Decent Op Rushie, plenty of debate in it that's for sure. I'm not completely sure of your view though, your opening post suggest those that shouted 'we've been Sussed out' (I was/am one of them!) are talking rubbish but then you go on to say that. You don't much like the formation and that it is what cost us the game today so that comes across as contradictory to me.
As for Crouchies that our lads didn't try hard enough or didn't want it enough, not for me, that's the sort of stuff that gets spouted on talk sport phone ins. No issues with effort level put there today. As for our pressing game, we tried, you only have to watch the opening 15 minutes but our lads couldn't get near them, they made the pitch very big by playing deep, wide and high, they moved it. Quickly. And always seemed to have a spare man. That suggests to me that the problems were more to do with how we were set up rather than any lack of effort from the players to win it back high up the pitch.
As for why I think this formation has been Sussed out:
- For many games no one seemed to be able to plan for, or to defend against us since the switch. We've largely bossed games in terms of possession and have been able to get Coutinho, Lallana, Sterling etc on the ball in dangerous areas (usually between the lines) and have created overloads all over the pitch.
- Blackburn were the first team to set up, play a high line but without selling themselves by actually trying to win the ball back of our centre-halves. They simple filled space, kept good angles, had eyes in the backs of their head and screened our midfielders. The result was we struggled to create, struggled to get quality ball into our skill players and Studge (in particular) became isolated.
- I said in the tactics thread after that game that others would employ the same tactics and that is what has happened. First Swansea and then again today.
- The mancs did exactly same. They simply clogged the middle, screened anything into feet and were happy enough to let our two lads out wide have the ball. Especially Moreno, the lad has a good cross on him BUT he is woefully one footed (perhaps even more so than Jonny Riise) so the minute you shrink his angles and get a bit of pressure on him he gives you a mistake. And because he is playing wide on his own he does not have the advantage of an overlapping full-back to drag markers away and create space (plus give him an outside option). Sam applies to Sakho in some ways, he is a fine passer of the ball WHEN he has time on the ball but take away his options and press him and he is prone to mistakes as we have seen before so it wasn't ideal with the two of them out there today. Moreno's struggles had/have an impact on Sakho.
- The idea of this formation is that we are the ones doing all the pressing and shortening the pitch when the oppo have the ball. Today it was the other way around and it was the same on. I day night until Brendan switched things around at half-time.
- I would have started with Sterling up top today because at least he offers a genuine threat in behind with his pace and. Can offer an out ball when teams squeeze up. Studge can too but he is still well short for me.
- I'm not saying the system is done and dusted but it needs tweaking. It's alright saying 'this is how we're gonna play and it's up to you to deal with it' BUT when it becomes apparent that there is a way to counter act it then that is when changes should be made, why be predictable. It could be as simple as playing a midfield diamond as on Monday in the 2nd half. It could be giving Balo a start up top with Studge but still keeping the three at the back, or perhaps even Sterling up there. Or maybe jump back to a flat four for a game or two. Something has to give as usual the match thread was full of 'pick a player who isn't playing well then state equivalent player who happens to be on bench and claim that that would have made the difference. It was about the set up in that first half. They played really well, there is no denying that but I felt the gaffer made it easy for them.
Logged