OK Team. where are we going wrong?

[Saint Billy]

In all honesty, at the start of the season most of us were happy that we still have a team and not many of us were expecting to get promotion this season. After 10 games or so it was apparent that we would not really threaten a playoff place.

 

I think most of us, including myself for whatever reason, suddenly got carried away on a wave of optimism when we started to get better players in and the results started to improve.

 

We are not yet the finished article and our expectations are a little too high. If however, next season we do not improve and become more consistent heads should roll.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

How much of this is down to Schneidelin? It seems when the team is playing well against open teams, he will spray the ball around and look very good. But when we are up against teams content on stifling us &/or combine this with a poor pitch (Brentford/Wycombe) , he doesn't seem to offer any creativity, goals or bite in the middle. I think a quality centre mid is the missing part of the jigsaw right now.

 

Absolutely spot on.

[hughieslastminutegoal]

I'm not sure that Hammond and Scheiderlin are a pair, particularly in this league. Both seem to be more effective when they can roam freely, which is difficult without a holding midfeilder behind them.

 

Maybe we need someone in the mould of Kavanagh at Carlisle, lots of experience, good tackler and better all round than Wotton.

 

Other than that we need to work out how to combat teams who put 10 men behind the ball all game. Not always easy. Remember Chelsea away at Barcelona last year, dull as ditchwater to watch, but Barca couldn't find space even with all their stars.

 

When does Scheiderlin actually really get into dangerous positions? And you want a holding player behind him? IMO he will always flatter to deceive. He may well become a good holding player himself, but we need someone in centre midfield who, when the wide men are being tied up, can thrust through into dangerous areas. Hammond it too workman-like to do it, and Morgan doesn't have that in his game.

[forever a red and white]

one of my qualms is this.

 

When we started with 433/451 if things weren't right we changed to 442.

 

But if things aren't right we don;t change to a fluid 433/451. We may have last night but that was merely a case of putting every attacking player on the pitch and we ended up losing our shape.

 

Hammond is so average but looks better becasue he does the basics well and provides a bit of steel. Morgan was full of energy last night and gave it his all. I personally would like to try James in CM ahead of DH, if it wasn';t for captaincy

[acersaint]

Can someone please explain to me what "becoming more consistant means". Does it mean winning every game or not losing any games because no team in any league can be that consistant. I think we are going along very well and learning as we go. 8 months ago I would have bitten your arm off to be where we are now. Next season consistency for me will mean staying inthe top six all seaon and finishing in the top two.

[Sheff Saint]

Regards the ‘Plan B’ I do think we need one but understand why this hasn’t materialised yet.

 

The current first team have only been in place on and off for the last 6 weeks. Interspersed with cup games where the team had to shift and two games in a week, meaning less time on the training ground.

 

It must be hard to get ‘Plan A’ straight and sorted in that kind of timeframe, let alone have a well rehearsed Plan B or C.

[Liquidshokk]

Something that is inconsistant is always hard to understand and fathom.

 

Personally i think Pardew has his work cut out, and i hope it is sorted by the start of next season.

 

I am gutted we are spending another year in this poxy league.

 

Do you think we'd stand a chance in the championship then as things stand within the team?

[View From The Top]

In all honesty, at the start of the season most of us were happy that we still have a team and not many of us were expecting to get promotion this season. After 10 games or so it was apparent that we would not really threaten a playoff place.

 

I think most of us, including myself for whatever reason, suddenly got carried away on a wave of optimism when we started to get better players in and the results started to improve.

 

We are not yet the finished article and our expectations are a little too high. If however, next season we do not improve and become more consistent heads should roll.

 

I'd agree with that.

[ecuk268]

I was watching the "Unbelievable" video about Matt Le Tiss and he was saying that fans always expect you to play consistently every week. They don't relise that sometimes you might have been up half the night with a sick kid or you might have problems at home.

 

How many of us can say that we do our jobs 100% every day. All teams lose games that they shouldn't. If they didn't, I'd still do the pools.

[Window Cleaner]

I think you are all overcomplicating the situation.

Truth is the play-offs are too far away (and have been for some while) and the JPT has taken on far too much importance.I don't doubt that many of the players see it as our only objective. That's their current plan, beat the top teams for a bit of Kudos and win the JPT; all the rest is purely ancillary.I wouldn't be surprised if one or two have already got their move lined up for May.

