRoyal22]

Think we will see a definite move away from our long serving 2 winger formation.

Expect it to be more of a 4-3-3 with Pog up top and two of McCleary, HRK and Blackman supporting Pog. I don't expect McCleary to be hugging the touchline this season when he returns. Width to come from Obita and Gunter. Guthrie (or Hector) sitting deep in a midfield three (with Karacan and Williams, when fit, and Taylor, Akpan and Kuhl providing the back up) playing the Gerrard / Gary Medal type role and trying to protect the centre backs and provide cover if the full backs get caught out of position. Defensively this becomes more of a 4-5-1 with the team pressing high up the pitch

Happy with this but can't see it working with Pearce & Morrison at the back together, we can carry one to win the headers but we need some more composure. Someone like Mancienne only cost Forest 1.5m.. Within our price range takeover depending.

[LoyalRoyal22]

The frustrating thing about playing out from the back is the number of times you end up thinking "f*** me! that was close! What was he doing, trying that in the penalty area?!"

Personally, I was expecting Adkins to make us play a high-tempo, short passing game but at times last season, I struggled to work out what our tactics were.

It's because we don't have anyone comfortable on the ball in the back four. It will hurt us again & hinder any progress if we don't manage to bring someone in.

[Simon's Church]

playing the Gerrard / Gary Medal type role

Yeah these two play the same role

Someone like Mancienne only cost Forest 1.5m.. Within our price range takeover depending.

What's our price range then
takeover depending

[Ian Royal]

If we can show some decent movement in midfield, then everything improves. The key after that is having a fulcrum that works to receive the ball and move it on effectively, but not so deep he's in the defence's pocket the whole time. Guthrie worked last season when he played nearer the centre circle. When he dropped deeper it stopped being effective.

Add the movement and the defenders have options and don't have to go long. The playmaker can receive the ball higher up the pitch and has more outs to use it creatively. We get at defences earlier so they're less set. Our attackers can move into space or go at one man, not two or three.

But we need the whole team playing as one for that. Not just one or two nearer the ball moving, or someone running a channel with and the rest standing and watching. The players need to take as much responsibility for that as the manager too.

I don't have a worry about Pearce in a more passing game, ok so he's not very cultured and is a bit clumsy, but he knows his passing limitations and he usually keeps it simple.

[LoyalRoyal22]

If we can show some decent movement in midfield, then everything improves. The key after that is having a fulcrum that works to receive the ball and move it on effectively, but not so deep he's in the defence's pocket the whole time. Guthrie worked last season when he played nearer the centre circle. When he dropped deeper it stopped being effective.

Add the movement and the defenders have options and don't have to go long. The playmaker can receive the ball higher up the pitch and has more outs to use it creatively. We get at defences earlier so they're less set. Our attackers can move into space or go at one man, not two or three.

But we need the whole team playing as one for that. Not just one or two nearer the ball moving, or someone running a channel with and the rest standing and watching. The players need to take as much responsibility for that as the manager too.

I don't have a worry about Pearce in a more passing game, ok so he's not very cultured and is a bit clumsy, but he knows his passing limitations and he usually keeps it simple.

Everything you just said, bang on but that would take a massive amount of improvement over the summer, unrealistic I would suggest. I prefer Pearce to Morrison & agree he can just about cope but he needs somebody more intelligent next to him.

[LoyalRoyal22]

playing the Gerrard / Gary Medal type role

Yeah these two play the same role

Someone like Mancienne only cost Forest 1.5m.. Within our price range takeover depending.

What's our price range then
takeover depending

If we are taken over I heard rumours of a transfer budget of 5m+. More than enough to get a clever CB through the door.

[Ian Royal]

If we can show some decent movement in midfield, then everything improves. The key after that is having a fulcrum that works to receive the ball and move it on effectively, but not so deep he's in the defence's pocket the whole time. Guthrie worked last season when he played nearer the centre circle. When he dropped deeper it stopped being effective.

Add the movement and the defenders have options and don't have to go long. The playmaker can receive the ball higher up the pitch and has more outs to use it creatively. We get at defences earlier so they're less set. Our attackers can move into space or go at one man, not two or three.

But we need the whole team playing as one for that. Not just one or two nearer the ball moving, or someone running a channel with and the rest standing and watching. The players need to take as much responsibility for that as the manager too.

