Fabrice29

Okay do people just deliberately forget the success we are having? Because it's all well and good making jibes about us conceding goals from our tactics and concluding things like "act of the matter is that we do not have the required quality in defence to do it consistently/effectively." but the evidence clearly suggests we do because we're scoring more goals than we concede and we're winning more games than we lose under this guy? Which is literally what he was appointed to do. So yes, we are conceding goals and chances. That's the game. There's not a team in the league that doesn't. Yes we've lost a couple of games. That's the game. There's not a team in the league that doesn't. The trick is to win more than you lose and win more than others and under this manager, this managers tactics, we're pretty much doing that also? Can we continue doing it? Who knows. Big set of games coming up over a busy period and yes there will be some further tactical challenges to overcome but wetting the bed before it happens, and during a successful period, just seems like deliberately being miserable to me. But then again, it's led by people who insist they didn't enjoy us being successful in this league last time so it's hardly surprising. People just love to moan.

Its almost as if the pissing around at the back is designed to create the space further up the field for us to move forward and with pace. Like it always has been.

Probably. But given I’ve asked this question a few times to people now and the only response I’ve had is THB or Edward’s and that would effectively change nothing about our play, I’m going to suggest it’s a mute point. I suspect we’ll get this at some stage as I got the impression Jelert is back soon, but I’m not convinced it’ll suddenly improve our current 5/7 win rate. I’m much more interested in seeing different player attributes on the pitch than seeing the same ones in a slightly different place on the pitch. That’ll makes us noticeably different.

I think you’re right in the sense he’s made a choice to prioritise an extra man in possession at the back over command of the box. Not that I think McCarthy is that much of an improvement really tbh but I really don’t think facing a team with the goal scoring prowess of Coventry is the time to start stripping out defenders and changing our approach completely. I would say that closing down the out ball in midfield is easier said than done. Even Saturday the penalty comes from the recycling of possession and it’s not like teams aren’t trying to stop it from the start and the goals we’ve scored is just luck. We definitely need variation to our play but without the personnel I’m not sure what else we can do. I don’t think changing the formation magically changes our way of playing, you’d still need to play into the feet of our front line.

We’ve won 5 of our last 7 mate. I want the norm, not the different results. Yes plan B’s sound wonderful and we obviously need to improve in that area but given we have probably the smallest front line in the league we’re not suddenly going to go long and suggesting we should change what’s working seems crazy to me. We would need the personnel to do something different firstly and it all sounds dreamy to seamlessly switch up a way of playing from game to game and half to half but given we’ve just come from 2 wins in 13 I really think that we shouldn’t be taking for granted our current form and start suddenly bemoaning when we’re under some pressure in games. That’s the league we are in, it’s famously competitive and unless you’re a well drilled team at taking the sting out of teams, we’re going to have to suffer and just learn to get better at that rather than seeing us lose the odd game and perform badly for a half and start demanding the manager just conjures up a new tactical plan that solves everything immediately, especially with the same players.

Until we have a fit right back, I’m not sure what people expect. Also, taking out a CB is fine but unless you are replacing him with someone just as tall you’re making us weaker at set pieces, as well as having less people to defend crosses in open play. You’ll need a right back and probably Charles back first.

Yeah sure but if you really think Saturday is the time to try something new you’re a mad man. If winning games of football isn’t enough for you then yes, he’ll be sacked soon no doubt.

None of this is ‘wisdom’. It’s pointing out he’s been rubbish.

Sorry but this is nonsense. He’s ran around bumping into people and giving away fouls. That’s all he’s done so far. I’m not against giving him time to get better, and I suspect he will with sharpen up but we don’t need to pretend he’s been more effective when he’s quite clearly be rubbish every time he’s come on. Wouldn’t mind him actually getting a foot on the ball when he comes on at some stage.

We sacked our GK coach at the same time as Still fwiw and the u21’s guy has stepped up.

The reason he’s being picked is because he’s miles better with his feet and I would hazard a guess that Tonda, like each manger before him values that extra man in possession over two pretty hapless shot stoppers to begin with. The build up to the penalty award yesterday being a perfect example. We should absolutely be in for a keeper and I think even Spors was hinting at that in his interview but we don’t need to go around making up some conspiracy about why he’s being picked. It’s obvious and nothing to do with pathway or any other bollocks like that.

Who are you playing right back and which of the front guys are you dropping to do this? Not sure why everyone wants to change things up when we’ve just started winning games. Stick to what we’ve done well and back ourselves to do what we do well. Trying something new against top of the league seems a perfect recipe for mistakes and being exposed.

And yet they needed us to miss a penalty (which we got because of the easily dealt with build up play) and score a handball goal to beat us. Yeah 5 wins in 7, we’re one of the most form teams in the league and we’re playing top of the table. Ditch it all and try something new makes most sense.

Good for you. Again though, you wouldn’t be saying we had their number if we had won because of a handball goal and a missed penalty. So you were overreacting after 10 minutes and now.

Little reminder of why we lost that 1. 1.07

I’d check McCarthy’s history against Norwich if I were you

I really think if we won a game because of a handball and the opponents missing a penalty you wouldn’t be claiming our manager had sussed theirs out.

Would Scienza play off the left, Fellows up the right, Armstrong down the middle with Azaz trying to link things up? Sounds similar tbh. All it does is take away a CB into a right back position and mean more responsibility on 2 CB's who are struggling with help now let alone on their own. I can see the desire to defend crosses better but we need the personnel to do it rather than some fancy graphic loaded up by the club before the game showing a formation you like.

That'll be a promotion on the cards then. Lovely.

Okay so literally nothing changes with how we currently attack then.

He's part of a squad 8th in the PL at the age of 19. Don't think disaster is the word I'd use tbh.

Who are you playing at right back then?

We don't have a fit right back. Nor does taking out a tall CB feel like a particularly wise thing to do for a small 11 in relation to set pieces. We also pretty much attack like this anyway.

He came off injured.

I don’t disagree with anything you’ve said but again, why do we have to think so matter of factly? Armstrong is the best therefore he’s number 1 for the whole season. Injured, form and different tactics have to be considered It’s perfectly reasonable to want a squad of strikers, especially with different attributes. So yes, Archer can step in, I’m with you on that, he’s more than capable of stepping up in a competent side at this level but what if we want a different profile of attacker? Something different against Millwall might have been nice. So that’s where Downs and Stewart step in, if fit and firing I’d say we’re all good in that area but if for whatever reasons the club feel they can’t contribute this season, another striker is a must because I’m not convinced the youth strikers have a different profile either. What I would actually suggest the club do is offload Aribo and bring in a physical presence that can play wide and down the middle. That makes most sense to me. If it’s a permanent transfer then I see no reason you can’t find somebody who you think will contribute in the PL over the years too. That’s the whole point of recruiting permanent players. Yes we aren’t necessarily going to sign a PL ready player who is knocking back those clubs for us but no reason we can’t sign somebody for the long term and now.