Nogbad the Bad Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Fielding Little Ayling Flint Williams Cunningham K Smith Pack Freeman M Smith Jet Joe Bryan has been superb, but we do need to take him out of the firing line to recharge his batteries occasionally. Wade Elliot, unfortunately has been very much off form, described as both 'appalling' and 'shocking' on Saturday.Football has always looked a simple game to him, when for whatever reason it isn't he looks half the player. Like Cunningham, Pack is a solid player at this level who will not let us down. I'm a fan of Jet and with his link play I'd have him in front of Agard who is plainly still recovering fitness and sharpness. Jet has also set up a good proportion of Matt Smith's goals, and for me Matt Smith looks far less involved when Jet is absent. The team will not benefit from wholesale changes despite a very disappointing performance. Hopefully Ayling is fully fit - I've had my doubts recently - and if he needs a spell on the sidelines we might even see a surprise call up for Osborne? I'm intrigued by Saville, and the benefit to either player or club of him being here if he can't at least make the bench. A huge disappointment if we've seen the best of him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelRobartes Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Changing the formation now would be crazy. Agree with those calling for Pack over Elliot and Agard over JET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussie Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Because we didn't turn up. That's not about formation On Radio Essex they pointed out that Col U switched to 4-4-2 as they watched Sheff Utd use it to exploit the gaps on the wing backs - which if you saw the game you'd know they did time and time again until we changed formation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curr Avon Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 When we lost two on the bounce to Swindon and Preston, there was a similar knee-jerk reaction on this forum and suggestions that we change the formation. Cotterill stuck with the same formation and personnel and was rewarded with one of our best performances of the season away at Peteborough. We have 15 games to go and we are 7 points clear of third place, having lost only 5 times in 31 matches, all of which have been started with 3-5-2 and roughly the same personnel. Yes, on the odd occasion the formation will not work out for us, and one of those occasions was yesterday at Colchester. But broadly speaking it is a tried and tested formula which has served us very well - as the above statistics prove - and I believe panicking into wholesale changes to the way the team is set up would be an over-reaction to one poor performance. The Peterborough game is an excellent example of how we bounced back after 2 defeats. On that night Pack replaced a suspended Elliott (following his 3 match ban against Swindon) and had a superb game. It was the intensity of our play in pressing high up the pitch, quick passing and movement and excellent shooting that made the first half one of the most devastating City displays of recent years. We kept a stranglehold on that game and need to achieve that level of performance on a consistent basis until the end of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdawg Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 The Peterborough game is an excellent example of how we bounced back after 2 defeats. On that night Pack replaced a suspended Elliott (following his 3 match ban against Swindon) and had a superb game. It was the intensity of our play in pressing high up the pitch, quick passing and movement and excellent shooting that made the first half one of the most devastating City displays of recent years. We kept a stranglehold on that game and need to achieve that level of performance on a consistent basis until the end of the season. It should be pointed out though, that Pack (of whom I'm a fan) also played in the Preston game which fell between the Swindle and Peterborough games and was utterly, utterly woeful in a 1-0 loss. I tend to agree that he needs to start tomorrow though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redsquirrel Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 another thing to remember is these bottom teams have woken up and realised they are going down if they dont win a few so they will be scrapping for every ball until the end of the season we were in the same boat last year which proved most of our squad was capable of winning games given the right guidence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reddogkev Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 The team ;picked isn't massively important, it's the tactics selected and being on the pulse right from the off which is going to matter the most. Players need to be intense and motivated. We are top for a reason, and have to look to win this game. Saturday's defeat was a disaster. I wouldn't be surprised to see a draw, but reckon we'll win it by 2 goals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedM Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 It should be pointed out though, that Pack (of whom I'm a fan) also played in the Preston game which fell between the Swindle and Peterborough games and was utterly, utterly woeful in a 1-0 loss. I tend to agree that he needs to start tomorrow though I agree, but the same could be said of any of our players who can't get a regular place. For example I'm not a Jet fan by any means but recently he looked so much better when he had a run of regular starts. It must be hard for players like Pack who have good games and then not feature for the next game and the game after that don't even make the subs bench. Don't get me wrong I'm not feeling sorry for them, they will know they have to make the manager pick them etc. The players who have been almost ever present have kept the fringe players out, we have benefitted from being able to play a settled side. But I have said more than once that our fringe players through lack of match sharpness look increasingly like there is a gulf between what we start with and what we have on the bench to bring on. And when we suddenly need to rest players we look pretty stretched. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pongo88 Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Fielding Little Ayling Flint Williams Bryan Saville Smith Freeman JET Agard Smith on for Jet 73' Wilbraham for Agard 81' Elliott for Saville 78'The times for the substitutions are very precise. Are you Mystic Meg in disguise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chipdawg Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 I agree, but the same could be said of any of our players who can't get a regular place. For example I'm not a Jet fan by any means but recently he looked so much better when he had a run of regular starts. It must be hard for players like Pack who have good games and then not feature for the next game and the game after that don't even make the subs bench. Don't get me wrong I'm not feeling sorry for them, they will know they have to make the manager pick them etc. The players who have been almost ever present have kept the fringe players out, we have benefitted from being able to play a settled side. But I have said more than once that our fringe players through lack of match sharpness look increasingly like there is a gulf between what we start with and what we have on the bench to bring on. And when we suddenly need to rest players we look pretty stretched. I agree. My post was really cautioning against fixing on individuals performances from months ago as a reason for their inclusion. For every good performance, there is usually a bad. I certainly wouldn't object to Marlon getting a run in the team though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger Red Hat Posted February 23, 2015 Report Share Posted February 23, 2015 Changing the formation now would be crazy. Agree with those calling for Pack over Elliot and Agard over JET. We did change to 442, to counteract Colchester and nearly got the game back. If teams are going to set up the same way as Sheff utd and Colchester, which they may now do having seen its successful, then I see no reason not to change formation. A degree of pragmatism and flexibility will be needed to see us through this second half of the season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad Cyril Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 It's all very well going on about formation and which players to pick. All pif pof I am afraid. I think if we score more goals than the other team we will do ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super Posted February 24, 2015 Report Share Posted February 24, 2015 Ah the good old change formation again. Yes lets change what has got us to the top of the league eh? Pack for Elliott, Little for Tavernier and Agard for JET. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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