I don't have a worry about Pearce in a more passing game, ok so he's not very cultured and is a bit clumsy, but he knows his passing limitations and he usually keeps it simple.

Everything you just said, bang on but that would take a massive amount of improvement over the summer, unrealistic I would suggest. I prefer Pearce to Morrison & agree he can just about cope but he needs somebody more intelligent next to him.

I disagree that it needs big changes. A settled team and a slight improvement from several players would do it. A couple of decent early results to boost confidence, maybe.

They need to go out and have fun and it'll work. We can help by trying to keep the pressure off.

[Royal Prince]

That centre midfield role will be the key, as you've got to learn to hold and give, but do it at the right time. Then you can play in the wingers, who can be slow or fast, but they must get to the line.

Essentialy you've gotta stop the opposition, as they'll hit you and hurt you, through defence and attack. In short there's only one way to beat them, and that's to get round the back.

Plus, Karacan coming back from injury should help.

[Ian Royal]

That centre midfield role will be the key, as you've got to learn to hold and give, but do it at the right time. Then you can play in the wingers, who can be slow or fast, but they must get to the line.

Essentialy you've gotta stop the opposition, as they'll hit you and hurt you, through defence and attack. In short there's only one way to beat them, and that's to get round the back.

Plus, Karacan coming back from injury should help.

[Old Biscuitman]

I respect this chat, it mostly makes sense, but it is irrelevant if we do not have the players. I feel pessimistic, that our best starting XI and our bench are both below the standard needed to make us supporters cheerful next season. But I am probably too old and disillusioned. Someone cheer me up!

[mikey0406]

Trying to cheer you up....

Feds and McC are two of the best keepers in the league, if one leaves Anderson is another vying for a starting role, we are really strong in this area

Left Back: Obita but short on cover
Right Back: Gunter is probably the best right back in the league, cover provided by Cummings and Kelly
Centre half: Peace and Morrison starting pair with Hector providing cover. one more should complete the set

Midfield: when fit have to play 3 in midfield of Karacan, Guthrie and Williams. that is strong as there is in the league! cover provided by youth and Akpan
Wide players: McCleary and HRK, Taylor can play wide, Edwards looks inspirational in pre season...possibly one more proven player in these parts

Forwards: Pog still here, Blackman is looking sharp in pre-season but This must be made priority.

there is plenty to be cheerful about! our strongest 11 will give any team in this league a game, its keeping bodies fit

[Wycombe Royal]

its keeping bodies fit

..and there is the problem. We haven't even started and we have 4 first teamers missing.

[FridaysGhost]

As things stand, a 5-5-0 formation may work. No-one else has ever tried it (because normal teams have Strikers) but, in our reduced circumstances, we might outfox the opposition and get a few goals from set-pieces!

[winchester_royal]

God you're a miserable bunch. We've already seen a substantial improvement this pre season from last year. We look to have ayoung, energetic, skillful squad that have been educated to be capable of playing the style of play Adkins want to. I don't agree that we're worse off without the likes of Gorkss and Ledge. They were old, unfit, and stuck in their ways. It might have suited a team playing functional 4-4-2, which is what we went back to last season towards the end, but thats not what's happening this season so I feel we're in a better place with the likes of Hector and Kuhl taking their place. As IR stresses the importance of a passing game is not necessarily the quality of the passing but the quality of the movement, and we've seen signs from the likes of Taylor and Edwards that they may in fact be more capable in this area than the likes of Jobi.

I'm feeling positive. The introduction of youth is not something to fear, but embrace, especially given the way Dolan got them playing. I don't think we'll grind out wind in the way we did last season as we have lost that experience.. but I think we'll see us playing a better style of football than the turgid stuff we saw last season and as long as we see that development throughout I think we'll end up enjoying this season much more than last, even if we finish below 7th. But, imo, just going back to 4-4-2 is not the right answer. Not least because it doesn't suit the squad we now have.

[RG30]

Strikers we still look very very light on. Still excited to see if this crop can step up the hype.

[pisschrist]

As things stand, a 5-5-0 formation may work. No-one else has ever tried it (because normal teams have Strikers) but, in our reduced circumstances, we might outfox the opposition and get a few goals from set-pieces!

Not sure this will work.