Saint NL Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) Still, our defending isn't quite as bad as Pompey's https://x.com/pompey_in/status/1829890611044081973?t=hrWZNuzsfH2eS5o_KjMqzA&s=19 😂😂😂 Edited August 31 by Saint NL 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Just now, hypochondriac said: In what way is Martin suggesting that English football critics and pundits are simply not enlightened enough to appreciate his brand of losing football much different from some of the mad nate meltdowns from last year? I hate his smug belief that he is special and that others just can't see the value I think his progressive style because they are uneducated. It's a really daft thing to say to be honest, he's trying to paint the daft narrative that English fans and English pundits/media are all about 'hit it long'' ''get it in the box'' Dyche style football. It honestly isn't that case. I'd say we appreciate sensible football that doesn't provide opposing sides with free goals every game. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
disconnect Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 51 minutes ago, egg said: And here's another one. Have you watched us this season? If so, who's been better, Stephens or THB? Of the two, do to really think Stephens should drop out? How did we do Wednesday with a back 4? Did we concede more goals today with a back 3 or back 4 playing? It's pretty obvious why he's playing a 3, and why Stephens is one of the 3. People ain't thinking before posting. Harwood-Bellis has made a few mistakes, but IMO is a better player overall than Stephens. I think someone else mentioned, but if we have him, and he's fit, Bella-Kotchap should be partnering Bednarek, then THB, then Stephens. I watched Wed and obviously conceding the 3 goals isn't great, but with a better keeper and a proper back line, it would have only been that one screamer conceded. I still can't work out why we bought Wood, who has looked very average (or actually awful vs Oxford!) every time I've seen him. At the end of the day my opinion over the past 120 odd premier league games he's played is that Stephens is not good enough to be a premier league first choice centre back. 11 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) 5 minutes ago, disconnect said: Harwood-Bellis has made a few mistakes, but IMO is a better player overall than Stephens. I think someone else mentioned, but if we have him, and he's fit, Bella-Kotchap should be partnering Bednarek, then THB, then Stephens. I watched Wed and obviously conceding the 3 goals isn't great, but with a better keeper and a proper back line, it would have only been that one screamer conceded. I still can't work out why we bought Wood, who has looked very average (or actually awful vs Oxford!) every time I've seen him. At the end of the day my opinion over the past 120 odd premier league games he's played is that Stephens is not good enough to be a premier league first choice centre back. Stephen's hasn't made any obvious clear errors, but if you watch his game closely you can see him actually playing others into trouble. The THB mistake was because Stephens played a ball back that was never on. The Bednarek mistake was because Stephens ran in front of the ball and got in his way. He hasn't become a PL defender overnight because he's never been a PL defender. A squad player a PL level, sure, but this weird hybrid beckenbauer role at this level needs to stop. Two centre backs, Lesley and Downes in front. Fernandes in front of them. Full backs staying wide giving the GK and CB's angles. Job done. Edited August 31 by S-Clarke 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiggles31 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) Fuck me the first two goals were pure footballing suicide. Every PL team can play out from the back and there is no reason we cannot but when don’t try clever things one twos in your defensive third ffs. That second goal killed us when we were growing back into the game. Armstrong’s miss was a shocker and the subs showed they are miles better than the players they replaced. BBD buffs and puffs but is poor on the left. Cornet should immediately replace him. The new signings + Dibling need to be in team (minus BBD). Armstrong, Stephens and Smallbone need to be benched. Edited August 31 by Wiggles31 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gallaghert366@yahoo.com Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 7 minutes ago, disconnect said: At the end of the day my opinion over the past 120 odd premier league games he's played is that Stephens is not good enough to be a premier league first choice centre back. It took you that long to come to that conclusion? 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gio1saints Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 31 minutes ago, Whitey Grandad said: You go on and on about last season but Leeds and West Brom are a division lower than us. Go report yourself to the Bureau of Hindsight. They could do with some of your skills. Or go work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, your talent as a drama queen on Saints match thread is impressive. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Secret Site Agent Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 I was all happy and excited after the transfer window. We finally had some players and especially a goal keeper with the capacity to keep us up and build upon. The owners finally splashed some serious cash. Then we came to today and I was keen to see our new players. Then my smile faded. Russball. Shit, I forgot about that. Ahh well. We should walk the championship next season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfc4prem Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) 53 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: Yeah, that's probably fair. Our problem isn't the passing out from the back in isolation, it's how we often keep panicking in posession and playing balls back or sideways, in dangerous area's, that are never on. The second goal is a clear example. We moved the ball out to full back, rather than look for a quick pass forward we went backwards again and that was the trigger for Brentfords press. When we then tried to move it out from the back, via Bednarek, he was disposed because he shouldn't have had that ball in the first place. I know a lot is made of being brave etc, but passing backwards into the dangerous area is out of fear. Too scared to try a risky pass forward, so they play it backwards, get themselves all in a knot and end up making more of a mess than they would have if they'd just moved it forward or at least tried it. I always find your posts insightful and bang on the money. The bit in bold is a brilliant bit of analysis and a really important way of looking at the way we play: from the opposing team's perspective. That they're actively awaiting a pass backwards as a trigger for a quick and aggressive press. I saw it too many times today where we, rather than look for alternatives, were quite happy to play it backwards or sideways to a player quite clearly marked or targeted by an opposing player who was ready to pounce. Man City's players can do that, of course. Our players, however, can't. Edited August 31 by sfc4prem 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sfc4prem Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 7 minutes ago, gio1saints said: Go report yourself to the Bureau of Hindsight. They could do with some of your skills. Or go work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, your talent as a drama queen on Saints match thread is impressive. I mean, isn't every poster here relying on hindsight to make their comments about games that have just happened? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 23 minutes ago, disconnect said: Harwood-Bellis has made a few mistakes, but IMO is a better player overall than Stephens. I think someone else mentioned, but if we have him, and he's fit, Bella-Kotchap should be partnering Bednarek, then THB, then Stephens. I watched Wed and obviously conceding the 3 goals isn't great, but with a better keeper and a proper back line, it would have only been that one screamer conceded. I still can't work out why we bought Wood, who has looked very average (or actually awful vs Oxford!) every time I've seen him. At the end of the day my opinion over the past 120 odd premier league games he's played is that Stephens is not good enough to be a premier league first choice centre back. On that we agree. I'm not saying Stephens is a PL level CB either. What I'm saying is that this season RM, rightly or wrongly, RM has chosen to play a back 3. He's chosen to freeze ABK out, again rightly or wrongly. Of the CB's available to him, Stephens will obviously be one of the 3. People are clambering for him to be dropped. That would mean that THB stays in the team, but he's a novice at this level and is struggling. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saint Matty 76 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 minute ago, egg said: On that we agree. I'm not saying Stephens is a PL level CB either. What I'm saying is that this season RM, rightly or wrongly, RM has chosen to play a back 3. He's chosen to freeze ABK out, again rightly or wrongly. Of the CB's available to him, Stephens will obviously be one of the 3. People are clambering for him to be dropped. That would mean that THB stays in the team, but he's a novice at this level and is struggling. Rightly or wrongly, it's the hope that THB can be/become a good top flight player. We've seen plenty of cases for the fact that Stephens is not. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitey Grandad Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) 14 minutes ago, gio1saints said: Go report yourself to the Bureau of Hindsight. They could do with some of your skills. Or go work for the Royal Shakespeare Company, your talent as a drama queen on Saints match thread is impressive. Don’t be such a tit. I’ve been involved in enough football to be able to have a fairly good idea as to what’s going to happen. It’s called foresight. Anybody who knows me would never call me a drama queen. Edited August 31 by Whitey Grandad 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Just now, Saint Matty 76 said: Rightly or wrongly, it's the hope that THB can be/become a good top flight player. We've seen plenty of cases for the fact that Stephens is not. Yes, but we ain't got time to hope that THB improves. RM can only play Bednarek and the best he's got available to him on current form and anyone who's watched us will know that ain't THB. We all want THB to be good enough, but if we're being honest, he isn't at the moment. