De Val Oldham performance

[Steve DRFC]

No defending that awful performance yesterday by the lads but to be honest I thought De Val Fernandez did ok, besides maybe the 10min before he got brought off. 

[DonnyNoel]

A bit surprised he was brought off tbh, perhaps PD was a bit worried that him and Wellens would be too similar in a 442. He's certainly showing plenty of promise.

[RobTheRover]

It was a game we needed to grab by the scruff of the neck.  Wellens and De Val together and Keegan off would have been my preference and drive Oldham back.

[bobbymax]

TBH, all three that were brought off probably had cause for complaint.
Bennett looked more up for it than Copps but kept being ignored, De Val was infinitely better than Keegan and Furman was probably our most effective player in the final third in the first half.

[bobjimwilly]

I too thought taking De Val off was a bit of an odd decision, and Furman actually played better (for once) than Keegan. I still think Forrester is more productive in the middle rather than on the wing too.

[1879Rovers]

He could have taken all ten outfield players off.

[steve@dcfd]

I thought both Keegan and DeVal slowed our play they showed yesterday they must be quicker getting the ball forward. Sideways passes look good but do not open up defences or find our players going forward. But tactically it does not help when in the first half and most of the second we played with runners but poor passes in front of them.
So PD should have changed the third central midfield player at half time, Forrester should have come on in place of Furman, this mat have helped the two players behind him.
PD then reverted to 442 and took off DeVal putting Wellens in the middle bringing on Robinson and putting Forrester on the left.
I ask my self why, Tyson and Robinson will not work together, both are runners behind and need other players to put them in that position.
So let's hope Main is available soon especially for home games, Forrester behind him  and Coppinger and Bennett either side. Then DeVal with Keegan or Wellens, if still here, will look better.
Away from home is different and that's why we win more.

[Alan Southstand]

Totally anonymous for me, but so were the rest of the midfield all first half. It got worse when PD changed, yet again, to his preferred 4-4-2! The players looked an utter shambles as an outfit and there's no excuse as most of them have been here a while. The major issues, however, were at FB, where neither FB inspired and the keeper - well - I'd rather have Ben Smith! Finally - what has happened to Robinson? If he doesn't want to be here, then pack yer bags, son, and go and bother some other outfit - absolute garbage when he came on.

[POD]

I thought that De Val was neat and tidy in his play and rarely gave the ball away.

However, when we are playing at home and especially when we go 1-0 down, this isn't good enough and De Val never looked as if he was going to be able to adapt his game to the changed situation.  Virtually every ball was backwards or sideways and none of it done with any great urgency.

The formation of 4-2-3-1 was wrong from the start.  It is fine for away games, where the onus is more on defence and keeping the ball. 

However with home games, we need to get the ball forward more quickly and we can't afford the luxury of having two holding midfield players.  Forrester and Wellens need to play from the start and a formation of 4-4-1-1 would seem to me to be a better option.

[BRMC_rover]

4411 would see even worse performances surely. Its more negative. The 4-2-3-1 would be fine at home if the players were set up to move the ball more quickly, and create more. It just needs a change of personnel in some key roles to work at home. Wellens for Keegan, Forrester for Furman.

[Dare to dream!]

4-4-1-1 is the same as 4-2-3-1

[BRMC_rover]

4-4-1-1 is the same as 4-2-3-1

Not if the wingers primary objective is to support the lone attacker while the two CM's do the duty of DCM's.

[GazLaz]

All formations are flexible and can be deployed in different ways.

[Lesonthewest]

Agreed, & if we had also introduced Forrester much earlier than he was they would not have had it as easy as they did.
It was a game we needed to grab by the scruff of the neck.  Wellens and De Val together and Keegan off would have been my preference and drive Oldham back.