After a difficult start we have done fantastically well this season, and gradually we have showed that we have too much quality compared to the other teams. At the moment we seem able to make changes while continuing to win pretty comfortably.
Wilder had to make changes to get it right. In pre season and in the first few games we played 4-2-3-1, which sometimes looked like a narrow 4-4-2 as Clarke pushed up to support Sharp. The two of them couldn't make it work and although we dominated games we struggled to score.
I had not expected the switch to the 3-5-2, although it also happened the previous season under Adkins. Wilder said he would sign players to fit his preferred system, but after evaluating things, realised he had to make tactical changes to get more out of the players he had at his disposal. I find it hugely impressive that he was flexible enough to do that.
Helped by the composure, vision and quality of Coutts and Fleck our playmaking became better. Some wing backs struggle to make a big enough impact on teams' attacking play, but with opposition teams defending deep and sacrificing their own width, Freeman and Lafferty were allowed to bomb forward. Sharp were allowed to stay in the box and score goals while Done did the running and chasing. Even the wide centre backs contributed with runs on and off the ball, overlapping. With three big centre backs we were also a real threat from set pieces, an element that Nigel Clough completely neglected.
As teams were so afraid of us they usually defended deep and allowed us a lot of possession. There was little chance to run in behind teams, which meant pace up front - a weakness of ours - wasn't really missed. Done offered some (although his main contribution was chasing and selfless running), Lavery and Chapman also gave us that in some games, but mostly our games was about breaking down opposition that came and "parked the bus". We became good at this - again in contrast to Clough, whose teams countered well and excelled against Prem/Championship teams, but often struggled in League One.
In a couple of spells we struggled this season. It's difficult to keep having the creativity and ability to cut through 10 players deep in their own half with neat little passes every game. On occasions we seemed reluctant to hit in a cross, knowing that we had little aerial ability to compete against big centre halves. Wilder saw this and brought in James Hanson - a player that is limited, but has presence and is very strong in the air. Defending deep, allowing crosses and concentrating on clearing them against our small strikers, became a not-so perfect plan, when the big Hanson joined our attack. His signing was about adding another weapon, another string to our bow, and to make us less predictable towards the last few months of the season. It contributed to other teams never "finding us out".
Other key elements to Wilder's playing style is work rate, motivation, tempo, things that underdog teams often use to try cancelling out a difference in ability. But we have more than matched teams in those areas as well, often leaving ability to be the decisive factor in games.
I am really not sure how Wilder plans to do things next season. I think a lot of fans want and expect us to just go on like we have, same style, same attacking football, dominating possession and winning. We should remember though that we will meet better teams in the Championship. Although we will strengthen I do not expect us to have more individual quality than the best teams. I don't think the better teams will allow us to dominate possession as much, and if they do (at the Lane) they will do it with better defenders and better organisation, and more quality when countering.
It may be the case that Wilder will plan to play a bit more like he did at Northampton (and originally with us), which means a bit more solid midfield and more emphasis on pressing, pace and counter attacking. We have looked vulnerable defensively in midfield a few times, with Coutts and Fleck struggling to cover enough ground in what has sometimes looked like a two-man midfield. We also need more pace, as there will be more space in behind teams to exploit, and we can't neglect that.
I expect the work rate, team spirit and overall decent tactics will continue to be strengths of ours. It will be very interesting to see what type of signings we'll make this summer. They will be giving some hints about what tweaks Wilder thinks are required to make us adapt to Championship football.
