coaxingstar71
First 10 yards are in the head
I've been reading the many threads about our performances so far under CW and how we compare to the last few seasons.
Perhaps a bit of background first, all from my perspective, I'm sure some will disagree and that's exactly the point of the forum is it not?
Probably before the Dave Bassett era, United were renowned for a certain attacking style of football, using wingers and usually a talented ball playing midfielder alongside a more combative one. We played fast and exciting football, although perhaps a bit cavalier at times.
When the club had crippling debts and a poor team languishing in the old second division, we turned to Dave Bassett who implemented a new style of play, not pretty but certainly effective at the time and on a shoestring budget, the team achieved the miracle of successive promotions to the top flight. As time went on (and results started to decline) there were a few grumblings from the purists who yearned for the halcyon days of the 70's when we played "proper" football. Howard Kendall came in and to a certain degree, Nigel Spackman, and we were playing good football again, albeit with no actual success. As the team team declined once more, Neil Warnock came in and restored a more direct style. Eventually he built a successful side and won promotion. After the Bryan Robson debacle, the direct style continued under Blackwell until he was sacked.
Since that point, the club appeared to have decided they'd had enough of direct football and wanted to return to a more entertaining brand of football, although unfortunately this coincided with the club being relegated to the third tier - not the best place to showcase flowing football. Several managers have now tried to stick to this ethos, but results have been poor and the football in the main has been no more entertaining than the direct style.
So here we are again with another manager and back to a more direct style..... and we still don't seem to be any better off.
According to the posters on many threads and fans I've spoken, there are all manner of reasons for this; some players have not bought into the new ethos, the new players need time to settle, we still need more players, we still need to get rid of deadwood, we need the keeper changing, we need to get rid of Done/Basham/Brayford!! etc etc
I've been to both home games and, perhaps I'm being naive but, I think we just need to play football.
Our only tactic on Saturday appeared to be knock up high to Clarke and try to feed on the flicks and knock downs. I believe we have players who can play, Fleck is a decent ball player but he didn't get the ball 2nd half. Billy wants the ball to his feet so he can turn, no good putting over the head over his head. It was only when he got a couple of balls to feet that he was able to turn and make something happen. The defenders seem to have been told to just lump it up. Surely as a player with the ball at your feet, you try to pass it to another player, I don't mind the ball going square as it can open up different options, I don't mind a high ball forward, if it's the correct ball to play in that situation - and that's what I don't get, why do we need to play completely on the deck or "hoof" it up, just play the right ball according to the situation. If you're running towards your own goal with a forward breathing down your neck, perhaps best not to try a Cruyff turn, just whack in the stand. If you got the ball and no one around you, try to make some space and get your team mates to move into space and give you options, don't just hopefully hit it forward. As a team, they should all know what each others strengths and weaknesses are, we can see it from the stands. Why not play to those strengths so if I was playing with Billy, I'd be knocking it to his feet and making a run for him to either give and go or to create a dummy run to create space and an opportunity.
There's a lot of crap spouted about tactics and formations but I believe it's quite simple. Can we not just play football?
Perhaps a bit of background first, all from my perspective, I'm sure some will disagree and that's exactly the point of the forum is it not?
Probably before the Dave Bassett era, United were renowned for a certain attacking style of football, using wingers and usually a talented ball playing midfielder alongside a more combative one. We played fast and exciting football, although perhaps a bit cavalier at times.
When the club had crippling debts and a poor team languishing in the old second division, we turned to Dave Bassett who implemented a new style of play, not pretty but certainly effective at the time and on a shoestring budget, the team achieved the miracle of successive promotions to the top flight. As time went on (and results started to decline) there were a few grumblings from the purists who yearned for the halcyon days of the 70's when we played "proper" football. Howard Kendall came in and to a certain degree, Nigel Spackman, and we were playing good football again, albeit with no actual success. As the team team declined once more, Neil Warnock came in and restored a more direct style. Eventually he built a successful side and won promotion. After the Bryan Robson debacle, the direct style continued under Blackwell until he was sacked.
Since that point, the club appeared to have decided they'd had enough of direct football and wanted to return to a more entertaining brand of football, although unfortunately this coincided with the club being relegated to the third tier - not the best place to showcase flowing football. Several managers have now tried to stick to this ethos, but results have been poor and the football in the main has been no more entertaining than the direct style.
So here we are again with another manager and back to a more direct style..... and we still don't seem to be any better off.
According to the posters on many threads and fans I've spoken, there are all manner of reasons for this; some players have not bought into the new ethos, the new players need time to settle, we still need more players, we still need to get rid of deadwood, we need the keeper changing, we need to get rid of Done/Basham/Brayford!! etc etc
I've been to both home games and, perhaps I'm being naive but, I think we just need to play football.
Our only tactic on Saturday appeared to be knock up high to Clarke and try to feed on the flicks and knock downs. I believe we have players who can play, Fleck is a decent ball player but he didn't get the ball 2nd half. Billy wants the ball to his feet so he can turn, no good putting over the head over his head. It was only when he got a couple of balls to feet that he was able to turn and make something happen. The defenders seem to have been told to just lump it up. Surely as a player with the ball at your feet, you try to pass it to another player, I don't mind the ball going square as it can open up different options, I don't mind a high ball forward, if it's the correct ball to play in that situation - and that's what I don't get, why do we need to play completely on the deck or "hoof" it up, just play the right ball according to the situation. If you're running towards your own goal with a forward breathing down your neck, perhaps best not to try a Cruyff turn, just whack in the stand. If you got the ball and no one around you, try to make some space and get your team mates to move into space and give you options, don't just hopefully hit it forward. As a team, they should all know what each others strengths and weaknesses are, we can see it from the stands. Why not play to those strengths so if I was playing with Billy, I'd be knocking it to his feet and making a run for him to either give and go or to create a dummy run to create space and an opportunity.
There's a lot of crap spouted about tactics and formations but I believe it's quite simple. Can we not just play football?
