Johnnyp Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 1 hour ago, Farlz said: It feels like we've just abandoned our possession game. What's happened to us playing out from the back and the lovely football of last season? We look completely void of any ideas right now. Something needs to change but I don't know what, when Elmo and Davis are subbed on to try and change the game that's a worry. What's happened is the premier league. That's what's happened. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Farlz said: It feels like we've just abandoned our possession game. What's happened to us playing out from the back and the lovely football of last season? We look completely void of any ideas right now. Something needs to change but I don't know what, when Elmo and Davis are subbed on to try and change the game that's a worry. Teams in this league close you down and deny you possession.......you have to be quicker to react and slicker in passing and that requires players to be cute in their off the ball decision making to receive the pass. its another level up in quality. Edited September 16, 2019 by TRO 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villadodo Posted September 16, 2019 Share Posted September 16, 2019 I am wondering whether at some point Smith might try moving Jack back onto the wing and bringing Conor back into Centre Mid. Jota, Trez and El Ghazi have all struggled so far. Grealish has also not performed to his best level in centre mid this season. I also feel we have missed Conor's set pieces and goals. However it is hard to find a place for Conor in centre mid ahead of Grealish and McGinn and Nakamba looks like a more solid option in defensive midfield. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 3 hours ago, DCJonah said: All our wingers are poor. Change of formation needed in my opinion. Either Targett and Guilbert as wing backs or a diamond midfield and 2 up top. sadly true and its having a knock on effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bannedfromHandV Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 It’s still early, we still have a lot of people adjusting. Yes it’s been a poor start now after 5 games but it’s been far from disastrous. Defensively we look solid, maintaining that until May could be enough alone to see us stay up. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyM3000 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Our wingers are lacking a lot. Luiz and Nakamba looked decent but how do we fit them all in? Maybe go for the Christmas tree formation and have a base 3 CMs of them two + Connor/McGinn and then use McGinn/Grealish/Jota as the two AMs in that system. It requires us to use full backs a lot and while we have to play Taylor I am not sure this will work but this current attack isn't working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I take it as a positive to be honest that despite how poor our attacker's have been, we haven't really been too bad. Crystal Palace away was our only real poor match but even that game should have yielded a point. In theory, we're 3 unbeaten and have conceded 1 goal. We could he in a much worse position. I'd rather be having to sort out an impotent attack than a leaky defence. That's something that can be remedied, especially in a January window. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 I'd admit that my real worry was Smith defensive side tactically. He's now proved he can do it perfectly. I'm sure he can get us back scoring, wether that was with changing formation. Or by capitalize our current players potentials. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave-R Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 8 hours ago, Farlz said: It feels like we've just abandoned our possession game. What's happened to us playing out from the back and the lovely football of last season? We look completely void of any ideas right now. Something needs to change but I don't know what, when Elmo and Davis are subbed on to try and change the game that's a worry. Don't know what game you've been watching but against a hammers side that have been in the prem for some seasons now, I thought we were the better side apart from passes. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 4 points at this stage is hardly a disaster and it should have been 5 points with last weeks fiasco. Crucial that we adapt quicker and have better fitness and sharpness. 'The front three' is an emerging concern and the overarching issue is a general lack of goals in this side. January is going to be a big month. Without two big signings to go straight into the attack I think we could well go down. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG_Villa_Fan Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Both Grealish and McGinn drift too much and expose the midfield, losing control of the game. Smith has to try moving Grealish somewhere else, even on the wing, just try something different. We insist on playing with wingers yet our wingers are the worst players in the team, bar Taylor, and he keeps subbing them each game but to no avail. Wesley doesn’t get any service at all. Easy to blame him but he’s on his own, perhaps he should drop much deeper too. Very unconvinced about the midfield 3 of Grealish, McGinn and a defensive midfielder. I’d like to see them play a bit more narrow once Targett is back - play both Nakamba and Luiz, with McGinn, Grealish further up and staying there, closer to Wesley. Don’t create that huge gap between midfield and Wesley, it just doesn’t work even when attempting to counter there aren’t enough bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
