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Team shape, tactics and personnel


MaVilla

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9 minutes ago, Jas10 said:

 

There's certainly a big difference between those first Gerrard games and what came later, when he had time to work on his ideas. Those first games were basically just sitting back in a tight shape, force the opposition wide, hand over possession and play on the counter. Not very exciting but it did give us a few points.

Edited by VillaParkAvenue
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9 minutes ago, VillaParkAvenue said:

There's certainly a big difference between those first Gerrard games and what came later, when he had time to work on his ideas. Those first games were basically just sitting back in a tight shape, force the opposition wide, hand over possession and play on the counter. Not very exciting but it did give us a few points.

There is something fundamentally wrong with our shape in that we play narrow but teams can still play through the middle of us.

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43 minutes ago, duke313 said:

So we play with 4321 against Bournemouth and lose, change to 4312 against Everton and win, then change again to 4321 against Palace and lose.  I think I know what formation we're going to use against West Ham.

Ha I mean hopefully, if that's our season and the pattern of results then it's 57 points.

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46 minutes ago, duke313 said:

So we play with 4321 against Bournemouth and lose, change to 4312 against Everton and win, then change again to 4321 against Palace and lose.  I think I know what formation we're going to use against West Ham.

If we all know what formation he is about to resort I'm guessing the opposition manager and scouting team know as well. 

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1 hour ago, OutByEaster? said:

On Watkins goal against Palace, just as he starts his celebration, you get a really good view of the problem with our shape.

Now, I know it's a bit bonkers to be making a tactical criticism at a goal celebration, I realise that, I know it's a bit mad - but....

As Watkins runs off to celebrate, there's a line of five attacking players behind him - Digne on the left, Ramsey and Buendia, Bailey who has coming inside and McGinn on the right - all on the edge of the Palace box. 

That's a winger that's come inside, a full back playing on the wing, two players at number ten and a midfielder playing down the right wing - it's only a surprise that Cash isn't also in that line.

From those positions - when attacks break down, all of those players are the wrong side of the ball - six of them - it's why we're often exposed at the back, with just three or four players covering half of the pitch against runners.

I love teams that play with attacking full backs, they add something to any attack.

I love teams that play with number tens, players with the freedom to get forward and create.

I love teams that play with a traditional winger.

I'm not sure playing with attacking fullbacks and three numbers tens and a winger all at the same time is remotely sensible though.

If we were a cricket team we'd have eight fast bowlers.

 

We all want attacking football but this is nuts.  Tbf he probably could get away with playing this way with Rangers as they were so much more superior than any other team the few players covering could handle any breaks.

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3 hours ago, Delphinho123 said:

I’d love him to play this…

——————Watkins——————
Coutinho———————Bailey
——————Ramsey——————
————Luiz———Kamara———
—————————————————-
Digne—Mings—Chambers—Cash

Id tell the fullbacks that only one can go forward and must be ready to defend first and foremost. Luiz and Kamara would hold and not do much attacking at all. They’d also shift over to cover any attacking fullback. Buendia to come on after 55mins to add impetus and/or challenge one of the two for a starting place.

We need to go back to basics. Be more compact and not allow teams to run through us and get in down the channels. The current system with marauding full backs and not playing anybody in the middle of the pitch is suicide. McGinn absolutely has to be dropped. 
 

Agreed - would go Buendia on the right and Ings up top tho.

Has Ollie really shown anything this year? Don’t see him pressing defences as much as his first season.

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For me, we are missing a trick with Mcginn, He isnt an 8 and he certainly isnt a 6. What SJM does best is pressure the ball high up he pitch. He can be a right nuisance and that one player that other teams hate, pretty much what he does for Scotland. I personally would love to see something like this, with Ramsey coming off the bench on 60 -70 mins when SJM has bust a Boll**k. I think this would utilise our Assets best. Sanson, JJ, Bailey, Big Tim, Marv, Ings and Archer all redy to slot in off the bench!

                    Martinez

Cash      Chambers    Mings    Digne

               Kamara          Luiz         

Buendia        Mcginn           Coutinho

                     Watkins

Edited by handsworthlion
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From an article about United's win over Liverpool last night:

United's performance against Liverpool was a victory for old-fashioned values: The defenders defended and the attackers attacked.

Seems like we could do with going back to basics as well.

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4 hours ago, OutByEaster? said:

From those positions - when attacks break down, all of those players are the wrong side of the ball - six of them - it's why we're often exposed at the back, with just three or four players covering half of the pitch against runners.

That's not very unusual. Plenty of teams commit 6 players to attack. Man City commits 8. But it helps if (1) you can hold possession well to make breaks rare, (2) you press when you lose the ball to make the pass to the runner difficult, and (3) you commit a tactical foul when all goes wrong. City are masters of all three.

Meanwhile, our possession abilities are so-so, SG doesn't press as much as Deano, and, on Saturday, Konsa missed a chance to commit the tactical foul on Palace's first goal.

Edited by TomC
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31 minutes ago, handsworthlion said:

For me, we are missing a trick with Mcginn, He isnt an 8 and he certainly isnt a 6. What SJM does best is pressure the ball high up he pitch. He can be a right nuisance and that one player that other teams hate, pretty much what he does for Scotland. I personally would love to see something like this, with Ramsey coming off the bench on 60 -70 mins when SJM has bust a Boll**k. I think this would utilise our Assets best. Sanson, JJ, Bailey, Big Tim, Marv, Ings and Archer all redy to slot in off the bench!

                    Martinez

Cash      Chambers    Mings    Digne

               Kamara          Luiz         

Buendia        Mcginn           Coutinho

                     Watkins

Because McGinn has been appointed captain and is essentially undroppable… this is the best available lineup I think.

I agree that it would be the only way to get the best out of John, but has he got it in him anymore?

I’m doubtful tbh.

If we can get Coutinho and Buendia in the side our creativity should improve but we may suffer from a lack of pace.

We need to restrict the fullbacks and their priority should be defending, Cash is great at it…

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1 hour ago, handsworthlion said:

For me, we are missing a trick with Mcginn, He isnt an 8 and he certainly isnt a 6. What SJM does best is pressure the ball high up he pitch. He can be a right nuisance and that one player that other teams hate, pretty much what he does for Scotland. I personally would love to see something like this, with Ramsey coming off the bench on 60 -70 mins when SJM has bust a Boll**k. I think this would utilise our Assets best. Sanson, JJ, Bailey, Big Tim, Marv, Ings and Archer all redy to slot in off the bench!

                    Martinez

Cash      Chambers    Mings    Digne

               Kamara          Luiz         

Buendia        Mcginn           Coutinho

                     Watkins

That is what I would go for except I would probably pop Bailey in on a wing to add some pace.

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