Noticeable tactical tweak

J

Juno10

Well-known member
One of the key tactics that allowed us to dominate the ball last season was the rotation from the left midfield position (mainly McGree and Ramsey but Hackney did it a couple of times too)

It was a constant theme for our left sided midfielder to vacate that area and operate close to Chuba as a dual 10. This movement was initiated by Giles taking up a very high starting position. It allowed us to create overloads all over the pitch very quickly.

This season has seen us be much less flexible, with Coulson tending to come in field when we have control of the ball rather than adopting a high starting position. This means that the wide player has to stay wide. This doesn't have to be a problem as it could create space for a number 10 but with Crooksy there, he struggles to play on the half turn.

I imagine that when Engel starts we will see him adopt a much higher starting position, with more connections between the wide left player, 10 and 9. At least I hope so because today wasn't good at all!
 
We'd have to shift Silvera out then. He'd be in the way. We've got a left back and left winger, who wanders a bit, we didn't have that last season.
 
Corcaigh_the_Cat said:
We'd have to shift Silvera out then. He'd be in the way. We've got a left back and left winger, who wanders a bit, we didn't have that last season.
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Carrick moved Silvera central against Huddersfield, so I don't think it necessarily means he can't play there. It just means that his off the ball movements need to change. The idea would be that he gets on the ball between the lines and a little more central.
 
gravy173 said:
The key to all that worked well last season is akpoms constant transition from midfield to attack and back again, it was like having two players for one
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Yes Akpom was a superb play maker from deep last season and most teams tried and failed to foul him out of the game, maybe only Burnley succeeded because refs were lenient with them being top of the league.
 
gravy173 said:
The key to all that worked well last season is akpoms constant transition from midfield to attack and back again, it was like having two players for one
Click to expand...
I agree Akpom was huge but we are continuing to play the same shape 4-2-3-1, even without him. It just seems strange that the little tactical nuance that worked so well last season has been discarded.

It appears that Coulson is being asked to go narrow, even when we are controlling the ball. Perhaps to try to nullify counter attacks?
 
Juno10 said:
I agree Akpom was huge but we are continuing to play the same shape 4-2-3-1, even without him. It just seems strange that the little tactical nuance that worked so well last season has been discarded.

It appears that Coulson is being asked to go narrow, even when we are controlling the ball. Perhaps to try to nullify counter attacks?
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We are playing the same but the midfield is overwhelmed and the striker isolated as crooks and his mobility issues is possibly the worst player you could try and shoehorn in there.

Carrick not being able to see that is a massive worry along with others which are increasingly becoming evident.
 
gravy173 said:
We are playing the same but the midfield is overwhelmed and the striker isolated as crooks and his mobility issues is possibly the worst player you could try and shoehorn in there.

Carrick not being able to see that is a massive worry along with others which are increasingly becoming evident.
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Agree with the unsuitability of Crooks but we are definitely playing differently. Our passing patterns are very different in build up. Last year it was focused around getting it into the dual 10 position. Then either trying to penetrate quickly or utilising the space on the left that Giles had occupied. It also meant that we invariably had more people high up the pitch to counter press effectively when we lost it.

So far this season the main pass has been full back into a static wide player (to attack 1v1) or back into midfield and out the other side. I can't remember any occasions when Silvera connected with Crooks or Forss - yet last season McGree was always close to Chuba and even drifted right to create overloads with Forss.

Carrick has talked about layering tactical ideas and I guess that at the moment he is caught between maintaining his principles and the reality of having lost 5 of his best players from last season. I'm 100% convinced he will get it right and we will build from here but how close we get to the top 6 will be hugely dependent on loans again.
 
Juno10 said:
It appears that Coulson is being asked to go narrow, even when we are controlling the ball. Perhaps to try to nullify counter attacks?
Click to expand...
I dont think its tatical, simply a lack of confidence from Coulson who is like a startled rabbit when he gets the ball his first reaction is to turn inside and lay it back to the centre back. No chance of interchange or overloads with such negative play. Coulson is not good enough even as a backup. Hopefully engel will make a difference but we still need a better backup.
 
gravy173 said:
The key to all that worked well last season is akpoms constant transition from midfield to attack and back again, it was like having two players for one
Click to expand...
In all of the sound and fury on the board regarding transfers and the start of the season, this is the key point. The interplay/interchange between our midfielders and forwards last season was thrilling to watch and generated loads of chances. Akpom had an exceptional season. 29 goals for a player that contributed so much more from midfield is uneard of. We're always waiting for a twenty goal a season striker. When we finally get one that also directed much of our play when he dropped deep and then we sell him, well that seems a trifle negligent to me.
This is particularly so when we knew that the loanees were almost certain to go. When you're already having to urgently repair a significantly weakened side, its not a good idea to voluntarily make it even weaker by getting shot of someone who is irreplaceable.
Yes, I know there was no guarantee he would have the same kind of season again, but £10 -15m is just not enough to take the risk. Perhaps Latte and Engel will turn out to be inspired signings. I really hope so. What is certain though, is that Carrick's honeymoon period with the fans is over, and we will now see his real mettle when he deals with the first bit of adversity he's encountered in his rookie career. I'm quietly confident that he'll come through this. Fingers crossed
 
