Another scary performance!

[Keen Blade]

We were absolutely dreadful today. Yeah everyone says the sign of a good team is to win ugly but we’ve been doing it for 3 months now.

I’m not a negative blade, been looking forward to the game all week thinking this weekend was the first time in ages we’ve had multiple options in every position. I was hoping we’d win convincingly and put on a bit of a performance. A win is a win though.

Listened to Wilder in the car on the way home and have to say I wholeheartedly disagree with him when it said it was nothing to do with the tactics. We’ve largely played a 4231 formation all season. We’ve chanced players all window with that system in mind so why, when we’ve got a fairly fully fit squad did he decide to change it today.

At times we looked like we were in a 424 formation and one of the two often found himself between the two centre backs. Never seen so much space afforded an opposition midfield. As we had two holding midfielders sat in front of a deep defence we then had a 30 yard gap to 4 players stood in a line ahead of them. We had to go pretty direct or it was side to side across the back line. When we went direct it was more often than not coming straight back into the chasm of space in midfield where there was a distinct lack of bodies.

He then swaps us to the 4231 we’ve spent most of the season playing, we then have a 15/20 minute spell where we actually looked the better team for a short while, We get ourselves in front and at that point we looked like we might go on and get a 3rd/4th while the momentum was with us so what does he do… stick us into a back 5 at home against a bottom 6 side. Just seemed really strange to change to a 3rd formation in the game straight after our only good spell in the whole game.

For me it was the worst starting formation and tactics all season. Just didn’t work at all. Hopefully lesson learned for the Boro game as a big improvement is required if we want anything out of that.

It's all very well CW on the radio saying we were crap and blaming the players but it's his selections & shape which patently failed especially in the first half.
Pompey were way better and put in lots of dangerous crosses from the LW - how they weren't 1-4 up I dunno.

CW has the players he wanted.

Time for him to have a plan or at least an idea of how to use them.

 

[Frank the tank]

Absolutely wasn’t

In any way shape or form

He spreads indecision and panic through the defence
There were several times when long straight balls were played up towards him which he didn't deal with and instead fannies around
Or other times when he just made some thing simple look incredibly hard
He drags everyone else down to his level and heeds taking out the team ASAP
We are giving away a goal a game extra since he came back in the team

He isn't big enough to play centre back
And the rest of the defence is weaker when he's in it

 

[Bell4]

He spreads indecision and panic through the defence
There were several times when long straight balls were played up towards him which he didn't deal with and instead fannies around
Or other times when he just made some thing simple look incredibly hard
He drags everyone else down to his level and heeds taking out the team ASAP
We are giving away a goal a game extra since he came back in the team

He isn't big enough to play centre back
And the rest of the defence is weaker when he's in it

Harsh but that’s your opinion

He was head and shoulders our best defender today (although the bar wasn’t high I’ll grant you)

 

[shorehamview]

At least Brewster puts himself about and gets involved in the build up, creating for others. He’d score a few as well if he gets a sustained run in his actual position up front.

I don’t think that depending on Brewster is the way forward. I like his attitude, and he did well yesterday, but putting him in the team in a vain belief that he just needs a decent run is at best wildly optimistic. Throughout his entire time here he’s scored a grand total of seven goals. Rhian Brewster is not the answer.

 

[dublin 10 blade]

Dont get on the plane to Fublin whatever you do!!!!

Got on wrong plane don’t know where the fuck I am now

 

[Frank the tank]

Harsh but that’s your opinion

He was head and shoulders our best defender today (although the bar wasn’t high I’ll grant you)

Don't get me wrong I like him but you can see the confidence in the likes of anel and burrows slowly draining
Let's hope holding is the answer which to be honest he only needs to cone in and be solid and decent in the air

To be honest though wilder is the main culprit and pretty much the whole team yesterday excluding keeper was wrong

The style of play is.. Well what is it ?
Give him lots of credit for keeping us in touch during a tough period but now he's had a couple of weeks with the new signings and players coming back from. Injury and it looks like he's wasted it on a formation and tactics that only he knows or understands
The whole midfield and forward line were just thrown together and looked unhappy at being asked to play where they were
The defence we've touched on.. Shaky.

