Team and Tactics for Blackburn

[Waconda]

Sounds like we will be going all out to stop the haemorrhaging of chances and goals this Saturday.

We already create next to nothing so is this the correct strategy ?

Should we going down the "risk reward" path instead ?

Certainly feel we are caught in between the two at the moment - looking like conceding every opposition attack ( at least a shot on target, if not a goal) and feeding off second/third ball "scraps" up front.

We could well play a legit 5 at the back and go full blown Wimbledon I suppose.

[Clutton Caveman]

1 minute ago, VT05763 said:

Sounds like we will be going all out to stop the haemorrhaging of chances and goals this Saturday.

We already create next to nothing so is this the correct strategy ?

Should we going down the "risk reward" path instead ?

Certainly feel we are caught in between the two at the moment - looking like conceding every opposition attack ( at least a shot on target, if not a goal) and feeding off second/third ball "scraps" up front.

We could well play a legit 5 at the back and go full blown Wimbledon I suppose.

Wimbledon had 4 or 5 monsters to win the high ball and aggression all over the pitch to win the second balls. We have neither unfortunately.

 

[GrahamC]

In our last 6 games we have let in 13 goals, so although the OP talks about “parking the bus” (& what a stupid phrase that is) I think it is nothing of the sort.

NP talked yesterday about wanting a “gritty” performance, so he is looking for more defensive desire from the entire side to block crosses, win tackles & at the very least deny free headers & shots.

This doesn’t mean picking 9 defenders or being ultra defensive, but players doing their job.

Looking at Coventry’s home record & our lack of confidence & form it seems a tough ask but he is looking for at the minimum signs of effort, work rate & desire.

A point would be a great result in light of the likely absence of all our senior midfielders.

[Super]

For me we have to make this a messy game. We aren't good enough to play an expansive game i do think at times we have defended well this season just let down by individual errors. 

[Shuffle]

Heading up tomorrow in hope rather than expectation.  What I do expect is 100% commitment as a bare minimum as whilst we will not be in a good position at the moment, I’m fed up with these limp displays. 
 

Personally would play 4-5-1 but we are limited in options

Bents

Tanner/Kalas/Atkinson/Pring

Weimann/HNM/Vyner/O’Dowda

Scott

Wells

There’s no way that he will go with this as Martin/Bakinson will start.

Think Weimann is a waste wide but needs must for this game.  Come on City let’s get some pride back as since last international break we’ve been shocking.

 

 

[Davefevs]

40 minutes ago, VT05763 said:

Sounds like we will be going all out to stop the haemorrhaging of chances and goals this Saturday.

We already create next to nothing so is this the correct strategy ?

Should we going down the "risk reward" path instead ?

Certainly feel we are caught in between the two at the moment - looking like conceding every opposition attack ( at least a shot on target, if not a goal) and feeding off second/third ball "scraps" up front.

We could well play a legit 5 at the back and go full blown Wimbledon I suppose.

That’s a bit of poetic license on your part isn’t it?

Stopping chances doesn’t have to mean any of the things you suggest.  If we can stop the root cause of chance#, it can in fact mean we create more chances.  He is not suggesting playing the game as it it we’re attack v defence is he?

15 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

In our last 6 games we have let in 13 goals, so although the OP talks about “parking the bus” (& what a stupid phrase that is) I think it is nothing of the sort.

NP talked yesterday about wanting a “gritty” performance, so he is looking for more defensive desire from the entire side to block crosses, win tackles & at the very least deny free headers & shots.

This doesn’t mean picking 9 defenders or being ultra defensive, but players doing their job.

Looking at Coventry’s home record & our lack of confidence & form it seems a tough ask but he is looking for at the minimum signs of effort, work rate & desire.

A point would be a great result in light of the likely absence of all our senior midfielders.

And stop the source of those passes in the first place.

[Supersonic Robin]

I think sorting out the defensive fragility is probably the first step in arresting our poor form. This was one of my main expectations of Pearson for this season - I anticipated that we may be rather lacklustre going forward, but felt we could at least make ourselves difficult to beat/score against.