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarehamSaintJames Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Five at the back against a team in theory we should be competing with. Ridiculous decision. Five at the back clearly isn't the one. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexLaw76 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 What is his obsession in playing Stephens in midfield (at times), and playing at least 1 forward hugging the touchline? the fannying around at the back is embarrassing him to be fair! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 4 minutes ago, egg said: Yes, but we ain't got time to hope that THB improves. RM can only play Bednarek and the best he's got available to him on current form and anyone who's watched us will know that ain't THB. We all want THB to be good enough, but if we're being honest, he isn't at the moment. THB was our best CB last season, he isn't suddenly worse than JS or JB. What do you propose instead, playing the latter two in a back four, because that'll almost certainly get us relegated. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said: What is his obsession in playing Stephens in midfield (at times), and playing at least 1 forward hugging the touchline? the fannying around at the back is embarrassing him to be fair! Our whole set up and tactics are just wrong. Inverted this that that and the other is nonsense. Play a square peg in a square hole, and play people where they can be effective. We had a normal set up on Wednesday. In the league games it was sensible at Newcastle, but has gone to shit since then. RM has tried to be clever. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 minutes ago, Lighthouse said: THB was our best CB last season, he isn't suddenly worse than JS or JB. What do you propose instead, playing the latter two in a back four, because that'll almost certainly get us relegated. He was, in the championship. AA was our best attacker. By your metric, AA should be our best attacker in the PL. It's a daft metric though. THB needs taking out of the firing line. I'd play Taylor as one of a 3. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob60 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 I think that our troubles this year are not so much playing it around at the back but most of the goals come from the suicidal passes back into congested areas from twenty yards out (Stephens, Aribo, KWP). I think this is what Russell is referring to when he said he doesn't know why they do that. You would think it would be easy to fix and second half we looked better going forward, just need composure. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintant Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 35 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: Stephen's hasn't made any obvious clear errors, but if you watch his game closely you can see him actually playing others into trouble. The THB mistake was because Stephens played a ball back that was never on. The Bednarek mistake was because Stephens ran in front of the ball and got in his way. He hasn't become a PL defender overnight because he's never been a PL defender. A squad player a PL level, sure, but this weird hybrid beckenbauer role at this level needs to stop. Two centre backs, Lesley and Downes in front. Fernandes in front of them. Full backs staying wide giving the GK and CB's angles. Job done. This all day. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemi Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 3 hours ago, saintant said: Well don't be surprised if in a poor system with players on the bench who clearly should be starting you don't get the best out of your talented players. You drop them in the middle of a shits how and they will drop in standard. We can make all the excuses for him in the world, but at the end of the day he played an awful 3 yard pass to give away possession in a dangerous area, which led to the attack before the first goal. Appreciate there was a second mistake after, but that was the pass that put us under the initial pressure. It was also him who played a pretty suicidal pass into the middle of the park for the second - again recognise that it could have been dealt with better, but I still can’t work out whether he was intending to pass to Stephens or Bednarek, and again it just unnecessarily put us massive pressure in a dangerous area. And he did it a third time again later on in the game but luckily that went unpunished. Two of those passes happened after the subs took place, but even still a weak team selection isn’t an excuse for such poor errors. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saint francis Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Brentford played out from the back a lot better than we did, played it wide and didn't tap it about so much in front of goal suicidally like we did. Our manager must learn from this. If we're going to continue to pursue this strategy we must improve it. Lallana was great in the last third. Could he play 45 minutes? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a1ex2001 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 9 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said: Five at the back against a team in theory we should be competing with. Ridiculous decision. Five at the back clearly isn't the one. Have any teams playing 5 at the back been successful in the Premier League let alone one that was always set to struggle against relegation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gammon cheeks Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 It started in the Chapel in 1885 I love them as a nipper I love them till I die Le tissier is the king Mickey Channon too Our savour Marcus leibber We sing this song for you Alez Alez Alez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 3 minutes ago, egg said: He was, in the championship. AA was our best attacker. By your metric, AA should be our best attacker in the PL. It's a daft metric though. THB needs taking out of the firing line. I'd play Taylor as one of a 3. That doesn't follow, we haven't signed any CBs better than THB in the intervening period. We have with AA. THB is our best CB, it'll just take a bit of bit for him to find his feet. I wish that wasn't the case but we don't have a better option, and persisting with the three certainly isn't one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintant Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 24 minutes ago, Secret Site Agent said: I was all happy and excited after the transfer window. We finally had some players and especially a goal keeper with the capacity to keep us up and build upon. The owners finally splashed some serious cash. Then we came to today and I was keen to see our new players. Then my smile faded. Russball. Shit, I forgot about that. Ahh well. We should walk the championship next season. I think a lot of the anger on here today is due to disappointment and frustration at the team selection and the tactics. Having been really pleased at the incomings during the transfer window we expected to see a stronger and braver team selection. When we saw the team many of us suspected it would be a continuation of the abject display against Forest - we could see it coming and RM didn't disappoint. That is what has fueled a lot of the anger directed at Martin. I don't blame the players because they were used as cannon fodder today and it needn't have been like that. RM owns today's debacle. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OttawaSaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Watching all the other games' highlights and if we can get ourselves sorted out we could be just fine. Many teams look vulnerable. We cannot be inviting pressure though. We need to keep it simple and solid at the back and be "braver" with the ball in midfield, not Russ "braver" but to have the courage to move the ball more quickly and decisively. At the monent we are easy to play against, predictable, and ponderous. We have players that could make us more solid at the back but a handful to play against. RussBall ain't it and the sooner he acknowledges that and adapts, the better. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northam soul Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 20 minutes ago, saint francis said: Brentford played out from the back a lot better than we did, played it wide and didn't tap it about so much in front of goal suicidally like we did. Our manager must learn from this. If we're going to continue to pursue this strategy we must improve it. Lallana was great in the last third. Could he play 45 minutes? That’s because our press is pathetic. Other teams press us effectively where as we just use both strikers to run around their back four chasing the pass. Very rarely do we go all in and press their defence properly making it easy for them to pass out. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnceaSaintalwaysaSaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 hours ago, egg said: Armstrong. Who else at the start of the season should have started ahead of him? We need to move on from AA as soon as possible. Football at this level is fine margins and AA's miss before half time was criminal. Going in 1-1 at half time and we would have been right in this game. They weren't a lot better than us. THB needs to settle down. He seems to be going through a confidence issue caused by not having so much time on the ball as he did in the championship. Jack Stephens just seems to get in the way of play. I can see ABK playing for us again soon. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Galway saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Feels a bit bleak at the moment to be honest and it’s only 3 games into the season! When we concede it feels inevitable and I was just waiting for it today. We just don’t have the players to execute the manager’s philosophy. Playing 5 at the back hasn’t stopped us conceding and we are just so easy to play against. Brentford won’t have an easier three points and teams must be running their hands knowing we are up next as they know all they have to do is press us and wait for the fuck ups. We conceded 67 goals last season which was a lot but we had the players to score enough goals to beat most teams. That’s no longer the case and I can’t see us scoring a lot with the attack we have at the moment as it’s very average. It’s doesn’t help when the manager doesn’t pick the best players and it’s stating the obvious but if we carry on in this fashion it will be all over by Xmas. I don’t think it’s even a case of the new players bedding unless we start to play the percentages and get the ball forward quicker. Even then we still dont have a proper no 9. and you feel Che would walk into this team as a focal point. Things didn’t start well last season and we had the run of shit games starting at sunderland and RM figured it out, but this feels different as then we had better players than most other teams. Now we have weaker players compared to other teams in the league and are hampered by a manager who seems naive and dogmatic and could quickly look out of his depth. We haven’t even played a really good side yet (Newcastle are no great shakes) and this could get very ugly quickly. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baird of the land Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 22 minutes ago, Lighthouse said: That doesn't follow, we haven't signed any CBs better than THB in the intervening period. We have with AA. THB is our best CB, it'll just take a bit of bit for him to find his feet. I wish that wasn't the case but we don't have a better option, and persisting with the three certainly isn't one. I must of missed this. I thought we just brought in useless players like archer and Luke warm chile pepper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lighthouse Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 minutes ago, Baird of the land said: I must of missed this. I thought we just brought in useless players like archer and Luke warm chile pepper. Wow, that's all of 85 minutes you've given Archer to prove himself in the league. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macca155 Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Irritating that the bookies putting us favs to be relegated are spot on so far. I guess the new signings need time to bed in. Brentford are a tidy outfit and deserved that win. I'm just annoyed Saints served it up to them on a plate. For all the ranting on here Stephens isn't the problem. Don't forget the last minute blocks he and JB put in all game. That defence was ruthlessly exposed by an inadequate midfield and a press Saints clearly couldn't cope with. RM needs to adjust his tactics to avoid a repeat. He needs to play ABK who is clearly better than both THB and JS. I guess we"ll see big Les in against Utd, that should make a difference. On the plus side Dibling, Ramsdale, and Fernandes were significant improvements. Our competitors for relegation are all in dirt with us, so need to panic yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baird of the land Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 minute ago, Lighthouse said: Wow, that's all of 85 minutes you've given Archer to prove himself in the league. there’s also the previous year in the league to go on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pimpin4rizeal Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Don’t mind possession football but the passing around the back line Philisophy seems like taking stupid risks for the sake of it .. does us a lot more harm then good. the team line up and formation was a bit disappointing this 352 leaves us with hardly any creativity especially when you have the more mobile creative players like Fernandez and dibling on the bench Think the 433 suits us much better and personally I’d rather play Fraser then dibling on the left more creative and still has end product 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OttawaSaint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) We look like Scotland in the Euros, no real concrete plan, ineffective play, loads of mistakes and the look of a team that knows a goal or 5 against us are inevitable. We need to play more like a Georgia, Slovakia etc. Edited August 31 by OttawaSaint Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osvaldorama Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Ramsdale Sugawara Bednarek ABK KWP Downes Les Dibling Fernandes Cornet Archer I think this is our best 11 now the window is over. I hope we see something close to it soon. Instead of martins square pegs in round holes. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baird of the land Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 4 minutes ago, OttawaSaint said: We look like Scotland in the Euros, no real concrete plan, ineffective play, loads of mistakes and the look of a team that knows a goal or 5 against us are inevitable. We need to play more like a Georgia, Slovakia etc. tall Paul to the rescue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dellyears Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 9 minutes ago, pimpin4rizeal said: Don’t mind possession football but the passing around the back line Philisophy seems like taking stupid risks for the sake of it .. does us a lot more harm then good. the team line up and formation was a bit disappointing this 352 leaves us with hardly any creativity especially when you have the more mobile creative players like Fernandez and dibling on the bench Think the 433 suits us much better and personally I’d rather play Fraser then dibling on the left more creative and still has end product Where was Lesley Ogu today? Was Stephens in his place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saintant Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 minutes ago, Dellyears said: Where was Lesley Ogu today? Was Stephens in his place? He was wasted sat on the bench when he should have been in the starting line up. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6ft8saint Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 2 hours ago, Pamplemousse said: One thing that was really noticeable was how slow we pass the ball. So pedestrian. Strangely once the subs came on we played with some urgency. I watched Brighton before us and I'm sure if we played the ball quicker we'd see more promising results. Rather letting teams reset and then playing our slow game 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 57 minutes ago, egg said: He was, in the championship. AA was our best attacker. By your metric, AA should be our best attacker in the PL. It's a daft metric though. THB needs taking out of the firing line. I'd play Taylor as one of a 3. He looks a bit like a rabbit in headlights so far. I have no doubts that he'll become a decent player at this level, but right now I think he needs to go back to basics a bit and calm down. Taking him out of the firing line is something I suggested too, ditto Smallbone. Sometimes for the sake of the player you need to take them out for a bit, settle the team down, and then re-integrate them when things are a little more settled. I think there are tools to work with here, but I do fear we are lacking any star quality in the top third to make much of a punch this season. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Micky Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 (edited) 2 hours ago, Whitey Grandad said: Lallana is a coach in waiting. Stephens is waiting for a taxi, hopefully...! Edited August 31 by Micky 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 7 minutes ago, Dellyears said: Where was Lesley Ogu today? Was Stephens in his place? Technically Smallbone or Aribo were taking his place, but how we were playing did mean that Stephens stepped into midfield when we had the ball. It's such a strange approach when we have better midfielders actually sat on the bench. For me, we have to go back to something that makes a little more sense. Straight back 4. Lesley and Downes in the two central midfield slots. Fernandes AA - BBD - Cornet as a three. (AA's place up for debate with Dibling pushing). I think BBD, physically, is our best option as an out ball if we need it. That should give us more control in the middle of the park, and width through Cornet and the full backs. That's how I'd do it anyway. We can still pay keep ball like that, but if we keep width (full backs) and have two '6's as such, we will have more angles. A lot of it is based on the receiving players providing the angle or the opportunity for a pass, we didn't really do that (we haven't all season), then we panic and it all goes to shit. Positionally it all looks a bit wrong at the moment. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egg Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 7 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: Technically Smallbone or Aribo were taking his place, but how we were playing did mean that Stephens stepped into midfield when we had the ball. It's such a strange approach when we have better midfielders actually sat on the bench. For me, we have to go back to something that makes a little more sense. Straight back 4. Lesley and Downes in the two central midfield slots. Fernandes AA - BBD - Cornet as a three. (AA's place up for debate with Dibling pushing). I think BBD, physically, is our best option as an out ball if we need it. That should give us more control in the middle of the park, and width through Cornet and the full backs. That's how I'd do it anyway. We can still pay keep ball like that, but if we keep width (full backs) and have two '6's as such, we will have more angles. A lot of it is based on the receiving players providing the angle or the opportunity for a pass, we didn't really do that (we haven't all season), then we panic and it all goes to shit. Positionally it all looks a bit wrong at the moment. Who would be your back 4? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 Just now, egg said: Who would be your back 4? At the moment, Sugawara - Bednarek - Stephens - KWP 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarehamSaintJames Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 1 hour ago, a1ex2001 said: Have any teams playing 5 at the back been successful in the Premier League let alone one that was always set to struggle against relegation? By playing an extra defender you lose attacking threat. Not difficult. And we’re a team that notoriously can’t defend or hold teams. Our best form of defence has always been to attack. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
S-Clarke Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 13 minutes ago, FarehamSaintJames said: By playing an extra defender you lose attacking threat. Not difficult. And we’re a team that notoriously can’t defend or hold teams. Our best form of defence has always been to attack. The Martin logic behind that is that we get an extra player in the middle when we are on the ball. But when that extra player is Jack Stephens the advantage is somewhat removed anyway. Pep did similar with John Stones if you remember, but the gulf between John Stones and Jack Stephens is enormous and he should know that. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Appy Posted August 31 Share Posted August 31 47 minutes ago, S-Clarke said: At the moment, Sugawara - Bednarek - Stephens - KWP I think if we go to a back 4 it’ll be KWP at right back and Taylor at left back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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