Set pieces seem to be something for other teams but not us can only assume defending set pieces is a day watching rugby scum dvds from the six nations

Hope this is a wake up call but we all know wilder too well don't we and after shifting the blame squarely on the players it will be more of the same next game with largely the sane line up at kick off and same issues but maybe a bit more effort and application

 

[Bell4]

Don't get me wrong I like him but you can see the confidence in the likes of anel and burrows slowly draining
Let's hope holding is the answer which to be honest he only needs to cone in and be solid and decent in the air

To be honest though wilder is the main culprit and pretty much the whole team yesterday excluding keeper was wrong

The style of play is.. Well what is it ?
Give him lots of credit for keeping us in touch during a tough period but now he's had a couple of weeks with the new signings and players coming back from. Injury and it looks like he's wasted it on a formation and tactics that only he knows or understands
The whole midfield and forward line were just thrown together and looked unhappy at being asked to play where they were
The defence we've touched on.. Shaky.

Set pieces seem to be something for other teams but not us can only assume defending set pieces is a day watching rugby scum dvds from the six nations

Hope this is a wake up call but we all know wilder too well don't we and after shifting the blame squarely on the players it will be more of the same next game with largely the sane line up at kick off and same issues but maybe a bit more effort and application

On the Wilder front I agree with every word in your post .

 

[1973Blade]

Don't get me wrong I like him but you can see the confidence in the likes of anel and burrows slowly draining
Let's hope holding is the answer which to be honest he only needs to cone in and be solid and decent in the air

To be honest though wilder is the main culprit and pretty much the whole team yesterday excluding keeper was wrong

The style of play is.. Well what is it ?
Give him lots of credit for keeping us in touch during a tough period but now he's had a couple of weeks with the new signings and players coming back from. Injury and it looks like he's wasted it on a formation and tactics that only he knows or understands
The whole midfield and forward line were just thrown together and looked unhappy at being asked to play where they were
The defence we've touched on.. Shaky.

Set pieces seem to be something for other teams but not us can only assume defending set pieces is a day watching rugby scum dvds from the six nations

Hope this is a wake up call but we all know wilder too well don't we and after shifting the blame squarely on the players it will be more of the same next game with largely the sane line up at kick off and same issues but maybe a bit more effort and application

Why do we leave no-one up when the opposition have a free kick or corner? It just means that the ball comes straight back.

 

[Frank the tank]

Why do we leave no-one up when the opposition have a free kick or corner? It just means that the ball comes straight back.

Like I say I don't think we put much time or effort into set piece work

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Cannon was completely the wrong type of signing for us. I’d honestly start Brewster up front ahead of him every game. We’re too negative for Cannon and don’t create the sort of chances he needs. At least Brewster puts himself about and gets involved in the build up, creating for others. He’d score a few as well if he gets a sustained run in his actual position up front.

This isn’t me saying Cannon is rubbish either, he’s not, he just doesn’t suit our style at all.

Yes, I feel sorry for Cannon, as the service he gets is pitiful. When we bought him I actually thought Wilder had a plan for him…sadly it doesn’t seem so. Yes we’ve got more depth up front now, but I fear Cannons price tag may render him undroppable, even if it’s not working for him or the team.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

We sometimes make the art of playing football look very, very difficult.

 

[Keen Blade]

I’d call it wank. Anyone not concerned about our insipid performances is fucking stupid. We really do make an enjoyable game look very hard to play.

That's the comment I heard most on leaving yesterday "we made hard work of that".
I think CW has tied himself in a Gordian Knot over his selections & setup and he can't unravel it.
He badly needs some help + I don't believe Knilly is assertive enough to make him take any advice.

 

[Keen Blade]

He spreads indecision and panic through the defence
There were several times when long straight balls were played up towards him which he didn't deal with and instead fannies around
Or other times when he just made some thing simple look incredibly hard
He drags everyone else down to his level and heeds taking out the team ASAP
We are giving away a goal a game extra since he came back in the team

He isn't big enough to play centre back
And the rest of the defence is weaker when he's in it

The £10m spent on Cannon (whom we dunno how best to play) should have gone on 2 CBs , one a dominant leader and the other a L-footer to replace Robbo.

