Selles' style

[Bergen Blade]

We'll have to see if Selles will try other things, but we played 4-3-3 at York.

• Pace and goalscorers in the front three
• Right footers on the left wing, left footers on the right wing
• Playing strikers like Cannon and One out wide are attempts to get more goal scorers in the team
• Full backs have big roles to play, being the main providers of width
• Playing O'Hare, Marsh and Hamer as 8s in midfield shows he wants creativity in those roles
• Hamer will be given license to influence the game as much as he can, including dropping deeper to playmake
• Seriki supporting Brooks was a combination we never tried from the start last season. I hope this wasn't a one off as they complement each other so well
• In general it was a game with higher tempo than normal, and sometimes the game looked a bit stretched if our high press didn't see us win the ball
• More forward passing, but not all the time. We took some breathers and also passed it backwards to switch sides
• Some positive signs and a few things suggests our football may be a bit different to last season's.

If our next game was in the league we may have played something like this:




Which is a decent line up. There is some decent cover as well and injured players to return. There are a few things to address, but our transfer business is just getting started.

Against better opposition and looking longer ahead, we need to assess:

• How will a midfield like that cope defensively?
• Do we have enough height/aerial ability to avoid being vulnerable at set pieces?
• Will Cannon/One be genuine options at left wing?
• Will this be Marsh's break through season?
• Can Brooks find consistency?
• Do we need to add more pace, especially if Campbell is out?

 

[Wards]

How will a midfield like that cope defensively?

Not a chance, for me. Too lightweight and in the case of Hamer/COH then I don't think they'll ever possess the defensive nouse to be effective at it. Hamer doesn't have the discipline to do it.

Do we have enough height/aerial ability to avoid being vulnerable at set pieces?

Easy one - no. And per the above we need a Souza replacement ideally. And that player also needs physicality.

Will Cannon/One be genuine options at left wing?

Cannon, no. One, maybe - but we'd have to assume he's offering no protection to the full back which is a worry and negates some of Burrows best qualities in getting forward. Louie Barry will likely be similar, offering little else so it's a bit of a worry to me that side.

 

[Yellarbellyblade]

If we do go that way it feels like we are going to be very feast or famine this year. Teams with nouse will get beyond our press and we’ll be in trouble but equally we’ll probably score plenty too

 

[FTPE]

If we do go that way it feels like we are going to be very feast or famine this year. Teams with nouse will get beyond our press and we’ll be in trouble but equally we’ll probably score plenty too

Sounds fun though right?
Didn't someone say Selles is very high risk high reward?

 

[SUFC Guy]

If we sign Barry, he may replace Cannon in that position.

 

[KMC-1889]

not going to get bogged down in individual performances or formation because I don’t think you can take too much from the game based on the level of opposition

- we were trying to make things happen, rather than our old approach of protecting the ball and waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Not sure if this will translate into performances but at the very least it’s easier on the eye than last season.

- we went for the throat. Last season we take the foot off the gas at 3-0 and try to fend off a fightback. We were still pushing for more well into 80+ mins

- all the key youth players (One, Marsh, Blacker, Dovy, Blacker, Ukaki) look like they’ll be fine putting in minutes this season. Miles off starting 11 but I’d like to see them used to close out games against bottom half teams.

Left side of our CB pairing looks incredibly weak. Robinson exposed a couple of times and RND looks really rusty. I’m sure I heard Selles in his interview mention bringing in a right centre back, assuming Bindon is intended at LCB maybe we’ve finally had a decent offer for Ahmendhodzic?

 

[AWetFlannel]

We'll have to see if Selles will try other things, but we played 4-3-3 at York.

• Pace and goalscorers in the front three
• Right footers on the left wing, left footers on the right wing
• Playing strikers like Cannon and One out wide are attempts to get more goal scorers in the team
• Full backs have big roles to play, being the main providers of width
• Playing O'Hare, Marsh and Hamer as 8s in midfield shows he wants creativity in those roles
• Hamer will be given license to influence the game as much as he can, including dropping deeper to playmake
• Seriki supporting Brooks was a combination we never tried from the start last season. I hope this wasn't a one off as they complement each other so well
• In general it was a game with higher tempo than normal, and sometimes the game looked a bit stretched if our high press didn't see us win the ball
• More forward passing, but not all the time. We took some breathers and also passed it backwards to switch sides
• Some positive signs and a few things suggests our football may be a bit different to last season's.

If our next game was in the league we may have played something like this:


View attachment 216016

Which is a decent line up. There is some decent cover as well and injured players to return. There are a few things to address, but our transfer business is just getting started.

