Of course mate.
I would suggest he brings in a defensive coach to coach the team for set-pieces alone. To highlight how good a team can be with average players look no further than Stoke. You don't need to be lumping the ball in the fashion of Stoke to adopt Stoke like tactics at set-pieces and we fail consistently on them.
I think he's too proud to do that and is convinced the problem is down to individual errors hence why he continually changes personnel. I was happy he was bringing in another CB this window gone because I was hoping it was just personnel, but it's gone that stage too far for me now I believe the problem is much deeper.
In general play I'd be looking to bring in a proper defensive midfielder. Someone like Khedira or one of the Benders, I think we are exposed in the middle far too often and that isn't purely the fault of the CB's or coaching it is that we simply don't have the legs there now.
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Interesting post as usual Luke.. You make some very good points
However for the sake of balance and how I see it from simply a position of what we have and who we are as opposed to what i personally would want us to do I don't actually believe it's a pride thing I just think it's the way the manager sees the game.
I'll try to explain what I mean.
Brendan sees the game as something to win on the front foot, to control the ball better so they can't hurt you without it, he sees the game won by attacking, he will work on that for 90% of his training sessions, getting better and better at what he wants and how he sees it. You mention Stoke, fair point, it made me think you are genuinely on to something however with Stoke, under Pulis especially 90% of their training time would be on being hard to play against, being solid and tough to break down, working on set peices in both areas, he would have worked them on on that every day, day in day out with little time being paid to attacking time, his idea was to win the ball get it forward, win the second ball, nick free kicks and then go from there on the set peices or long throws they have worked on.
Under Hughes they have come away from that, are trying to play a bit more and are easier to play against.
Everton the same, under Moyes they would work on being solid for the majority and under Martinez they look to play and are now less effective at the back and a more soft touch than previously under Moyes.
Football is constant now, with rest and recovery there is less time to train during the week so managers work on their core ideas in the time they have, Brendan as I said before sees the game as something to win rather than not to lose, he has tried to fix it by changing personnel rather than system and maybe that will work in the long term. He won't for me change his view on the game nor his training sessions.. Is that stubborn? Arrogant? Yes but all managers are with their own personal view of the game.
Rafa was tactically superb at winning games by shutting the opposition out and then expecting the quality at the other end to do something special.. Stay solid, get it to Xabi who could see any pass, from stopping the opponents to getting it through Steven and Nando in a split movement.. But solid as a key.
I could guarantee you that these CBS would look far better under Rafa as he would coach that aspect for the majority of his sessions.
A coach can't be everything to everyone, he has his vision and works to it.
The famous recent Barca side were superb at keeping the ball and working angles.. Winning their way but weren't great at set peices against, were bullied by sides like the Chelsea one at times.
For me? I'll be utterly honest, I prefer the Rafa approach to Football rather than Brendan's, it's more subtle, it's more smart for me than Brendan's which is a little bit more in your face and obvious.
However I also believe and support any manager to approach the game anyway he sees it and I don't think Brendan should ultimately change his tactics to counter others.
We just have to get better at Brendan's.
You know the odd thing though, up until the qpr game I think we had been conceding less chances in open play this year.. Set peices are a different matter but I think one of the main issues is the keeper and his starting point being so deep which pushes the defence right on him which leaves little room for error if you fail to win the header.
In terms of set peices? Lads that's the ball, F***ing win the first header
