Anthony Gerrard Cardiff to Leicester

[FoxLAD]

I'm not that bothered, yeah would of liked him to be here, but then if hes not playing we are going to have another unhappy player potentially damaging moral in the dressing room, dont want to have that again. so much prefer to loan someone instead.

[alanf0x]

How come this thread isn't locked?! It will only turn into another 19 pages of slagging of beckford...

[marbelladave]

So we're judging him on the formation he plays now? I love you Foxes Talk.

When that formation was 'found out' and ruthlessly exposed a couple of months into the playoff season I think my call is pretty reasonable. NFP consistently returns to that formation with fundamentally the same results, everyone complains about how poor our midfield was last season under him but somehow choose to ignore the fact that our 4-4-2 formation was a huge part of that problem as we were routinely outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Pearson experimented with the diamond formation a few times in his first season and played 4-3-3 a few times last.

He prefers 4-4-2 but doesnt stick to it as much as everybody likes to make out.

I think it is a myth that Pearson only plays 4-4-2. Granted it is his preferred formation but I'm sure we went through a spell in the play off season playing 4-3-3/4-5-1. I may be wrong.

Not true, he plays 4-4-2 at every opportunity. When it became clear this was an issue early in 2009/10 he played Oakley 'tucked in' on the right to strengthen the centre, shored up the midfield ok but ruined our attacking play. He did change formation later in the season for a time but that was due to injuries, most notably to Fryatt and King.

I like a lot of things about NFP but his reluctance to change is a huge concern to me, how can you play passing football if your midfield is outnumbered and always under pressure?

Everyone complained about our ineffective midfield but seem strangely reluctant to do anything about, play 4-4-2 with two wingers and two men up, as many seem to want is suicidal in the modern game.

[MGLCFC]

It's difficult to persuade any decent centre half to come to Leicester at present with Morgan, Whitbread and St Ledger all good enough for this league. Whilst two are not fit any new recruit can expect to start. However, in 6 or 7 weeks time a new player, like Gerrard, is likely to be 4th choice. I can understand why Gerrard didn't want that scenario as it is no different to what he is experiencing at Cardiff. The solution has to be a short term loan, maybe Dawson, who can get some match practice and maybe put himself in the shop window for a longer loan elsewhere. I think Fitz Hall would have been a good signing as he would have expected to be a bench player and is decent cover at this level.

[Mark_w]

When that formation was 'found out' and ruthlessly exposed a couple of months into the playoff season I think my call is pretty reasonable. NFP consistently returns to that formation with fundamentally the same results, everyone complains about how poor our midfield was last season under him but somehow choose to ignore the fact that our 4-4-2 formation was a huge part of that problem as we were routinely outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Not true, he plays 4-4-2 at every opportunity. When it became clear this was an issue early in 2009/10 he played Oakley 'tucked in' on the right to strengthen the centre, shored up the midfield ok but ruined our attacking play. He did change formation later in the season for a time but that was due to injuries, most notably to Fryatt and King.

I like a lot of things about NFP but his reluctance to change is a huge concern to me, how can you play passing football if your midfield is outnumbered and always under pressure?

Everyone complained about our ineffective midfield but seem strangely reluctant to do anything about, play 4-4-2 with two wingers and two men up, as many seem to want is suicidal in the modern game.

He rectified the 'problem' with player and formation changes and we finished 5th...? Yeah what a crap manager.

Clubs can and are still successful playing 4-4-2, you just need the right personnel for that formation, he has had a transfer window to do that now so how about you wait and see what happens in terms of the formation we play and the results we get before you crucify him.

[teblin]

When that formation was 'found out' and ruthlessly exposed a couple of months into the playoff season I think my call is pretty reasonable. NFP consistently returns to that formation with fundamentally the same results, everyone complains about how poor our midfield was last season under him but somehow choose to ignore the fact that our 4-4-2 formation was a huge part of that problem as we were routinely outnumbered and overwhelmed.

Not true, he plays 4-4-2 at every opportunity. When it became clear this was an issue early in 2009/10 he played Oakley 'tucked in' on the right to strengthen the centre, shored up the midfield ok but ruined our attacking play. He did change formation later in the season for a time but that was due to injuries, most notably to Fryatt and King.

I like a lot of things about NFP but his reluctance to change is a huge concern to me, how can you play passing football if your midfield is outnumbered and always under pressure?

Everyone complained about our ineffective midfield but seem strangely reluctant to do anything about, play 4-4-2 with two wingers and two men up, as many seem to want is suicidal in the modern game.

He did play 4-3-3 for a long spell as Howard wasn't in the team fryatt was injured. February 2010 I believe!

[marbelladave]

He rectified the 'problem' with player and formation changes and we finished 5th...? Yeah what a crap manager.

Clubs can and are still successful playing 4-4-2, you just need the right personnel for that formation, he has had a transfer window to do that now so how about you wait and see what happens in terms of the formation we play and the results we get before you crucify him.

First I have never said he is a 'crap manager', not ever! Nor am I out to crucify him, just putting forward my views on what I see as Pearson's strengths and weaknesses.

Secondly, I think the presence of Chris Powell was an important part of of the play off season, without him I feel Pearson is too conservative and one dimensional.

Thirdly, I have not slagged off any players or suggested that they or we will be crap. My only real concern is that we will continue to play in the same manner that we did in the second half of last season, ie (mostly direct 4-4-2). Although the statistics show that during that period we were in playoff form, I remain sceptical that it will be enough this time around.

[marbelladave]

He did play 4-3-3 for a long spell as Howard wasn't in the team fryatt was injured. February 2010 I believe!

He certainly played 4-3-3 for a while, it was pretty much forced on him by injuries as you say. However I do not think it was for all that many games as NFP's conservatism required the wide men to do a lot of tracking back and before long it was a pretty defensive 4-5-1.

The point remains though, the changes were forced through injuries and NFP reverts to 4-4-2 as soon as he can......

[Deucalion]

He certainly played 4-3-3 for a while, it was pretty much forced on him by injuries as you say. However I do not think it was for all that many games as NFP's conservatism required the wide men to do a lot of tracking back and before long it was a pretty defensive 4-5-1.

The point remains though, the changes were forced through injuries and NFP reverts to 4-4-2 as soon as he can......

Without checking I seem to remember we went on a pretty good run for a while using 4-3-3 or 4-5-1.

Unfortunately the 4-3-3 experiment came to an end with the 5-1 drubbing at Forest followed by losing 3-0 to Bristol City.

He then reverted back to 4-4-2.

[okie fox]

Changing from 4-4-2 to 4-3-3/4-5-1 is just swapping one problem for another. There is an extra man in midfield but one less man in the box to put the ball in the net.