2 Strikers away from home?

[SwissBlade]

The way we ended last season we were always on the front foot, we could afford to have Clarke and Sharp up front as we were strong defensively, the midfield two were tidy on the ball and we had Freeman getting forward and creating a lot.

Lafferty played slightly deeper on the left and provided some cover there

Duffy supported Clarke and Sharp.

However, Clarke and Sharp wasn't the strike partnership which got us to the top for the league. Done and Sharp was, then Hanson and Sharp.

Done-Sharp: very busy, lots of chasing from Done, Duffy in behind created a third striker and Sharp provided a lot of goals
Hanson-Sharp: not sure it worked that well as Hanson never seemed fit. However, he provided an aerial threat. Again the likes of Duffy playing off scraps behind
Clarke-Sharp: until Clarke was fit many fans didn't rate the partnership. However it worked well when we were on the front foot.

Away from home Are we set up too much to attack? But what we really need is to bolster the centre midfield? Perhaps playing Coutts-Fleck with Carruthers in front and then Duffy/Ched/ Brooks in behind Clarke/ Sharp, effectively playing a lone striker?

Wilder has said that we need to be better in both boxes but from what I saw at Boro, we didn't keep the ball well. We lost out and weren't able to keep our shape.

From the highlights of last night Carruthers is very deep anyway, leaving a bigger gap to Clarke-Sharp

 

[Bergen Blade]

The way we ended last season we were always on the front foot, we could afford to have Clarke and Sharp up front as we were strong defensively, the midfield two were tidy on the ball and we had Freeman getting forward and creating a lot.

Lafferty played slightly deeper on the left and provided some cover there

Duffy supported Clarke and Sharp.

However, Clarke and Sharp wasn't the strike partnership which got us to the top for the league. Done and Sharp was, then Hanson and Sharp.

Done-Sharp: very busy, lots of chasing from Done, Duffy in behind created a third striker and Sharp provided a lot of goals
Hanson-Sharp: not sure it worked that well as Hanson never seemed fit. However, he provided an aerial threat. Again the likes of Duffy playing off scraps behind
Clarke-Sharp: until Clarke was fit many fans didn't rate the partnership. However it worked well when we were on the front foot.

Away from home Are we set up too much to attack? But what we really need is to bolster the centre midfield? Perhaps playing Coutts-Fleck with Carruthers in front and then Duffy/Ched/ Brooks in behind Clarke/ Sharp, effectively playing a lone striker?

Wilder has said that we need to be better in both boxes but from what I saw at Boro, we didn't keep the ball well. We lost out and weren't able to keep our shape.

From the highlights of last night Carruthers is very deep anyway, leaving a bigger gap to Clarke-Sharp

We inverted the midfield triangle last night, meaning Coutts was deepest, flanked by Carruthers and Fleck. I agree more tweaks are required.

 

[Cerberus Blade]

The way we ended last season we were always on the front foot, we could afford to have Clarke and Sharp up front as we were strong defensively, the midfield two were tidy on the ball and we had Freeman getting forward and creating a lot.

Lafferty played slightly deeper on the left and provided some cover there

Duffy supported Clarke and Sharp.

However, Clarke and Sharp wasn't the strike partnership which got us to the top for the league. Done and Sharp was, then Hanson and Sharp.

Done-Sharp: very busy, lots of chasing from Done, Duffy in behind created a third striker and Sharp provided a lot of goals
Hanson-Sharp: not sure it worked that well as Hanson never seemed fit. However, he provided an aerial threat. Again the likes of Duffy playing off scraps behind
Clarke-Sharp: until Clarke was fit many fans didn't rate the partnership. However it worked well when we were on the front foot.

Away from home Are we set up too much to attack? But what we really need is to bolster the centre midfield? Perhaps playing Coutts-Fleck with Carruthers in front and then Duffy/Ched/ Brooks in behind Clarke/ Sharp, effectively playing a lone striker?

Wilder has said that we need to be better in both boxes but from what I saw at Boro, we didn't keep the ball well. We lost out and weren't able to keep our shape.

From the highlights of last night Carruthers is very deep anyway, leaving a bigger gap to Clarke-Sharp

Done and Sharp were also the partnership which saw us winless in the first 5 games, let's not forget that. At the end of the day Done contributed very little to our success in my opinion and that's why he's where he is now. However, I think the key to our success last season (apart from outstanding manager and team spirit) was really in the midfield department. Until Coutts and Fleck got established in that midfield we didn't look like we could hold onto the ball and keep possession. Those two coming into the side made such a big difference.