FWIW I don't have any issue with 'defensive football' if that's what it takes. Many fans talk about "just wanting to see some exciting attacking football", but IMO the main source of excitement is competitiveness. I'll happily sit there for 90 minutes watching us defend competently, resiliently, and bravely to grind out points.

[Davefevs]

11 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

                Bentley

Tanner  Kalas  Atkinson Pring 

                 Bakinson

        Massengo O'Dowda 

                    Scott 

           Weimann  Wells

 

Bollocks to it. Attack!

Can’t believe the 11 will deviate much from that.

[Davefevs]

27 minutes ago, Supersonic Robin said:

I think sorting out the defensive fragility is probably the first step in arresting our poor form. This was one of my main expectations of Pearson for this season - I anticipated that we may be rather lacklustre going forward, but felt we could at least make ourselves difficult to beat/score against.

FWIW I don't have any issue with 'defensive football' if that's what it takes. Many fans talk about "just wanting to see some exciting attacking football", but IMO the main source of excitement is competitiveness. I'll happily sit there for 90 minutes watching us defend competently, resiliently, and bravely to grind out points.

It’s funny, I see defensively fragility as a unit, because I think our defenders, in the main, defend pretty decently.  Boring old cliche, but defence starts from the front, and I think we need to improve what is happening in front of the back line.  

[Davefevs]

2 minutes ago, JonDolman said:

Martin bound to start though!

And I reckon he might look to do something a bit different in midfield if James is out. A more defensive type player.

Vyner possibly in there. I do like him in midfield. Played well in most games in that position last season imo.

If Williams and James are out I think he has to go with Vyner.

[mozo]

1 minute ago, Davefevs said:

If Williams and James are out I think he has to go with Vyner.

Yeah, I wonder if he will. Vyner Bakinson and Massengo as a midfield trio?

[Rossi the Robin]

2 minutes ago, mozo said:

Yeah, I wonder if he will. Vyner Bakinson and Massengo as a midfield trio?

I’d have Palmer in there instead of Bakinson, if his heads right will put some challenges in

Cant say I really like those 2 trios anyhow, a bit scary and light 

[red panda]

Do you think Nige might play himself? 

[Waconda]

10 minutes ago, billywedlock said:

Who said we are "parking the bus " . You say it "sounds like " . Where did you get that from ? Who suggested that ? As no one else has suggested that in the public interviews. Is this something you got from the training ground ? 

From his interview, That's the message I got. I could well be wrong.

A collective desire to keep the ball out of our net, we've not kept enough clean sheets which always gives us a problem," Pearson said.

"We're not working hard enough to stay in games. Win or lose games is how it’s going and we’re losing too many. We’re not slugging out for scruffy wins and not slugging out for scruffy draws."

Edited November 5, 2021 by VT05763

[Engvall’s Splinter]

1 hour ago, Shuffle said:

Heading up tomorrow in hope rather than expectation.  What I do expect is 100% commitment as a bare minimum as whilst we will not be in a good position at the moment, I’m fed up with these limp displays. 
 

Personally would play 4-5-1 but we are limited in options

Bents

Tanner/Kalas/Atkinson/Pring

Weimann/HNM/Vyner/O’Dowda

Scott

Wells

There’s no way that he will go with this as Martin/Bakinson will start.

Think Weimann is a waste wide but needs must for this game.  Come on City let’s get some pride back as since last international break we’ve been shocking.

 

 

Nothing against you here Shuffle - yet when others state how “quality” our squad is and the fact that Pearson should be getting a better tune out of it (which I agree with in some instances) and then we potentially have Vyner at centre midfield I find it laughable. Vyner wouldn’t get in most sides as defender let alone as a midfielder. That shows where we are and the reality of the “quality” within in both our first 11 and squad. 

[phantom]

43 minutes ago, Rossi the Robin said:

I’d have Palmer in there instead of Bakinson, if his heads right will put some challenges in

Cant say I really like those 2 trios anyhow, a bit scary and light 

Never going to happen - when he came on recently to close down in midfield he spent the remainder of the game drifting out wide, I am guessing from where you were you could not hear and see NP going crazy - hence he has not made a squad since !