villalad21 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) It still feels a bit pre mature. The desire is bigger than the quality at the moment, but i do believe there's a team that can start getting results Nakamba started very nervous, but got lot better second half. So the midfield looks decent. Defensively it's also not too bad. Only 1 goal conceded the last 3 games is very good. Futher up the pitch something needs to happen. It's clear it isn't working with Wesley. And El Ghazi and Jota are highly in consistent. Edited September 17, 2019 by villalad21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Albrighton Posted September 17, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted September 17, 2019 I don’t think Smith will deviate much from the current system. Like a few others have suggested I’d be tempted to try without recognised wingers, something like Marvelous in DM, McGinn, Jack and Hourihane in a midfield three, and maybe Trezeguet playing off Wes. Very much relying on the full backs for width there. To be honest, I’m not convinced that would be the answer either. Like I say I don’t expect Smith to change the formation so it’s probably moot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Vive_La_Villa Posted September 17, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted September 17, 2019 My main concern after promotion was we would be too open and get spanked in a few games. After 5 games we’re the only team in the league to have kept 2 clean sheets. I’m content with our start. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos_the_third Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) Can’t help but feel the formation doesn’t match the squad. We carried a right winger the whole of last season, and are now carrying both wingers and a striker (unfair to say we will for a whole season, due to taking time to adapt, but has certainly been the case the majority of the time so far), not looking at all threatening going forwards, with at least 2 CMs unlucky not to be starting on the bench. Not sure of the solution to this - two I came up with that won’t be tried are a diamond (Wes and Keinan causing chaos up top), or a 4-6-0 with 6 CMs ala Spain (I would love to see this if just for the reaction from others). Edited September 17, 2019 by Carlos_the_third Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, villalad21 said: It still feels a bit pre mature. The desire is bigger than the quality at the moment, but i do believe there's a team that can start getting results Nakamba started very nervous, but got lot better second half. So the midfield looks decent. Defensively it's also not too bad. Only 1 goal conceded the last 3 games is very good. Futher up the pitch something needs to happen. It's clear it isn't working with Wesley. And El Ghazi and Jota are highly in consistent. The first team is fine until you get to the front three. When Targett comes in I'd say our back 5 will be pretty damn good. The midfield three is pretty decent as well and there's good depth there with Luiz and Hourihane. Even Lansbury represents decent back up. The front three is where it all falls away but this is a really important area. Currently it's not delivering goals and it's not creating chances. It's in this area where we have a major quality issue. Wesley aside who may come good but isn't delivering at the moment, the 3 wingers we have don't really look up to a great deal at this level, at least consistently. Goals are going to be a major struggle for us and that's the worry. Edited September 17, 2019 by Dr_Pangloss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KenjiOgiwara Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Ultimately the only player we have that can get the ball around the box and makes you think he can create is Grealish. So it's essential he plays as advanced as possible. I think patience is called for and I don't want to switch it up yet. But if we were to I'd be inclined to push Grealish up in a free role and get Luiz on for Jota next to McGinn and Marvelous behind. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimlico_Villa Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Think he needs the help of a designated Striker coach to try and get Wes firing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raver50032 Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 Some flip-flopping going on... crikey. In Smith I trust. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazmonkey Posted September 17, 2019 Share Posted September 17, 2019 8 hours ago, AndyM3000 said: Our wingers are lacking a lot. Luiz and Nakamba looked decent but how do we fit them all in? Maybe go for the Christmas tree formation and have a base 3 CMs of them two + Connor/McGinn and then use McGinn/Grealish/Jota as the two AMs in that system. It requires us to use full backs a lot and while we have to play Taylor I am not sure this will work but this current attack isn't working. I agree with this..the space between the lines is either too big or to tight especially when we defend. Last night there were lots of examples of the back four and nakamba being close then no one near..this forces it wide and west ham put the pressure on jota and el gazi. I'd like to see Gilbert engles mings taylor (for now) Luiz nakamba Grealish hourihane mcginn Wes or davies. The three of grealish mcginn and hourihane rotating round. We also need to press more. We gave too much respect last night. We seem to retreat to the 18 yard box and let them have acres of space and bring the ball forward with ease. Had Anderson been better he would have had a field day last night 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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