Are we abit lightweight?

[C.J]

I dont mean scoring goals, I mean when teams play physical, ugly tactics against us we dont cope with them. Leeds and Barnsley (never thought they were that type of team) spring to mind.

We've become a better footballing team under Pearson, when other teams play football (not hack playerball) it suits us. But we're not set-up to deal with teams who play ugly, they boss us about too eaisly. There's only Morgan and Fuctas (with their size) in the squad who can deal with this.

I'm not saying we need to be more dirty, but some of our players could roll their sleeves up more and get stuck in.

Given Millwalls style of 'play', i'm not holding out much hope of us getting anything there.

I do hope i'm wrong though.

[Out Foxed]

As we were last season. Nige hasn't really tried to change this, some teams you can pass to death, but we still need some bite in midfield.

[lovelcfc]

I'd say whitbread is one of our most physical players

[phillo]

Morgan whitbread fuctas lightweight midfield is light in the middle of the park but they are all kids

[Walshy5]

This is where id be looking to get a Sean Derry type player in, if only to just play against the more physical sides like your Millwall's leeds etc. Horses for courses and all that.

[Captain...]

Barnsley didn't out muscle us, they out worked us, they just cut off every forward outlet so we had to go backwards until someone lumped it forwards, likewise Leeds, they weren't stronger than us, they just spoilt our game.

We don't need to get tougher if anything we need to become more patient, and not be afraid to keep possession without penetration and work an opening, or we need to bring on futacs sooner.

[Saxondale]

The only team that really out-muscled us were the Palace, who are all massive bastards. We have plenty of tough nuts: Danny 'The Pitbull' Drinkwater, Wes 'The Beast' Morgan, Zak 'The Destroyer' Whitbread, David 'Ave It' Nugent etc.

Barnsley out-battled us, as Shrappers pointed out.

[Danno]

We have a very strong back four, De Laet, Morgan and Whitbread (who are beasts in the air and rarely get outmuscled) and Konchesky who has bags of experience.

In midfield we don't have some big bastards but we have quick passers, however if they get closed down quickly we can't get it out to Dyer or Knockaert who are our creative outlets. And no Dyer or Knockaert = no strikers in the game.

If we get closed down quick i think if we went 4231 with Knockaert in the whole it could take pressure off the 2 in the midfield as a midfielder would most likely need to drop back to mark Knockaert.

[I blame Wellens]

Barnsley didn't out muscle us, they out worked us, they just cut off every forward outlet so we had to go backwards until someone lumped it forwards, likewise Leeds, they weren't stronger than us, they just spoilt our game.

We don't need to get tougher if anything we need to become more patient, and not be afraid to keep possession without penetration and work an opening, or we need to bring on futacs sooner.

Yes, "out worked us" is a good call. But we were too easily pushed off the ball at times and yes we do seem somewhat lightweight. Don't get me wrong I'm not looking for a vinnie jones type character in the middle of the park but some type of plan and someone to deal with the stronger/spoilers or whatever you want to call them. Futacs on earlier, once again may be a good call against certain teams. My worry is that we are not good enough to keep possession against certain teams. Sometimes just sometimes, we are given too much respect by certain teams, which In turn helps our passing game and makes us look better than we actually are.

At the moment, and our position in the league underlines this, we are a play off team.

The good news is that I think our Nigel knows what the problem is and I think he will sort it out so by Feb time the top of the league beckons.

[_Fatboyslow_]

but some type of plan and someone to deal with the stronger/spoilers or whatever you want to call them. Futacs on earlier, once again may be a good call against certain teams. My worry is that we are not good enough to keep possession against certain teams.

Some who is comfortable on the ball, can hold the ball if needed and finds short simple passes is what we need. Pure and simple.

[Ely fox]

We need a ball winner in midfield and some more strength as i think alot of teams are going to play like barnsley against us now that they have witnessed how effective their style of play was against us. Expect more of the same when teams come to leicester. West ham had nolan in midfield, reading had a ball winner, newcastle had nolan,qpr had derry .... most teams who get promoted have aggressive players in their midfield and we are just too lightweight, neither king or drinkwater are tough tacklers. I reckon pearson thinks if we play well we beat anyone but we dont always play well and can be inconsistent.