[hackedoff]

My take is simple - it's basically all a mental issue.

 

We have the confidence now which has seen us play exceptionally well recently and saw us start brightly today. Indeed, the 1st half saw us play well and we should have gone in ahead at half time.

 

However, after half time, Swindon played better and our confidence started to lower after we couldn't get that first goal. When Swindon scored, you could sense the frustration in the crowd build. Every loose pass was groaned at, and the players started to get more and more edgy and lose their way. They rushed things and didn't have the confidence to play with the freedom which they have been doing of late.

 

The longer the game went on, the more you could see the players' confidence fall and they tried more in hope than in belief. When we are playing with confidence the players have freedom and the crowd act as a 12th man. When things don't go our way, ie the opposition stop us from playing like tonight (2nd half), we don't keep our cool or our composure and we end up desperately trying in vain and lose all freedom and creativity and end up hoping for the best.

 

Of course, there will always be reasons such as the opposition being better than us, but I don't think Swindon were tonight, as we played well 1st half, then when they put us under pressure after half time we crumbled as we are not used to being bossed. It's almost as thought if we can't play the way we want to play, we end up just hoping we will get a break rather than playing with the freedom and belief which always sees us overpower teams, especially at home. And I'm tired so I'm going to stop writing now...

 

Your second last sentence hits the nail on the head,if the opponents dictate how the game is played we cannot handle it.

[Seaford Saint]

It means not being so erratic. It would be consistent to win 6 or 7, draw a couple and lose 1 or 2 out of 10. But it isn't consistent to win 5-0 against a good team, then lose 2-1 at a **** one, then beat one of the best and lose to a lesser team a few days later.

 

We aren't going along nicely because while we could, and probably will go and win at MK Dons, it will be followed by a slip up in the next couple of games, which leaves us around 10th. I'm not particularly satisfied with 10th in league 1.

 

I agree with the above poster but I cannot understand the contrasts between some of the games we have recently played. I was at Swindon earlier when we lost 1 nil and we were truly awful.....we lost 1 nil again and we were much better.... However, some of the footy we have played has recently been superb....maybe its anxiety within the team. Who knows?

[Saint_clark]

Absolutely spot on.

 

Absolute b*llocks IMO. He was the only player who performed well V Swindon.

[Saint Fan CaM]

I'd go for (a) Swindon worked their ar5es off for 90 minutes, passed the ball quickly, well and effectively and always looked like a threat every time they attacked. They didn't put 11 behind the ball, they got players TO the ball quickly, even attackers coming back and catching players in possession from behind.

 

You need to read carefully what I said about them closing down - so here we agree. If you don't think they put 11 behind the ball, why was there 3 men on the goal line to clear what potentially was Schneiderlin's 1st goal? It was a peach of a strike and could have changed the game but for the goal line clearance.

 

(b) we were tired from having to work for everything everywhere due to Swindon's pressure

 

Yes - a bit like how we hassled and harried against Leeds, Norwich and Huddersfield, but did not do last night because the lads looked knackered. Anyway, I think you're splitting hairs here and essentially you've agreed with me.

 

© Puncheon was a level below his recent performances but, none of the others did particularly badly considering they were closed down almost immediately all of the time, we moved the ball well across midfield and created the space for crosses and balls into the box - we played well overall.

 

It's clear that Swindon executed whatever strategy they had far better than our team. Puncheon, Lallana and Schneiderlin had pants games in comparison to when we have won convincingly recently. What happens then is that the ball gets hoofed to Lambert more, thus making matters even worse. Therein my friend lies our inconsistency problem and THAT is what the original OP asked.

 

(d) James had a 'mare, but you can't tell me Swindon have a stronger squad, they left a bloke on the pitch injured for 5 minutes presumably because they were desperate not to replace him.

 

I did not say Swindon have a stronger squad - I said James and Wotton would struggle to get into their squad. Why? Because they are simply not good enough. To stand any chance of getting out of L1 we need to replace the likes of these two with some real quality. Seriously!

 

(e) And also because you have to be some kind of machine to do that for 46 games.