Now we are here in a similar place again. The midfield currently isn't capable of holding on to the ball and keeping possession against better quality players at this level. So it needs strengthening again with some quality. And I'm afraid we need to set the bar higher than League 1 and 2 players for this. Same applies to centre back and in attack. Pace, youth, quality and experience are needed and once we bring that in, we'll set off again on another good run.

 

[SteveBlade]

1 up front, extra midfielder. We can't play like we have been doing, getting absolutely overrun and having two strikers up top never getting a touch, and basically being passengers.

 

[DronnieBlade]

We inverted the midfield triangle last night, meaning Coutts was deepest, flanked by Carruthers and Fleck. I agree more tweaks are required.

In terms of overall touches, Coutts is always our deepest CM. Was this way all way through last season as well !

More than surprised someone as astute as your good self not picked up on this !

UTB

 

[SwissBlade]

We inverted the midfield triangle last night, meaning Coutts was deepest, flanked by Carruthers and Fleck. I agree more tweaks are required.

So dropping a striker and bringing in an attacking midfielder such as Brooks/ Duffy would create a diamond...

 

[Esablade]

Some good points.
I think we're still testing the waters re: seeing how last season's approach will fare in this league.

If Wilder had set up more defensively and we'd had the same results people would be crying 'why change'

 

[SwissBlade]

Some good points.
I think we're still testing the waters re: seeing how last season's approach will fare in this league.

If Wilder had set up more defensively and we'd had the same results people would be crying 'why change'

Yeah it's a tough one. I did expect a damage limitation set up last night though.

I felt against Boro that first half we were overrun and second half was about Boro sitting back and defending instead of going toe-to-toe.

It's something where I probably disagree with wilder (for the first time), that perhaps we needed to be smarter. Not play for the draw but set up in a way to bolster midfield and allow Freeman and Stevens to get forward down the flanks more

 

[Esablade]

I felt against Boro that first half we were overrun and second half was about Boro sitting back and defending instead of going toe-to-toe.

That looked similar to last night when we had our 'good spell'...Cardiff simply conserved resources and soaked it up...it's a bit of a puzzle...

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

If we're playing a long striker, 100% it cannot be either Sharp or Clarke. I don't think we have the player to be a lone striker.

If we're lacking movement and options between two players, what are we going to achieve with 1 of them?

 

[Iffy Onuora's Shiny Head]

We could look to play the Chelsea way, drop one of the CFs to a CAM and play two either side of a central striker (similar to how Hazard and Pedro played behind Costa).

Understand that you need a certain type of striker to lead the line like that though

 

[SwissBlade]

That looked similar to last night when we had our 'good spell'...Cardiff simply conserved resources and soaked it up...it's a bit of a puzzle...

I think because this division is tighter that you'll get a lot of that. Get the goal against a side like us and then preserve.

I said to my Boro mate that as frustrating as the game against them was, Boro played the smart way. They knew that they could see the game out. It nearly cost them an equaliser but they got that bit of luck.

 

[SwissBlade]

We could look to play the Chelsea way, drop one of the CFs to a CAM and play two either side of a central striker (similar to how Hazard and Pedro played behind Costa).

Understand that you need a certain type of striker to lead the line like that though

I'd actually play Clarke up top for that

 

[BigBed]

Evans is the only one capable of a loan striker role and there are fitness questions he still needs to answer.
I think we need a pairing like Walsall, bit of speed and trickery, also a midfield enforcer type, a big fucker that can win and keep a ball!
Or we switch to 442 and get wingers playing to provide balls into the box, which in turn we show us up for the lack of size and pace in a different formation.
We need experience, size, pace and abit of bollocks! Hope we can just bring in championship quality players now, i think the lads from lower leagues were still playing there for a reason!

 

[Rodley]

We need a box-to-box physical centre midfielder who is mobile and athletic. We need some pace at the back to get us out of jail. And we need a bit of pace & mobility up top.

 

[Bladesman]

We need a box-to-box physical centre midfielder who is mobile and athletic. We need some pace at the back to get us out of jail. And we need a bit of pace & mobility up top.

We need another team.

 

[SwissBlade]

Evans is the only one capable of a loan striker role and there are fitness questions he still needs to answer.
I think we need a pairing like Walsall, bit of speed and trickery, also a midfield enforcer type, a big fucker that can win and keep a ball!
Or we switch to 442 and get wingers playing to provide balls into the box, which in turn we show us up for the lack of size and pace in a different formation.
We need experience, size, pace and abit of bollocks! Hope we can just bring in championship quality players now, i think the lads from lower leagues were still playing there for a reason!