Against better opposition and looking longer ahead, we need to assess:

• How will a midfield like that cope defensively?
• Do we have enough height/aerial ability to avoid being vulnerable at set pieces?
• Will Cannon/One be genuine options at left wing?
• Will this be Marsh's break through season?
• Can Brooks find consistency?
• Do we need to add more pace, especially if Campbell is out?

Only thing I'd disagree with is the fullbacks being the main providers of width. Seriki under-lapped numerous times in the first half, and Burrows drifted into an inverted midfield role a couple of times.

Might be that each fullback has a specialised role, but the wingers seemed to stay wide to me rather than playing narrow and allowing the fullbacks that space.

 

[dexter101]

Not a chance, for me. Too lightweight and in the case of Hamer/COH then I don't think they'll ever possess the defensive nouse to be effective at it. Hamer doesn't have the discipline to do it.

Easy one - no. And per the above we need a Souza replacement ideally. And that player also needs physicality.

Cannon, no. One, maybe - but we'd have to assume he's offering no protection to the full back which is a worry and negates some of Burrows best qualities in getting forward. Louie Barry will likely be similar, offering little else so it's a bit of a worry to me that side.

I don't think we will have one player who sits deep "defending". The press seemed very consistent across the front 3, backed up by 3 in the middle of the park. This then allows 6 players (with then wing backs pushing on as well) to spring into attack when we win the ball and it will be them playing what's in front of them rather than playing a prescriptive role maybe?

Yes, we will probably end up seeing one player less far forward with Hamer probably not dropping as deep but I think if Hamer is fit enough, he will be consistent with the press and Ohare clearly has the energy to track back.

I think we maybe at risk of being "naïve", in that, close games we might struggle to close them out. I would guess for the most part, we are wanting to score enough goals in the first 60 minutes that we can then make subs to carry on the intensity.

I'm excited!

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Ultimately, if we have any intention of being a good side, we have to play Hamer in his most effective position and build the rest of the side around that. He is by far our most influential creative player and stuffing him on the left wing for a full season was criminal.

We can speculate all day about whether or not midfield will be too lightweight or whatever, but look after the ball properly and the opposition have limited opportunities to hurt you. Last season, whenever we had the ball we looked terrified of the opposition putting a little bit of pressure on us and we cough up possession. That needs to be sorted first and foremost. You don’t need big bruising central midfielders to control a game - you just need to be smart about how you use the ball.

Personally, I’m content with the selection we have. Im confident we have the quality needed to keep the ball better in Hamer, O’Hare, Peck & Blaster. We certainly need some more cover for all 4 but unless we look likely to lose one or more of the aforementioned, competent passers of the ball is all we really need IMO.

 

[LurkerBlade]

The biggest thing I took from the game is that we want to be a threat when the opposition has the ball.

At times we let better teams have the ball last season and tried to be confident that they couldn't break us down.

We may now see a team that wants to threaten those teams into making mistakes.

 

[Torrix1889]

As someone else said the thing that worries me is defending set pieces. If we are up against a big, physical side I fear we may well struggle to keep clean sheets!

 

[Terry Starlight]

Not a chance, for me. Too lightweight and in the case of Hamer/COH then I don't think they'll ever possess the defensive nouse to be effective at it. Hamer doesn't have the discipline to do it.

Easy one - no. And per the above we need a Souza replacement ideally. And that player also needs physicality.

Cannon, no. One, maybe - but we'd have to assume he's offering no protection to the full back which is a worry and negates some of Burrows best qualities in getting forward. Louie Barry will likely be similar, offering little else so it's a bit of a worry to me that side.

Not sure if you watched last night but One certainly did offer protection for Burrows. At one point when Burrows went forward he filled in at left back

 

[Iffy Onuora's Shiny Head]

The play seemed so very different to last season.

Lots of chances created
Lots of ball carries forward
Lots of progressive passes

But times where we were left quite exposed.

Definitely a promising start though

 

[Wards]

Not sure if you watched last night but One certainly did offer protection for Burrows. At one point when Burrows went forward he filled in at left back

He did yesterday against York, but against better sides I'd be wary of relying on that too much. Not saying he can't, it's just very unnatural to him.

 

[Derek1889]

All good signs. Didn't stop and defend after one goal. Wanted more. High press, balls actually going forward with intent. Players running with the ball. But some balls going direct aswel. Albeit been from a lower league side. If we kick on and keep playing on the front foot be a very exciting season. But also could see alot more goals in both nets

 

[AWetFlannel]

Ultimately, if we have any intention of being a good side, we have to play Hamer in his most effective position and build the rest of the side around that. He is by far our most influential creative player and stuffing him on the left wing for a full season was criminal.

Painting it as him being stuck out on the left wing is criminal, as is the suggestion we weren't a good side last season. He had the freedom to go where he wanted, not dissimilar to how he played last night.

