Tactics Under Maresca

[l444ry]

Two clean sheets with Coady at the back sorting things out. Hope Enzo doesn't make him the fall guy when Jannick returns. Should be Faas looking over his shoulder in my opinion.

[Fear Of The Fox]

8 hours ago, Scotch said:

Does anyone else feel like a straight 442 would be a very good plan B with the squad we have? 

 

A strike partnership picked from Cannon/Daka/Vardy and Nacho could be lethal. 

A CM duo from 2 of KDH/Winks/Ndidi and Hamza could work with them sitting a little deeper and playing forward passes to our strikers and wingers.

We could definately get a strong CB pair from Vesty/Cody/Nelson/Faes or Doyle.

Our starting wingers are both good enough defensively as well as going forward. Plus Albrighton. 

 

Our only limitations would be at FB with only two really good options but as far as plan B's go... thats all we would need for a fast, attacking alternative to what we have been doing. 

I called for 2 upfront several times here only to get a response it doesn't fit our style of play. It seems everyone including Enzo is under the impression Championship is the best league in the universe, we're facing prime Barcelonas week in week out and we can't afford being more attacking as the opponents will score 9 goals against us. 

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

21 minutes ago, MGLCFC said:

I accept that we are not good at killing off games and that we seem to have a frail mentality when put under pressure, but an honest question for you, is it Enzo's fault that the numerous guilt edge chances we create in games are not put away. We should have been 3 or 4 up last night in the first 15 minutes, the same at Leeds away, Hull at home, Boro home and away. If we take half our chances, the panic would not need to arise.

I accept that about the chances. But if we're dominating a game playing that sort of football, why then the seeming decision or propensity to stop doing it and try to defend slight leads? 

[Bob Hazels shorts]

7 minutes ago, l444ry said:

Two clean sheets with Coady at the back sorting things out. Hope Enzo doesn't make him the fall guy when Jannick returns. Should be Faas looking over his shoulder in my opinion.

Drop Faes to play Hamza potentially?

 

Stick to a ridged formulaic system and be forced to accommodate inferior players? 

 

 

[Cadno'r Cymoedd]

13 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

I think we're very tired, and it is easy to over analyse, and in some cases, catastrophise. 

 

 

I take it you mean the players are tired not us? 😉 If so, why? Seriously. Other sides like Leeds or Ipswich don't have this slump in energy. 

[Happy Fox]

1 minute ago, Cadno'r Cymoedd said:

I take it you mean the players are tired not us? 😉 If so, why? Seriously. Other sides like Leeds or Ipswich don't have this slump in energy. 

Leeds and Ipswich rotate their team more than we do. We don’t.

[dr.o.ball]

1 minute ago, Happy Fox said:

Leeds and Ipswich rotate their team more than we do. We don’t.

Last time he rotated the 1st team a little we turned out  a half decent result against  a prem outfit at there place. 

[l444ry]

2 minutes ago, Bob Hazels shorts said:

Drop Faes to play Hamza potentially?

 

Stick to a ridged formulaic system and be forced to accommodate inferior players? 

 

 

Coady or Faas paired with Jannick hasn't altered Hamza's role so far? Your point must be going over my head?

 

[Fear Of The Fox]

20 minutes ago, HighPeakFox said:

I think we're very tired, and it is easy to over analyse, and in some cases, catastrophise. 

 

 

I don't really get this one. I've played a sport professionally (basketball, teen until my early 20s), 2 games a week, never once felt tired and in fact I wish we had back then 3 games a week. I was always excited for the next game and full of energy in match days with rotation minutes for me at the range of 34-37, big important games sometimes I was on the court full 40min.

I understand things have changed since but I think being tired is just an excuse especially when your job is actually your hobby and you earn millions from it. 

[Number 6]

It's a long slog of a season and you can't be brilliant for all of it. I felt like he rotated and managed fatigue better earlier in the season which meant we were fresher later on.

 

I think short term it's about getting to that international break now. Refocus for the run in.

[Bob Hazels shorts]

4 minutes ago, l444ry said:

Coady or Faas paired with Jannick hasn't altered Hamza's role so far? Your point must be going over my head?

 

 

'Two clean sheets with Coady at the back sorting things out. Hope Enzo doesn't make him the fall guy when Jannick returns. Should be Faas looking over his shoulder in my opinion'.

 

 

 

'Drop Faes to play Hamza potentially?

 

Stick to a ridged formulaic system and be forced to accommodate inferior players?' 

