Lordofthebling Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 I'm a big fan of our formation. We look solid, we are tough to break down and seem to be stretching teams with our sideways passing. But one thing I don't understand is the constant crossing or long balls into the box from defence. We have a striker who lives for through balls and balls into feet. We have two wide men who could skin a player while getting my half time pie ready. I admit there is nothing wrong with the quality of the balls in. Macca, JCR, Spence and Albert all put in balls that a player like Adebola would love. But whilst we are playing a system where we have Nicky up top - Elliott gets marked by two players as he is the only one can head a ball. I lost count the times a great cross came in and it was harmlessly headed away. Maynard is not a target man, and i would not want to sacrifice Kilkenny for Taylor or Stead - so could we please try sliding a few balls in between the gaps, down the channels or playing a ball into space?! Or am I the only one who thinks this?! Can't be surely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ateyomike Posted August 20, 2011 Report Share Posted August 20, 2011 to be honest just having posted a one up front i really dont think that formation will work - where will our creative midfield come from ? At the moment I am a really big fan of killkeny wasnt happy he was taken off thought scuse should have gone at every sustitution today i thought he didnt shine but work rate and effort noooo to elliot missing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redfred Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I'm a big fan of our formation. We look solid, we are tough to break down and seem to be stretching teams with our sideways passing. But one thing I don't understand is the constant crossing or long balls into the box from defence. We have a striker who lives for through balls and balls into feet. We have two wide men who could skin a player while getting my half time pie ready. I admit there is nothing wrong with the quality of the balls in. Macca, JCR, Spence and Albert all put in balls that a player like Adebola would love. But whilst we are playing a system where we have Nicky up top - Elliott gets marked by two players as he is the only one can head a ball. I lost count the times a great cross came in and it was harmlessly headed away. Maynard is not a target man, and i would not want to sacrifice Kilkenny for Taylor or Stead - so could we please try sliding a few balls in between the gaps, down the channels or playing a ball into space?! Or am I the only one who thinks this?! Can't be surely! I looked to me that the balls into the box were aimed at Elliott's head, but he never really got a sniff up against the big Pompey centre halves. There should have been some variance on crosses from JCR and Albert and rather than just the high ball we should have slid some in to Maynard whose movement is very good and who will find space. One to work on for Millen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Agree with the above, more balls to Maynard on the ground would have been more useful- high balls into the box vs big but not necessarily the msot technical centre halves is a false economy. Formation decent, more composure and fluency but still too predictable in terms of delivery at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Economou Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Agree with the above, more balls to Maynard on the ground would have been more useful- high balls into the box vs big but not necessarily the msot technical centre halves is a false economy. Formation decent, more composure and fluency but still too predictable in terms of delivery at times. I'm sure Man Utd back in the Steve Coppell/Gordon Hill era scored plenty of goals from crosses driven in, you don't tend to see those type of crosses these days. Not really sure where I'm going with this but maybe with no target man we should have a go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robbored Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I'm a big fan of our formation. We look solid, we are tough to break down and seem to be stretching teams with our sideways passing. But one thing I don't understand is the constant crossing or long balls into the box from defence. We have a striker who lives for through balls and balls into feet. We have two wide men who could skin a player while getting my half time pie ready. I lost count the times a great cross came in and it was harmlessly headed away. Maynard is not a target man, and i would not want to sacrifice Kilkenny for Taylor or Stead - so could we please try sliding a few balls in between the gaps, down the channels or playing a ball into space?! Or am I the only one who thinks this?! Can't be surely! I am a fan as well of 5 across midfield and like you don't get the need to lump it forward as City did far to often yesterday. Its always been low percentage and more often than not City lose possession. Even more odd as with Maynard up front who doesn't win many headers. The question is why do they do it? I'm sure Millen doesn't encourage it and I reckon its simply an easy option for players and reflects a lack confidence. There was a very interesting thread on here not so long ago about British/ English players not getting the same quality coaching as the Spanish do as kids. Different approaches which stays with them into the adult game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esmond Million's Bung Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I am a fan as well of 5 across midfield and like you don't get the need to lump it forward as City did far to often yesterday. Its always been low percentage and more often than not City lose possession. Even more odd as with Maynard up front who doesn't win many headers. The question is why do they do it? I'm sure Millen doesn't encourage it and I reckon its simply an easy option for players and reflects a lack confidence. There was a very interesting thread on here not so long ago about British/ English players not getting the same quality coaching as the Spanish do as kids. Different approaches which stays with them into the adult game. Your last sentence says it all and I agree entirely, the highlighted sentence however is simple tell them not to do it and if certain individuals do not respond drop them, it's not about confidence it's about carrying out the instructions they are being handsomely payed to carry out, FFS if Millen cannot