The pressing game

I agree we need to get a formation to suit the players we have and not trying to fit players in to a formation they are not suited to. Our squad is set up for 352.

Collins
Diaby sibbick Anderson
Cavare Mcgeehan Dougal Mowatt B Williams
Woodrow Schmidt

 

Listening to the Brentford manager and players, overcoming our style sounded quite routine.

Pretty much said they rode out our early pressure and made sure they didn't concede a 2nd goal, and then bit by bit got further up the pitch, and that was partly down to knocking longer balls to get us going the other way.

It's so simple it's worrying with the games to come.

 

Funnily enough that was a formation that got us promoted to the Premier league. I'd put Brown if for Cavare to start & put Cavare on later, but it would be a good formation. The other option is to play two holding midfielders, maybe Sibbick & Dougall when match fit, who can cover the wide players pressing on. Something like

Collins
Cavare Diaby Anderson B Williams
Sibbick Dougall
Brown Mowatt Watkins
Woodrow

We need to protect the flanks, as that is clearly what opponents are targeting currently. We would be able to change from one shape to another with a couple of substitutions. There needs to be a plan A & plan B depending on opposition strategies, at the moment it just seems plan A. Making us harder to beat is a priority in the short term. There is not the experience or skill level in this team at the moment to play champaign football, as attractive as it is at points in the game.

 

So Chaplin was under some kind of subliminal spell cast by Brentford then when he missed that sitter?

 

If you want to see how the press should work, just watch Bayern pressing every Spurs ball...

 

I’d be surprised if Stendel went with 3 at the back, I’m no German football expert but I don’t think it’s system that gets used much at all over there.

As much as the natural reaction is to chop & change & constantly try different players & systems when things aren’t working I think we’d be much better off trying to pick a fairly consistent side & system because the young players will only gel & improve by playing more games together.

I’ve seen suggestions for starting Styles, Schmidt, Green etc in recent days & now a back 3, I honestly think that’d just delay the gelling even more.

My main temptation would be to take out one of the front 4 & put either McGeehan or Dougall if he’s fit alongside Sibbick & Mowatt just to make us a bit tougher to break through & that leaves Brown, Chaplin, Thomas, Thiam & Wilks to fight it out for the two places alongside Woodrow.

 

You almost had me on-side when you argued that constant change slowed down the gelling process. And then you argued for a change.

The problem is that few of us can see that the press is working, and almost anything is being offered as an alternative. Some of our defeats could have been really bad ones, and it might take one of those to be the catalyst for the change. I very much hope not, but I fear it will.

 

I don’t think what I’m suggesting is much of a change though, it’s just the player off / alongside Woodrow been replaced by one a bit deeper in front of the 2 central midfielders.

Agree about the defeats. That could’ve been anything second half

 

The market in players salaries is so efficient that it explains about 90% of the variations in clubs league positions in the long run. Typically, thje club with the best-paid players finishes top, and the one with the worst-paid finishes bottom. BUT its important to remember it explains ALMOST everything at most clubs. That does leave room for a few good managers to make a difference.