 

Agreed. That is why it is essential in the summer for AP to get rid of the deadwood like James in this squad and replace them with some real quality, otherwise there's every chance that the 1st team will be completely worn out again this time next season. At RB we've lost Murty and Semi - both streets ahead of James in every dept.

 

 

See above.

[ringwood]

think the fact Swindon played a high backline just made it effectively 8 2 against

our 4 4 2 we ended up narrow and the tempo dropped.

 

we did hit the post and bar several times

[PokingFun]

1 Millwall (5) 8 6 1 1 16 6 10 2.00 0.75 2.37 19 WwdWwlWW

2 Norwich City (1) 8 6 0 2 14 8 6 1.75 1.00 2.25 18 wWwWLwlW

3 Southampton (10) 8 4 2 2 15 5 10 1.87 0.62 1.75 14 LWlWWdwd

4 Bristol Rovers (9) 8 4 2 2 10 5 5 1.25 0.62 1.75 14 DwWWlWLd

5 Colchester United (6) 8 4 2 2 11 8 3 1.37 1.00 1.75 14 lDlWwdWW

6 Swindon Town (4) 8 4 2 2 11 9 2 1.37 1.12 1.75 14 wwlLdWWd

7 Milton Keynes Dons ( 8 4 1 3 13 15 -2 1.62 1.87 1.62 13 dWWlLWlw

8 Brighton & Hove Albion (15) 8 3 3 2 9 5 4 1.12 0.62 1.50 12 WLdWwdLD

 

Last 8 games and we are 3rd in form table having played Leeds, Norwich, Swindon, Huddersfield and Walsall who are all top half teams.

[Clifford Nelson]

Regards the ‘Plan B’ I do think we need one but understand why this hasn’t materialised yet.

 

The current first team have only been in place on and off for the last 6 weeks. Interspersed with cup games where the team had to shift and two games in a week, meaning less time on the training ground.

 

It must be hard to get ‘Plan A’ straight and sorted in that kind of timeframe, let alone have a well rehearsed Plan B or C.

 

Plan A, or the only plan I've seen, is an offensive 4-4-2 formation. All our players have played that for years, so the only thing they have had to do is to play with different players. I'm trying to be charitable in considering this as acceptable as a Plan A. What I really want is to do something entirely different, which works equally on good and bad days. But when our current Plan A fails, and it will, because it is built entirely on commitment and motivation, which whill never appear at a maximum on every occasion, then we need a Plan B. Something that the players can adher to and persevere with against all the 4-4-2 we're up against, knowing that it is superior.

 

We're currently a one trick pony, and the trick works when the sun shines and fails when it rains (don't take me literally). That, in my opinion, is a bit of a lottery which we should abandon for something which is more reliable even when it rains.

[NickG]

The style of player that would do well in the Premiership is not necessarily the style of player that would do well in our more immediate situation - League One.

 

I have been saying all season our midfield is lightweight. Oh, and I was saying it last season too.

 

two seasons you have been directing your blame in the wrong direction.

 

Morgan is playing very well this season. In this division.

[doddisalegend]

Plan A, or the only plan I've seen, is an offensive 4-4-2 formation. All our players have played that for years, so the only thing they have had to do is to play with different players. I'm trying to be charitable in considering this as acceptable as a Plan A. What I really want is to do something entirely different, which works equally on good and bad days. But when our current Plan A fails, and it will, because it is built entirely on commitment and motivation, which whill never appear at a maximum on every occasion, then we need a Plan B. Something that the players can adher to and persevere with against all the 4-4-2 we're up against, knowing that it is superior.

 

We're currently a one trick pony, and the trick works when the sun shines and fails when it rains (don't take me literally). That, in my opinion, is a bit of a lottery which we should abandon for something which is more reliable even when it rains.

 

I really think you under estimate commitiment and motivation. Its working well for Colchester, Swindon (as shown last night), Huddersfield and Millwall all teams that are punching above their weight according to many. I'm not quite sure what you want you keep going on about plans but I feel you'd like us to play some sort (for lack of a better term) total football in a european style.

[rolosfc]

one of my qualms is this.

 

When we started with 433/451 if things weren't right we changed to 442.

 

But if things aren't right we don;t change to a fluid 433/451. We may have last night but that was merely a case of putting every attacking player on the pitch and we ended up losing our shape.

