Bazmonkey

There's no point in bringing in barkley if 1. We can't keep the ball long enough to get it to him 2. We play long ball hoof and he needs to run 60 yards to catch up with Watkins Just be another bypass in the middle

Talent alone won't win you games. But you need to have some to even think about winning

We have done this year Same with crosses...fore them in see what happens. Would love to see actually play through the lines and give Watkins something to run on to...one touch....finish. But then the quality in the middle is not very good at the moment

I posted something similar the other other day Abraham Traore grealsish Watkins The only problem is we would need two really good centre midfielders...mobile...disciplined...good in attack and also defense to balance the team. Do we have them?

Defensively solid...cant fault it Just wish we were better on the ball. Never comfortable with it. But it stops the rot. Nakamba looked good

I'd love us to take a throw in properly...ffs

I think Abraham would be a good fit. As much as Watkins has played really well so far.....he is also good at running with the ball and a lot of his good work with it has come from slightly wider positions. This could work with Abraham as he could play off him....maybe on the right.. that would poss dropping Traore or playing him left...... but then we would have better options to come of the bench...which if we want to be regularly pushing we need to have. Abraham Traore Grealish Wakins Luiz Sanson (just to see what he can do) Targett Mings Konsa Cash Or...and I'm not a big fan as you need the players but a 4-3-3...as discussed in the midfield topic...if we played three out and out midfielders it could work Grealish Abraham Watkins Luiz Sanson McGinn Targett Mings Konsa Cash

Luiz did make the correct decision. I see where you are coming from....so in that situation i would have gone to Tielemens too. What makes it look bad is he effectively commits himself which allows Tielemens to pass over it him. BUT it only happens because the shape and positions of other players make it look like it does. I agree CDM's should go wide...however...they shouldnt be behind any of the defenders in a defensive situation...going forward yes...as you get overlaps from the full backs....but when defending...CDM's should alwayd be in front of the back line...especially in this situation with the ball in the opposition half.

Luiz is covering Targett and thats the problem. That should be Mings' job as everyone should shuffle across. Mings is too deep and this means Luiz has to do it...leaving Maddison free in the middle.....Luiz would have been able to be goal side if Mings was in the correct position. Too Centre halves are too deep...creating the space for leiceter to play in. CDM....means Central...looking at the pictures above...its a catalogue of errors..... the fact one throw in takes four of our players out the game is more a concern....lack of communication and leadership. We seem to have lost shape and bit of composure when it comes to defending in recent games.

Great post...i love this kind of breakdown From looking at each image its a catalogue of errors....starting from McGinn and Luiz being taken out of the game by one pass. I agree with the points on here...Barkley should do better. However, as I have stated before...the back line just retreat all the time...in case to the edge of the box and dont recognise the danger...... in Mings and Konsa should do better. From the pictures you can clearly see they back off and only when there is a danger step forward very slightly...but by then Maddison has pulled the trigger. Konsa is ball watching and because he has 'just retreated back' he has let Vardy go behind him.....his body shape is wrong to react...had he been more forward he may have got the second ball....but definitely would have gave Maddison something to think about.....with Mings...again to far back. Its 3 v 3....the attacking three should have to do something specially to beat our 3 as its man for man....looking and watching that....we did nothing apart from make it easy for them....the initial pass from Barnes...the time and space for Maddison

I currently coach three teams u10's and two u18's for a non league club in Birmingham I'm also a scout u16's for a championship team....video analyst/first team scout for a league 2 side. I get to see alot of football which is great...but I cant watch a game with analysing it bit by bit

This is what I was trying to say earlier...the change since the break has been noticeable...be a shame to waist the good start with top 8 and possibly Europe in our grasp

They mentioned on MOTD last night...as to where they got it from????? But like I have said previously...you only have to re-watch our games and it is a viable stat. I would go 4 1 4 1 I think playing two CDM's with our current players and form doesn't suit us. I think Luiz and McGinn confuse each other...shall go...shall you go....ill sit...no you sit. Push McGinn up in to the midfield three making it 4.....gives us more width in midfield and an extra bod...... and let Luiz and McGinn do their thing.

As a coach myself.....if this is the case then its a poor tactical decision....allowing teams to come on...take shots. I kind of agree slightly to some extent in the attacking third...otherwise you just end up burned out pressing all over the pitch....but not when we are in our own half on the edge of the box. And that's the thing...we dont engage....i know stats are misleading...well...some are...but we are highest in league for average shots against.....and dangerously...most touches in own box...these are stats that need to be addressed. Our press gets beaten because we do it in 2 and 3's...not 4's and 5's. Its a brave call by Smith if this is the case and something we wasnt doing at the start of the season...hence the good performances and results.

i think there is player there but for me he just doesnt show it enough. Can he pass a ball...yes can he get a shot off...yes I watch Barkley and see him do something and Im like go on..keep going...but then he just disappears...I want him to show what he can do but often left disappointed. He has a chance to put himself in the shop window...not only for us..but for England...and hes not doing it. I look at Lingard...taken it on...playing well....enjoying football.....done more in four or five games at West Ham than Barkley has in 18 plus...bit of a shame really

