Mistakes Sven needs to correct.

[anotherharboroughfox]

Welcome to the thread for the Football Manager warriors...

[skinnydipper]

I have noticed a disturbing trend with the vast majority of our players...

Man for man we outclass our oposition every week, our players seem determind to beat their man in a one on one situation, then pass the ball backwards, after they have done the work to beat their respective oponent.

I can not understand their belief that it is nesercary to consistantly create some space or to make an oponent move to cover a passing option only the to chose a defensive option by either moving back or passing back to retain possesion. We seem to be playing with fear of losing possesion. I love us to keep the ball, but once we have it it is almost like we are trying to create the perfect plays & if we do not, then we just start again & maybe we do not take a chance by taking on a oponent for pace or shoot or cross the ball. It is very frustrating to watch!

Agreed

Certainly against Coventry there were countless occasions where we created a crossing or shooting position only to pass it over with a ball back which wasted the opportunity created and left us having to break down a packed defence again to make another opening

Like you I found that very frustrating, almost as if players didn't want to take responsibility at the business end of a spell of possession

[Charl91]

Things Sven needs to correct...

1) Becoming Leicester manager in the first place

Reason? Because its quite clear that he is not the man for the job, as we drew with Cov and lost at Cardiff, and the players he signed are'nt as good as Messi or Ashley Cole. It is all his fault (oh, what was he thinking?!?) and he will never be as good as MON.

How to rectify the situation? Buy a DeLorean, some plutonium, and create the Flux Capacitor....Need I say more?

No-one's said Sven's doing a shit job (as far as I can tell) since he's clearly not, but if we're not allowed to write our own opinion or be anything other then a Sven Sycophant, then it kinda makes the forum pointless....

[acooling08]

His mistakes are:

3-4-3 or 4-4-3 whatever it is. 4-4-2 IS the best formation.

Playing Ricardo

Playing PVA

Putting Vassell out wide

Subbing Gally when we NEED him for corners and free kicks. Take of who is not playing well (Yak)

[acooling08]

I had doubts about DV when he arrived. He doesn't score goals, but he's never scored goals. He does create space and chances though regardless of what you say. I have warmed to him immensely.

He is out of position on the wing! In the centre he's a beast!

[Spiritwalker]

There is nothing wrong with the system. However I think the squad is at least

one c. midfielder short. Playing 3 in the middle with only 4 in the squad leaves

us exposed to injuries and dips in form.

[Swalker]

There is nothing wrong with the system. However I think the squad is at least

one c. midfielder short. Playing 3 in the middle with only 4 in the squad leaves

us exposed to injuries and dips in form.

And considering the other one is oakley we only really have 3 CM's in our team. Definitely where we need better cover but I guess Bruma/ Bamba could take the CDM role of Abe.

[shailen]

Must admit, I think I'm sold by the 3-5-2/5-3-2 idea.

It works for liverpool and gives freedom to PVA and kyle.

[marbelladave]

Very interesting observation, Dave.

3-5-2 was all the rage about 10/15 years ago but became redundant as more and more sides either played 3 or 1 up front, completely nullifying the previous advantage of having an extra player in midfield and also defence, when countering the 4-4-2.

As you are clearly an astute student of tactics and systems may I suggest you study Napoli. As a Napoli supporter myself and having streamed virtually all of their games in Serie A this season, it is fascinating to watch them play this system with just a few subtle tweaks to how we remember it in this country. Napoli are the only senior team in Europe playing this system.

I agree that 3-5-2 would probably be found out if played as in the days of Martin O'Neill but I can see the Napoli way making a return to England shortly.

I stopped watching Italian football when I moved to Spain a good few years ago, keeping up with English football and La Liga was enough so I have no idea how Napoli play. Feel free to enlighten us.

As I said earlier playing 3-5-1 MON style is easily countered in modern football but a new, more flexible system might well work. Not knowing the details it is impossible to comment on how Napoli play and anyway the suggestion that City switch to 3-5-2 is simply based on the players we have available rather than the need for any big tactical change.

