The Case for the Defence (and Forwards)

[GuangzhouBlade]

I'm convinced our lack of creativity stems from the current lack of dynamism in midfield. With us not playing the overlapping centre back system, when Egan/Davies now look to play the ball out they have nothing on but a pass out to Norwood. By the time Norwood gets the ball teams only have to mark Berge and Fleck to force us outwide safe in the knowledge the defenders won't be bombing forward. Couple this with the fact neither Fleck nor Berge seem to want to take the ball on the turn or go past a man and it makes everything so safe and predictable giving teams plenty of time to get back and defend.

Today for example we only started to knit some moves together when Freeman was willing to receive the ball and move with it. Whatever your opinion of Berge and the money spent on him I'm not convinced him and Norwood should be in the same midfield. Though judging form his half-hearted "I'm out of here" performance today this might not be a problem for long. Neither Norwood or Berge are likely to bust a gut to get into the box or jink past a man and open up space. So what we have is two "sitting" midfielders and a back five or four with not much license to get forward is it any wonder we create so little? McBurnie, Brewster, Sharp will all score goals at this level but not feeding off scraps. Sort the midfield out and I think we will be so much better off.

I really hope we are Fulham mk2 for Slav and with a couple of signings in midfield we can kick on but at the minute it looks we are throwing away a great opportunity to bounce back in what is a weak Championship.

 

[UpTheClough]

I'm convinced our lack of creativity stems from the current lack of dynamism in midfield. With us not playing the overlapping centre back system, when Egan/Davies now look to play the ball out they have nothing on but a pass out to Norwood. By the time Norwood gets the ball teams only have to mark Berge and Fleck to force us outwide safe in the knowledge the defenders won't be bombing forward. Couple this with the fact neither Fleck nor Berge seem to want to take the ball on the turn or go past a man and it makes everything so safe and predictable giving teams plenty of time to get back and defend.

Today for example we only started to knit some moves together when Freeman was willing to receive the ball and move with it. Whatever your opinion of Berge and the money spent on him I'm not convinced him and Norwood should be in the same midfield. Though judging form his half-hearted "I'm out of here" performance today this might not be a problem for long. Neither Norwood or Berge are likely to bust a gut to get into the box or jink past a man and open up space. So what we have is two "sitting" midfielders and a back five or four with not much license to get forward is it any wonder we create so little? McBurnie, Brewster, Sharp will all score goals at this level but not feeding off scraps. Sort the midfield out and I think we will be so much better off.

I really hope we are Fulham mk2 for Slav and with a couple of signings in midfield we can kick on but at the minute it looks we are throwing away a great opportunity to bounce back in what is a weak Championship.

All three were pretty woeful today as were McBurnie and Brewster.

Can see it now though, Berge goes on deadline day with no time to bolster the midfield.

 

[Bladeinleeds]

It’s a result of us not making a single creative signing since Duffy other than freeman and then deciding he didn’t deserve even the occasional chance to stake a claim.

when you pay zero attention to creativity and actually trying to score goals this is the end result

no match winners, no one who can create anything for our forwards. They don’t even have scraps to feed on they have nothing. We don’t possess anyone in the squad who can do anything positive in an attacking sense because that’s not their job.

it’s been painful to watch for 16 months. Every week getting beat to nil. This squad wouldn’t score more than a goal a game in league 1

 

[GuangzhouBlade]

It’s a result of us not making a single creative signing since Duffy other than freeman and then deciding he didn’t deserve even the occasional chance to stake a claim.

when you pay zero attention to creativity and actually trying to score goals this is the end result

no match winners, no one who can create anything for our forwards. They don’t even have scraps to feed on they have nothing. We don’t possess anyone in the squad who can do anything positive in an attacking sense because that’s not their job.

it’s been painful to watch for 16 months. Every week getting beat to nil. This squad wouldn’t score more than a goal a game in league 1

Can't disagree with that at all. All these signings were for the "system" rather than because they were great attacking players. Are they British, do they have a point to prove having been released by a top club at some point in their career and will they run through brick walls for Wilder seem to be the only question asked during scouting. We have got to give Slav at least some budget to play with.

 

[DronnieBlade]

 

[JJBlade]

The defence is under more pressure than it should be because of a shit midfield
The forwards are under more pressure than they should be because of a shit midfield

The defence is good enough I think, if they have the protection of a good midfield
And all of our forwards have scored goals elsewhere, why is it suddenly a problem scoring goals for us ? ............Oh yes, the midfield

 

[BrianBadonde]

It’s a result of us not making a single creative signing since Duffy other than freeman and then deciding he didn’t deserve even the occasional chance to stake a claim.

when you pay zero attention to creativity and actually trying to score goals this is the end result

no match winners, no one who can create anything for our forwards. They don’t even have scraps to feed on they have nothing. We don’t possess anyone in the squad who can do anything positive in an attacking sense because that’s not their job.

it’s been painful to watch for 16 months. Every week getting beat to nil. This squad wouldn’t score more than a goal a game in league 1

Yep. And still people blame the strikers. There’s a reason they all look so poor and ineffective.

 

[wadblade]

All three were pretty woeful today as were McBurnie and Brewster.

Can see it now though, Berge goes on deadline day with no time to bolster the midfield.

Berge can go for me re reminds me too much of Lunny,
i would take any of Rovrams midfield over him and Fleck
i thought Norward put a shift in and made a tackle but we need an enforcer
and on todays showing i like Baldock but if we get £5m and upgrade the midfield i would sacrifice him
UTB

 

[Aston max]

Completely agree with all of this , we haven't had a true creative midfielder for a few years we find ourselves in need of 4 and a keeper total decent cost of around 50 million, we seem to be the only club that doesn't use foreign markets very well
We have jack hopefully back at some point and enda
Burke, Norwood, fleck, McGoldrick ,McBurnie, Robinson all need moving out no doubt people can add others to that list
Ramsdale gone
Smith gone
Lowe gone on loan
Expected
Slater will go loan or perm
Jebbison will go if Everton get near 10 mill
We let go
Jags,Rodwell ampadu, lundstram and Moore
We have brought in Davies on loan correct me but I think he is the only one??
To the board and the Prince I have a question
WHAT'S FUCKING GOING ON

 

[Tony_Kaufman]

I love the way people talk about defenders passing the ball to midfielders for them to do something with as if it is some kind of alien concept! That's just normal football.

 

[Ingle way]

Many of our chances in the CW years came from overloads/ crosses / assists from wider areas. Left - JOC / ES / JF and right CB, GB and JL The key was that the players and system delivered this without proper wingers. This meant more space in the middle, as opposing teams had to combat the overloaded flanks.

now, in terms of style of play, we have no overloads or wingers, and as a result no space in the middle of the park either.

In terms of personnel, we have zero centre mid creatively, zero ability to beat a man ‘one on one’, zero wingers, and no pace with purpose either!
so as I see it, we coached the existing squad to within an inch if their lives with that old system. ( of course - very successful until worked out by other coaches and better oppo players),

Now the system has gone, and some of the players have gone or are injured etc we really don’t know how to break teams down and create chances any other way.
Result, no chances, no playing though the thirds, no style of play. SJ needs new personnel (where’s money)?? and / or time to retrain this lot to play his way.