WBA (H) Saturday

[iancognito]

22 minutes ago, Ashley said:

 

2015-2016 team didn't play 442 then? No?

4411

 

Shinji was usually deeper like the Japanese Beardsley 😊

[Guppys Love Child]

41 minutes ago, OadbyBlue said:

Hermansen

 

Ric

Coady

Vestergaard

Doyle

 

Winks

Praet

KDH

 

Fatawu

Cannon

Mavididi

Yep.  I'll take that starting 11.

 

It's a shame EnzoBall will stifle them once on the pitch..

[sylofox]

On 13/04/2024 at 08:22, Claudio Fannieri said:

It won’t happen but would love to see us try 4-2-3-1 and focus on players who are committed or shown desire. 
 

Anyone like Faes, Vesty, Kels, Praet, Wilf and Daka etc leave them out and go with a squad of players who will give everything for these last 4 games. Like I say no chance of it actually happening by the way. 

 

Hermansen

 

Ricardo 

Coady

Doyle

Justin

 

Winks 

KDH

 

Fatawu

Yunus

Mavididi

Cannon 

Stolrcryk

Wormleighton 

Nelson 

Braybrooke

Alves 

McAteer

Wanya

Albrighton 

Vardy 

You could play all of them from the start we would still fecking struggle.

 

[Dandy king]

Alves might be in squad from what the u21 manager just said... 

[OadbyBlue]

44 minutes ago, Guppys Love Child said:

Yep.  I'll take that starting 11.

 

It's a shame EnzoBall will stifle them once on the pitch..

After watching Leverkusen over the weekend, it’s clear possession oriented football can be mixed with intent, creativity, and without discouraging shots from range. Hopefully he takes the rains off a bit.

[Steve Earle]

So long as Coady starts over Faes, I’ll be happy, all the way through to kick off…

[fox_favourite]

On 14/04/2024 at 10:05, Pliskin said:

Drop the inverted full back and switch to more traditional wing backs. Ricardo and JJ are both much better in those roles. Drop Wilf, bring in Cannon and Akgun. Would something like this be too drastic a change.

 

 

                                   Mads 

 

                 Coady       Vesty      Doyle 

 

Ricardo                                                  Justin 

                   KDH                     Winks 

    
                                 Praet 

                               
           Cannon                              Vardy 

Now that is a hell of a team for the championship. How the hell have got in this mess. We have a squad that, on paper, is a premier league side. 

[jim5000]

8 hours ago, iancognito said:

Always makes me laugh when I see anyone suggesting 442. As dated now as when my Dad used to tell me x-player was a Wing-half or a half back.

 

The last time we truly played 442 was under Pearson. I've only seen Rovrum play two up top this season and if the last ten years tells us anything it's that Vardy doesn't do well in a partnership (Wood, Ulloa, Slimani) needs someone playing in behind him and that's not really Cannon's game it's Nacho.

 

Nice idea but pie in the sky

 

1) Half backs still exist

2) Okazaki

[ACF]

On 14/04/2024 at 19:05, Pliskin said:

Drop the inverted full back and switch to more traditional wing backs. Ricardo and JJ are both much better in those roles. Drop Wilf, bring in Cannon and Akgun. Would something like this be too drastic a change.

 

 

                                   Mads 

 

                 Coady       Vesty      Doyle 

 

Ricardo                                                  Justin 

                   KDH                     Winks 

    
                                 Praet 

                               
           Cannon                              Vardy 

I get why you’re saying this but leaving out Mavididi and Fatawu is a bit much to be honest. 
 

Fatawu has been good defensively, slot him into Ricky’s position. 

I would go with the below, asymmetrical but think it would cover the ground pretty well with our strengths. Fatawu bombs on and has plenty of cover on this side. Outlets on left hand side to occupy WBA defenders. 
 

                Mads 

 

     Coady Vesty Doyle

 

Fatawu     Winks          JJ

        Ricardo.      KDH

 

                  Cannon       Mavididi

 

[Guppys Love Child]

8 hours ago, OadbyBlue said:

After watching Leverkusen over the weekend, it’s clear possession oriented football can be mixed with intent, creativity, and without discouraging shots from range. Hopefully he takes the rains off a bit.

What you are saying my friend is what a lot of people have been clambering for, for a number of weeks now.  A bit of variety, more tempo, and a desire to get forward.