 

Hammond is so average but looks better becasue he does the basics well and provides a bit of steel. Morgan was full of energy last night and gave it his all. I personally would like to try James in CM ahead of DH, if it wasn';t for captaincy

 

Totally agree with switching back to a 451, i prefer the fluidity of it and we have the players in lallana and puncheon to work the system well.

 

However I don't agree that James should play ahead of Hammond. Granted he didn't have a fantastic game Tuesday but he has been one of our most consistent performers this season and doesn't deserve to be dropped.

[Clifford Nelson]

I really think you under estimate commitiment and motivation. Its working well for Colchester, Swindon (as shown last night), Huddersfield and Millwall all teams that are punching above their weight according to many. I'm not quite sure what you want you keep going on about plans but I feel you'd like us to play some sort (for lack of a better term) total football in a european style.

 

You missed out the most important word which was "entirely". There is nothing wrong with commitment and motivation and there is nothing wrong with a playing strategy either. What is wrong is to think that one excludes the other. A good strategy but with players who aren't committed and motivated would be rather daft. But equally we should agree that to play without a strategy is like a lottery.

 

'Total football' was the term for a specific strategy thought out by the Dutch team in the Johann Cruyff era. I am not specifically bothered what kind of strategy the manager employs, as long as it undermines the opposition and gives our team a certainty in it's way of playing, maybe especially on the days when for whatever reason the ball doesn't seem to roll our way.

 

If you're against the whole idea, and you rather dispense with any plans, then tell me what your reasons are and you might convince me.

[saintchris23]

So many negative posters, so many spoilt little brats.

 

Our expectations have changed since the start of the season and rightly so but it doesn't mean that we can't lose a game or two along the way. How about the expectations on the players to succeed? Maybe if the ball would have fallen to Rickie in front of goal we would have gone in ahead at the break.

We had at least THREE good chances in the first half alone that against Huddersfield would have gone in but sometimes lady luck isn't with you. We had chances too in the second half but sometimes when you give your all and it still isn't coming off you do get frustrated and you do look to play the longer ball.

Stop having a dig a Lloyd James too, it's getting boring and predictable. He's been out injured for months and you could see his shoulders physically drop after he failed to beat his man the first couple of times because of the groans from the crowd.

We need to get behind this team and have fun next season when hopefully we and the players can tun it on and light up the league. Of course I still have money on promotion this year so I refuse to rule it out!

[Whitey Grandad]

Stop having a dig a Lloyd James too, it's getting boring and predictable. He's been out injured for months and you could see his shoulders physically drop after he failed to beat his man the first couple of times because of the groans from the crowd.

We need to get behind this team and have fun next season when hopefully we and the players can tun it on and light up the league. Of course I still have money on promotion this year so I refuse to rule it out!

If he give's up after a couple of groans then he has no place in our team.

(he's not very good either)

[Born In The 80s]

They really lack mental strength and that comes from the manager.

 

When they went one behind their tails went down and it just became hoof ball.

 

They did look tired. Papa had no impact at all for the second match and Ricky looked knackered.

 

We were exposed for pace at the back and even Kelvin couldnt hang on to a ball.

 

It was a **** poor result.

 

This inability to put the ball net is about mental strength too.

 

They really are the soft boys of the division.

 

The gulf between the top two and our position says it all.

 

****e performance and sadly AP will be gone by October having ensured he ****s up the start of next season.

He has no fire in him and neither do his teams

 

 

100% agree with this post, which is why i haven't been getting too excited by the recent good results against Norwich, Leeds, Huddersfield etc. Unfortunately, those results have clouded over the major issue, mental strength and bottle. We have an extremely talented squad for division 3. We have an embarrassment of riches in all honesty and the side has proved that against some of the bigger boys in the division. However, when the lads need to dig in away at Exeter, Wycombe, Tranmere on a **** pitch and grind out a 1-0 win they are constantly found wanting. How many times have we won a scrappy 1-0 on the road? How many times have we shown character to come from behind and win? I can think of a one or two, but they are few and far between if we want to be winning this league next season as some expect. To win any league, you need to be able to win 1-0 away in a scrappy game, just ask Leicester fans about last season who did it away game after away game.

