The reason why Harry doesn't play 2 strikers

[Stanley]

Harry post-Wigan press-conference:

"I thought Charlie had plenty of service 1st half - I played junior Hoilett up with him. That's why we caused them all the problems in the first half, because we played Junior in behind, up around Charlie which gives them a problem - they've got 2 CB's, so do they come out and mark Junior and leave Charlie 1 for 1? Or do they sit 2 CB's there and Junior's in the space because they play two CM's. Thats why we dominated the game. People keep saying play 2 up front - how many teams play two up front in world football now? You go and find teams that play two up front - you could count them on one hand - it doesn't happen any more.

Thats why we had good control - we played between the lines. Niko played it into Junior who's between the lines of our midfield and their back players and that's why we kept breaking on them and causing them problems 1st half, but it was just the final ball that was lacking - nothing to do with not playing 2 up front."

[Dorset Hoop]

A handful of teams play two upfront?

What a ******** statement from Harry.

[Stanley]

A handful of teams play two upfront?

What a ******** statement from Harry.

He seems to be referring to world football in general (including PL teams)?...

[Rebel R's]

How many championship teams only play 1 striker apart from us ??

[Rangers77]

Sounds very defensive from Harry..... He knows no scoring goals is a big, big problem. And that means, surely, he's going to do something about it. An AJ can play off Austin. This means we could simultaneously play 442 and 4231 in the same game with AJ dropping off and linking up. I'd hoped that Kransjar could play this role, but haven't seen anything from him that suggests he can (I wasn't at Millwall or Wigan).

[CroydonCaptainJack]

It doesn't actually matter if it is one or two up front as long as the goals come. No one would be berating one up front if we had scored plenty.

[Dorset Hoop]

How many championship teams only play 1 striker apart from us ??

How many teams in England full stop play 1 up front????
Not very many i bet!

[Rangers77]

And, to be honest, with the pi ss poor number of forward balls we play, our failure to cross the ball effectively (or even ineffectively), and the inability of our wingers to make any consistent use of the flanks, we could play three up front and still not score any fac king goals....

[Stanley]

And, to be honest, with the pi ss poor number of forward balls we play, our failure to cross the ball effectively (or even ineffectively), and the inability of our wingers to make any consistent use of the flanks, we could play three up front and still not score any fac king goals....

But thats the point HR is making isnt it Rangers77?

"Thats why we had good control - we played between the lines. Niko played it into Junior who's between the lines of our midfield and their back players and that's why we kept breaking on them and causing them problems 1st half, but it was just the final ball that was lacking - nothing to do with not playing 2 up front."

[Rangers77]

But thats the point HR is making isnt it Rangers77?

"Thats why we had good control - we played between the lines. Niko played it into Junior who's between the lines of our midfield and their back players and that's why we kept breaking on them and causing them problems 1st half, but it was just the final ball that was lacking - nothing to do with not playing 2 up front."

I'm happy to hear it. We'll all be happier when he does something about it.... We'd storm the championship. Look at how well we're doing playing so poorly.....

[Shepherds Mush]

And, to be honest, with the pi ss poor number of forward balls we play, our failure to cross the ball effectively (or even ineffectively), and the inability of our wingers to make any consistent use of the flanks, we could play three up front and still not score any fac king goals....

Spot on with the balls being played forward. The midfield mindset seems more to earn a clean sheet than to attack and score goals to me though.

[californiahoop]

Rock and a hard place this one, I was fuming that we haven't been playing two up front, but one of the biggest problems with our club over the last few years has been, no playing structure has been implemented in terms of system of play, 442, 4231 or whatever.

We buy players, then try to fit them in, if this playing style is the way the club is going to play, then so be it. We will now be buying players to fit the system. which I hope will benefit us in future when scouting players, fingers crossed.

[Bigdave]

I don think there is anything wrong with playing 1 striker so long as you have 2 out and out wingers and someone playing the 'hole'.

I think once Matty Phillips is fit(ter) and we have the option of SWP and Hoillett I think we will be much more of an attacking threat.

At the moment we play with 3 players who are naturally centre mid players, normally JB, KH and G ON, then we have a winger with very little confidence in Hoillett and Kranjcar who we expect to tear up the division.

Still a long way to go and if we are honest being 3rd this early after the season we had last year ain't too bad at all.

[Nick]

All of HRs managerial career he has played very attacking football. So why isn't he doing that with us? Its common sense, you stand more chance of getting more goals with two strikers rather than just playing one striker.
Its not a case of panicking, but we know we need wins and how important goal difference is.
For me Wigan was a chance to test a goalie who was making his home dabut (could be nervous) plus they've played extra games in europe.

[Sotonsuperhoop]

Harry is playing it safe by controlling the midfield and aims to get to half time in every match without conceding which so far has worked. We then get a little more adventurous after 70 mins and sometimes we win and sometimes we don't.

Harry's philosophy is that if we have the ball the other team can't score, and on the whole its working