[DaveInSA]

We still have 845 midfielders on the books at the club. Through lack of fitness or injuries we've not actually fielded the three best midfielders that we have, in the same game.

That said, the midfielders that do play, astonishingly don't have any impact on the game at all. Basically, wot he said...

16 minutes ago, phantom said:

Never going to happen - when he came on recently to close down in midfield he spent the remainder of the game drifting out wide, I am guessing from where you were you could not hear and see NP going crazy - hence he has not made a squad since !

 

[Super]

50 minutes ago, red panda said:

Do you think Nige might play himself? 

Up front instead of Martin...

[marmite]

Keeping our full backs wider to prevent the crosses and getting our midfielders to stop the supply to opposing wingers thereby forcing the opposition to play the way we want them to. I played extensively at full back in my youth and I never allowed my winger the time to control it , look up , and measure his cross the way ours do.

We need to play out from the back keeping the ball on the ground. We don't have enough height to play the long high ball game.

All easy to say I know but with our team it appears hard to execute. 

[GrahamC]

47 minutes ago, Engvall’s Splinter said:

Nothing against you here Shuffle - yet when others state how “quality” our squad is and the fact that Pearson should be getting a better tune out of it (which I agree with in some instances) and then we potentially have Vyner at centre midfield I find it laughable. Vyner wouldn’t get in most sides as defender let alone as a midfielder. That shows where we are and the reality of the “quality” within in both our first 11 and squad. 

To me this is the difference between a theory & reality.

Most people would have our central midfield options in this order;

James, Williams (it doesn’t matter which way around, you will always pick two) then HNM & then King or Bakinson. The last 2 are arguable in what order but what is definitely the case is that if the first two are missing, King would be involved.

Tomorrow it is highly likely none of those 3 senior players will be available (or if James is, he obviously won’t be anywhere near 100% fit). 
In these particular circumstances Vyner is a useful option.

Likewise at the back Kalas & Atkinson are first choice, Baker next then Vyner.

To me (& that is excluding his games at RB) this demonstrates his value, a versatile, low wage, squad player.

I think the likes of Luton, Preston & Millwall all have players like this.

Longer term Zak might not be here, but honestly for me he’s not the problem.

Edited November 5, 2021 by GrahamC

[cityloyal473]

The problem with parking the bus is once the brake comes off (a Cov goal) we have no way of putting it back on. Lets have a go and lose instead of losing while being totally passive. 

[1960maaan]

They are a good passing team, keep the ball well and move it just as well. We don't.
We have struggled against teams like Cov, because when we occasionally do get the ball back, we go more direct with lower % chance of getting or keeping it, they pick up the loose ball and we start again.

I would pack the MF. They seem to play a 3-4-1-2, looks like the WBs like to get forward. We could match them up, but I think with Vyner as a shield , maybe 4-1-4-1

Tanner - Kalas - Atkinson - Pring
                    Vyner
Weimann - HNM - Bakinson - COD
                     Wells

Even move HNM along side Vyner, but I don't see him sitting in.  We have potentially decent movement in that side, and Bakinson can see a pass (even though his Radar was way off at Brum). I would probably give Palmer that spot, but that seems unlikely. The AW/KW/CM system has surely ran it's course, not looked like being effective . It has to be time for a change, or a tweak. Options are slim, I don't think any of the young lads are ready, though I'm looking forward to Conway getting fit. The only thing to try is a formation shuffle and give Wells a chance centrally. 

[chinapig]

43 minutes ago, phantom said:

Never going to happen - when he came on recently to close down in midfield he spent the remainder of the game drifting out wide, I am guessing from where you were you could not hear and see NP going crazy - hence he has not made a squad since !

That's the crux of the matter with Palmer. Lots of talent but no football brain. Multiple managers have been unable to coach that into him so he seems unlikely to change.

[GrahamC]

1 hour ago, Davefevs said:

Can’t believe the 11 will deviate much from that.

