Our attack

[GreenEden]

Agreed and although options are very limited, I would freshen it up for Millwall and roll the dice. Whittaker and Hardie impact players from the bench.

Cooper
Sorinola Gibson Galloway Sousa
Randell Houghton
Mumba Issacca. Bundu
Waine

Seriously ? I agree with Sorinola but I had forgotten we even had Sousa but Bali playing lwb you can't play bundu waine and issaka all in the same team and we won't buy the way

 

[MGM]

Where we are now reminds me of our first season in league one under Lowe.

He kept playing 3-1-4-2. Where were the goals coming from as we lumped the ball down to Hardie and watch him chase yet another aimless ball. So in his desperation he changed to a 4-4-2 at HP against Rovers & A.F.C. Wimbledon. They were the only two games we won as we limped to survival.

At what point do we say that the 3-4-2-1 isn’t working? It’s not creating opportunities for us to score. Hardie & Whittaker just look devoid of support. Yet somehow at the other end we still look open enough for teams to run through us.

We now face a Millwall side in great home form. They grind out the results. There won’t be the space Stoke gave us on Saturday. Yet they might not be as potent.

However, if we play the 3-4-2-1, where are the chances going to come from? The lack of width is a real worry.

l can’t see us changing the formation though. Yet against a side where organisation is their strength, l feel it’s going to take a great individual strike & then hold on for dear life.

What l don’t understand is last year we started with 3 first team forwards. Ennis, Cosgrove & Hardie. They were a different type of forward from each other. Schumacher rotated them often. It was a strength of ours. This season we went in with Hardie & then the inexperienced Ben Waine. We compounded this mistake by not rectifying it in January. Some things we do just don’t make sense at times. Especially, when it goes against something that worked out well last season.

 

[Jon with no H]

Ha yes I did , but losing the midfield is losing us games . We need to keep it simple and not over complicate it for the lads , let’s go 4-4-2 😉

I think the 2 central midfielders in a 4-4-2 would only perpetuate the issue we already have. We don't have a player who can do all of the jobs we need from a midfielder, so we need at least 3 people in there.

Inverting KKH in the first part of the season was an attempt at mitigating the problem, but that creates its own issue in having someone out of position if we lose possession.

 

[TimHarris]

We appear to have gotten ourselves trapped trying to chase the benefits of the 4-3-3 and the 3-4-3 systems we deploy.

The 4-3-3 had great attacking verve and brought the best out of Morgan in that he could drift into the inside right position where he has been so dangerous - in the original 3-4-3 set-up he should start there so is easier to mark, but it was so open and the 3-4-3 is an attempt to add resilience.

It feels like we're trying to achieve the solidity of the 3-4-3 while retaining the benefits of the 4-3-3 and we've ended up with the worst of both worlds. Whatever we do going into Millwall and Hull I'd much prefer we choose the system we want and maximise it.

I'd also think about keeping Joe for use in midfield. We need both bite and numbers in there.

 

[demportdave]

But with what? Our squad is severely lacking in quality. The team is almost picking itself because we have too many inexperienced and injury prone players. We have decided to try safety first by bringing back “forgotten “ players into the team but what is the point of having loanees and signing players like Sorinola if they are not being played?

As BG said, we need to change things.

Playing with 2 very wide forwards in Whittaker and Bundu and just having Randell and Forshaw/Houghton in central midfield exposes us badly and makes us vulnerable to the quick attack, a notable feature of most teams at this level.

The 2 in CM have to shield the back 3 but are also expected to be creative for our lone forward. With respect, you would have to be a lot better than Randell and Houghton to be able to do that at this level.

Why do we play with such widely-positioned forwards when we have the 2 Wing Backs to provide the width?

Whittaker constantly receives the ball on the touchline and has to come inside to get the ball on his left foot; it's all so predictable and easy to defend.

Our 2 wide forwards should be a lot narrower to better support Hardie and to make it harder for teams to break. Dare I say it, a bit more like Carey and Lameiras playing behind Taylor.

 

[Belfast Green]

When was the last time Hardie had any service?

The day before Azaz left.

 

[Nobby]

Hardie does need better service but he needs to look at himself as well. In the first half he made two poorly timed runs that were flagged for offside, which he did not need to be given his pace. In the second half, Rands broke down the right and Hardie’s run was to pull as far away from Randell as he possibly could and basically hide behind a defender. What the hell is Randell supposed to do with that. He barely challenges for headers and pretty much never plays with his back to goal. That may be a tactical instruction admittedly, but he doesn’t even seem to be trying to be a focal point. His whole game is just chasing aimless balls into the channel. I just don’t get it.

 

[Sailor Green]

Scarr could maybe do the job?

Desperation

 

[Argyleloyal]

The day before Azaz left.

Wrong it was against Middlesbrough end of February

 

[Lesley Somerville]

Whatever we do I feel it has to be something that Millwall aren't expecting because at the moment we are way too predictable and easy to shut down by teams who play physical, in your face football.

 

[BramcoteGreen]

Desperation really but how about 442 with Whittaker on the left and Mumba on the right to add pace and potential diagonals on the break.Gibson and Houghton holding in Midfield but crucially starting with Waine as the chaser up front supported by Bundu or Hardie who at least might get more touches in this system.Millwall will not have prepared for Whittaker on the left and the change might give him something else to think about.Probably won’t work but playing the same way as Saturday won’t work either.

 

[LeonTheGreen]

For me Devine has to play against Millwall, I don’t even particularly rate him but nobody else in midfield can carry the ball like he can.

I’d be half tempted by a 4-2-3-1.

Randell and Houghton in midfield. I don’t like them together but we’ve got literally nobody else.

Whittaker and Mumba on each wing with Devine as the 10, and one of Hardie, Bundu or Waine up front.

 

[Ganna Green]

I think the 2 central midfielders in a 4-4-2 would only perpetuate the issue we already have. We don't have a player who can do all of the jobs we need from a midfielder, so we need at least 3 people in there.

Inverting KKH in the first part of the season was an attempt at mitigating the problem, but that creates its own issue in having someone out of position if we lose possession.

Good points , 3 - 5-2 then ? We need to control the middle and take pressure off the back .

 

[Jon with no H]

Good points , 3 - 5-2 then ? We need to control the middle and take pressure off the back .

I wonder if we can sneak 12 on during a pre-planned distraction....

 

[Ganna Green]

I wonder if we can sneak 12 on during a pre-planned distraction....

Could work 😂 even with 12 yesterday we would have lost !