Paul Lambert confirmed as new manager!

[slink]

The problems in midfield are we generally struggle to play football through it because the players who could do it don't play. As vital as Edwards' goals are his overall impact on games is awful particularly when we have a lot of the ball. We still haven't got a real number 10 either, for all Bright looks to have talent he isn't where we need him to be to be playing in that position. Not sure he's going to start creating goals for others or himself anytime soon.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We don't have the midfield to allow us to play two up top. Plus whenever Bod and Dicko have been on the pitch together it's been absolutely awful.

 

[Dart wolves]

The games against the Premier League teams have given me hope that there is definitely something to work on and Lambert might having something, purely down to the shape of the side and you can actually tell we have worked on it in training. However not sure about the league games, he's definitely got it massively wrong in the last 2 games though. Initial selection, subs and style of play have all been wrong in both games and i think tomorrow is now a massive game.

This +1
the doubt is beginning to creep in,we need to come out on the right side of the next 3 games to keep clear of getting sucked into
the relegation mire

 

[malta mick]

We don't have the midfield to allow us to play two up top. Plus whenever Bod and Dicko have been on the pitch together it's been absolutely awful.

thats the point i'm making Dan. we ought to be able to field 2 strikers at home against a bottom team BUT we still haven't brought in the right midfielders to allow this.

 

[Johnny75]

thats the point i'm making Dan. we ought to be able to field 2 strikers at home against a bottom team BUT we still haven't brought in the right midfielders to allow this.

Why are people wedded to 2 up top? Man Utd play 1 as do City, Chelsea, Spurs, Liverpool, West Ham, West Brom, Southampton, Everton, in fact nearly all of the Premier League. 4-4-2 is archaic in the 21st century but was brilliant for its time and I don't understand why people want to go back to it.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I don't mind two up top if you can make it work. Simeone does.

We don't have the players to do it so it'd be a disaster. As is 4-3-3 whenever we try to play it. As would three at the back if we tried that.

 

[Parkins left foot]

thats the point i'm making Dan. we ought to be able to field 2 strikers at home against a bottom team BUT we still haven't brought in the right midfielders to allow this.

There are not that many teams who play a traditional 4 - 4 - 2 & agree that we don't have midfield players who can make that work.

Whilst Bright clearly has possibilities, not sure that he has the footballing intelligence yet to make the no 10 position his own. Would like to see Ronan given licence there to see what he can do as do think that he does have the intelligence to play there (though have to say that I am not as sure on his ability to score which will also be a requirement of that position)

 

[Freddeno]

Two up top is not common these days, numbers going down by the minute.. Really like attacking play so wouldn't mind a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 even if it means winning 4-2 rather than 2-0..

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Two up top is not common these days, numbers going down by the minute.. Really like attacking play so wouldn't mind a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3 even if it means winning 4-2 rather than 2-0..

We'd lose 3-0 a lot. You can't play something when it isn't a realistic option.

 

[Johnny75]

I don't mind two up top if you can make it work. Simeone does.

We don't have the players to do it so it'd be a disaster. As is 4-3-3 whenever we try to play it. As would three at the back if we tried that.

I haven't seen much of Atleti for a while so your world knowledge is far better than mine. I agree with your last line completely and the point I was trying to make (fairly badly) is that it doesn't matter what formation you use it should be the style and type of players you have there in a coherent system that should be your hallmark and from what I can see so far we just don't have one and haven't had one for a while now.

It's bloody frustrating to watch a team with only one plan of attack even if we are better organised.

 

[Freddeno]

We'd lose 3-0 a lot. You can't play something when it isn't a realistic option.

I dont think we would in a 4-4-2, teams have to defend against the extra attacking player(s) ..if we play more longer balls anyway

 

[Johnny75]

I dont think we would in a 4-4-2, teams have to defend against the extra attacking player(s) ..if we play more longer balls anyway

We just don't have the players to make that system work Fred. Our full backs are too weak and our central midfielders aren't good enough on the ball or with enough mobility to play in the front 2. Coupled with the fact neither Dicko or Bod are a target man we'd be in all sorts of trouble

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We obviously would. We have nothing like a central midfield to compete properly if we just play two in there. In 02/03 we had two from Rae/Ince/Cameron, in 08/09 we had Henry and Jones. We aren't anywhere near that level. Edwards works hard and knocks a few in, Price is neat and tidy but lacks range and mobility, Saiss is a better passer but is even slower, Saville is not a very good footballer, Evans is still trying to work out what on earth he is supposed to be, and Coady is wank in midfield. How are you picking a partnership out of that lot? They need to defend, attack and create as well as get up and down the pitch, no chance.

Costa wouldn't track back enough, nor would Cavaleiro and I'm not sure Weimann would either. Plus they all need to receive the ball way higher up the park than a 4-4-2 allows. It leaves no place for Bright. Doherty needs a DM AND a wide midfielder in front of him or he gets destroyed. Our centre halves are woeful with just one man in front of them, look at us through September-November for details.

Oh, and we don't have anything like a strike partnership worthy of persisting with, I must have seen Bod and Dicko nominally "together" now five times and on none of those occasions have they linked up at all, they don't know what their roles are and they offer less threat than when they're up there on their own. Leeds at home was painful to watch.

Otherwise yeah, let's go for it.

 

[Freddeno]

Yeah our centre halves will let goals in anyway.. Our midfield isn't worse than any midtable chump team.. Dicko is lacking in form and Bod we knew was not a scorer, i will give you that.. Guess its just barca and such teams that can play with multiple strikers then..

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Barcelona have three of the greatest forwards on the planet as well as a living legend in midfield, I'm not sure how they're relevant.

Dyche's Burnley tell you how to drill a 4-4-2 in this league. We don't have anything like those players. We'd be as misguided following their template as we would Barca's. Play the hand you have, not the one you wish you had.

By the way our midfield is definitely worse than say, Brentford's.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Yeah our centre halves will let goals in anyway.. Our midfield isn't worse than any midtable chump team.. Dicko is lacking in form and Bod we knew was not a scorer, i will give you that.. Guess its just barca and such teams that can play with multiple strikers then..

Comparing Barca to Wolves is probably not a reasonable comparison though :icon_biggrin:

 

[Freddeno]

OK lads, maybe was over the top

 

[Freddeno]

Just frustrated i guess

 

[Dinowolf]

Just frustrated i guess

Yes it's hard to accept that we are where we are because we have a poor squad, but that's the reality.

We need to hang on this season and consolidate our place in the Championship, by avoiding relegation (obviously) and giving as many of our youngsters the experience of playing in it, as much as we dare.

Then we will see what happens in the summer and find out how good Lambert is at creating a good squad.

 

[Freddeno]

Aye, you are correct Dino..