 

It was the same case on Tuesday against Swindon. We had created a few chances in the first half and were unlucky not to be winning. But instead of kicking on to find that winner in the 2nd half, we inexcusably folded like a deck of cards when the going started to get just a little bit tough. Our reaction to their goal was embarrassing. No fight or passion whatsoever.

 

I like Pardew, he has got us playing some great football, and when it comes off it is truely brilliant to watch. But unfortunately, i can't see us winning any league title under him, or even get automatically promoted. We are soft as ****e and massively lack bottle when it counts and that comes down to the manager in my opinion.

[St_Tel49]

How much of this is down to Schneidelin? It seems when the team is playing well against open teams, he will spray the ball around and look very good. But when we are up against teams content on stifling us &/or combine this with a poor pitch (Brentford/Wycombe) , he doesn't seem to offer any creativity, goals or bite in the middle. I think a quality centre mid is the missing part of the jigsaw right now.

 

If there is a better centre-mid in this league than Schneiderlin I would like to know who it is.

[doddisalegend]

You missed out the most important word which was "entirely". There is nothing wrong with commitment and motivation and there is nothing wrong with a playing strategy either. What is wrong is to think that one excludes the other. A good strategy but with players who aren't committed and motivated would be rather daft. But equally we should agree that to play without a strategy is like a lottery.

 

'Total football' was the term for a specific strategy thought out by the Dutch team in the Johann Cruyff era. I am not specifically bothered what kind of strategy the manager employs, as long as it undermines the opposition and gives our team a certainty in it's way of playing, maybe especially on the days when for whatever reason the ball doesn't seem to roll our way.

 

If you're against the whole idea, and you rather dispense with any plans, then tell me what your reasons are and you might convince me.

 

So are you suggesting the managment have no plans/strategy for matches then? You can't honestly believe AP just tells them to go out and run about and if they're lucky they might score a goal or something. I'm no footballing genius so I'm not going to try and second guess an experinced football manager, but I'm pretty sure he has a game plan, in fact I reckon he works one out for every game.

[Window Cleaner]

If there is a better centre-mid in this league than Schneiderlin I would like to know who it is.

 

Trouble is Tel is that his game is differently appreciated from one fan to another. Morgan plays classic French football, keep the ball for as long as it takes to build up an opening and then accelerate suddenly. Many fans do not like this style of play and want the ball gung-hoed up into the opponents 18 yard box as soon as possible. Also there are a few different appreciations as to what he's supposed to be doing. Normally he is a milieu recuperateur with Hammond playing the relayeur role.Of late this has often been turned round but if one is forward the other should be back.I very much doubt if Morgan will still be with Saints next season anyway so we'll have to get someone else in.

Perhaps a Nobby Stiles clone who'll last about 5 minutes on the pitch every 4th game, because I'm sure that's what some fans want to see.

[Alain Perrin]

The last two games i've seen were Tranmere and last night. In both we did nothing but long ball from first minute to last. I hope i've just been unlucky in picking those two games

 

Also, a special mention for Lloyd James. I actually found his cameo last night totally laughable. The saddest thing about it is that AP clearly sees him as an attacking option from full back because he must think he can cross a ball. His crossing all season has been woeful

 

You clearly missed the first half then. We were all over them, hit the post, the bar, had 4 cleared off the line. Crucially we didn't score.

 

Lloyd James is not as good an attacking option as Semi. However, he is a better attacking option than Thomas. He wasn't match sharp though and his crossing was woeful. I do feel that was a throw of the dice though.

[Red And White Barmy Army]

It has nothing to do with schneiderlin or any other individual. If our team's ability without an individiual is still better technically, tactically and physically (which we were against swindon); the only difference is psychological.

 

It's not confidence - we won our last straight 7 home games. The problem is consistency. how do u get that? Have players who want to win cos they like playing football. Psychologists call it task orientation. We have too many ego orientated players (they play to prove they are better than some1 else). There's no problem when they feel they have to prove this (i.e. vs. leeds and norwich) but not so good on a long trip to a crap team in an even crapper town when they don't feel that they have anything to prove; or maybe a midweek game against swindon when they would rather be in oceana than SMS.

 

The reason we have so many ego orientated players is because we offer championship standard players money and they grab it - they are motivated for extrinsic reasons. extrinsic motivation is v closely correlated with ego orientation.

