Pearsons tactics

[TrentFox]

As has been pointed out above, our squad is a natural fit for a 4-2-3-1. Not having a defensive midfielder is offset by the use of two players who are defensively capable, as a pair. We have three players who could play that role though I do not see any evidence, as yet, that they know how to do so.

Having an attacking player in front of them, in the hole, is a prerequisite and the way King played on Bridcutt for much of the Brighton game shows how a player like Knockaert or Marshall can put their modest defensive talents to good use without having to drop too deep.

There are plenty of options with this system, the wide men can be either wingers or strikers, the frontman can be fed on the floor or from crosses, whatever suits the game.

All that is needed is a coach with the flexibility and belief to try it and the skill to show the players how to do it.....

Flexibility is exactly right for me. I don't buy the plan A or B or whatever nonsense. There is only one plan - score more goals than the opposition. I have no doubts that NP is an honourable man and a good manager. The nagging doubt for me has always been his inflexibility. Here we are, two games from the end of the season, and we still have many punters, (myself included as I've harped on about 4-2-3-1 for ages), harbouring hopes of seeing something different and more effective at achieving the goal of winning matches. But we've reached a crucial stage and we have nowhere to go really. Two potentially massive games and we can only really play 442 as anything else, untried in reality, at this stage would be an insane gamble. For me, (and I know I'm in a small minority here by leaning towards a centre D pairing of ZW and Wes), the same is true of his squad management. Here we are leaking goals all over the place and his inflexibility means we will probably play the same back four for those last two games. Why ? For one, because we never gave Whitbread a chance to rehabilitate himself back into the team and he now probably couldn't be relied on to perform after so long out of the starting 11. Same scenario as formations - to do so now for these two games would probably be too big a gamble. Consequently, my attitude for tonight is "fingers crossed". I can't be more confident than that at the moment.

[flowwolf]

Well maybe tonight we can throw away all that caution and inflexability and go for it from the start, after all we have nothing to lose have we ?

[NathanC93]

the plan B stuff is a bit yawn. I look at it this way, if you can't impose your plan A on enough teams in this division to get top six, let alone top 2, then you don't deserve promotion.

the real issue isn't having a plan B like loads of people whinge about, it's about having an effective plan A that you can execute regardless of the opposition.

Yeah I agree that 'plan A' is what you'd want your team going for for the majority of the season, but teams do catch on, and there are certain teams where you just can't play your normal game (Blackpool's pitch) because of physically bigger teams etc.

[marbelladave]

To my mind it is simple.

If Plan A is working, and a run of Played 9, Won 7, Drawn 1, Lost 1, after a shaky start suggests strongly that it was, then keep fooking playing it!

Make the opposition worry about us, make them play their Plan B, what you don't do is stop playing your best football in some misguided attempt to contain, gives the initiative back to the opposition and once you have done that it is damn hard to get it back.

That said I am done, time to get out of London before the traffic becomes absolutely impossible......

[DANGEROUS TIGER]

Having no flexibility, makes us extremely vulnerable. Other teams have that sussed out.

[Col city fan]

Having no flexibility, makes us extremely vulnerable. Other teams have that sussed out.

Couldn't agree more.

I think we were sussed out, which makes Marbella Daves comments redundant. He is basically advocating playing 'a winning style' no matter what or who the opposition is.

What do you do when you get sussed out? Out-suss the opposition.

That's what makes a good tactician.

[Tielemans63]

I'd even give 3-5-2 a crack. Wes, Keano & Whitbread across the back - RDL and Jeffrey down the flanks with a focus on getting forward (which is what they're good at) - two from Kingy, James and DD in the centre with Knocky playing in the space in front of them just behind Wood and Nuge.

Do it Nige. Do it.