Wing Backs

[Patrick Suffaux]

Saw Clough try it briefly in pre-season, might be a good way to go. Something like this:-

Howard
Flynn Alcock Collins McGahey Harris
Basham Reed Baxter
Higdon McNulty
​

Can't seem to illustrate Flynn and Harris pushing on but you get the idea. Thoughts?

 

[Bladesman]

Saw Clough try it briefly in pre-season, might be a good way to go. Something like this:-

Howard
Flynn Alcock Collins McGahey Harris
Basham Reed Baxter
Higdon McNulty
​

Can't seem to illustrate Flynn and Harris pushing on but you get the idea. Thoughts?

Anything has to be better than the random formation and line up Clough is picking at the moment.

 

[Large Mendonca]

No Davies, so a no go from Cloughy

 

[Bergen Blade]

Saw Clough try it briefly in pre-season, might be a good way to go. Something like this:-

Howard
Flynn Alcock Collins McGahey Harris
Basham Reed Baxter
Higdon McNulty
​

Can't seem to illustrate Flynn and Harris pushing on but you get the idea. Thoughts?

I don't think we have the wingbacks to play that formation. Flynn worked well when he was backed up by Brayford, and Harris has supported Murphy well on occasions, but neither are the type of players who will create a lot from wide when they're working mostly on their own.

I've noticed both Bristol City and Coventry beat us using a 3-5-2 formation though.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Both Flynn and Harris may not play tomorrow at Peterboro.

Both look unfit, carrying an injury or simply not bothered (which is hard to believe)

UTB

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

No Davies, so a no go from Cloughy

Davies could play right wing back

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

I don't think we have the wingbacks to play that formation. Flynn worked well when he was backed up by Brayford, and Harris has supported Murphy well on occasions, but neither are the type of players who will create a lot from wide when they're working mostly on their own.

I've noticed both Bristol City and Coventry beat us using a 3-5-2 formation though.

Seems to be the latest modern trend in formations. Van Gaal using it a lot at the moment, Liverpool on occasions last season and noticed a few lower league sides trying it. Is 3-2-3-2 the new 4-2-3-1?

 

[Bergen Blade]

Seems to be the latest modern trend in formations. Van Gaal using it a lot at the moment, Liverpool on occasions last season and noticed a few lower league sides trying it. Is 3-2-3-2 the new 4-2-3-1?

During the World Cup the 3-5-2 was considered a countermove against the commonly used 4-2-3-1. I like our system, but we haven't found the kind of balance that we had in the second half of last season.

 

[Foxy]

Both Flynn and Harris may not play tomorrow at Peterboro.

Both look unfit, carrying an injury or simply not bothered (which is hard to believe)

UTB

I 100% guarantee you that neither of them will play tomorrow

Flynn = not fit.

Harris = at times, looks accomplished, at others, looks like he's struggling in a disjointed defence.

 

[Latters]

Davies could play right wing back

He's nothing like quick, skilful or fit enough. That's why he always has to cross from nearer the half way line than the byline.

 

[wizadry]

I 100% guarantee you that neither of them will play tomorrow

Flynn = not fit.

Harris = at times, looks accomplished, at others, looks like he's struggling in a disjointed defence.

Nowt to do with it been a monday then foxy

 

[Foxy]

Nowt to do with it been a monday then foxy

That's what the was for

 

[Large Mendonca]

Davies could play right wing back

I think Davies would do well there, and maybe it's a formation we could consider to gain some stability i.e. not lose, until we start getting our act together.......

 

[wizadry]

I think Davies would do well there, and maybe it's a formation we could consider to gain some stability i.e. not lose, until we start getting our act together.......

This is nothing against what you've put LM,but how the fuck have we turned into a side that needs to try not to lose in league fucking one.Excuse my french.It really is a sorry state of affairs when we have to start doing that,which will as LM has quite rightly said be the way we set up in the next match on Tuesday.

 

[Punk Blade]

Saw Clough try it briefly in pre-season, might be a good way to go. Something like this:-

Howard
Flynn Alcock Collins McGahey Harris
Basham Reed Baxter
Higdon McNulty
​

Can't seem to illustrate Flynn and Harris pushing on but you get the idea. Thoughts?

Finding a way to get Murphy out of the team after two league games sounds like throwing the towel in to me.

 

[wizadry]

Finding a way to get Murphy out of the team after two league games sounds like throwing the towel in to me.

