Let's talk about the Harrogate Town game

[Sammy Chung was King]

He overloads the defence, surely if you want to play a passing game, you need extra numbers in midfield to overwhelm who you are playing?
You need full backs that can control the flanks and hold the ball long enough to build the play, we don’t have that.

You need a striker that can win headers, hold onto the ball to bring other players into the game.
To play in a three at the back, you need three very solid central defenders, who can also play out from the back, we don’t have that.

You need a goalkeeper that almost plays as a sweeper. Good with the ball at his feet, dominant in his area, good shot stopper, we don’t have that.All these things are things we don’t have with our strongest side out.

The side needs a real turn over of players, we all know that. Players with real character-winners. Unfortunately we need a new manager. He doesn’t make the big decisions, you must do this to win games consistently.

[FNB]

DS has very little in game ability.  For example, for opposition corners we never have anyone left up front whether winning, losing or drawing.  Not once.  Yesterday Harrogate knew it and so pressed around our box and every time we hoofed it away they regained possession.  No front line man to try and hold it up and take the pressure off.  Or be the first line of defence to allow the defenders to get back into shape.  Their second goal came from Agard clearing it from a corner but all he could do was hoof it up field to no one.  They then put the ball back in and scored.  I'm sure DS would have some stats that show less goals come when we have everyone back but it is negative football, doesn't allow for any possible outlet and spreads panic in our below average defence due to the constant pressure.  It is also crap to watch.

[dickos1]

DS has very little in game ability.  For example, for opposition corners we never have anyone left up front whether winning, losing or drawing.  Not once.  Yesterday Harrogate knew it and so pressed around our box and every time we hoofed it away they regained possession.  No front line man to try and hold it up and take the pressure off.  Or be the first line of defence to allow the defenders to get back into shape.  Their second goal came from Agard clearing it from a corner but all he could do was hoof it up field to no one.  They then put the ball back in and scored.  I'm sure DS would have some stats that show less goals come when we have everyone back but it is negative football, doesn't allow for any possible outlet and spreads panic in our below average defence due to the constant pressure.  It is also crap to watch.

Most teams bring everyone back, sod did it, pep does it, southgate does it, wenger did it.
Not saying it’s right or not but there must be a very good reason to do it if the best coaches in the world do it

[Reg of the Rovers]

DS has very little in game ability.  For example, for opposition corners we never have anyone left up front whether winning, losing or drawing.  Not once.  Yesterday Harrogate knew it and so pressed around our box and every time we hoofed it away they regained possession.  No front line man to try and hold it up and take the pressure off.  Or be the first line of defence to allow the defenders to get back into shape.  Their second goal came from Agard clearing it from a corner but all he could do was hoof it up field to no one.  They then put the ball back in and scored.  I'm sure DS would have some stats that show less goals come when we have everyone back but it is negative football, doesn't allow for any possible outlet and spreads panic in our below average defence due to the constant pressure.  It is also crap to watch.

Most teams bring everyone back, sod did it, pep does it, southgate does it, wenger did it.
Not saying it’s right or not but there must be a very good reason to do it if the best coaches in the world do it

I think that's Schofield's problem in a nutshell though Dickos, it's not necessarily a bad tactic / formation - it's just not appropriate for us in Lg2 with this bunch of players - his blindness to see that is what's killing us.

[Donnybax]

The issue is we play a system that leads itself to conceding plenty of goals and not creating many chances. Spurs play the same and look how it’s working out for them. I would suggest not many teams will play 5-2-3 and be successful. Especially at this level.

[sedwardsdrfc]

Conte did it at Chelsea but they weren’t a possession team. They were fighters who could defend and had Hazard,Costa and William all left up front for counters.

We play 541 because we don’t trust ourselves to leave the 3 higher. Maybe it’ll work if we can sign a couple of proper workhorses in midfield rather than players like Close.

With DS it is weird that he never changes no matter who we are playing it’s the same. If we want to take it to the next level where a few points could be the difference between 3rd and 4th they’ll be games where he has to or we’ll drop points. This for me limits him no matter what signings we make .

[Campsall rover]

The Harrogate first is down to a few things. Firstly we don't have any pressure on their centre back because of playing one forward. A decent long ball is played forward and Nelson loses the header (most importantly is from losing that contact is he loses his man completely and never does get his position back) that lad eventually scores. Long is slow (painfully) and gives away possession in a dangerous area. Mitchell throughout this doesn't appear to give any clear communication. An horrendous goal to concede but when you look at Nelsons role in the goal you may see why he's missing the basics. For all the plaudits he gets he is still very young and a very strange loan for us to have wanted with such young central defenders in our squad already.

Armstrong won everything in the air for them, whether he was up against Nelson, Faulkner, long.

The initial contact was one thing but not getting back into position is another. It is what it is though.

The 5 at the back doesn't help us defensively and costs us in midfield (which then leads to the isolation of the forward) it's because of the tactics and formation and a lack of coaching/clear well practiced instruction that throughout all the mistakes only 2 areas are to truly "blame" (not that I'm a fan of this) and that's the manager and ownerships lack of investment in good experienced players. Danny is right our squad depth is certainly lacking. But he must perform with the hand he has been dealt and he's not dealing with it well. He's given up on playing out from the back but not his formation/set up. I feel for him as the first thing he gave up on was the fundamentals and the processes (ironically) but sticks to the formation regardless of available players.

Playing Westbrook in the centre of midfield in a 3 would have helped no end yesterday and yet he did very little to effect the game from out wide. Going to a 4 with Molly or Hurst in a midfield 5 would have been much better giving us a chance to win possession higher and keep the ball better for longer more often periods.

Just as I saw it also. But why can’t DS see it. He is supposed to be the coach with the badges.
It is just unbelievable he is sticking to this formation. 
Westbrooke may as well have been sat with me for what effect he had playing in no man’s land. Not his fault but why wasn’t he playing in a 3 with Close and Ravenhill.
What benefit does DS see playing 3 centre backs. All it does is make us weaker in midfield and up front.
I have completely no faith in him whatsoever. Seriously if he can’t see what is so glaringly obvious to so many of us then what hope is there? 

[ForsolongaRover]

Conte did it at Chelsea but they weren’t a possession team. They were fighters who could defend and had Hazard,Costa and William all left up front for counters.

We play 541 because we don’t trust ourselves to leave the 3 higher. Maybe it’ll work if we can sign a couple of proper workhorses in midfield rather than players like Close.

With DS it is weird that he never changes no matter who we are playing it’s the same. If we want to take it to the next level where a few points could be the difference between 3rd and 4th they’ll be games where he has to or we’ll drop points. This for me limits him no matter what signings we make .

I don’t think it’s weird. It reflects the man’s lack of imagination. Does he ever vary his themes when interviewed? The danger is that he will also sign players in his own image if he is allowed to. Faulkner and Barlow will be back on the bench.

Remember, there is only one process and processes by their very nature don’t vary.