 

The sollution - more academy players and more good league 1 ability players playing for average teams. They should be motivated more intrinsically and fancy a step up. That's the only reason we bought Seabourne IMO. That's the theory any way.

 

That would be my way of structuring the perfect league 1 team on an infinite budget alongside the ego orientated players for the 'big games'. Of course this does ignore problems with squad rotation such as player disatisfaction etc. Tbh though, we should comfortably win the league next year even if it does mean forfeiting half of our away games on crap pitches and 1 in every 8 home games.

 

HTH

[madsent]

Can someone please explain to me what "becoming more consistant means". Does it mean winning every game or not losing any games because no team in any league can be that consistant. I think we are going along very well and learning as we go. 8 months ago I would have bitten your arm off to be where we are now. Next season consistency for me will mean staying inthe top six all seaon and finishing in the top two.

 

It means spelling "consistent" wrong every time you use it rather than sometimes

[Verbal Kint]

Rickie Lambert is a great header of the ball. He will thrive off good quality deliveries from wide areas. We need to play to his strengths which mean a couple of wingers who are capable of getting to the byline and getting some good quality crosses into the box.

 

We play with wide players on the wrong side of the pitch to ensure this happens as little as possible. And when that doesn't work we throw on Lloyd to put even worse deliveries in.

 

A cunning plan

[scotty]

We've made one or two minor changes to the squad this season. Not that anyone would notice unless they were looking closely, but a couple of players have been shipped out and one or two have been brought in, nothing major or eyecatching, but it might take a week or two for the manager to formulate the team to our best advantage. I say give him the benefit of the doubt for the time being.

[doddisalegend]

Rickie Lambert is a great header of the ball. He will thrive off good quality deliveries from wide areas. We need to play to his strengths which mean a couple of wingers who are capable of getting to the byline and getting some good quality crosses into the box.

 

We play with wide players on the wrong side of the pitch to ensure this happens as little as possible. And when that doesn't work we throw on Lloyd to put even worse deliveries in.

 

A cunning plan

 

I don't think this is that true. I've seen Lambert a few times this season and struggle to think of many good headers people say his good with his head but often seems to lose out to defenders. I think he won maybe two all night against Swindon with ball coming in from lots of different places and angles (although mostly straight at him from deep in our half in the second half).

[scotty]

I don't think this is that true. I've seen Lambert a few times this season and struggle to think of many good headers people say his good with his head but often seems to lose out to defenders. I think he won maybe two all night against Swindon with ball coming in from lots of different places and angles (although mostly straight at him from deep in our half in the second half).

 

he stuck in a decent header against the enemy

[Window Cleaner]

he stuck in a decent header against the enemy

 

If you want to see a bloke who's "good on headers" look at Chamakh at Bordeaux (Arsenal next season). If you look at his goal against Panathanaikos

yesterday you'll see what I mean, from the instant the wide man shapes to cross the ball there's only one intention n Chamakh's mind, head it into the net,

the Greek defender doesn't have a chance,the bloke goes literally through him

to head the ball without fouling him, he just sweeps the bloke away, doesn't give a toss if he breaks his arm falling, he's going to stick the ball into the back of the net, Rooney's just the same.

[St Landrew]

As I can't afford to go regularly, and therefore don't have a worthwhile opinion, all I can work out from the data and radio commentary is that we don't win enough.

 

Tell me I'm wrong.

[sandwichsaint]

TBF Lambert buried one against Huddersfield that Ron Davies would have been proud to call his own -and from an immaculate cross from Puncheon in the orthodox RW-on-the-byline position.

 

Agree though that he hasn't done this as much as some people seem to think (two reasons - we haven't had that quality of delivery very often and secondly he has often been forced a long way from the danger area, as he was for most of Tuesday's match culminating in him crossing from wide left and Lallana(!) trying to head it in from about 8 yards and with the goal gaping - needless to say AL never looked like executing that one).

 

We don't seem to have much method to develop play into the wide areas and then get RL and LB working in the box as a pair - IMHO the centre mids are too often paralell with each other and both of them 20m short of where one of them needs to be - the best midfield performances I saw this season were prob Southend away (Wotton played holding and MS played an awesome attacking free role in a 451) and Pompey where Lallana tucked in and ran himself into the ground in support of MS and DH who both had good games. Can't think of a game where MS and DH have really dominated offensively in a 442 (Hudds was obviously good but that was more about the front 4 with Punch, RL, LB and AL all on fire that night).

