One up front.

[knocker]

Most people, me included think we need to get someone up along side Austin. But just about every team in the prem this weekend played with a lone striker, some with more success than others.You obviously need the right players to play this system well and we don't appear to have these especially without Carroll. So maybe we should try the old fashioned 442 until we do.

[nasser95]

Most people, me included think we need to get someone up along side Austin. But just about every team in the prem this weekend played with a lone striker, some with more success than others.You obviously need the right players to play this system well and we don't appear to have these especially without Carroll. So maybe we should try the old fashioned 442 until we do.

When you play one up front, the concept is that you have 2 defensive midfielders, 2 winger, a playmaker and a striker who can bring others into play. With regards to the defensive midfielders, they both need to be good at releasing the ball to the 4 attacking players but at least one of them should be tough tackling and one of them should be good at reading the play. For us, these players are Barton and Diakite in the first category, and Faurlin, jenas and carroll in the second. Thus, Henry shouldn't be deployed as he can't release the ball forward often enough. For the Playmaker, we have kranjcar who is the best in the league in that position but that is all, unless we play faurlin there. The striker needs to be able to bring others into play and hold the ball up for others while getting into correct positions to score goals and Austin is the only player who can deal with that role. Where our issue lies is in the wingers. Our options are near perfect here and yet we use the wrong players. We could play Hoilett, Phillips, SWP, Traore and Mo Shariff. The key to the winger is that they are fully attacking and will always get into the final third to cross or shoot, yet for some reason, we insist on going with O'neil. This makes no sense since we already have enough ball players in the middle and we lack those pacy and direct options on the right hand side. This is where we need players like phillips and Hoilett to play as they are much more direct and clinical than o'neil. We can play o'neil and henry in a 442 because we need the defensive cover in that formation and we aren't required to cross it in all the time since we have other attacking options.

[Nick]

Yep I agree, we should be playing 4-4-2

Green

Simpson
Hill
Dunne
Traore

Phillips
O'Neil/Carrol
Krajcar
Hoilet

Austin
Johnson/Chevanton

[DouDou_87]

Our centre mids are not mobile and quick enough to play 4-4-2. Plus that system would mean Krankjar out wide, which is not his best position.

Burnley have 4 very high energy all action midfielders, which mean they can press and cover a lot of distance during a game. Barton, Henry, Faurlin, Carrol are just not this type of player.

4-4-2 would also expose the lack of pace we have at CB.

IMO- The formation we played on Saturday was the right one. We just didn't play well and approached the game in completely the wrong way.

Also, playing with 2 up front does not guarantee more goals. We would have less possession and would be far more open this way, meaning we would actually probably end up doing more defending.

[dave58]

Too Negative? need to revert back to 2 up front straight away starting Wed that's how we started season? still trying to get over staying in Blackpool hope i recover by Wed another long journey

[hh9]

I do not think we lost this game because of tactics.
The mental aspect was wrong. It was obvious to everyone that the Burnley players would be ready and willing to fight.
The best way to kill that is to fight them back, which we did not do.
We were not allowed to play the passing game which have served so well, Krancjar complete shelved out by Burnley.
This should have been the perfect time for the fullbacks and wingers to take control. There was a lot of space on the wings but BAE, Hoilett, Simpson and O'Neill looked not interested enough.

[nasser95]

I do not think we lost this game because of tactics.
The mental aspect was wrong. It was obvious to everyone that the Burnley players would be ready and willing to fight.
The best way to kill that is to fight them back, which we did not do.
We were not allowed to play the passing game which have served so well, Krancjar complete shelved out by Burnley.
This should have been the perfect time for the fullbacks and wingers to take control. There was a lot of space on the wings but BAE, Hoilett, Simpson and O'Neill looked not interested enough.

Yes, the mentality was wrong, but I think that was down to the tactics, as you say the wingers did not take control and I think that was down to us playing o'neil instead of Phillips.

[hh9]

If you play Phillips instead of O'Neill it would be the same tactic but with different personnel .
Just think of the left field. BEA always hesitating when going forward (maybe Hoilett in his way). Hoilett always running into players (not around them) loosing the ball and always lying on the floor, hand raised with a big why on his face.
Nothing at all happened on the right side and probably because they were always looking to pass the ball to Krancjar exactly what Burnley tactics was trying to prevent.