For substantial chunks of recent games we have, effectively, been playing 2-5-3, with Naughton and Cunningham / van Aanholt playing as wingbacks, whilst I am all for attacking football I think that may be asking a lot of our young and rather inexperienced central defenders. Personally I would stiffen that formation with a genuine holding player shielding the central pairing, but sadly we do not have such a player in our squad.

The experiment with Bruma in midfield (at Cardiff) was an attempt to do just that, though it did not really work and although Bruma played well as an individual, our whole midfield was even more disjointed than usual. Moving him to play behind Bamba and Mee is the obvious move and given how high a line we play, a pretty good call. As all three of the central defenders are good on the ball then they would have to be prepared to bring the ball out of defence themselves, thus helping to create the extra man in midfield.

This all gets very technical and at the end of the day, this is probably not the time to be making big changes.

[Haydos]

His mistakes are:

3-4-3 or 4-4-3 whatever it is. 4-4-2 IS the best formation.

Playing Ricardo

Playing PVA

Putting Vassell out wide

Subbing Gally when we NEED him for corners and free kicks. Take of who is not playing well (Yak)

[Darkon84]

No-one's said Sven's doing a shit job (as far as I can tell) since he's clearly not, but if we're not allowed to write our own opinion or be anything other then a Sven Sycophant, then it kinda makes the forum pointless....

Dont get me wrong, theres nothing wrong with having an opinion, but some of the things people come up with and say....you wonder what planet they are living on.

Beleive it or not, I dont think its as easy as football manager

Keep the opinions coming, but I wish people would sometimes think first.

[Fox92]

Because its quite clear that he is not the man for the job, as we drew with Cov and lost at Cardiff, and the players he signed are'nt as good as Messi or Ashley Cole. It is all his fault (oh, what was he thinking?!?) and he will never be as good as MON.

Are you being sarcastic?

How can you get on at Sven? The man has transformed the club, taking us from bottom of the league to 7th.

I'm angry just as much as you because we didn't beat Coventry, but not every manager is going to win every game.

Vassell disappoints me. He doesn't score and rarely create goals or get into goalscoring positions. What is he for?

He brings pace. He is a threat. He tracks back and helps Naughton constantly.

But remember, he isn't a wide man, he is being played out of position, hence, why he comes inside so often.

Vassell is twice the player of both Gallagher and Dyer.

I don't know how you can critisize him just because he doesn't score goals!!

[Haydos]

Are you being sarcastic?

How can you get on at Sven? The man has transformed the club, taking us from bottom of the league to 7th.

I'm angry just as much as you because we didn't beat Coventry, but not every manager is going to win every game.

Obviously he was being sarcastic.

[marbelladave]

Real football managers have issues, all of them.

Leaving out the basics of their individual style, all managers have issues they have to deal with.

First up they are professionals in a very precarious job, their success or failure is mostly in the hands of others, the players.

Secondly you have to explain yourself to the owners or board, benching a player that you have just convinced the owners to splash a lot of cash on for instance. Supporting the players that you have brought in, your professional judgement is at stake here, keeping the players who were here before you happy, honouring loan agreements etc, etc.

And that's before you even pick a side and decide on tactics......

A fan has no such issues, I reckon I will see roughly 2 out of 3 league games this season, so I base my judgements on what I see each week. I have my favourite (and otherwise) players but I try to be evenhanded in my analysis of how we play and how we can improve.

For example, for tough away games, this saturday for example, I would start Vassell up front with Yakubu to feature from the bench. We all know my reasons for this and some of you might even think it a good move, but then I do not have to explain to Top why our 'marquee signing' brought in at his expense is warming the bench....

[Fox92]

Obviously he was being sarcastic.

Ok. Thought he might be.

Are you being sarcastic by saying 'obviously he was' which means he wasn't or was?

I'm confuzed, again.

[Haydos]

Ok. Thought he might be.

Are you being sarcastic by saying 'obviously he was' which means he wasn't or was?

