Arrogant Hasslebank defends his tactics.

[Shepherds Mush]

Warnock didn't change his formation ALL season in 2010/11 and won the league. Is that arrogance or confidence in the system?

Thing is, he had the players (and one in particular) that fit that system in the Championship.

Just hope JFH has the players (when fit) that fit the system.

[West London is Rss]

All the players have been fit though no? And it looks like they don't fit the system?

We play wingers but are so narrow it looks like a diamond formation.
We play Chery in the no10 as JFH has been wanting to do, and still create absolutely nothing, hardly ever, from open play.

At the moment I imagine it's what watching a Tony Pulis team is like, just without not conceding goals.

[Shepherds Mush]

All the players have been fit though no? And it looks like they don't fit the system?

We play wingers but are so narrow it looks like a diamond formation.
We play Chery in the no10 as JFH has been wanting to do, and still create absolutely nothing, hardly ever, from open play.

At the moment I imagine it's what watching a Tony Pulis team is like, just without not conceding goals.

Have all of Sylla, N'Gbakoto, Wszolek and Borysiuk been fit all season? They need a proper run in the first XI and Lynch hasn't been available either.

[nasser95]

Have all of Sylla, N'Gbakoto, Wszolek and Borysiuk been fit all season? They need a proper run in the first XI and Lynch hasn't been available either.

We've yet to see Wszolek, N'Gbakoto and Borysiuk play in a midfield with our two best players: Luongo and Chery. Until we see the full extent of what JFH hoped to accomplish with those signings, he shouldn't be given a final judgement. Think about the difference between how our midfield looks now, with how it would look then. to go from:

Henry, Luongo
Cousins, Chery, Shodipo

to:

Borysiuk, Luongo
N'Gbakoto, Chery, Wszolek

is a huge huge change. You have a midfield capable of moving higher up than they do now, without risking our defensive qualities from midfield or our passing qualities. Right now, some say why don't we play Cousins over Henry, because Henry can recycle possession better while keeping up his defensive duties. And he doesn't pass it backwards as much as people think he does (not that it's difficult to pass it forward when he stands literally right in line with our centre backs).

But with Ariel in, you have the pace to play higher in midfield, you can see the midfielders rushing up and creating space when they trust that if they do lose the ball, they have Luongo and Ariel who can both put in a challenge and recover if they don't get the ball the first time. Right now, if Henry loses out on a challenge, that's it, he's not capable of chasing it down a second time. So he has to play deep.

[West London is Rss]

That's if they get a run in the team.

We'll have to see who he selects - Whoever plays, the tempo needs to be raised on and off the ball. The system is irrelevant without tempo.

[Pinkie]

How ridiculas is it though to make all these signings & non are upto it for the games, & even when they are hopefully we`ll of picked up a few more wins as these players being mostly foreign, would they have the fight/backbone for a relegation fight?!

[Shepherds Mush]

That's if they get a run in the team.

We'll have to see who he selects - Whoever plays, the tempo needs to be raised on and off the ball. The system is irrelevant without tempo.

Definitely. No excuse IMO for the lack of tempo and getting at them we've seen recently from those that have been picked.

[nasser95]

Definitely. No excuse IMO for the lack of tempo and getting at them we've seen recently from those that have been picked.

No doubt whatsoever that there are no excuses for the ones who've been picked. But a lot of the time, the ones who've been picked aren't the ones who make up our strongest team. I think that we can all agree that we haven't seen our strongest potential line up yet. Until we do, we're criticising JFH for his secondary line up and as such, the criticism has to take that into account.

I personally criticise the lack of fight against Newcastle, the lack of quality in the first half against huddersfield and the lack of anything against PNE. But I thought that Leeds performance was one of our best in years, especially when it looked like the picture perfect identification of what JFH wanted from us as a team. Like, in a few months, if someone asks what style JFH wanted to play, I'd show them the Leeds game as the perfect look.

[Southport]

Is Borysiuk better than Cousins? Managers rarely have their best 11 players on the pitch at any one time, I don't have a huge amount of sympathy because our opponents will also be missing key players in certain games. I firmly believe we could be better by using Sandro instead of Henry, but feel that this is a debate on which people won't change their opinions. Disappointing that Shodipo might not play many matches if the line up you think is the best does eventuate.

If Jimmy cannot change his formation and style depending on who is available do you feel that this weakens him as a manager? How does his man management of Sandro strike you after hearing the podcast? If we were winning matches his attitude could be justified, but when we are losing, surely pragmatism is a desirable trait and not one Jimmy has shown much of.

[Pinkie]

It beats me how cousins in his first few games for us looked superb and exactly what we needed, & now hes a shadow of that player, very odd how jimmys saying its the players & they seem to be playing to a negative plan to hold them back!

[guy.dunstan]

Henry is a massive problem with us I'm afraid. Have always lambasted him personally and don't like the bloke but this season more than ever it's abundantly clear that he needs to be dropped. He slows everything down to a snails pace and has such a negative mind set(always wanting to go backwards or sideways). He also causes our other midfielders to drop deeper to pick up the ball. We need to mix things up a bit especially at hone(playing 2 holding midfielders at home should be punishable by death). I'm convinced we've got the players to put a naughty little side together but jimmys stubbornness in always picking Henry and being unwilling to pick a more attacking line up is killing us. Also if you watch say Huddersfield they play a similar system but both full packs are constantly up and down the wing. Forgetting our obvious problems at right back(mainly we haven't got one other than perch and he's injured) I don't see Bidwell getting into advanced positions as much as he should. Did it all the time at Brentford so is this something that's being instructed upon him or do we just sit so deep in general that it's stopping players playing their natural game. Just a thought

Why is it always Henry thats the problem? Been one of our better players for the last 3 seasons or so. One of our only players who actually does the job he is supposed to.

[West London is Rss]

Ergh, Karl Henry...

Digs a whole in the pitch every game with his turning. Can't wait til Borysiuk gets up to speed and hopefully replaces him once and for all.

[Shepherds Mush]

Ergh, Karl Henry...

Digs a whole in the pitch every game with his turning. Can't wait til Borysiuk gets up to speed and hopefully replaces him once and for all.

I've got nothing against Henry but am hoping Borysiuk is the catalyst for a more effective and fluid central midfield

[nasser95]

Why is it always Henry thats the problem? Been one of our better players for the last 3 seasons or so. One of our only players who actually does the job he is supposed to.

Henry is a solid ball player (despite what many say) and a good tackler. He's got solid technical abilities but when it comes to us playing high pressing football, he stops us doing it. Because he lacks the pace and stamina, he hangs just in front of the defensive line, taking away one player from the high pressing we want. He invites pressure and while he can win it back from that, he doesn't win it back enough and we end up being pushed further back. A solid screener for a back line when trying to play a different style of football. When playing a high pressure game, he stops you doing it.

[guy.dunstan]

Henry is a solid ball player (despite what many say) and a good tackler. He's got solid technical abilities but when it comes to us playing high pressing football, he stops us doing it. Because he lacks the pace and stamina, he hangs just in front of the defensive line, taking away one player from the high pressing we want. He invites pressure and while he can win it back from that, he doesn't win it back enough and we end up being pushed further back. A solid screener for a back line when trying to play a different style of football. When playing a high pressure game, he stops you doing it.

Dont understand why that makes Henry the problem, surely that makes JFH the problem constantly asking him to play in a system that doesnt fit with his game. Agree with what you say, but play some one other than Karl Henry. Henry breaks up play and protects the 2 centre backs and has done that very well for a good few years for us. We need to stop slating a good servant to our club, havent been too many of those in recent years!