 

 

You suggested that Faes should be the fall guy meaning that the back 4 based on current fitness (last night) would be HAMZA COADY VESTERGAARD and DOYLE (or JJ)

 

My clear point was that maybe play all 3 players (Faes being one) rather than Hamza (mid table championship player) who was neither a RB nor an inverted RB last night as Fatawa running his nuts off covering for him also suggests

[Number 6]

1 minute ago, Fear Of The Fox said:

I don't really get this one. I've played a sport professionally (basketball, teen until my early 20s), 2 games a week, never once felt tired and in fact I wish we had back then 3 games a week. I was always excited for the next game and full of energy in match days with rotation minutes for me at the range of 34-37, big important games sometimes I was on the court full 40min.

I understand things have changed since but I think being tired is just an excuse especially when your job is actually your hobby and you earn millions from it. 

I don't think it's about feeling tired so much as the levels will drop say 5% and that can be enough of a difference. They can all run around for 90 mins twice a week, but not at the intensity required for best results.

[Happy Fox]

Just now, Number 6 said:

It's a long slog of a season and you can't be brilliant for all of it. I felt like he rotated and managed fatigue better earlier in the season which meant we were fresher later on.

 

I think short term it's about getting to that international break now. Refocus for the run in.

You are absolutely right, it’s a shame we haven’t rotated the squad as much recently.

 

81 points at this stage of the season is golden, we probably only need another 15 more points to secure 2nd spot, and that’s certainly doable.

 

 

[Noahfence]

Really don’t understand why after scoring and genuinely looking very threatening we seemed happy to take the 1-0. That can’t be how he wants us to play? 

 

I get Sunderland were always going to grow into it but just seems bizarre way of managing a game. 
 

Did we create a single chance after scoring? 

[Guppys Love Child]

1 hour ago, Noahfence said:

Really don’t understand why after scoring and genuinely looking very threatening we seemed happy to take the 1-0. That can’t be how he wants us to play? 

 

I get Sunderland were always going to grow into it but just seems bizarre way of managing a game. 
 

Did we create a single chance after scoring? 

Not a huge amount no.

 

To busy passing around, 'moving the opposition about,' "looking for solutions".

At one point we had a free kick on the right about 10 yards in their half, the ball was tapped then it went backwards and then backwards further to Hamza. No intent to press forward, and certainly no urgency.  We were also treated to another subbing of Fatawa who did have a better match and was looking to cause them problems, ( the poor lad looked right Pi55ed off.)

Then finally we started doing one of my biggest bugbear's of "controlling" so deep it invites needless pressure.

 

But don't worry 'in Enzo we trust'

 

 

[Noahfence]

6 minutes ago, Guppys Love Child said:

Not a huge amount no.

 

To busy passing around, 'moving the opposition about,' "looking for solutions".

At one point we had a free kick on the right about 10 yards in their half, the ball was tapped then it went backwards and then backwards further to Hamza. No intent to press forward, and certainly no urgency.  We were also treated to another subbing of Fatawa who did have a better match and was looking to cause them problems, ( the poor lad looked right Pi55ed off.)

Then finally we started doing one of my biggest bugbear's of "controlling" so deep it invites needless pressure.

 

But don't worry 'in Enzo we trust'

 

 

I know it isn’t a simple as just scoring 2/3 and then shutting up shop but last night I genuinely believe we could’ve scored as many as we wanted in the first half if we kept the pressure on. There was a clear difference in how we played at 0-0 & 0-1. Just bizarre 

[HankMarvin]

2 hours ago, Happy Fox said:

Leeds and Ipswich rotate their team more than we do. We don’t.

The appearances for Leeds and Ipswich are not to dissimilar to ours with at least 20 players making 14 appearances, the only difference is Leeds and Ipswich have distributed the the remaining appearances over 14 (34 players) and we have 9 (29 in total)

But with the strength in depth we have deep in the squad and players coming in at 24th position like Souter with 4 appearances, Coady 22nd with 12 and Pratt 21st with 12 I don’t think the manager can really be moaning about the squad size at this stage.

 

[lcfc_forever]

2 hours ago, Happy Fox said:

Leeds and Ipswich rotate their team more than we do. We don’t.

 

2 hours ago, Number 6 said:

It's a long slog of a season and you can't be brilliant for all of it. I felt like he rotated and managed fatigue better earlier in the season which meant we were fresher later on.

 

I think short term it's about getting to that international break now. Refocus for the run in.

I think these comments are largely right. 

 

The manager is reluctant to make changes, and perhaps as we've largely been dominating our games, he may feel why change for no reason beyond fitness? 

 

But Ipswich coming strong late in games is yes, somewhat due to fortune but also how brave they are and how energetic they are towards the end of matches, which is helped by them having at least one or two game changers on the bench. For example, they had Sarmiento and Hutchinson come on against us, who are quality players. 

 

They've been forced into rotating their players more as they try to turn around games, while we've been on top for longer so have more to defend. 