 

[Hillsboro Blade]

I appreciate what Wilder has done but my
God, is there a more obstinate Manager out there at the minute? Not once have I ever heard him say he got it wrong. He’d make a great Politician. Does he realise this just pisses off the support?

 

[JackSUFC]

Never seen something more accurate than this:

 

[Yoonited]

It's all very well CW on the radio saying we were crap and blaming the players but it's his selections & shape which patently failed especially in the first half.
Pompey were way better and put in lots of dangerous crosses from the LW - how they weren't 1-4 up I dunno.

CW has the players he wanted.

Time for him to have a plan or at least an idea of how to use them.

Didn't he ought to have bought players that suited the plan.Or didn't he really have one
So few relationships on the pitch so we look like the bunch of individuals we currently are.
As for his post match mutterings
He's on the defensive so often and makes little sense.
I've stopped making the effort.I want to be entertained but it's turgid.
We don't even set up to put teams to the sword. Little wonder it's so drab.
Grow some balls man ffs.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

All the successful teams history have bought players wisely, either to specifically replace their obvious weak links or maybe to offer more strength in depth. But first and foremost the new players have to fit into the teams style of play.

 

[bornablade]

We sold Osula for £10million. We bought Cannon for £10million.

Osula has looked pretty useful when he's appeared for Newcastle,

 

[John Street West Terrace]

Why do we leave no-one up when the opposition have a free kick or corner? It just means that the ball comes straight back.

Been saying that all season … one man left up top takes two players out to mark him & offers us something for a quick counter attack or a chance of holding the ball up

 

[Torrix1889]

One things for sure, Wilder has got a busy 2 days ahead of Wednesday v Boro. Play anything like we did against Pompey and there will only be one result.

I am not a Wilder fan at all and IMO he got the set up all wrong and needs to shoulder the responsibility, not throw his players under the bus....(again).

I can't understand why BBD was on the right when he is much more effective on the left. We missed COH as a No10 and that left huge gaps between the front line and the 2 CDM's.

Should have been Campbell or Cannon, with BBD left, Rak-Sakyi right, Gus as the 10....or COH as the 10 with Gus next to Vini.

As for the defence, they were collectively shocking.....weakest link is JLT by far....hopefully Holding gets up to speed ASAP.

What do I know though?

 

[ekke287]

A few years ago I was at some manager training conference and the speaker said something along the lines of “There’s no I in team, but there’s five in Individual Brilliance”. Basically the point was that a team should work together but sometimes it takes 1 or 2 people in that team to really step up and pull the team over the line.

It’s resonated for me for a while and more so this season, as our main tactic seems to be, remain as solid as possible and hope a flair player makes something happen.

That tactic worked a treat with Souttar, Vini and Anel, as they were a brick wall, which allowed other players license to be more creative with more time on the ball.

Losing 2 of those for an extended period should make a manager rethink, but we’ve no plan B. We’re seeing the same approach but with an inferior defence, so that clean sheet record and nervy game situation is taking a hammering.

We’re lucky that the overall quality of the league outside the top six is poor, otherwise we’d be lower, but our current position is massively papering the cracks.

CW has HIS players in now, he’s been very well backed by the new owners, it’s time to show us all he’s the man for the job.

 

[1973Blade]

A few years ago I was at some manager training conference and the speaker said something along the lines of “There’s no I in team, but there’s five in Individual Brilliance”. Basically the point was that a team should work together but sometimes it takes 1 or 2 people in that team to really step up and pull the team over the line.

It’s resonated for me for a while and more so this season, as our main tactic seems to be, remain as solid as possible and hope a flair player makes something happen.

That tactic worked a treat with Souttar, Vini and Anel, as they were a brick wall, which allowed other players license to be more creative with more time on the ball.

Losing 2 of those for an extended period should make a manager rethink, but we’ve no plan B. We’re seeing the same approach but with an inferior defence, so that clean sheet record and nervy game situation is taking a hammering.

We’re lucky that the overall quality of the league outside the top six is poor, otherwise we’d be lower, but our current position is massively papering the cracks.

CW has HIS players in now, he’s been very well backed by the new owners, it’s time to show us all he’s the man for the job.

The speaker wasn't David Brent was it?! Agree with your point though.

