Keith wrote:I don't think we were better in the first sixty minutes. I think we saw two very poor sides, neither creating anything of substance, other than us hitting the post and them scoring on the break. We had a higher percentage of possession, but most of it was in our own half. The half-time stats said zero attempts on target for us.
We weren't loads better, granted, but definitely edged it. Put together some nice moves, Mayor was causing some trouble, but overall just lacked a bit of clinical edge with the final ball. Also had by far the best chance of the half with the Melbourne header. My main issue was looking a bit ropey in defensive transitions and defending against counters, which again I think a proper DM would help solve.
Keith wrote:But, if as you say, we don't have the players to successfully use that system, then why persist with it? It hasn't worked all season. The proof of that pudding is us being bottom with just two wins. If we haven't got the players, then change the system to utilise the players that we have. You can add Mayor to the list of talent, so let's unleash them. Phillips is quality, but needs better supply. Plus, we have pace too. If we have players who can run at defences, set up, further up the pitch, it forces a response from the opposition. Bringing Connolly on in the 92nd minute was ridiculous.
Port Vale were rubbish, but they beat us.
Persist with what system? What system hasn't worked all season? We've tried a number of different things. Our only two wins have actually come with a 3-5-2, but I don't really think that's the way forward overall. We've put some nice encouraging performances in with a high energy counter attacking 3-4-3 vs Derby, Ipswich and Portsmouth, but don't seem to be able to replicate it either away from home or against weaker opposition. We struggle to break down mid-table/weaker opposition, even when playing our 'hell for leather' 4-3-3 with Shaw, Taylor and Weir in midfield (vs Lincoln and Exeter). It's not simply about 'unleashing' players or just sticking all our good attackers on and hoping for the best - that's a bit of a FIFA attitude (don't worry, I mean the game not the organisation
). There needs to be balance and a plan!
At the end of the day, there is possibly a way to get more from this current squad - perhaps with a higher intensity/pressing system with the youthful bunch we've got. That said, do we really have the defenders to do that aside from Bedeau?
However, I don't really see at this point what long term good a managerial change would do. There are two options: letting Derek make the additions he wants this January (I think a trusted DM would help massively), hoping for a miracle turnaround, then letting Derek continue to build the squad he wants for whatever division we're in. Or changing manager, probably having no money for January additions after paying Derek off, hoping for a miracle turnaround and then having to go through another bloody rebuild in the summer.
Either way, we're hoping for a miracle in the second half of the season, but I'd rather let Derek keep making the squad how he wants it than get done by another big squad turnover, which has ultimately been our undoing in these past couple of seasons.
