Karaoke Blade
Well-Known Member
Great Post. Playing that back 4 from the start was a mistake. To not change it at half time was criminal.Last season at home against Burnley we nullified their wingers with our 3-5-2 formation. We put Anel and McBurnie on Muric at set pieces and he was all over the place having to also deal with JLT's long throws. You ask the question whether we have improved under CW since PH. Today for me the confirms the answer is no. In fact we appear to be more tactically inept. 3-5-2 against 4-4-2 nullifies Burnleys strength, their wide men. Its significant the 2 star players you pick out were those players.
CW said after the game it wasn't the tactics that was the problem. I beg to differ. We never got to grips with their midfield four being constantly run and passed through. At times we only had 2 in the middle when we went forward seemingly into a 4-2-4 and one of them Souza may as well not have been there. Even after our good start it was obvious we were being out passed in the middle and a tactical change should have been made to at least go to 4-3-3 from 4-2-3-1 to give an extra body in midfield. Hamer dropping back from a 10 would have been the sensible option. Osborn for all his effort is not a full back as the second goal showed. Whilst Bogle was good going forward there were times when Burnley broke up our attack when we only had 2 at the back with both full backs upfield playing as wing backs.
We should have made the changes at half time. Its rumoured Holgate was carrying a knock but if he's on the bench then surely he's capable of 45 minutes otherwise its a waste of a substitute spot. We start well, get back into the game but the failings of the first half down our left have not been addressed and concede 2 further goals down that side. The fourth goal is compounded by the fact at 1-3 we further weaken the midfield by taking off Souza and replacing him with a forward.
Yes our goalkeeper was shaky and Anel went awol for the third but if you can't adjust tactics and formation during the game then you are failing in the basics. Holgate and Larouchi got plaudits for their performances last week. Neither started today. Its the constant changing and tinkering that raises concerns about the manager and his coaching staffs ability to turn this abysmal season round to at least get us into a position where we can challenge in the Championship. Two weeks ago after Chelsea CW said he was now confident he knew what type of performance he was going to get from his players. The last 2 games have shown that is a false dawn.
What was particularly galling was the first time our shortest player stood on Muric from a corner after an hour he flaps at the ball misses it and when the cross comes back in he weakly punches a ball away that he should have caught easily. Didn't any of the players or those in the dug out realise this was a weakness we should have exploited more?
It was CW's belligerence last time that there was nothing wrong with the system when all could see it was failing that led to his downfall. After today there are growing signs history is about to repeat itself. Hope I'm wrong.