We’ve been worked out

[Deleted member 23679]

I'm going to address the OP first, and i don't agree we have been found out, so much as we have had to alter and adapt our tactics due to cirumstance

There are two reasons behind this

The first is we don't seem to have the same thrust behind us, without the crowds in. At many times during Wilders reign we've helped pushed tired legs and minds on to great things, and played our part. With the crowds not in, this is having a negative impact

We are missing three players badly, two of them Jack O'Connell and John Fleck are they components in how we play, both are very well versed and experienced in our style of play, and our style of play takes a lot of learning to become competent in it. Take them two away and it takes away a lot of the heartbeat of the team. The third is Mousset, when he is in the mood he has something else that nobody else has, and that is the ability to create something out of nothing. He has got his issues with consistancy, and fitness, and that is why he is a £10m striker, not a £50m one, but a fully fit and firing Mousset would have had a couple already and that could have meant the different between having a single point and half a dozen.

 

[TomHeffernan]

We haven’t been found out because we’re not playing how we normally do. How can we have been found out when our overlapping has almost ground to a halt?

we haven’t been found out. We’re just not playing well that’s all. We’re one win away from going on a roll in my opinion. Confidence is low.

 

[FriethBlade]

Lots of good points, injuries, lack of crowd, missing chances...all are playing a big part.

However for me the over riding problem is we have no penetration or pace from midfield. Norwood is easy to press as he cant go past a player he has to pass it. The same is true of Lundstram to an extent. We need players who when pressed can go past a man and open the field up or we just get shut down.

Lookman showed the type of player we are missing. Thats why we need someone like Brooks, or a cheaper similar type, in the January window.

 

[The Vicar]

Watching Leeds last night 4 things stood out.

1. Athleticism -kept going full on until 96 minutes - we look jaded after 75 minutes
2. 1 touch passing was a joy & aided swift attacks - we look a bit slow and ponderous most of the time this season
3. Some excellent crossing from their wingers right to the end - the above are hindering our ability to keep getting good crosses in
4. Their blocking in the box was superb, as it has been in other games - once again linked to athleticism

I am sure injuries, low confidence and no crowd are all contributing factors to us lacking that 15% extra we require to get decent results.

 

[CW7]

Really?

We looked pretty poor the first 15 mins of the game.

2 Mcburnie chances says otherwise.

 

[Tarqs]

2 Mcburnie chances says otherwise.

In the first 15 mins?

 

[CW7]

In the first 15 mins?

I'm quite sure his two first chances were with Enda as lcb. Mcburnie had 2 chances before Stevens overlap on that counterattack where he spoilt the chance.

 

[haich1889]

Every team in the Premier League knew everything about us before we'd even kicked a ball last season. It's just a bit of football cliché to say a team has surprised everybody or has been found out.

We play a unique style but they have vast teams of people analysing everything to nullify that.

We are lacking intensity and belief though. That's the issue since project restart, and fitness issues/stamina/injuries.

We play a unique style & we play it very well. What I find mystifying is, in 3 years we haven't acquired/coached anybody to replace the 'unique' JOC or Bashan in the event of injury.
The overlapping CB is Ours & always will be. We've been successful with it for 3 years. 3 years & we haven't got quality back up!!! Not good.

 

[CornwallBlade]

We haven’t been found out because we’re not playing how we normally do. How can we have been found out when our overlapping has almost ground to a halt?

we haven’t been found out. We’re just not playing well that’s all. We’re one win away from going on a roll in my opinion. Confidence is low.

It’s a fair observation- my take is that it’s because we’ve been nullified by opposition putting pressure on key players/areas when they didn’t last season and that’s why we’re not getting the overlaps working. Your perspective may be equally valid. Let’s just hope we get things back to how they were soon
UTB

 

[ATL Recs]

We haven't been found out. If that was the case, every Premier League team would be changing their tactics every 10 games. The problem for me lies purely with Jack O'Connell being injured. He is our most important player for the system we play. Without him, we don't attack down the left hand side, and the defence is seriously weakened (especially aerially). This was proved last season when he was out, and when he came back we looked a different side.

when he came back we didn't look a different side apart from the odd game obvious he was carrying the injury then

 

[PokerBlade]

Much loved cliche as it is, teams don't just get "found out". Sure, our system won't be as surprising the next time round, but the results we've had aren't because of miraculous tactical breakthroughs turning us to mush. The results have been poor because we haven't been hitting the same standards. Injuries, suspensions, and fitness problems since the restart last season have disrupted what was one of the most settled team sheets in the league. And I keep saying this, but we're not alone in that. Liverpool don't lose 7-2 to Aston Villa in a normal season. There's been some bizarre results and baffling performances.

Clearly we're either harder hit or handling it less well than some others but it's not because all the things we did well are no longer effective - it's because we're no longer doing them.

 

[The Bear]

JoC missing is a huge, seemingly irreplaceable factor in all of this.

Without him bombing forward down the left, it restricts what Stevens can do. It also limits Norwood because it's easier for teams to focus on him as they haven't got a double pointed JoC/Bash sword pushing at them all the time.

When JoC/Bash are both allowed to go forward to create the overload, it allows Norwood time and space to play those killer balls that he's known for. He hasn't changed his game, he's always needed time and space...he's just always had it before thanks to JoC/Fleck.

Obviously J Rob can't do what JoC does, barely anyone can. Without both OCB's pushing forward, the system becomes one sided and flawed, and you get situations like the Fulham game where we have Berge, Baldock and Bash all dragged down the right wing trying to force the issue.

I think it's also why Fleck was struggling post-restart, having to do more defensively because JoC wasn't there to cover him as often.

The reality is that JoC is vital to Wilderball and he's not looking like being back anytime soon. If CWAK don't see Stevens, Ampadu or an academy prospect as being capable of competently playing JoC's role in the 3-5-2 system, then it has to be time for a change of the system, surely.

In Wilder We Trust absolutely every day, just expressing my opinion!

Good thing is that now we've got three games where nowt really matters as we're expecting to get bashed anyway. Chance to experiment maybe?

Wilderball. Is that the next SUFC movie?

 

[A Storm of Blades]

Every game it seems by the 70th minute everyone looks nackered.

It's either a fitness issue or more likely simply because everyone we play is much faster than us, so whilst Ademola Lookman was having a light stroll with the ball, barely breaking a sweat, our fuckers were running full pelt trying to keep up with him.

Or, even more simply, how we have about 12% possession each game, meaning that we're constantly chasing shadows.

The possession point is a good one. We’ve become really careless with ball. If we aren’t as fit for whatever reason, then constantly handing the ball back to the opposition isn’t going to help.

 

[Harry's Game]

If we had had a normal season last year and then the full three three month off season I don’t think we would be in the bottom three now and anywhere near the relegation conversation. Our style out of possession relies on a lot workrate off the ball and we were running on fumes at the end of the restart, and worryingly it looked the same after an hour on Sunday. The Covid shortened off season has really hit us hard I fear.

 

[Come from away]

Our current problem is that we are too one-sided. Without JOC we are mainly attacking on the right, so easier to predict and focus your defence.

 

[LudlamBlade]

Wilderball. Is that the next SUFC movie?

Who would you cast as CW? Sean Bean?

 

[The Bear]

Who would you cast as CW? Sean Bean?

No I dont think so. Perhaps Chris himself, I mean we think he is a superstar, next stop Pinewood.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]