Where games are won and lost

[pauldrayton]

There have been all sorts of discussions about which formations are best but over the course of the season most games are won or lost in midfield.

The midfield that can defend as a unit to protect the back four, control possession and have the creativity to make chances for the strikers will usually win the game.

And I think we have ours all wrong. Firstly, Fer is not a left sided player. He is completely wasted there and he doesn't have the ability to get forward and create chances down the wing. Vargas isn't really a midefielder at all so we have no natural width and players out of position. Henry and Barton are both warriors and will work all day but technically neither of them is great and their passing has been wayward which puts pressure on the defence and loses momentum when going forward. I understand that Harry wants to protect his full backs but that just requires discipline from your wingers.

I think the following team would have picked up far more points this season:

............Austin..Vargas

Traore/Hoilett...Fer...Sandro...Phillips

Yun.........Caulker...Onuoha.......Isla

...............Green

I realise some people don't rate Hoilett and Traore but Traore has pace to burn and is naturally left-footed whereas Hoilett has caused teams problems when he's played even if his final ball hasn't been great. Again Phillips on the right has his detractors but he's a natural winger with pace. I can see some overlapping with Yun down the left and Isla down the right giving us some proper width and whipping the balls in behind opposition defences.

Vargas provides more pace up front alongside Charlie and if we need something different to change a game we have the likes of Zamora, Zarate, Krancjar and Taarabt to come in.

I realise Sandro has been injured and we'd have had to play Barton or Henry in that role but now he's coming back I think we need to be ruthless and change things.

Just my thoughts.

[Del]

Agree with your points. Especially away he sets our team up so defensively with slow players out of position that we generally offer no threat. That then just allows them to attack us, force mistakes and score against us, at which point he may than change it to try and score when it's normally too late!

The Everton game was our best performance away initially because we had holiett, Philips and Vargas running at them causing them problems. We dominated early on and were unlucky they had lucky deflected goals.

[West Acton]

Hoilett yesterday actually done ok never ran into players and lost the ball but carried it forward and used it well and for a change he looked mildly like a threat especially on the edge of the box around the D

[Jogo]

Hoilett yesterday actually done ok never ran into players and lost the ball but carried it forward and used it well and for a change he looked mildly like a threat especially on the edge of the box around the D

Must be trying to impress someone?????

[Wolfy]

Harry plays players out of position and the wrong formations. I think it is worth noting that Hoilett during pre season played behind the striker and did score some goals. Is this his best position? The players are so inconsistent but I agree we need the pace in team and Fer's best position is behind the strikers. Drop the old boys.

Your team is probably as close to the best we can put out but too many mediocre players at QPR and this will be our down fall.

[Golborne]

Posted this on another thread

Maybe? we try Hoilett in a more central role, so left of the 3? Has worked wonders for West Ham (via Downing) this year. An out and out winger who now often has midfields and defences back peddling in central positions they don't want to (make a costly) challenge in. That drive down the middle also draws players central which makes space on the flanks. I only say Hoilett for that role because he's quick and his close control is quite good. We don't have strikers who can give us that drive, so it has to come from midfield

Hoilett yesterday actually done ok never ran into players and lost the ball but carried it forward and used it well and for a change he looked mildly like a threat especially on the edge of the box around the D