Nobody will ever convince me the system wasn’t the problem

I think the formation had began to cause us issues, but Wigan were atrocious tonight, so it's hard to judge fully.

We still had to rely on Steffen at times even then.
Comment of the night!

Keep everything in context!

Wigan looked very poor but at the same time if they turned us over 2-0 we are still asking the same questions and slating our own team…

UTFB!!! (As always) 3 Points…we’ll take it either way 👍🏻
 
The defence didn’t have the confidence to play as a 3, that was blatantly obvious in the last few games under Wilder. And the wingbacks were too scared to go forward enough because of the goals we were leaking.

Look at the difference tonight with Jones staying forward.
 
Wilder could have played any formation under the sun and it wouldn't have worked in his last few weeks here. I believe that he had fallen out with too many people and players had lost their confidence.

I do think teams eventually work out how to play against his system but there were other things going on behind the scenes as well.
 
Confidence is everything not just football but any sport. There’s little more you can say from the win over Wigan — what a team to play when you need a thumping good win.

One thing that came through from the win is how our players suddenly came to life when that second goal went in. Honestly I didn’t recognize them from the previous 15 or so games. They were fast, inventive, vocal and entertaining— makes you wonder what’s being going on?

I kind of feel for Leo, as it’s obvious that’s he’s worked hard to push through his philosophy and didn’t it show!

Let’s see how we fair against better opponents. Mind you, we still gave Wigan perhaps too many sights of goal for my liking.
 
Totally agree about the formation. Everyone worked out that our back 3 are slow and if you play the channels you’d pull us apart.

We’re much better with Jones having some freedom to stay high up too.

Still worked to be done on defending set plays though.
 
It was great to see some confidence flowing back into the players second half, will do them the world if good.

I don't feel like we dominated that game though, we had the run of the ball for a very nice change.

The 3 points is obviously the main thing as always but it's too early to say a corner has been turned, we were still very brittle at the back, great performance from Steffen was required.
 
I thought 4-3-3 from the off. Agree it worked much better.

One area we need to work on imo is over/underlapping on each side. On the left we've got Watmore who wants to cut from time to time (more a striker than a winner) whereas Jones is more effective going on the outside. That said, I'm not convinced Smith is the long term RB option.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing Giles and Jones as wingers but on opposite sides, cutting in onto their favoured foot. Think if we could solve the AM/10 position we'd be very dangerous playing that way.

Wigan massively underwhelming though, I actually looked at their team on paper and expected much better. They strung a couple of decent passing moves together first half but, other than Power's crosses, they had next to nothing in the final third.
 
The wing back system was like a heavy weight around our necks. Our attacking play was entirely focus on getting the ball out wide early, hence the side to side passing from our midfield 3.

Now we've ditched that it allows for the midfield to play a lot more centrally and be a lot more creative. Running at players and playing through balls. The back four also look much more balanced.
 
Utterly ridiculous the difference since going to 4 at the back against Blackburn. That’s right though Chris, the system wasn’t the issue 🤡
If only he could have managed..

Akpom - told to find a new club
Hackney - none of the academy are up to it
Howson - not fancied in the window
Fry - clearly didn’t want him or even like him
Diksteel - McNair was his number one
Bola - surplus to requirements
 
The proverbial game of two halves,
Jittery defense of a corner and not much coherence in the play.
Second half they woke up from a long slumber and seemed to be enjoying the game. Hackney earned his spurs all it needs now is for Crooks to get his hernia sorted and there will be life in the old team again.
 
crooks looked miles better in a more advanced position in the 2nd half too. don't like him sitting deep in the midfield 2
 
It was a clear 4 but I think the shaking off of the malaise of the Wilder regime and his personality clashes is equally culpable as the formation. On paper we have some players that are suitable to play 3 at the back. formation wise I think the two 8s and one 4 was a big issue. We didn't have a proper CDM so Howson gave it a go and got over run. Would have been better to invert to two 4s and one 8
 
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