 

Sadly, come Saturday expect the rains to be fully attached, and straining in the firm grip of Enzo.  He just won't change...

[lcfc67]

Maybe it's just me but what I especially want to see is URGENCY. What p*sses me off is waiting until we are 1-0 down with 5 mins to play and the team starts to think perhaps we should hurry things up a bit. What I want is to see when the ball goes out for a throw in in the first minute, whoever is nearest RUNS to get the ball and get it back in.

 

Don't understand the meandering around when these games are so important for the future of our club.  Likewise with the pace of the play - I get the whole possession and control thing but it doesn't have to be done at a snail's pace. Move the ball quickly, put  pace on your passes and it's a completely different outcome and approach. The crowd respond and it becomes a virtuous circle. The opposite means everyone sinks further into their seats waiting for something positive. That home game where the crowd could see Fatawu being open and yet ignored - once the team started to ping some balls out to him the pace of the game picked up, the crowd responded and Fatawu had a full back to run at on his own rather than 2 defenders having the time to wander over to him while we slowly moved the ball across the line

[volpeazzurro]

11 hours ago, fox_favourite said:

Now that is a hell of a team for the championship. How the hell have got in this mess. We have a squad that, on paper, is a premier league side. 

Apart from Praet, why anyone would pick him God only knows. The very occasional good ball but overall contributes very little, hardly industrious and the only time he busts a gut with effort is to try and keep away from a 50/50 challenge. He's symptomatic of why we lack fight and aggression in the Championship and lose out to what on paper is far inferior opposition teams. A gutless wonder.

[indierich06]

Hoping that the upcoming games against West Brom and Southampton will be much more open - I still think Maresca is too inflexible and needs to be a bit more pragmatic, but I think open games suit us better. It's no surprise that we look better when teams aren't putting 10 men behind the ball and hitting us on the break because we're overcommitted.

 

That's basically the template to beat us - let us have the ball, pack the box as we don't have creative enough players or clinical enough players to unlock defences full of bodies, then hit us fast on the break - preferably down our right flank when the inverted fullback is in midfield, and you'll probably score because our defenders are a) slow & b) poor.

 

 

[Lionator]

Our performance for 70 minutes v West Brom was one of our best of the season. We made them look very poor that day before we blew it (and then they blew it). Would like to think we could apply lots of pressure like the Norwich and Brum games, and will the ball in. 

[indierich06]

It's still insane that, despite the recent performances and results, if we win the next two games we'll be 2pts clear at the top by end of play Tuesday. Only way we're going to go up automatically is if we go for 12 points - no more pissing about now.

[RonnieTodger]

Mikey Johnston will make Faes fall over at least once

[Lesterlad]

13 hours ago, Dandy king said:

Alves might be in squad from what the u21 manager just said... 

No chance will he get any minutes Saturday. He doesn’t play Nelson or Wanya anymore as they havnt had any minutes recently. Doubt he will play Cannon as he prefers the miss hitters Vardy or Daka. 
 

Doyle may play but Coady no chance because he hasnt played much football lately.  This is according to Poundland Pep. 
 

I think the team selection will be along the same lines as Millwall and Plymouth. Players knackered but not rested. 
 

Daka  needs a break mainly for his low confidence and give him a break from the toxic sheep at the grounds. Yes he’s been crap but what usefulness does it do to berate him like the fans do!!

[ClaphamFox]

21 minutes ago, indierich06 said:

It's still insane that, despite the recent performances and results, if we win the next two games we'll be 2pts clear at the top by end of play Tuesday. Only way we're going to go up automatically is if we go for 12 points - no more pissing about now.

If we win our next two games, we'll either be four points clear (if Leeds win at Middlesbrough on Monday) or five points clear (if they draw or lose). If we win both and Leeds lose at Middlesbrough, we'll be promoted next Tuesday.

[indierich06]

3 minutes ago, ClaphamFox said:

If we win our next two games, we'll either be four points clear (if Leeds win at Middlesbrough on Monday) or five points clear (if they draw or lose). If we win both and Leeds lose at Middlesbrough, we'll be promoted next Tuesday.

Yeah dunno what the **** I was on about there tbh 😂

[Supergray22]

9 hours ago, ACF said:

I get why you’re saying this but leaving out Mavididi and Fatawu is a bit much to be honest. 
 

Fatawu has been good defensively, slot him into Ricky’s position. 