 

The more I think about it, the more I think our recent problems have come from fitness issues - it's a long season and the international break is coming at a good time for us to refresh and recharge. 

Edited 6 March by lcfc_forever

[Guppys Love Child]

13 minutes ago, Noahfence said:

I know it isn’t a simple as just scoring 2/3 and then shutting up shop but last night I genuinely believe we could’ve scored as many as we wanted in the first half if we kept the pressure on. There was a clear difference in how we played at 0-0 & 0-1. Just bizarre 

If it was the teams doing then Enzo needs to 'read them the riot act' 

 

If it's by managerial instruction,.. then Huston we have a problem.

 

Again, the above is another question for a journalist with some " huge berry's" to ask and seek clarity on.  

[Aleksz]

Think there’s an obsession with control with him sometimes (He’s often alluded to the concept of us actually defending by having the ball) that almost ends up going the other way where the complacency on the ball and sloppiness comes in and you actually end up losing that control.

 

That being said if we actually took the chances we got in the first 20mins then they’re 2/3-0 down and their heads have dropped, the ground turns toxic and it’s an entirely more comfortable night than it was. 
 

Fine line.

Edited 6 March by Aleksz

[HankMarvin]

10 minutes ago, lcfc_forever said:

 

I think these comments are largely right. 

 

The manager is reluctant to make changes, and perhaps as we've largely been dominating our games, he may feel why change for no reason beyond fitness? 

 

But Ipswich coming strong late in games is yes, somewhat due to fortune but also how brave they are and how energetic they are towards the end of matches, which is helped by them having at least one or two game changers on the bench. For example, they had Sarmiento and Hutchinson come on against us, who are quality players. 

 

They've been forced into rotating their players more as they try to turn around games, while we've been on top for longer so have more to defend. 

 

The more I think about it, the more I think our recent problems have come from fitness issues - it's a long season and the international break is coming at a good time for us to refresh and recharge. 

As we seem to be striker heavy with quality options at this level, maybe he should’ve utilised 2 striker formations more often, thus resting other players for his preferred formation in tougher games 

[sm1]

2 hours ago, Noahfence said:

Really don’t understand why after scoring and genuinely looking very threatening we seemed happy to take the 1-0. That can’t be how he wants us to play? 

 

I get Sunderland were always going to grow into it but just seems bizarre way of managing a game. 
 

Did we create a single chance after scoring? 

It's the Italian in Enzo. I've never seen his mentor, Pep, ever do that. His teams attack incessantly. It's strange but our Achilles heel is scoring early. At the beginning of the season we were starting slowly, then bossing the game in the second half, scoring late goals. Now we're the team hanging on for dear life near the end.

[filbertway]

I am seeing teeny tiny red flags. I'm getting the same kind of vibe as I did from Rodgers after WBA. We were 3-0 up at half time and drew 2nd half 0-0. Post match he said he was disappointed with the first half and delighted with the 2nd because we were tighter and kept better control of the ball.

 

If you put a premium on not conceding chances over creating them, eventually players and fans will turn on that mindset, especially when it's not working.

 

At the minute he gets the benefit of the doubt and it's just something I'm logging mentally. If the pattern continues next season after he's had another summer to bring in his own players then it becomes a concern.

[Chelmofox]

1 minute ago, filbertway said:

I am seeing teeny tiny red flags. I'm getting the same kind of vibe as I did from Rodgers after WBA. We were 3-0 up at half time and drew 2nd half 0-0. Post match he said he was disappointed with the first half and delighted with the 2nd because we were tighter and kept better control of the ball.

 

If you put a premium on not conceding chances over creating them, eventually players and fans will turn on that mindset, especially when it's not working.

 

At the minute he gets the benefit of the doubt and it's just something I'm logging mentally. If the pattern continues next season after he's had another summer to bring in his own players then it becomes a concern.

For me its now on the players. If he gets this over the line and he largely gets the recruitment he needs, i expect to not be seeing performances like QPR and Sunderland. I think quite a lot of our current first team (and i include KDH and Faes in that) aren't good enough technically to execute his strategy. Really wouldn't be surprised to see KDH sold in the summer as i think he is a problem right now.

[bovril]

3 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

For me its now on the players. If he gets this over the line and he largely gets the recruitment he needs, i expect to not be seeing performances like QPR and Sunderland. I think quite a lot of our current first team (and i include KDH and Faes in that) aren't good enough technically to execute his strategy. Really wouldn't be surprised to see KDH sold in the summer as i think he is a problem right now.

This sounds a bit like Rodgers "I'm a coach not a magician" - if the players aren't good enough to play a certain way why play that way? Especially as we're talking about the Championship where teams including us are not going to have technically gifted players.