 

[nopigfansintown]

The £10m spent on Cannon (whom we dunno how best to play) should have gone on 2 CBs , one a dominant leader and the other a L-footer to replace Robbo.

Maybe, but we'd still be a striker light imo. Maybe Armstrong on loan instead of Cannon? It'd be interesting to know if the new owners would've sanctioned a big fee for a CB instead of a striker. It's a big investment. The comments afterwards suggest we were stuck on Cannon since the summer.

Playing two DMs in midfield like we did the other day isn't new; It's a tried and tested formula. The upside is that they are supposed to screen your backline and give the lads ahead of them more licence to bomb on and take more risks because the defence is being screened by two players specialising in doing that. On that basis I can't agree with people who say there was no plan.Did it work? No. In theory that should make us more robust than any other partnership we have. I'm guessing that was the idea.

 

[Dkc]

Throughout his entire time here he’s scored a grand total of seven goals. Rhian Brewster is not the answer.

How long during his time here has he been fully fit and up to speed? We've been saying for a long time that a fully fit Brewster would be like a new signing. Now we have one.

Not saying he should be playing 90 minutes every week but he's looking sharp at the moment - and on Saturday looked more creative than Cannon and Campbell.

 

[jack's the lad]

It's all very well CW on the radio saying we were crap and blaming the players but it's his selections & shape which patently failed especially in the first half.
Pompey were way better and put in lots of dangerous crosses from the LW - how they weren't 1-4 up I dunno.

CW has the players he wanted.

Time for him to have a plan or at least an idea of how to use them.

Wilder doesn't know how to play good players

 

[Yoonited]

We sold Osula for £10million. We bought Cannon for £10million.

Osula has looked pretty useful when he's appeared for Newcastle,

Does that say something about Eddie Howe's abilities/tactical nouse

 

[ancientblade]

Maybe, but we'd still be a striker light imo. Maybe Armstrong on loan instead of Cannon? It'd be interesting to know if the new owners would've sanctioned a big fee for a CB instead of a striker. It's a big investment. The comments afterwards suggest we were stuck on Cannon since the summer.

Playing two DMs in midfield like we did the other day isn't new; It's a tried and tested formula. The upside is that they are supposed to screen your backline and give the lads ahead of them more licence to bomb on and take more risks because the defence is being screened by two players specialising in doing that. On that basis I can't agree with people who say there was no plan.Did it work? No. In theory that should make us more robust than any other partnership we have. I'm guessing that was the idea.

i think its way too early to write cannon off but youve made a good point regarding adam armstrong we should have been all over that one if we knew he would be available not good enough for the premier league but scores for fun at this level plus if we had brought him in we could have used the cannon money for tanganka

 

[LurkerBladeS2]

I'm not going to "defend" Wilder but there is no way he didn't tell the strikers to come and get it to feet, he even hinted at it when he said something like "Only Hamer was showing in the middle" BBD, Cannon & Campbell were all playing on the shoulder and not helping midfield.

HC & Vini were too far apart and neither took responsibility for filling the gap between strikers and midfield (Peck came on and did that, Brewster also showed to feet more)

BBD and HC not tracking their left back (who had the three good chances and took one) was an issue, I can't believe a Wilder team had been told not to do that?!

As others have said, they got a 0-0 against us, drawn with Leeds and Burnley so their ugly tactics are effective against possession based teams.

We played poorly with very little bright spots, but it was against a team that have done it to our peers.

 

[Stuart mitchell]

It’s not just today though is it, when was the last time we played well?
We were crap against Hull, crap last week and crap today.
All on Wilder now he’s been backed to the hilt

Totally agree. If we miss out on promotion! We really need to be looking at changing the management.
I'm sure the new owners will be thinking the same!

 

[Bladesman]

I appreciate what Wilder has done but my
God, is there a more obstinate Manager out there at the minute? Not once have I ever heard him say he got it wrong. He’d make a great Politician. Does he realise this just pisses off the support?

He admitted he got it wrong against Leeds but it's rare that he does.

The worry for me is that we seemed to be quite a deadly counter attacking team earlier in the season and we seem to have lost that lately. I am confused at the moment with what Wilder is trying to do maybe it just needs the new faces to bed in a bit more.