The idea that playing on the left of a 4-2-3-1 with licence to drift inside is "stuffing him out on the left", but being on the left of a midfield three is completely different is laughable. He was in wide positions as much last night under Selles as his games under Wilder.

 

[PokerBlade]

Only so much you can read into pre-season games, especially the early ones. The big thing for me is like others have said: we wanted to get the ball out to our attacking threats and we wanted to do it quickly and effectively. Those players then showed that they can make chances and score goals. High press, and when we got the ball we wanted players to flood forward.

Definitely got concerns about us being lightweight in the middle, and I still think we need another centre back.

All I can really say is that I wasn't sure I wanted to waste £6 but I ended up well entertained. Can't help but feel under Wilder that game finishes as a very professional 2-0 win without much to talk about.

 

[AdamSufc1997]

The last question do we need more pace? Absolutely we’re crying out for it about time we did

 

[JayGreen17]

Pace, more athletic and bigger midfield and another CB, because we’re 1 injury away from hailing bombscsre in the first 11….. he should be no where near……

 

[blade67]

As someone else said the thing that worries me is defending set pieces. If we are up against a big, physical side I fear we may well struggle to keep clean sheets!

This won't be a problem. As Roy's view from confirms every week, every year, we are "a big strong side."

 

[coolasanidiot]

We need to replace Souttar and Vini with equivalent 'tall & strong' replacements. Then we will challenge, without these - that midfield and defence will struggle.

If they are going down the AI route - please someone tell the input parameters starting point is -'NOTHING UNDER 6FT PLEASE'

Bite the bullet - pay up RND send him on his way, Robbo is 10 mins at end of a close match to close out- thats it, not a starter.

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

One thing that stood out to me from watching the highlights yesterday was O'Hare's double involvement in Campbell's goal. First the drive and patience to release Cannon, but then the second part. After releasing the ball to Cannon you can see O'Hare telling Cannon not to shoot and to lay it off for Campbell. Cannon, as a striker, had every right to shoot but it would be a difficult chance. O'Hare was absolutely right to tell him to pass instead for a dead cert goal, which Cannon may well have done anyway.

 

[Lowen]

If he can get O’Hare and Hamer as double 8’s to work then he’s a serious manager. Those two on the pitch together and in central areas would be great to watch, just seems too unbalanced.

 

[Rodley]

Need to see it against better opposition. Without a strong athletic DMC anchor and potentially a Souttar standard centre half I fear defensively we’ll get blown out of the water. The press looks a bit reckless at times.

 

[Bookers Mullet]

Need to see it against better opposition. Without a strong athletic DMC anchor and potentially a Souttar standard centre half I fear defensively we’ll get blown out of the water. The press looks a bit reckless at times.

It did look reckless, but it's early days, Im hoping as we go through the friendlies it'll become more refined and balanced as the players adapt

100 percent agree about the players needed part to make us genuine contenders

 

[cahill]

not going to get bogged down in individual performances or formation because I don’t think you can take too much from the game based on the level of opposition

- we were trying to make things happen, rather than our old approach of protecting the ball and waiting for an opportunity to present itself. Not sure if this will translate into performances but at the very least it’s easier on the eye than last season.

- we went for the throat. Last season we take the foot off the gas at 3-0 and try to fend off a fightback. We were still pushing for more well into 80+ mins

- all the key youth players (One, Marsh, Blacker, Dovy, Blacker, Ukaki) look like they’ll be fine putting in minutes this season. Miles off starting 11 but I’d like to see them used to close out games against bottom half teams.

Left side of our CB pairing looks incredibly weak. Robinson exposed a couple of times and RND looks really rusty. I’m sure I heard Selles in his interview mention bringing in a right centre back, assuming Bindon is intended at LCB maybe we’ve finally had a decent offer for Ahmendhodzic?

Manna for my ears reading that. Last seasons one goal leads with 40 minutes to go caused me all manner of stress. Dodgy ticker.

 

[blade too long]

not going to base this seasons hopes on one win v york

rotherham will let us see how the defence copes

and chesterfield will give us more clues

 

[Slugger]

If he can get O’Hare and Hamer as double 8’s to work then he’s a serious manager. Those two on the pitch together and in central areas would be great to watch, just seems too unbalanced.

Agree 100% with this. The creativity of those 2 together would unlock most Championship defenses.
I fear the downside would be how they are at the points when we lose possession. O'Hare may be a bit lightweight and Hamer fouls far too often rather than simply breaking up/delaying opposition play.

 

[SufcBilly]

 

[brownblade]

Spanish football expert seems to like him, then.

Fingers crossed it all goes to plan.