The 2015/2016 Summer Improvement Thread

[Tony Towner]

For me it's simple, we have 2 full backs who can't cross a ball and a midfield without pace, crispness of passing or movement, therefore a diamond is a mistake.

 

[Lycan]

We don't need full backs who can cross to make this formation work. I'd be surprised if Anya or Paredes provided more than 5 or 6 assists between them but Watford went up with 91 goals and 89 points.

Also, Iorfa has less than a season playing at right back, it's far too early to say that he can't cross a ball. He has the potential to be one of the most exciting attacking full backs I've ever seen at this club.

 

[Alan]

I would find it shocking if any player didn't improve their crossing from the time they were 19.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

I would find it shocking if any player didn't improve their crossing from the time they were 19.

This waster got worse!

 

[Quirkafleeg]

This waster got worse!

Did he ever try and cross a ball though. One trick pony gets it onto his left side then knocks it a million miles in front of him and then loses possession and then is out of position..

 

[Alan]

He was deployed on his opposite foot side for a while, wasn't he?

Anyway he's surely an exception.

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

Lycanthropist is IMO 100% spot on with his tactical thoughts today. The key is us having two big dangers upfront, so playing them both while not losing the midfield battle (without Sako) is key.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Replacing Sako like for like is not a realistic prospect so we need to look at alternative ways of playing.

Playing Afobe & Dicko is crucial as goals win games & titles. Just don't want us selling off (or long term loaning) useful players until after we have fully signed better alternatives.

 

[Tony Towner]

Lycanthropist is IMO 100% spot on with his tactical thoughts today. The key is us having two big dangers upfront, so playing them both while not losing the midfield battle (without Sako) is key.

What if we can't service them though because we have no pace through the middle or natural width? McDonald won't be playing the type of though balls he was to Afobe after Xmas from the base of a diamond

 

[Johnny75]

Lycanthropist is IMO 100% spot on with his tactical thoughts today. The key is us having two big dangers upfront, so playing them both while not losing the midfield battle (without Sako) is key.

Only that's rubbish. What happens when one of our forwards is injured? What happens when teams overload our full backs by keeping the ball wide. Our paceless centre mids get pulled out of position so even if we won the ball wide we would be all out of position. What pace do we use on the break if 4 defenders can keep tabs on 2 forwards who are the only ones with pace?

You say with such certainty that we will not lose the midfield battle, is that centrally, out wide in the midfield third or in the opposition part of the midfield third? Will we play a pressing game in the midfield and if so who then goes and presses the easy out ball to the full back?

Any opposing team would let McD have it deep and bring 10 men back behind the ball, in doing so defending with a large numerical advantage. Especially if you know Wolves will operate with no width and you can then tuck you own fullbacks in front of Afobe and Dicko or round the back if the ball goes over the top.

It's such a flawed and easy formation to stop by parking the bus that if Wolves do this at home the fans legendary patience will not last.

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

What if we can't service them though because we have no pace through the middle or natural width? McDonald won't be playing the type of though balls he was to Afobe after Xmas from the base of a diamond

That's for Kenny to sort. He's bought two new midfield players already and is rightly looking at re-modelling this area of the team following Sako's exit.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

What if we can't service them though because we have no pace through the middle or natural width? McDonald won't be playing the type of though balls he was to Afobe after Xmas from the base of a diamond

I'd have thought either Coady or Price would be in front of the back four if we are playing this shape.

 

[Alan]

Why wouldn't Macca be able to play those passes from deeper?

 

[Johnny75]

Why wouldn't Macca be able to play those passes from deeper?

Who does he pass to?

 

[Alan]

Afobe/Dicko/Wallace/Rajiv, I'd think.

 

[Johnny75]

I'd have thought either Coady or Price would be in front of the back four if we are playing this shape.

You've been relatively quiet on this DW, any thoughts on the diamond?

 

[Johnny75]

Afobe/Dicko/Wallace/Rajiv, I'd think.

Right, and where do they all play in a diamond?

And if Afobe and Dicko both have two defenders and/ or a midfielder in front in a narrow formation, how does he hit them?

With respect to all of those players, we do not know Wallace, we know RvlP is sketchy and we know Dicko and Afobe are excellent but if I'm the opposition manager, I tuck both full backs in and sit a player in front so their space is at an absolute minimum.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

You've been relatively quiet on this DW, any thoughts on the diamond?

It's not my formation of choice, I think I discussed it with YW a couple of weeks ago and didn't want to keep repeating myself. For me it's too easy to combat and while I accept we have to find some way of getting both forwards on the pitch without conceding the midfield all the time, I don't think this is the right way. I'm with you that it would be easier and less of a needless transition to just go out and sign a left sided player of the requisite quality rather than rip everything up and try something completely new - well, new for us anyway. Plenty of teams have tried it at this level and just like 3-5-2 it ends up getting swiftly binned far more often than not as it's very difficult to make it work.

As for McDonald we want him high up the pitch surely, not dicking about in front of the back four (where he cost us a couple of goals last season through over-elaboration and not having any pace to get away from forwards pressing him).

 

[Alan]

Right, and where do they all play in a diamond?

And if Afobe and Dicko both have two defenders and/ or a midfielder in front in a narrow formation, how does he hit them?

Afobe and Dicko up top, Rajiv or Wallace as the de facto #10, I'd guess.

And he hits them the same way he has always done. He can thread one through traffic, he's proven that.

 

[Johnny75]

Afobe and Dicko up top, Rajiv or Wallace as the de facto #10, I'd guess.

And he hits them the same way he has always done. He can thread one through traffic, he's proven that.

Wolves had width last season which put pressure on the opposition fullbacks to stay wide. Dicko and Afobe both have very good agility and will leave most championship defenders for dead with just a drop of the shoulder therefore being 1v1 or 1v0 was very easy for McD to pick a pass. Without that width and only 3 of 4 players to aim at the opposition do one of 2 things.

1) get men behind the ball, slow tempo down and half the pitch by tucking the fullbacks in and forcing Afobe and Dicko wide

Or

2) pressure McD to play the ball wide by pressing him constantly, as Wolves have limited full backs technically, the out ball tends to be back inside or long to Afobe/ Dicko centrally

Say McD does thread a ball to Afobe or Dicko, without width where are their options? Run at goal every time? Shoot from distance? Or get smashed early on their first touch?