[sandwichsaint]

No ones taken me up on this in the match thread, but was anybody else impressed by Swindon's Ferry?

He seemed to combine high energy with excellent technical ability - I haven't got a clue who he is or what his background is or if he's usually that good but I thought he stood out at this level.

[Window Cleaner]

No ones taken me up on this in the match thread, but was anybody else impressed by Swindon's Ferry?

He seemed to combine high energy with excellent technical ability - I haven't got a clue who he is or what his background is or if he's usually that good but I thought he stood out at this level.

 

On loan from Celtic, they (Swindon) have secured some really good looking loan players, and they actually play them..way it should be really.

[Clifford Nelson]

So are you suggesting the managment have no plans/strategy for matches then? You can't honestly believe AP just tells them to go out and run about and if they're lucky they might score a goal or something. I'm no footballing genius so I'm not going to try and second guess an experinced football manager, but I'm pretty sure he has a game plan, in fact I reckon he works one out for every game.

 

The plan that I see is to play 4-4-2 in an offensive manner, with the added attraction of having the wide midfielder swapping over every once in awhile. I can also imagine CBs being instructed to mark somebody, and I have also noticed Schneiderlin playing a little bit more defensively than Hammond, and he is rather good at it. But those kind of things are not really any different from what every other team is doing, so it's not very likely to upset the opposition. And, of course, there is nothing to fall back upon if it doesn't work.

 

All of the great sides, around the world, which have had success over many seasons have relied on a strategy for being successful. Sometimes it hasn't been pretty, other times it has, and in most cases progress have seen them off eventually and it has been necessary to employ new strategies to gain success. The modern world seem to rely mostly on varieties of 4-5-1, also in the PL. 4-4-2 is going into history as did 2-3-5, WM, 4-2-4 and 4-3-3 in it's pure form. But within these various systems the successful teams did something different which the opposition couldn't cope with, and something they could rely on when everything else fails.

 

I'm not looking for perfection, but I am trying to see something taking shape which will eventually take us to the PL and still being competitive, even though we never will compete in spending with the big guns. So far I haven't seen anything emerging, and it felt like the stuff about "consistency" from AP was confirming my fears.

[saintedwill]

How much of this is down to Schneidelin? It seems when the team is playing well against open teams, he will spray the ball around and look very good. But when we are up against teams content on stifling us &/or combine this with a poor pitch (Brentford/Wycombe) , he doesn't seem to offer any creativity, goals or bite in the middle. I think a quality centre mid is the missing part of the jigsaw right now.

 

I agree, but it was Hammond who went missing against Swindon leaving him to do the work of two (three if you include Puncheon).

 

Swindon also knew how to defend against us - with Barnard and Lambert up from, they defended with a highish line because they know we're lacking pace down the middle and pack the midfield to stop the ball going wide.

 

That's how teams beat us when we haven't got pace up front

[david in sweden]

I am mystified......we should be winning games and instead we are dropping points and yet the 5 nil against Huddersfield who were no mugs was sublime.

 

Instead of just knocking the team or the manager, can anyone pinpoint where on the pitch it is not working?

 

What ideas do you have for why we are inconsistent?

 

 

In addition to the excellent performances we have turned in so far this season some squad members have played

up to 12 games more than others - due to our various cup exploits ! Maybe that has something to do with it .?

[Saint Fan CaM]

On reflection, there is one overriding reason why this team loses games and is inconsistent. And the teams that have beaten us this season have demonstrated they know how to exploit the weakness. Fact is, many of our players HATE to be pressurised on the ball. They do not know how to react to players closing them down by using each other to pass the ball out of difficulty...i.e. keep the ball as far away from an opposing player as possible. What tends to happen is either the player loses possession to the aggressor or in a fit of panic hoofs the ball up to Rickie or indeed as on Tuesday night to nobody.

 

Don't want to pick on any particular player, but Lallana, Puncheon and Schneiderlin appear to suffer the most. Perhaps this is because they are young and scared to take a clout in fear of missing the next game? Who knows? But AP needs to coach them so that they use each other more and release the ball quicker to feet IMO.