Midfield

[Thorney]

Badly need a dominating midfielder.

We dont have someone in there who runs the show.

[bpoolrover]

Should have started clifton over cree, we have been far better since clifton came back from injury

[Thorney]

Crew and clifton are 2 different players so i couldnt understand it.

Crew will start at cardiff with broadbent being suspended.

[Prez]

Badly need a dominating midfielder.

We dont have someone in there who runs the show.

Absolutely. Controversial opinion, but for me Crew needs sending back.

We need much better.

[Bessie Red]

Crew and clifton are 2 different players so i couldnt understand it.

Crew will start at cardiff with broadbent being suspended.

Close will start instead of Broadbent.

[dickos1]

Strange line up for me!
Clifton and hanlan should have both started.
Stockport weren’t very good, just set up to stop us playing, and packed the midfield!

[Jersey Rover]

Agree with above, both Charlie and Damola both good players but a yard of the pace at this time at this level. Think we need to sort out what our best centre back pairing is and how Billy fits into the equation.

[Thorney]

Crew and clifton are 2 different players so i couldnt understand it.

Crew will start at cardiff with broadbent being suspended.

Close will start instead of Broadbent.

Im probably alone but i would rather have crew.

Close has been here and poor for long enough now.

[Filo]

Close for Broadbent made that position much weaker, but lets face it, we never came out for the second half

[GazLaz]

Crew and clifton are 2 different players so i couldnt understand it.

Crew will start at cardiff with broadbent being suspended.

Close will start instead of Broadbent.

Im probably alone but i would rather have crew.

Close has been here and poor for long enough now.

I agree. Crewe needs to play in the Broadbent role or not at all. That’s his position. Needs the game in front of him to try and dictate. He’s not a Bailey or a Clifton.

[Move DRFC]

Thought Close played well when he came on tonight. He should start on Saturday. Crew has done nothing to earn a shirt all season.

[ncRover]

Agree with above, both Charlie and Damola both good players but a yard of the pace at this time at this level. Think we need to sort out what our best centre back pairing is and how Billy fits into the equation.

Why does Billy need to fit in to the equation? Was horrendous tonight.

[Nudga]

Crew and clifton are 2 different players so i couldnt understand it.

Crew will start at cardiff with broadbent being suspended.

Close will start instead of Broadbent.

Im probably alone but i would rather have crew.

Close has been here and poor for long enough now.

I agree. Crewe needs to play in the Broadbent role or not at all. That’s his position. Needs the game in front of him to try and dictate. He’s not a Bailey or a Clifton.

Too languid for me, wants to stroll around stroking passes around like prime Pirlo.
Lost count of how many times he lost possession.

[ncRover]

There isn’t enough dynamism in midfield. That leaves us short of attacking tactics other than ‘play it over the top and hope for the best’.

That lack of dynamism also doesn’t allow the full backs much outlet during build up in-field.

23 and 7 for them were very sharp and had serious technical ability.

[TonySoprano]

The formation kills any creativity, and makes it impossible to stretch the opposition defence.

[Nudga]

We still have a league two squad who are not as quick, fit or physical as league 1 players. The passing is not as sharp and snappy.  The pressing intensity is nowhere near. There's no real vision or movement off the ball.
I dont see any moving triangle shapes whilst we've got the ball. It's just get it wide or lob it over the top and see what happens. 

[DonnyBazR0ver]

Too passive. Every player apart from the two centre halves, have hardly broken sweat. Too safe, not aggressive enough plus refusing to put the balls into attacking areas from free kicks, giving the initiative away when we rely on our centre half's to make incisive passes.

Tactically, I don't know why we've abandoned Broadbent as the pivot although we seem to be too lazy to find space and provide options for the ball carrier.

We could maybe say we were slightly better in the first half, despite not making the most of the conditions but the second half approach stank given the players should had every confidence to go and take them on. 

[Blue Green Algae]

Look at the team that started against Chesterfield on Saturday and compare it to the team that got beat there in Feb.