This was how he struggled in the championship last time around. Back then he couldn't play with his back to goal at all, got battered by centre halves and wasn't able to use his power and pace. The difference then was that he was in a long ball side however I don't see him being able to play this role when the likes of Clarke and Sharp have both played the lone striker role over the past couple of years

 

[Bergen Blade]

In terms of overall touches, Coutts is always our deepest CM. Was this way all way through last season as well !

More than surprised someone as astute as your good self not picked up on this !

UTB

Last season:

Coutts - - - - - Fleck

Duffy
​

Yesterday:

Coutts
Carruthers - - - - - - - - Fleck
​

This was how our midfields were set up, but obviously player roles within differ.

 

[sheffielder]

In terms of overall touches, Coutts is always our deepest CM. Was this way all way through last season as well !

More than surprised someone as astute as your good self not picked up on this !

UTB

That's not what he said though. He said the midfield was inverted so that triangle was backwards instead of having a number 10. Personally I don't think carruthers has the football intelligence to play at this level

 

[BigBed]

This was how he struggled in the championship last time around. Back then he couldn't play with his back to goal at all, got battered by centre halves and wasn't able to use his power and pace. The difference then was that he was in a long ball side however I don't see him being able to play this role when the likes of Clarke and Sharp have both played the lone striker role over the past couple of years

But neither are fast enough now, as has been proven without doubt in the last 3 games.
This is the reason we have 2 up top, n it won't change with the players we have.
Chess been different class off the bench so far, and the call for him n Brooks to start can't be ignored any longer.
I wonder if a 433 would help in our situation, playing our centre mid more defensive to free up the left and right backs in attacking situations, and playing Brooks behind sharp and Evans, creating a midfield diamond????
He's got to try something really, we need something from satdy.

 

[Robby Blade]

Some good points.
I think we're still testing the waters re: seeing how last season's approach will fare in this league.

If Wilder had set up more defensively and we'd had the same results people would be crying 'why change'

I think Wilder should still test the water. We were so much better than everyone else last season. To try and change now after a couple of defeats against much better teams would, in my opinion, be daft. . If they don't work against the lesser teams in the division then he should consider changing.

 

[SwissBlade]

But neither are fast enough now, as has been proven without doubt in the last 3 games.
This is the reason we have 2 up top, n it won't change with the players we have.
Chess been different class off the bench so far, and the call for him n Brooks to start can't be ignored any longer.
I wonder if a 433 would help in our situation, playing our centre mid more defensive to free up the left and right backs in attacking situations, and playing Brooks behind sharp and Evans, creating a midfield diamond????
He's got to try something really, we need something from satdy.

4-3-3 who are the fullbacks?

 

[Rodley]

We need another team.

Not really. We're good enough to stop up already.

 

[BigBed]

4-3-3 who are the fullbacks?

Have to go with Freeman lafferty

 

[BigBed]

Have to go with Freeman lafferty

With Wright n Brayford.

 

[Norderner]

Yeah it's a tough one. I did expect a damage limitation set up last night though.

I felt against Boro that first half we were overrun and second half was about Boro sitting back and defending instead of going toe-to-toe.

It's something where I probably disagree with wilder (for the first time), that perhaps we needed to be smarter. Not play for the draw but set up in a way to bolster midfield and allow Freeman and Stevens to get forward down the flanks more

Not quite true, because after 8 minutes we could, and should, have been 2-0 through Clarke and fleck?

 

[Esablade]

I think Wilder should still test the water. We were so much better than everyone else last season. To try and change now after a couple of defeats against much better teams would, in my opinion, be daft. . If they don't work against the lesser teams in the division then he should consider changing.

Yep, I reckon we'll see the same/similar side Satdi.

 

[Norderner]

Evans is the only one capable of a loan striker role and there are fitness questions he still needs to answer.
I think we need a pairing like Walsall, bit of speed and trickery, also a midfield enforcer type, a big fucker that can win and keep a ball!
Or we switch to 442 and get wingers playing to provide balls into the box, which in turn we show us up for the lack of size and pace in a different formation.
We need experience, size, pace and abit of bollocks! Hope we can just bring in championship quality players now, i think the lads from lower leagues were still playing there for a reason!

No way, with the current set up could we go 442. We'd overrun due to lack of pace and power.

 

[BigBed]

No way, with the current set up could we go 442. We'd overrun due to lack of pace and power.

These are my main fears, but we need to find something.

 

[Trigger Blade]

If we're playing a long striker

Hanson? He's tall