For half a season we had the near midget Bradshaw ploughing a lone furrow up front with 2 wingers providing great crosses into the centre that he just couldn’t reach. We now have 2 tall lads up front - but no wingers. Jeez !!! Our only option going forward is to lump long straight balls to Moore and hope he gets a knock on. That’s poor tactics. ALL the players played well against Norwich - it’s the system that is preventing us from winning. We have no width - defenders and midfielders are looking up for options when moving forward - and there isn’t any - because we are playing in such a narrow band. We are reliant on fullbacks providing the crosses. Although these players are good - they are not as good at crossing the ball as wingers. Fullbacks with wingers should be combining to form the main points of attack. McBurnie and Moore will score a lot of goals if given the right service. The absence of wingers is also making our flanks open to attack - hence the Norwich goal. Team IMO Davis Defence - same as Midfield - Hammill - Gardner - Potts - Isgrove Forwards - McBurnie - Moore
You clearly haven't seen a game under the new regime. Width isn't a problem in the slightest for us. Everything good we do comes from Thiam or McBurnie on the wings. We also don't play a 4-1-2-3, we play a 4-2-3-1. When we attack down the right-hand side through Thiam, for example, McBurnie gets into the box as a second striker and the LFB goes onto that wing, allowing Williams or Gardener to drop back to Full Back. You have made yourself look a massive idiot with this post.
Have you been to the games? He plays on the wing at all times, except when we are attacking down the right-hand side. He and Thiam are playing very well in the role.
Yer probably didn’t know - but since the summer we have been playing with just Bradshaw and Ugo as recognised strikers. We have been crying out for strikers to attack the ball when crossed into the middle - Hecky said this in interviews more than once. We have those strikers now - but unbelievably the wingers - playing as out and out wingers - have been dropped. Yer couldn’t make it up. IMO Moore and McBurnie should be playing as strikers with wingers that can get the ball into the box. And the thing is - we have those wingers. All that has been missing from the team from the very first match of the season is proper striker options. We have that now. We didn’t need to totally change the whole system of how we play. The team is currently struggling to win games while at the same time having to struggle with a new system of playing. IMO - that’s just daft.
I'd rather Yiadom was crossing the ball than Isgrove. Fryers has been on set pieces for a fair amount of the season too, even with Isgrove and Hammill playing. Don't see a problem with the system or full backs crossing rather than 'wingers' myself.
He's not doing bad for a winger is he? Where is he when the ball comes in? Bang in front of goal stretching the onion bag.
He ain’t a winger - and will never be a winger. Playing the players out of position when we have just a few games to salvage the season - IMO is a big ask.
Our problem isn't about width, poor goalkeeping or the two defensive middlemen, its not taking chances. Mcburnie is doing his bit, but Moore had his saved, Thiam blazed across the goalmouth and we had several tame or wayward efforts. Gardner demonstrated what can happen when you shoot hard and on target at boro. With Moore following up. We get plenty of shooting opportunities but just can't hit a cows arse with a barn door.
All I heard for 2 months was that "Bradshaw just needed better service" on here. No one plays touchline wingers booming in 30 yard high crosses, get your head out of Roy of The Rovers and live in the now.
McBurnie and Thiam played incredibly high on the flanks in a 4-3-3 and did everything that you’d want to see from a winger. They drew the full backs wide away from the central defenders, looked to attack them constantly, combined well with our own full backs both in attack and defence, created opportunities for the team and looked to get involved in support of Moore at every opportunity. The fact that it’s a three and not a two also allows McBurnie and Thiam to assist when we’re defending and to effectively form a midfield five. I’m all for this system, I always prefer a 4-3-3/4-5-1 system to be honest, I think it better suits the players at our disposal.
It doesn’t take much imagination to visualise what would happen if we played our wingers and McBurnie was actually playing central and tight alongside Moore. As for those saying we are not playing 4-1-2-3, then just take a look at how we shape up when we have a goal kick. With Gardner being the anchor midfielder - and Potts and Williams playing infront of him - which means of course that they assist in defensive midfield duties but when going forward Potts and Williams become attacking midfielders. Would anyone describe Williams as an attacking midfielder - because I wouldn’t. Obviously he keeps his place over Mallan because of his defensive qualities - but going forward he’s not nearly as good and provides very little threat. Importantly we have the quality of players to get us out of this mess - but the whole formation of playing just isn’t working.
Be good to have at least option of wingers on bench , we are relying on full backs to provide width and to supply the crosses