The midfield issue - How do we address it?

[Santa]

We have to play a formation that plays to our strengths and mitigates our weaknesses.

Our best creative players all seem to be number 10s and/or old school wingers.

One of our biggest weaknesses for me is in transition, maybe some of our defensive players are overloaded with attacking responsibility, maybe that explains why so many of them have been dropped, chopped and changed.

Yesterday our defenders looked a lot more solid because primarily they were asked to defend. We lost a bit of our pattern on the ball because of it, but that was a trade off we were prepared to make.

I don’t think for one minute that DC will abandon his back three or the wing backs, but I’m struggling to think of another way to accommodate our better attacking players than a 4-2-3-1 or a 4-3-3.

 

[NorthwoodValiant]

3 hours ago, Biddulph_PV said:

I agree midfield is a big problem, but the blend across the whole team needs to be right. Swindon in PO2 and Mansfield are classic examples of where everything just came together. 

I feel, and this is not scapegoating it’s just a fact, that we need to try a back three without Smith, maybe at home, as it would give us better options on the ball. I’d have Jones, Hall and Forrester. Been underwhelmed by Massey so far, so Worrall at RWB and stick with Mal at LWB for the moment. 

In midfield I’d go Walker and maybe McDermott as Conlon and Garrity are miles off it at the moment. I’d liked to have seen more of Charsley, but him and Ojo are seemingly out for a while. 

That leaves a front 3 and I’d be inclined to have Politic and Wilson playing behind Ellis. 

Dropping Smith is bold

[Rockape99]

My team if fit 
 

Stevens
Forrester Hall Jones

Wozza Walker Funso Conlon Benning

Wilson Harrison  

I sit here and think oh for Mitch Clark and Taylor 
 

 

[philmpv]

Dropping Smith is bold

Not really. Forrester looks just as good, and can control a ball

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[NorthwoodValiant]

Just now, philmpv said:

Not really. Forrester looks just as good, and can control a ball

Sent from my CPH2145 using onevalefan mobile app
 

Forrester has made mistakes this season though, Smith hasn't really

[Biddulph_PV]

12 minutes ago, NorthwoodValiant said:

Dropping Smith is bold

So was playing Gibbo at RCB.

[philmpv]

Forrester has made mistakes this season though, Smith hasn't really

Rewind a week! All players make mistakes. Just my opinion that from what I've seen Forrester will be a much better player than Smith, and is just as decent already

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[Rockape99]

18 minutes ago, NorthwoodValiant said:

Forrester has made mistakes this season though, Smith hasn't really

So smith error against Peterborough wasn't a mistake then 

[bomber]

Made the same mistake second half Saturday, a bit so slow to put his foot through it! Caused a bit of unnecessary pressure

[LancyTony]

2 hours ago, Rockape99 said:

So smith error against Peterborough wasn't a mistake then 

Not if it doesn't fit the argument! 

[1]

433 and bring Hall in from the cold.

Politic and Massey supplying Ellis.

[toyahw]

How do you solve our midfield problems? Drop our best defending defender.... right, that scans. Might also solve the problems with the queues for a cuppa.

With Ojo out, we have the same CM as last season.  Apart from more options in the advanced role behind the strikers in the Garrity role, and minus Taylor.

We have a very workmanlike group there. Very similar. A bunch where there are question marks if they can make the step up a level. Conlon is the only a creator but needs time on the ball. Which he rarely gets in L1.  And he's not looked himself since the injury still.

So we have to find creativity from elsewhere and the wing backs have been looking pretty toothless against the bigger clubs. 

Charsley is one I did not expect to make the step up but looked decent vs Fleetwood.  Drove at people, made yards, made stuff happen. But he's gone off the radar. Injured? 

But yeah, drop Smithy and all will be well. 

 

 

[MBE]

12 hours ago, toyahw said:

How do you solve our midfield problems? Drop our best defending defender.... right, that scans. Might also solve the problems with the queues for a cuppa.

With Ojo out, we have the same CM as last season.  Apart from more options in the advanced role behind the strikers in the Garrity role, and minus Taylor.

We have a very workmanlike group there. Very similar. A bunch where there are question marks if they can make the step up a level. Conlon is the only a creator but needs time on the ball. Which he rarely gets in L1.  And he's not looked himself since the injury still.

So we have to find creativity from elsewhere and the wing backs have been looking pretty toothless against the bigger clubs. 

Charsley is one I did not expect to make the step up but looked decent vs Fleetwood.  Drove at people, made yards, made stuff happen. But he's gone off the radar. Injured? 

But yeah, drop Smithy and all will be well. 

 

 

Charley has been out injured.

[robf]

On 02/10/2022 at 09:00, philmpv said:

Conlon doesn't look like stepping up to L1 level, as he's been nowhere near the required standard.

I'm very much of the "give them at least ten games" to show what they can do camp. Conlon has had five League starts and he's been in and out of the XI - so he also hasn't had a consistent run of starts.

I think considering he's had a long layoff it's unfair to write him off when he's clearly still gaining fitness and match time. I thought he showed some nice touches at times on Saturday and I think his set-play prowess will also be valuable in the odd tight game this season too. He's just not at his previous levels yet, I think. When/If he is - that's the time to judge him in this division.

On that note,  I'm a little surprised that Tommy Mac is not involved in the squad as he's looked in good form on the times I've seen him. If he was on the bench, he could be a nice option for a not-yet-fit Conlon with say half an hour to go.

[NorthwoodValiant]

16 hours ago, LancyTony said:

Not if it doesn't fit the argument! 

Or I could have just forgotten about that one! I'm not a robot!