Change the tactics if it's not too late!

[fulwoodshrimp]

All season we have played with the mindset not to lose games rather than going out to win. A side heavily stacked with defensive players whose main threat was hoof ball to a big number 9. As results show this tactic has failed miserably. All season we have won a pitiful 7 league games. I believe to survive we need to win around 5 more games plus a couple of draws. This is unlikely unless we have a drastic rethink by the management. We need to send players out determined to win with a more attacking shape. We need to forget playing a number 9 who simply doesn't score goals. After all if your number 9 isn't scoring who is going to get the bulk of the goals? As the statistics show- no one as our goal tally is poor! Lets give the likes of McGurk and/or Lang a decent run of games and lets give Fleming a spell in midfield with Wilde and Rose. We need the management team to stop making at times inexplicable substitutions and read the game better with a much more positive focus. Time is running out for us and to continue dishing up the present hoof ball is going to get us relegated. Defensively we are good enough to survive, it's what happens in midfield and upfront that needs improving before it's all too late.

[KenH]

Have to agree. Oliver needs taking out of the starting 11. Whether it's his ability/attitude that's not good enough, or whether he's not getting the right service/support, it's not working. Jim has persisted with the "hoofball to Oliver" tactic for far too many games now, it's not working. Time for a change.

[Gone_Shrimping]

Yes , spot on.

Your best players are your best players , simple.

People like McGurk , Lang when he is fit and Fleming should all be starting. Wylde looks as though he will be an asset if played in his correct position. Forest Green were awful defensively once we started attacking them in the 2nd half. I have never seen us win so many headers in the opposition box.

[red shrimp]

Sadly nothing will change with Jim in charge. The formation on Saturday was an absolute joke. 7 Defensive minded players in the starting 11, when you have the likes of McGurk, and Thompson and even Fleming on the bench. As for his tactics, IMHO they are non existent. No Plan A no Plan B

[Little Shrimp]

So many things wrong with our tactics. What's really depressing though is judging by Jim's interview, we literally are set up to have Rose and Kenyon as a guard to our already solid defence and lump to it Oliver/Ellison and hope the Wylde runs onto something. It succeeded in the end on Saturday but had FGR kept up their attacking play I think they would have been further ahead. Fortunately for us they backed and tried to sit, which is pretty stupid really considering their shocking defence.

In terms of individual talent, we're weakest in midfield. A good manager is one who can utilise his players in a way that gets the best out of them, even if they're not particularly amazing players. Jim fails massively at this. Kenyon, rubbish with his feet but certainly has defensive attributes. We play him in a defensive two man CM combo meaning he has to do a good bit of passing/creating/ball carrying, which he's very poor at. Wylde, it took a couple of members on here 5 minutes looking on the Plymouth forum to see he's a wide player out and out. Jim players him through the middle where he looks utterly lost.

We need to play formations and tactics that use players better abilities and helps accommodate for their weaknesses, whether that is having other players to cover for that weakness or by the position of the player. Also using our best players would be a good start.

I'd love to see this next game:
Roche
McGowan Old Lavelle Brough
Fleming Kenyon Rose
Lang/McGurk Oliver Wylde

Push full backs high, Kenyon drops into defence to cover if need be (becomes a 3-4-3 when necessary) and we use Flemings dribbling and creativity and Rose's passing ability to get the ball up the pitch. Kenyon is there for defensive solidity. Wylde hogs the wing and Lang/McGurk as our best technical player has license to drift inside and into midfield.

[Christies Child]

Purely my opinion but I've long advocated that given the correct service Oliver would be a different player BUT as it appears from Jim's interviews we will continue with the current tactics in the hope that sooner rather than later that he will Oliver will come good.

Unfortunately I can't see that happening so for me Jim has to change his starting formation and use a front two of Lang and McGurk who for me has been treated badly by the management team for some unknown reason.

Give Wylde the license to play on either wing but not bloody well in the centre. Make use of his ability where he's best at...ON THE WING.

Kevin of late has looked only a shadow of himself and contributes very little in a full match for me, so use him as an impact sub.

As much as I'm no lover of Fleming there's no doubt we miss his contribution assuming that it's more forward than sideways.

Defensively we are OK. Prone to the odd mistake but they are still the 9th best defence in our league.

Our survival rests as much in our own ability as it does on others 'cocking up' but a change of playing style to one of more positive thinking would in my opinion be welcomed by the majority of fans....BUT will it happen....

[marky No.1]

Wylde, it took a couple of members on here 5 minutes looking on the Plymouth forum to see he's a wide player out and out. Jim players him through the middle where he looks utterly lost.

He was great at Port Vale, started on the left then swapped with Thommo to the right, went forward and took some good shots even if he had to stop, turn and use his left foot.
Was surprised and disappointed that he was then put in the centre/midfield on Saturday

[BerlinWaller]

Regarding Wylde, it was so good to see a Morecambe player actually running at defenders, getting in to the box and putting a cross in.

Starting him in this number 10 role 20 yards in front of Rose and Kenyon was an utter waste.

Back to basics, thommo and Wylde out wide and 2 strikers up top battling for the crosses. 7 defensive players at home against a relegation rival is shocking.

[Ntini]

Saturday was a vital point. Even though we dropped a place, we still made the gap from the bottom two bigger, so that's a positive.

Tactics, I've tried to think positively but I just don't get it.

- We started with 4 wide players (McGowan & Conlan as WBs and Wyle & Ellison usually wingers) yet we had absolutely no width in the first half, just hoofed it down the middle.

- It was so frustrating to see a 40yard gap between the defensive and attacking players. It felt like schoolboy stuff and we were supposed to be the home team.

- Then you get onto positions. I'm just baffled:
ELLISON: usual position - left winger; position played - up front
WYLDE: usual position - left winger; position played - right winger
McGURK: usual position - forward; position played - attacking midfielder
THOMPSON: usual position - right winger; position played - up front
LANG: usual position - forward; position played - attacking midfielder (last home game)

At work today I might suggest that we all swap roles for the afternoon and then scratch my head tonight when we didn't have a very productive day...