I would go with the below, asymmetrical but think it would cover the ground pretty well with our strengths. Fatawu bombs on and has plenty of cover on this side. Outlets on left hand side to occupy WBA defenders. 
 

                Mads 

 

     Coady Vesty Doyle

 

Fatawu     Winks          JJ

        Ricardo.      KDH

 

                  Cannon       Mavididi

 

I agree but wouldn’t have fatawu in midfield. He does the tracking back as well as anyone and isn’t afraid to put the tackle in. But he does have an occasional rash tackle in him so I would keep Ricardo in the centre midfield and closer to the defence as his pace and experience will be essential there. Fatawu has shown he is very dangerous in the forward line so why change. He will still track back and Ricardo will still move into advanced positions. 
 

There are endless combinations we could put out there that could do the job. What matters is teamwork effort and desire is shown by those who take part. Understanding is improved by keeping a reasonably settled team so I wouldn’t expect sweeping changes. We have created chances we just need to convert them.. Likewise at the back just keep our concentration and discipline and get the balance right especially when we are camped around a low block defence. 

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 hour ago, indierich06 said:

Hoping that the upcoming games against West Brom and Southampton will be much more open - I still think Maresca is too inflexible and needs to be a bit more pragmatic, but I think open games suit us better. It's no surprise that we look better when teams aren't putting 10 men behind the ball and hitting us on the break because we're overcommitted.

 

That's basically the template to beat us - let us have the ball, pack the box as we don't have creative enough players or clinical enough players to unlock defences full of bodies, then hit us fast on the break - preferably down our right flank when the inverted fullback is in midfield, and you'll probably score because our defenders are a) slow & b) poor.

 

 

I'm not sure we do struggle against a low block actually. All teams do to some extent - especially when said side have a plan to counter as well - hence why Atlético Madrid have been punching for years. But for me that's one of our strengths scoring against ultra defensive sides I'd say it more Leeds who struggle against this tactic.

 

I'd rather play bus parkers than a side who press us effectively and target our defensive weaknesses.

[indierich06]

7 minutes ago, Arriba Los Zorros said:

I'm not sure we do struggle against a low block actually. All teams do to some extent - especially when said side have a plan to counter as well - hence why Atlético Madrid have been punching for years. But for me that's one of our strengths scoring against ultra defensive sides I'd say it more Leeds who struggle against this tactic.

 

I'd rather play bus parkers than a side who press us effectively and target our defensive weaknesses.

We certainly have struggled against a low block in the last few games, I'm not sure what it is - the chances we're creating aren't great, the xG shows that. We don't seem to be moving our opponents out of position with our passing anymore either - whether that's our players' failings, or teams getting wise to it, I'm not sure. Whereas the one decent performance in recent weeks - vs Norwich - was a game that was a lot more open IIRC.

[Arriba Los Zorros]

1 minute ago, indierich06 said:

We certainly have struggled against a low block in the last few games, I'm not sure what it is - the chances we're creating aren't great, the xG shows that. We don't seem to be moving our opponents out of position with our passing anymore either - whether that's our players' failings, or teams getting wise to it, I'm not sure. Whereas the one decent performance in recent weeks - vs Norwich - was a game that was a lot more open IIRC.

Yeah I guess you're right. I feel we did really well in this tight defensive games earlier on in the season, all those second half goals etc. but recently you're right the open and less tactical games may suit us more. Maybe the players have lost confidence in the system and therefore lost some patience to break down awkward defensive blocks as we've lost form 

[Chelmofox]

4 minutes ago, indierich06 said:

We certainly have struggled against a low block in the last few games, I'm not sure what it is - the chances we're creating aren't great, the xG shows that. We don't seem to be moving our opponents out of position with our passing anymore either - whether that's our players' failings, or teams getting wise to it, I'm not sure. Whereas the one decent performance in recent weeks - vs Norwich - was a game that was a lot more open IIRC.

I thought i saw we had an XG of 1.88 against Plymouth.  Leeds had 1.4 against Blackburn. Doesn't strike me as terrible?

[indierich06]

2 minutes ago, Chelmofox said:

I thought i saw we had an XG of 1.88 against Plymouth.  Leeds had 1.4 against Blackburn. Doesn't strike me as terrible?

Hmm yeah it's not too bad. it was less than 1 against Millwall IIRC, which was my main concern. I guess those two games combined show that we're either not creating good enough chances at the minute, or when we do we're not putting them away - two big problems.