Coulson trying to blame Lenihan after the 1st goal yesterday was quite something. As said above he looks nervous to me which we can't carry. Having said that he did look good going forward at times but he'll just get targeted as a full back. I also don't understand the new contract unless we just wanted a cheap back up.

I'm hoping when we sign Engel he is more Giles-like and McGree can revert to his role from last season.
 
Juno10 said:
One of the key tactics that allowed us to dominate the ball last season was the rotation from the left midfield position (mainly McGree and Ramsey but Hackney did it a couple of times too)

It was a constant theme for our left sided midfielder to vacate that area and operate close to Chuba as a dual 10. This movement was initiated by Giles taking up a very high starting position. It allowed us to create overloads all over the pitch very quickly.

This season has seen us be much less flexible, with Coulson tending to come in field when we have control of the ball rather than adopting a high starting position. This means that the wide player has to stay wide. This doesn't have to be a problem as it could create space for a number 10 but with Crooksy there, he struggles to play on the half turn.

I imagine that when Engel starts we will see him adopt a much higher starting position, with more connections between the wide left player, 10 and 9. At least I hope so because today wasn't good at all!
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No idea what you’re talking about but I liked it anyway cos it sounded clever.😀
 
To be fair Crooks dropped a couple of times yesterday, dragging a CD out with Rogers running into the space. A better ball from midfield and he would have been in.

Coulson is playing as inverted full back deliberately I think, rather than just wandering out of position. City do it loads to create overloads in the midfield (which isn't a bad idea given how lightweight ours looks at the moment).

Id also like to see a return of the dual 10 incl McGree but vital we get the number 10 recruitment right. Rogers *could* play there but think he'll mainly be used as backup to that position.
 
Coulson ......don't know the lad but we all get work assessments/appraisals...
It's about body language for me
He looks timid...he looks a.little scared
Almost a boy amongst men

That's not going to get us promoted.
He was exposed several times against Coventry and was showing the striker the wrong side.
sorry young man...not for me
Hes a league 1 league 2 standard
 
Ian Bairds Ears said:
Coulson ......don't know the lad but we all get work assessments/appraisals...
It's about body language for me
He looks timid...he looks a.little scared
Almost a boy amongst men

That's not going to get us promoted.
He was exposed several times against Coventry and was showing the striker the wrong side.
sorry young man...not for me
Hes a league 1 league 2 standard
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I thought blaming him for the first goals was a bit unfair. Whilst he did stand of a little, and you should always be showing an attacker the outside, there were other problems from the defenders.
 
I originally misread the title of the thread as ‘noticeable testicle tweak’ and called in to commiserate. 🤦‍♂️
 
When coulson first came on the scene he had a bit of dynamism to go with a lot of naivety. Now he seems to have lost that mobility he cant do the job required
 
El Guapo said:
I originally misread the title of the thread as ‘noticeable testicle tweak’ and called in to commiserate. 🤦‍♂️
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Ayazz indeed

Just managed to watch the 10 minutes highlight of the Cov game for the first time (I had to miss most of the second half as I was driving, tuned in to hear the third go in)

And actually there was good stuff to see in the highlights. Rogers definitely had a much improved second half and might have scored a wonderful equaliser with a little better finishing touch. Jones had a couple of chances and perhaps if we had equalised before their second it might have been a different game? Who knows? There was an element of fortune in all three of Coventry's goals which just didn't fall for us.

So.

We're a bit toothless up front. But, the keeper is a great addition. Rogers looks good to me as does Silvera. Yet, the left side is a bit of a "work in progress" at the moment (it's not just Coulson it is establishing a way of playing and an understanding between the players also the right side will be much improved with the return of Smith. My optimism is starting to return with the prospect of the home game on Saturday.
 
Not sure what to make of Silvera yet. He looks like he has a change of pace, without being lightening quick, but as a left winger, he never used his left foot! Always cut in on the right, that works sometimes but you need to beat someone on the outside as well, if only to keep the shape and space. Worked okay last year, as we had Giles bombing up, but Coulson doesn't do that (he prefers to carry the ball infield as well). Then Silvera's confidence went, when he missed that sitter. We've got a lot of work to do in the attacking third to start getting results.
 
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