I didn't watch the game but managed to catch the highlights on MOTD. I dont always agree with the analysis but Shearer and Dublin were spot on last night. Our midfield offer nothing...in defence and attack...no drive...no press. The writing as per the normal was on the wall after 40 seconds.....everyone backs off...shot on goal. Recently too many times in too many games we have allowed teams not only to find space in midfield but astonishingly walk through it. As pointed out Leicester players taking four touches...get to the box...have a shot...why....BACKING OFF...you have defenders next to the GK...midfielders not knowing to stick or twist on the edge of the box...its very bad. It's like they are afraid of defending...inviting teams on. Pains me to say it but West Ham yesterday showed how to do it....a bank of four on the edge of the box and defensive two 15 yards in front...forcing spurs to play on the half way line...they looked solid and delt with anything that came through the middle. We wait on the edge...deep...inviting...then if we do win it...big hoof to Watkins who has half the oppo to deal with until by some chance support arrives because we have eight players still in the box. In the picture attached shows this...all our players static on the edge of the box...waiting...in this case 6 of them...this is just an example but it happens time and time again Smith needs to address this...are players not fit or not good enough...either way it's a concern as we don't look like getting anything playing like this.

Spot on. Been said a few times recently...especially after a bad performance...well we were in relation last year....I expected to finish 12th or 14th. But...we are in great position to finish higher and thats what we should be aiming for expecially as its so close. Given this... to me finishing 11th would be a disappointment as we have been with touching distance of top 6 all season. We can then bring in the better players I the summer to make us even better next season. We shouldn't recent on our laurels just because of where we finished last season

Absolutely spot on Dave. This has also made us go from letting the opposition have 6....7 shots to over 20 in recent games. We are also very predicable in our passing...this is down to speed because the opposition just get set and let us have it wide...pretty much every decent attack comes from crosses out wide or from wide positions...great...but I would love to see Barkeley...Gealish....even THE wingers play through the middle a bit more...get the opposition thinking a bit.

Agree with some the posts. We do have too many like for like players in midfield and to add they are too limited We have wingers who are 'just wingers...great when we have the ball...but they won't give yiu that defensive work needed in the prem. As for defensive two...I played CDM for years amd it's their role to stop the attacking midfielders who join the play. Our problem is mcginn amd luiz are dropping too deep and end up marking the forward. Recently...and if you watch the games again konza amd mings also drop to deep often marking no one. These brings on to the second point....second balls...you have to earn them....we do struggle with this and when we do win it it just ends up falling to the oppo on the edge....why...the midfield are in the box. We need to start defender more clever...let the back line deal with the forwards...midfield two pick the runner....the 2nd one picks the second ball so that we can attack bring in barkeley and leave grealish out the way...we don't need or want him in our box...we shoukd have enough to deal with it....if grealish who is playing leftbwing is having to come back and defend the box then someone isn't doing their job. I've used burnley goal as an example before 8 villa players in 6 yard box when Wood scored....thats 8...and still scored. I think the personal can do it...they just need direction from the coaching team. Watching most teams yiu can clearly see a line of defenders and a line of midfielders...we often have a line of 6...7 sitting on the 18 yard box...which when we do win it...we run in to the attacking team only to lose it. It's fine lines but if corrected make a massive difference

Sorry...have to totally disagree The defence and midfield defensive two have been poor. Brighton broke our defense all game. If it wasn't for Martinez that could have been 4 nil. A defensive unit of a back four and two in midfield does not allow over 20 shots a game...which has been the norm lately. Throwing in front of shots is commendable....but all game...every game. We have defenders on the 6 yard line....midfielders in the box....its not good defending. Allowing wave after wave..its resilient at best. Comes to something when the MOM is the keeper week in week out. We have played burnley, Brighton...yes..bit of form...Southampton...arsenal...all round us...with the exception of West ham who are a good team...we have been and allowed them batter us. Better teams will score when we allow 20 shots...its not sustainable

Probably best buy of the season. I'd hate to see where we would be if he wasn't in goal.

I've said this a while back. If he is doubled up on...then what are the rest of the midfield doing. Plus playing wide you only have one way to go...and thats inside. If he was in the middle...moving across the pitch...left....right...no team can double up on you.

Some maybe but we allowed them to we had 10 players in the box running around like headless chickens. Even their centre halves got in on the act at one point. How many second balls did we win on the edge of the box...how many in midfield....none.....how many times did we clear it to a Brighton player pretty much evert.....why...all in the time...never seen a team sit so deep with 10 men in the box...yeah the half...but not the box....this allowed them 26 shots...and not for the first time we have done this.

I thought that. Either way...if he is...barkeley ain't doing himself any favours as anyone watching him wouldn't want him based recent performances...and as for England and the euros.....no chance...beike the rest of us in front of the TV.

Agree the momentum and sharpness has gone. Disagree about the pitch...they looked alright and passed it round us with ease....and triangles...saw a couple of passes then boot it or lose it Without Martinez...we would have lost that...heavily. If we have lost sharpness....then he need to put someone else in. Not saying wholesale changes....two max...keep the competition...keep the hunger....keep sharp.