[Ricky]

When you play one up front, the concept is that you have 2 defensive midfielders, 2 winger, a playmaker and a striker who can bring others into play. With regards to the defensive midfielders, they both need to be good at releasing the ball to the 4 attacking players but at least one of them should be tough tackling and one of them should be good at reading the play. For us, these players are Barton and Diakite in the first category, and Faurlin, jenas and carroll in the second. Thus, Henry shouldn't be deployed as he can't release the ball forward often enough. For the Playmaker, we have kranjcar who is the best in the league in that position but that is all, unless we play faurlin there. The striker needs to be able to bring others into play and hold the ball up for others while getting into correct positions to score goals and Austin is the only player who can deal with that role. Where our issue lies is in the wingers. Our options are near perfect here and yet we use the wrong players. We could play Hoilett, Phillips, SWP, Traore and Mo Shariff. The key to the winger is that they are fully attacking and will always get into the final third to cross or shoot, yet for some reason, we insist on going with O'neil. This makes no sense since we already have enough ball players in the middle and we lack those pacy and direct options on the right hand side. This is where we need players like phillips and Hoilett to play as they are much more direct and clinical than o'neil. We can play o'neil and henry in a 442 because we need the defensive cover in that formation and we aren't required to cross it in all the time since we have other attacking options.

Im guessing your the "championship manager" gaming type? Was all looking good untill you suggessted we play Traore or Shariff high and wide.

[Ricky]

Yep I agree, we should be playing 4-4-2

Green

Simpson
Hill
Dunne
Traore

Phillips
O'Neil/Carrol
Krajcar
Hoilet

Austin
Johnson/Chevanton

This team is Far too attacking. You cant afford to play with 4 attacking midfielders. Cant see any of them four actually going in for a tackle, let alone winning one

[hh9]

We played 4-4-2 for the first 6 games, 3 home, 3 away, (5W 1D) since another 6 games, 2 home, 4 away, (3W 2D 1L).
I assume that we have the same defence Green-Simpson-Dunne-Hill-BEA and the forward would be Austin and either Johnson/Chevanton. That leaves who to be in midfield.
So who where playing there for the first 6 games. Barton played all 6 og them but 2 of them on the right side. When Barton is moved to the middle SWP comes in on the right. Henry started 5 of these games with Carroll coming in for the 6th. Faurlin and Granero each played once. Hoilett played 4 on the left with OŽNeill in 2.
From this you can see that playing Barton and Henry in the middle with Hoilett and SWP on the wings worked best.
This means unless Barton is moved to the right there is no room for either Krancjar og Carroll.
This is the situation for HR - if going 4-4-2 Krancjar (probably our best midfielder) is out. Same goes for Carroll one of the best young English born midfielder.

[Dazzer1977]

With regards to Burnley, they have very little strength in depth in their squad. No sour grapes on my part at all and I'm happy to admit they were the better team on Saturday, but I doubt they'll be where they are in Jan as like most teams in the division they are bound to pick up some injuries to some key players. They also have the fear of losing key players when the Jan window opens too. IMO Leicester and Forest are the teams to worry about because they are lurking and both have the financial clout to push on if in a strong position.

With regards to our team selection and formation, as Neil Warnock said in his book, everyone in the country thinks they can be Prime-minister and a football manager. You wouldn't go telling a consultant/surgeon how to do a heart bypass. We've taken 27 points in 12 games. If Harry wants to play 1 up top and takes 20+ points from the next 12 games then I'll let him do the managing and I'll focus on cheering the lads on, on the pitch. Our team formation has helped us concede only 6 goals and we still aren't firing on all cylinders going forward, which I'm sure will come. If we have no extra points come Sunday then I might rethink my comments, but for now I'm more than happy with our league position, form and style of play.

[Shepherds Mush]

The midfield formation is tricky but I would have a starting diamond 4 of

Henry (DM)
Barton (RM)
O'Neill (LM)
Kranjcar (AM)

Would alternate O'Neill and Hoilett

[Kit]

Dont think tactics were wrong saturday but our passing was abysmal, had we retained possession a little better then the whole game would have panned out differently, their goal came from Henry being hustled off the ball when we had possession of it. We put the ball into touch at least 4 or 5 times, something we haven't done all season and you could see Burnley increasing in confidence the more we were giving it away. I don't think Burnley actually played that well I think we were just very poor and gave them the initiative far too easily.

[Rangers77]

Yep I agree, we should be playing 4-4-2

Green

Simpson
Hill
Dunne
Traore

Phillips
O'Neil/Carrol
Krajcar
Hoilet

Austin
Johnson/Chevanton

Terrible team. Two up front sometimes, yes, but that midfield would get creamed. Here isn't a tackle in it. And it's too risky to play two out and out wingers in 442.... Oh and Traore?? Holy cr@p... For Derby with Barton available I'd play

Green
Simpson Dunne Hill BAE
Phillips Barton Carroll Kransjar
Austin AJ

I'm assuming AJ is fit. If not then Cheverton. If Carroll's not fit then ONeil in the middle with Barton.