If James is out then I expect 10 of them to start, but Martin will do so & so one of Scott, O’Dowda or possibly Dasilva (with Pring in front of him) will be in the XI, though I have a poor track record at getting it right…

[1960maaan]

19 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

If James is out then I expect 10 of them to start, but Martin will do so & so one of Scott, O’Dowda or possibly Dasilva (with Pring in front of him) will be in the XI, though I have a poor track record at getting it right…

If recent history is anything to go by, so do our Managers 

[Offside]

Whoever is picked and whatever system we play, first and foremost the players need to take responsibility for making it as difficult as possible for Coventry. 

Some of the goals we’ve conceded recently have been so cheap.

A couple of examples: 

Barnsley’s goal - their player who got the assist outmuscled our player (James)? too easily.

Birmingham’s first goal - yes it was a deflection, but we didn’t make it difficult for him to shoot. 

Birmingham’s second goal - straight from a big punt from the keeper, we were brushed aside too easily. 

Far too often we are outmuscled or give opponents space to pass/cross/shoot. Our full backs are regularly left exposed.

 

 

[mozo]

1 hour ago, JonDolman said:

Yeah probably the sensible move. Bakinson in that deep role could be great if we play well but just because he's looked better recently it's hard to trust him there just yet.

Vyner would likely be the more reliable option. I would actually be surprised if he didn't have a decent game because he rarely let us down in the DM role last season.

Middle of the back 3 the other night he looked classy at times for an hour but then he's always going to struggle in the air against someone as strong as Deeney. None of the other stuff matters when he is that weak challenging a simple long ball.

The decision to play him centrally was a strange one. I don't think many managers go with him there and Kalas right. I know Kalas is quicker on the turn in wide areas, but surely we needed our most dominant, strongest defender to play centrally.

If we can somehow get a decent result (I'm not at all confident!) then we have players returning after the international break. So hopefully then our season can get going with some better options. A point would be very good, but Robins has got them playing very well.

Hopefully Cundy, Baker, James, Williams and Semenyo all back. They're all physically strong players which is something we probably need a bit more of. But also the quality some of them offer.

Semenyo giving us pace we lack too as O'Dowda never gets a game now, and not much else that has raw pace in attacking areas.

Just waiting on King then, but I'm hoping Bakinson goes ahead of him in a fully fit squad, if we ever have one.

I expect we probably just get more injuries so no point in being too optimistic!

Just to pick up on Cundy who you've listed as an option when fit... a/ we don't know if he is capable of playing at this level at this stage of his career, and b/ even if he can, how much gametime would he need to get up to scratch and how many errors could we accept along the way? 

Atkinson has adapted well, but still has some improving to do, which is normal. Cundy, who knows 

[GrahamC]

4 minutes ago, Offside said:

Whoever is picked and whatever system we play, first and foremost the players need to take responsibility for making it as difficult as possible for Coventry. 

Some of the goals we’ve conceded recently have been so cheap.

A couple of examples: 

Barnsley’s goal - their player who got the assist outmuscled our player (James)? too easily.

Birmingham’s first goal - yes it was a deflection, but we didn’t make it difficult for him to shoot. 

Birmingham’s second goal - straight from a big punt from the keeper, we were brushed aside too easily. 

Far too often we are outmuscled or give opponents space to pass/cross/shoot. Our full backs are regularly left exposed.

 

 

Spot on.

I watched the highlights of wins at QPR & Reading in previous seasons you had Ashley Williams, Kalas, Baker all throwing themselves into challenges & blocks.

We need this from those in front of the defence too.

The 3rd goal at Birmingham was even worse, both Bakinson & HNM put in half hearted attempts to dispossess Gardner, a terrible effort.

[Major Isewater]

34 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

though I have a poor track record at getting it right…

Do you work for the Post ?

[mozo]

7 minutes ago, mozo said:

Just to pick up on Cundy who you've listed as an option when fit... a/ we don't know if he is capable of playing at this level at this stage of his career, and b/ even if he can, how much gametime would he need to get up to scratch and how many errors could we accept along the way? 

Atkinson has adapted well, but still has some improving to do, which is normal. Cundy, who knows 

Ah...just realised there's already a thread about him...