I'm confuzed, again.

He was being sarcastic. He's mocking the impatient boo boys that over-react and think they know best.

[Fox92]

He was being sarcastic. He's mocking the impatient boo boys that over-react and think they know best.

Ok. I'm sorry for that post then, I thought he wasn't being sarcastic but he was.

Cheers for that

[Darkon84]

He was being sarcastic. He's mocking the impatient boo boys that over-react and think they know best.

[Haydos]

Ok. I'm sorry for that post then, I thought he wasn't being sarcastic but he was.

Cheers for that

Now you sound sarcastic!

[Heskey2011]

Must admit, I think I'm sold by the 3-5-2/5-3-2 idea.

I get what people are saying about playing 5-3-2 or 3-5-2 and it would suit our forward players and wing backs etc, but don't you think it must be pretty difficult to change for CB's who are used to plying in a pair to change to a trio, the dynamic of 3 CBs is complicated and takes a lot of good communication and factoring in that they all barely know each other i think it may be more difficult than people are making out.

I know they're professionals etc and should be able to adapt but i believe Sven may have taken there abilities (or lack of) into consideration"

You'll all remember partnerships like Elliot and Walsh or Taggart, Pallister and Bruce, Keown and Adams, Terry Carvallho (excuse spelling), can't think of a trio close to any of these partnerships. (and we don't paly in italy before anyone says)

[RizLCFC]

I love Sven and what he has done for us since he came to the club but certain things have been annoying me in the last month or two about his management. I hate the fact that he keeps swapping Chris Weale for any other keeper he signs i.e. Kirkland and Ricardo, who both in my opinion are certainly not any better then Weale. Also, he left out Ben Mee v Coventry who alongside Bamba have looked pretty solid in the last few games barring the defeat to Cardiff, when quizzed about this decision he said 'I told Ben I have no reason to leave you out, I just want to play Bruma at centre back' (from todays Merc), what does that do to Bens confidence in the manager and secondly his morale.

Finally, throughout January I was hoping City would sign a central midfielder or winger to ease the workload on Andy King and Richie Wellens. In the last few games King and Wellens' performance levels have dropped, we all know they are both quality so the only other realistic reason would be fatigue. Teams around us are signing midfielders i.e. Hull signed David Amoo from Liverpool yesterday and Leeds are linked with a real coup today of Barry Bannan on loan from Villa. He would be the ideal signing for us, hes got an eye for goal; can tackle; his vision and ability to pick out a pass was evident when he was an instrumental figure at Blackpool last season and hes done well at Villa in the Premiership this year aswell. Sadly, I cant see Sven signing any more players.

Im backing the players whole heartedly even Ricardo in goal and Im still confident of play offs but if our performances continue to stutter over the next 2/3 matches like they have done in the last few games then teams around will continue picking up the points and beat us to a play off place.

Just wanted to get this off my chest.

[Fox92]

Now you sound sarcastic!

I'll stop now.

[Trav Le Bleu]

Well I just hope Sven is reading all these comments else we haven't got a chance in hell of making the playoffs!

[Zingari]

Well I just hope Sven is reading all these comments else we haven't got a chance in hell of making the playoffs!

that's one mistake he certainly won't make

[unreachable]

Are you being sarcastic?

How can you get on at Sven? The man has transformed the club, taking us from bottom of the league to 7th.

I'm angry just as much as you because we didn't beat Coventry, but not every manager is going to win every game.

He brings pace. He is a threat. He tracks back and helps Naughton constantly.

But remember, he isn't a wide man, he is being played out of position, hence, why he comes inside so often.

Vassell is twice the player of both Gallagher and Dyer.

I don't know how you can critisize him just because he doesn't score goals!!

Surely, you would expect Vassell to get into goalscoring positions with his pace. He's slow to get into the box and being a threat is pointless unless you either score or create goals. We have too many players who play fabulous one touch football until the final third but lack the skill to score. I would like another goalscorer to be signed to boost our promotion push.