eradicate this problem he's in the wrong job. I suspect 2 things firstly that at home this formation probably will not work as well as it does away from home, because it is a counter attacking tactic and it did'nt work last season at home and more importantly and I know it's a big ask of Millen I also suspect either Elliott or Skuse will have to be sacrificed from a sterile midfield and play Woolford on the left and either put JCR on the right or use Albert or JCR to back Maynard up further up front from midfield, the present line up is almost certainly why our defenders hoof it so much because of the lack of movement/creativity from Skuse and Elliott especially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fiale Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Your last sentence says it all and I agree entirely, the highlighted sentence however is simple tell them not to do it and if certain individuals do not respond drop them, it's not about confidence it's about carrying out the instructions they are being handsomely payed to carry out, FFS if Millen cannot eradicate this problem he's in the wrong job. I suspect 2 things firstly that at home this formation probably will not work as well as it does away from home, because it is a counter attacking tactic and it did'nt work last season at home and more importantly and I know it's a big ask of Millen I also suspect either Elliott or Skuse will have to be sacrificed from a sterile midfield and play Woolford on the left and either put JCR on the right or use Albert or JCR to back Maynard up further up front from midfield, the present line up is almost certainly why our defenders hoof it so much because of the lack of movement/creativity from Skuse and Elliott especially. I agree with some of your comments, though not all. If Millen is telling them to keep possession and look for chances to play through balls, chip a defender to get a winger space on goal etc - nothing on, pass it sideways, back, forward, run into space and wait until a chance opens up. If they are not doing it, drop them and find someone willing to follow your instructions. Playing a 4-5-1 should work at home as well as away, it is just a matter of time for the players to adapt. From the last 3 seasons we have looked our most competent and strongest playing a 5 man midfield. I agree Woolford on the left would help, we need a Attacking midfield player willing to run at defences helping Maynard and also getting into the box early to get onto crosses, whether Adomah or Bolaise can fulfil that role I do not know, but I digress, 4-5-1 can be a very attacking probing style, we just need the players to be given time to make it work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Popodopolous Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I agree with some of your comments, though not all. If Millen is telling them to keep possession and look for chances to play through balls, chip a defender to get a winger space on goal etc - nothing on, pass it sideways, back, forward, run into space and wait until a chance opens up. If they are not doing it, drop them and find someone willing to follow your instructions. Playing a 4-5-1 should work at home as well as away, it is just a matter of time for the players to adapt. From the last 3 seasons we have looked our most competent and strongest playing a 5 man midfield. I agree Woolford on the left would help, we need a Attacking midfield player willing to run at defences helping Maynard and also getting into the box early to get onto crosses, whether Adomah or Bolaise can fulfil that role I do not know, but I digress, 4-5-1 can be a very attacking probing style, we just need the players to be given time to make it work. Completely agree- like you I'm a big advocate of 4-5-1, as you say it can be attacking and positive. Control the play and midfield, it's a more technical, flexible formation than 4-4-2 I'd have thought- or can be provided the right players and tactics are deployed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esmond Million's Bung Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 I agree with some of your comments, though not all. If Millen is telling them to keep possession and look for chances to play through balls, chip a defender to get a winger space on goal etc - nothing on, pass it sideways, back, forward, run into space and wait until a chance opens up. If they are not doing it, drop them and find someone willing to follow your instructions. Playing a 4-5-1 should work at home as well as away, it is just a matter of time for the players to adapt. From the last 3 seasons we have looked our most competent and strongest playing a 5 man midfield. I agree Woolford on the left would help, we need a Attacking midfield player willing to run at defences helping Maynard and also getting into the box early to get onto crosses, whether Adomah or Bolaise can fulfil that role I do not know, but I digress, 4-5-1 can be a very attacking probing style, we just need the players to be given time to make it work. Unfortunately Maynard is not really equipped to fulfill this role IMO and the midfield pairing of Skuse and Elliott that Millen is hell bent on making work at all costs does create enough or are intelligent enough to make the right runs to make this system work again IMO. The system and midfield in general failed last season especially at home in both cases, so why should it work this season?. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdawg Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Would Woolford on the left of the midfield 3 work better than with him as a winger? G maintain that JCR will not work in a central role and given Woolford's relative lack of pace, would he offer us a little more craft and more of a goal threat from a central position than he would from wide? The problem i guess would be lack of bite in the centre i guess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bangers Posted August 21, 2011 Report Share Posted August 21, 2011 Would Woolford on the left of the midfield 3 work better than with him as a winger? G maintain that JCR will not work in a central role and given Woolford's relative lack of pace, would he offer us a little more craft and more of a goal threat from a central position than he would from wide? The problem i guess would be lack of bite in the centre i guess Id have him in the middle 3 with kilkenny and either skuse or elliott. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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