After watching the Wednesday game and a few others recently, teams are definitely realising that the best way to shake us is to punt long balls over our high line. With that in mind, I'm going for: Andersen - Sibbick - Helik Specifically with Sibbick in the middle. He's one of the fastest centre-halves I've seen play for us, and I think him acting in a covering role centrally is the best way we defend against this tactic. I love Solly, and his experience is invaluable, but Sibbick's pace for me is more important, Helik's attacking contributions are too much to lose, and Andersen just looks more solid than Solly at the moment in my opinion.
Sol would be my pick when the oppo have an old-school s.h.ithouse up front - one with a few dark arts about him. Needs Sol's older head there. Sibbick can be a bit naïve at times.
At this stage of the season I know we've played a lot of games but it's time we put all our eggs in one basket and play our best 11 from the start and for every game until the end of the season. I think Sollbauer is better than Sibbick. I'd tweak the system rather than rely on someone tracking back quicker. Maybe ask Styles or Brittain not to bomb on as much and get our forwards going wider. Decide on a front three.
Like many, I believe Mads has come on in leaps and bounds this season. However, he does have some serious flaws in his defending. He gives many unnecessary fouls away. Often doesn’t get the distances when clearing the ball. Can get caught flat-footed as well, Wednesdays 1st goal.
Generally, I'd agree. I guess the problem is that this system expects the back three to cover pretty much the full width of the pitch, and the onus on the central player is to win the ball in the air. Putting Sibbick there would probably be at a cost to both of those things. As harsh as it sounds, if we want pace in the back 3, I'd be tempted to go for Williams, Helik, Sollbauer. So we keep Sollbauer's organisation in there.
Teams are starting to play us at our own game especially at Oakwell. Collins has been very erratic these last 3 games charging out. Mainly imo because the distance, of the 3 back line to goalkeeper has shortened. Causing a bit of panic. By allowing opposition strikers to get further forward. 3 out of the 4 backs have small flaws in their game. ( which are being ironed out) Only Helik for me at this moment in time, solid in all depts. But I trust Val, to select as he already does, his best 3 based on the opposition. We just have to be more wary that teams are picking up on the flaws, not in players, but tactics. and adapt.
Agree with this. We've some wide open spaces if someone can time a run and the passer drops it properly. I don't think the flaw is the long pass, it's the dinked pass that turns our centre halves and has them chasing back facing their own goal. If at our centre halves, they'll head it all day. If long and over them, our keeper sweeps, if down the channels a centre half can step across or wing backs try and eliminate. It's that ball that just turns the centre halves and is a long way from our keeper that poses the biggest problem.
Andersen should have done better for first, but Sol should have stopped the cross. That and his miss when he should have at least hit the target from such close range is probably why Val took him off earlier than usual.
True, and the shorter ball over the top becomes more apparent when the head tennis turns into a game of pinball and the opposition manage to get a decent header over our defence. But, over the course of the season, there have been a number of problems solved by the coaching staff and players. Whether it be set pieces, long ball over the top, or the fact we couldn't win a game before VI took charge. Hopefully the trend can continue.
I'm not too worried about the centre of defence. The communication could be a little better at times between Collins and the defenders, but that's something that can be worked on. For me, the real problems are the long passes played in behind Brittain and Styles, especially when the opposition have some savvy wide players. When the wing backs push forward, the nearest centreback should move out a little wider to block the hole that's left. Stopping balls into the box is crucial.
Can see why sibbock has been featuring abit when playing such a high line has pace the others lack and tbh he hasn't looked out of place come on alot has the lad anther decent 45 under his belt against Wednesday.
Big shame that Helik wasn’t on the end of that chance as he would have broken the net with it from there. Solly just doesn’t have the composure up front.
McCarthy & Evans. Winstanley & Howard. I'm fine with whoever Valerien selects out of our current batch. His footballing knowledge is far superior to mine and I don't believe there's a bad player amongst them, anyway.
The way we setup defensively it's important you have pace either side of the main CB. We lack it slightly with Madds, but the stats tell you his anticipation of the game and his ability to win duels, clearances, interceptions more than makes up for it. Kitching is meant to be quick which I see as being one reason he's been brought in as a left-sided CB. Sibbick wouldn't be anywhere near as effective playing in the middle as you're stuck in that position, where as playing at the side of Helik he essentially is only looking one way in terms of making the covering run - that's why we've seen him excel since being brought in to the team and come across the backline so many times.
As much as I'm willing Toby to do well I just can't see it. He has pace but his positional play is so poor he has to rely on it to get back. His heading technique needs a bit of work too . Solly reads the game perfectly well and still organises the team. Solly Helik and Mads for me with Halme as back up
I think Val took him off to to counteract Wednesdays pace with Sibbick, nothing to do with not hitting the target.