You'd be hard pushed to.say that we haven't become significantly weaker - we've lost Street, Kelly and TSL and gained...I'm not sure what.

It's baffling that we're attempting to.compete in a higher division with a worse set of players than we got promoted with. Poor recruitment is killing us

[oggycompton]

Thought the selection was absolutely miles off it. We've looked really good for the last 5 games so yet again there are changes and oddly since Clifton has been back we've looked good, we looked good with him at beginning of season also so to rest him for Crew who doesn't want to be here (And I dont want him here either) is absolutely baffling with top of the table away on Saturday. Absolutely crazy decision. If you're going to rest Clifton (fittest player in the squad by the way), do it Saturday! Away!

That alongside Sharp who we have seen for 4 months now cannot battle for the first ball and therefore its so easy for the defence. At least with Hanlan there is a challenge which means there is a second ball to compete for. Rewarding Billy for scoring a hat-trick against a league 2 teams reserves is crazy.

Tactically inept, nobody shooting when they could have done numerous times, zero creativity and no goal threat at all. McGrath knocking hopeful diagonal balls over and over again. Bailey an absolute passenger.

All on McCann tonight, tactics wrong, selection wrong and whatver he said at half time or gave them (Horlicks) was wrong. Terrible display with no positives at all.

[Colemans Left Hook]

Agree with above, both Charlie and Damola both good players but a yard of the pace at this time at this level. Think we need to sort out what our best centre back pairing is and how Billy fits into the equation.

on the bench   we need to stop sleepwalking ...

[Donnybax]

I don't think we need a dominator we need a ball carrier with a bit of mobility.

[Draytonian III]

Try a 4-4-2 system, the one up front and two wide men doesn’t work in this league.
Hanlon and Sharp up front. Midfield of Molyneux, Bailey, Crew or Clifton ( Broadbent is suspended for Saturday ) and Senior who can cover for Maxwell when goes forward.
Defence same as last night, Sterry, O’Riorden, McGrath and Maxwell and Lo-Tutala in goal

[GazLaz]

Try a 4-4-2 system, the one up front and two wide men doesn’t work in this league.
Hanlon and Sharp up front. Midfield of Molyneux, Bailey, Crew or Clifton ( Broadbent is suspended for Saturday ) and Senior who can cover for Maxwell when goes forward.
Defence same as last night, Sterry, O’Riorden, McGrath and Maxwell and Lo-Tutala in goal

How many teams in world football play 442 currently?

[Draytonian III]

I don’t know, but with you being such an expert please tell me.
Football goes in cycles , long throws and the big punt up field are back in favour.

[Alan Southstand]

How many managers in league 1, when knowing how the opposition was going to set up, still decides to send a team out that’s one man less in midfield?

The number of times we’re outnumbered in midfield so far this season is unbelievable. Put 2 wingbacks to lock up Mols and Gibbo and that’s us done for!

Poor.

[Nudga]

I don’t know, but with you being such an expert please tell me.
Football goes in cycles , long throws and the big punt up field are back in favour.

The old traditional 442 doesn't work because its too flat and easier to break the lines.
You also need traditional wingers, the type that beat the full back and swing a cross in.
Unless it's a diamond 442 you're thinking of?

I've said it before but 4-1-3-2 might work but then leaves us more exposed in defense. No place for Crew or Close in this formation. 

[Chris Black come back]

What’s the best position for Bailey?

[StocksArmy]

I think sending Crew back would be a stupid thing to do. He showed spells of what he’s capable of last night however, a midfielder who runs beyond the striker is something we would benefit from and also a striker. Our summer recruitment in that area has been criminal and it’s even more annoying that everybody could see it apart from the staff and hierarchy at the club.

[Nudga]

What’s the best position for Bailey?

CDM

[GazLaz]

I don’t know, but with you being such an expert please tell me.
Football goes in cycles , long throws and the big punt up field are back in favour.

Thanks for the compliment.


Off the top of my head, Athletico Madrid, Middlesbrough and Sheff U have started playing a variation of it recently.

Anyway, the formations not the issue and generally never are.