He can find room for Flynny though

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Finding a way to get Murphy out of the team after two league games sounds like throwing the towel in to me.

Finding a way to pick certain individuals irrespective of performance most definitely is.

 

[Large Mendonca]

This is nothing against what you've put LM,but how the fuck have we turned into a side that needs to try not to lose in league fucking one.Excuse my french.It really is a sorry state of affairs when we have to start doing that,which will as LM has quite rightly said be the way we set up in the next match on Tuesday.

Yes it is a sad state of affairs but I suppose needs must until we get some confidence back.

I think PSs formation above, swapping Flynn for Davies might be the way he'll go on Tuesday, we'll have to see.........

 

[Punk Blade]

Finding a way to pick certain individuals irrespective of performance most definitely is.

Quite. I've never known us as a group of fans to be so utterly perplexed by the manager's team selection.

I know a lot of people (seemingly Clough included) want to move on from Doyle and Collins, but the lack of continuity from the team that finished last season seems to me to be the biggest problem. Introduction of new players can be done incrementally at the right times (that being when some of them are fit enough!). I'd go with a team of more experienced and settled players, in their preferred positions tomorrow:

Howard
Alcock McGahey Collins Harris
JCR Scougall Doyle Davies
Baxter
Murphy
​

I'd prefer Butler to McGahey, but I've no idea what's going on with him. I think Higdon has proved that his inclusion will encourage more long balls and pointless crosses from very deep, which hasn't proved very effective. Let's have JCR, Scougs, Baxter, Davies and Murphy playing football instead, and Higdon can be a battering ram in case of emergencies.

 

[Jim Chimmerney]

Flynn, Murphy and Scoogs not got going is what it's all about IMO. If they were performing, we wouldn't be worrying about Alcock playing CB, Butler missing, Basham not capable of replacing Doyle, changing formation etc.

 

[Revolution]

I think Higdon has proved that his inclusion will encourage more long balls and pointless crosses from very deep, which hasn't proved very effective. Let's have JCR, Scougs, Baxter, Davies and Murphy playing football instead, and Higdon can be a battering ram in case of emergencies.

I agree with much of what you say but not this. Higdon may not be 100% fit but in terms of recent achievement he is by far the best striker we have at the club. He scored a good number of goals in the Dutch league last season and was top scorer (and PFA player of the year) the season before in Scotland. It may be arguable, but it seems to me that this is a really good track record at levels higher than league one. His performance prior to getting tired in the first game, where he scored a good goal and held the ball up more than Porter does in 6 months, would tend to bear this out.

He is a very good signing and if we want to do well he should be playing - preferably in a 4-4-2, but certainly in front of an out of position and out of form Murphy.

 

[Punk Blade]

I agree with much of what you say but not this. Higdon may not be 100% fit but in terms of recent achievement he is by far the best striker we have at the club. He scored a good number of goals in the Dutch league last season and was top scorer (and PFA player of the year) the season before in Scotland. It may be arguable, but it seems to me that this is a really good track record at levels higher than league one. His performance prior to getting tired in the first game, where he scored a good goal and held the ball up more than Porter does in 6 months, would tend to bear this out.

He is a very good signing and if we want to do well he should be playing - preferably in a 4-4-2, but certainly in front of an out of position and out of form Murphy.

I'd love to see Higdon turn into a reliable goalscorer for us, but I was thoroughly disappointed with his lack of mobility and effort in the opening game. I'm sure part of this is down to fitness, so let's wait til he's fully fit before relying on him for 90 minutes.

I may be wrong, but I thought Murphy was more of a centre forward and goalscorer at Motherwell. I agree he's out of form but the same must be said of most of the squad, and he showed in the last 6 months he is our most likely match winner.

 

[Jon Bon]

Davies could play right wing back

What about goalie-wag..?

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

What about goalie-wag..?

The most commonly used, yet most ineffective tactic in the world

 

[wizadry]

The most commonly used, yet most ineffective tactic in the world

It worked in Mighty Ducks once

 

[Bladesman]

It worked in Mighty Ducks once

I wonder if any of them would fancy switching to Football?

 

[Hodgyman]

I think that most of our lack of success this season is over reliance on wing backs carrying the ball forward instead of passing the ball to Flynn , Murphy and Scougall who are much better at running against defenders. There is little point in having (or playing) the best 3 attackers of last season and starving them of the ball.
Let's try an old fashioned style where defenders defend and attackers attack