Composure, simplicity and predictable

[SwissBlade]

Not going to criticise individuals tonight but three things which came to mind during the Birmingham game. I’ve mentioned individuals below but not to single them out, just as examples of the point

Composure
Some simple mistakes were made at the back by rushing things, but also in midfield, take your time and pick the right ball or clear the lines. We need a calming influence around CCV in particular.

Simplicity
Lundstram played some cracking balls first half, but he also looked for the Hollywood pass (thanks beckham), no need to send it 40 yards when you’ve got a man alongside you. Looked much better second half

Predicable
Perhaps this could also be static, but up front we had no movement until Brooks came on. However, what was also clear from the change is that rather than pushing them back, we dropped our play deeper, allowing space in behind the defenders.

The predictability came from trying to force too much down the right. Corners were too easy for Birmingham to defend and possession was predictable.

Good to see Carruthers getting on the ball and using his energy too, but he also needs to compose himself a bit

I think this week we’ll have plenty to work on.

Not a disaster but a few things creeping in this week

 

[Foxy]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

 

[Esablade]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

To lose one quality attacking fullback is unfortunate..to lose two...a bit crippling...anyhow, we have a lot of work to do and I’m sure Wilder and the management are looking to Jan to push on.

We’re not far off a top two side and who’da thought that pre-season?

 

[super_pig]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

we're becoming a bit left sided

 

[Carlton Blade]

Further left than Corbyn

 

[Bladesman]

First half we kept forcing the play down our left and Birmingham clocked onto that.

It was only til we changed players in the 2nd half and started attacking down the right and mixing our play up a bit more.

 

[FinchleyBlade]

We'll be fine once freeman or baldock are back. We miss them not coutts.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

Did you think it seemed even more pronounced tonight? As if after Tuesdays shenanigans CCV thought he'd be ultra-cautious this time round. Tbf he defended well. But agree with you, everything seemed very left sided going forwards (even after he went off).

 

[Cerberus Blade]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

Agree. Nothing came down the right hand side first half. It was all down the left.

 

[blade67]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

This.

We are missing a natural right wing back more obviously than Coutts ATM.

Hopefully next Saturday, Baldock will be back.

 

[Iceybabey]

I thought we was quite predictable n'all

 

[blade too long]

Lundstram is finding his way in to the hole Coutts left and improves game on game.
Pity tonight was some we have come to rely on weren't quite up there. Again we have dominated and we are not converting at a great ratio from attempts to goals. But we should not worry about finally getting a draw again we were worth more

 

[SwissBlade]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

Yeah i'd agree with this. I don't think Stevens was effective down the left either, but JOC was still getting on.

We weren't getting quality into the box from either flank

 

[Champagneblade]

Yeah i'd agree with this. I don't think Stevens was effective down the left either, but JOC was still getting on.

We weren't getting quality into the box from either flank

And when that’s not happening it makes Sharp ineffective. If there’s no change in personnel then Brooks for Sharp until there is.

 

[sheffielder]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

This is almost as big a miss as Coutts. As much as I like the RCB bash I really don’t like him at RWB. It really changes our shape and options dramatically

 

[Pinchy]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

CCV is much more at home in the centre. Bash is ideal at right centre-back. The solution arrives as soon as one as Baldock or Freeman are available.

 

[BushBlade]

Yeah i'd agree with this. I don't think Stevens was effective down the left either, but JOC was still getting on.

We weren't getting quality into the box from either flank

That was the problem, the amount of poor balls we put in the box. But I've said this before. Even when Coutts played. Thought we were a touch unlucky though, another day we could have played like that and won. There's been a bit of an overreaction on here to our first draw of the season.

 

[Sean Thornton]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

Carruthers often missed out an easy ball to the right to turn and have to beat a man again to send it left. Ignoring Brooks a few times.

 

[ucandomagic]

We badly miss a right hand side. As much as I like Bash and he's immense most of the time... He's isolated.

CCV doesn't push on the way Bash does with Baldock/Freeman and we're poorer down that side for it.

Not only are we poorer going forward, but that is the side where almost all of the goals conceded are coming from.

 

[Kevincarterversion2.0]

Agree with the comments about missing attacking threat on the right - this does remove some of the sting out of our play. The sooner Baldock and or Freeman are fit, the better. We do miss, Coutts- that's obvious, as he has been quality (and why I'd be looking to replace him in January, with a ready-made Champ level midfielder).

I think we may need to develop a plan B, like we did last year with Hansen (not necessarily the same plan B). Maybe it will be in the form of Brooks getting beyond (as was seen yesterday), or via a player/players we bring in during January. Other teams are getting wise to how we play - Brum/Fulham have exploited this, and more will follow suit. It's not wholesale changes, as we still want to play the way which has brought us much reward, but we do need an option to change it, when it's not working.

Wilder, as ever will be on the money though, and I'm sure will look to address these issues.

 

[adebo]

Birmingham are the first side who have come and parked 9 men in their own box and let us have 68% possession and said break us down. We have forgotten how often it was like that last year. We miss Coutts for his organisation and control and we miss Freeman for his option to get down the flank. We miss Basham overlapping his wingback like JoC does there is more to come from this team we know it, and that makes me optimistic

 

[Fanny magnet]

People seem to want us to stop doing the things that have worked so well for us since wilder came in

We looked exactly like the side that battered Scunthorpe but couldn't kill them off and the side that romped to 100 points last season and is over achieving this

We are an all out attacking team with a group of players who enjoy playing that way the squad is a mish mash of lower league and championship misfits who this manager has turned Into a side good enough to live with the championship big boys

They will make mistakes and they will get punished occasionally but if we stop doing what we do best it will all fall apart

For me this is the most exciting football I've ever seen at bdtbl and I wouldn't change anything if we Finish in a play off spot it will be an amazing achievement and with a fully fit team to choose from i fancy us against anyone

Some of the younger players have grown exponentially this season and the more teams set out to stifle our play and hit us on the break the more they will have to adapt and find ways of changing their game during play this is a real learning curve for them and the coaching staff and I think we're doing ok the next test for us is to overcome this hurdle because you can bet you're bottom dollar that every team we play will set out this way

Here's a quote from portalk that I think sums things up pretty well



Chris Wilder was interviewed on Radio Sheffield this week talking about the upcoming game but also talking about his philosophy towards the Championship.

He said that he'd been looking at how teams set themselves up and how they play in the Championship saying that it's now become a league where every team goes to set up no further forward than the half-way line and in many cases on the edge of their own box and then break out on the counter attack.

He mentioned that he thought it was a very negative way of playing and he won't be doing that and instead he's winning points by simply coming out of the starting blocks and heading straight for the oppositions jugular.

Wilder went on to say that this breeds massive confidence in his players who simply enjoy playing attacking football and going for it.

He said that if his team are two nil up then he then urges them to go on and score more. If they are three nil up then he wants them to score five.

If they concede he simply sends his team up the other end immediately to score goals

I'm not saying this is the answer but their fans are enjoying one of the most exciting seasons in years, their players are playing with a bond and a passion and enjoying what they do.

Obviously they might come unstuck for a few games but I can't see Wilder then changing to a more negative way of playing (in fact he was asked by Paul Walker if he'd do that and he said absolutely no way. he was going for it in the Championship)

It's clear that Wilder hates the way the Championship teams set themselves up nervously and defensively like some elaborate european side when in fact you can just take this league by the scruff of the neck and go for it and get wins.

Same goes for Wolves

When you see teams playing like that with a lesser squad than ours it makes things even worse when we send out our multi-million pound players and don't even get a single shot off at the opposition keeper.

Things under Irvine were BAD. But I actually think the last two games have been worse in terms of wasted opportunity and entertainment value.

We might be unbeaten but I bet the dressing room is like an absolute morgue at the moment and it's not much different in the stands.