Footballing Culture and Identity

Its never the formations fault, its the players in that formation that will determine its success. And no manager is the same fit at any club. Look at Parky, successful for us but generally fans hate his style of football. Couldn't get a tune out of Sunderland then Lee Johnson has them around the top two with the same players albeit in a different set up. What fans have realised with us is we get the best performances with Cooke at ten. Cooke at ten also gets the best out of the likes of Sutton. If we are then going to build our team around the likes of Cooke and Sutton then formations like 4-4-2 won't work becuase you would have to fit Cooke in somewhere else. And this is where we have to realise the limitations of flexibilty because there isn't a squad in the league that can cover all formations adequately with just one squad.

 

Bravo John. Though some fans want nothing more than instant success, I think you explain really well why long term thinking is vital to where we're looking to go - and this will take time and patience. We need foundations built, new plans put in place for a longer term future. Our current regime have a belief in this. And fans should support them. Not bleat about a few poor results and throw the baby out with the bathwater.

 

Interesting thread this with some well considered thoughts and views (albeit some long posts!!)

Enjoyed reading it. Cheers all.

 

I think it is great that T and S are saying they want to play a certain style and are being backed by Sparks. The 4-2-3-1 system does not have to be rigid, it can be tweaked either prior to kick off or during the match and changed to a system mentioned above - 4-3-3 or 4-1-4-1. What is does require is players who are good enough and skilful enough to be able to play this way. At the present time we are lacking players with that ability or technique in the wide areas of midfield. Vernham and Crankshaw can be decent at times, show flashes of ability at times, but over 90 minutes the two together are not (IMO) good enough to take the team to a higher level. They could well improve with experience but together do not impose themselves on matches enough. This means that the lone striker does not get sufficient or good enough service or support and is therefore isolated.

 

I think they'll both be much better next season because they'll have played a lot more games this season than previous ones and they'll have had a decent pre season and know other players better. That said, Crankshaw is rawer for me.

Also not sure both can play in the 3 behind the front one unless we're going for it. They both need to be wider and our 3 seem to be very narrow at times which is less playing to their strengths. Neither are real dribbling players, perhaps Vernham can be at times but both seem to like to push the ball on and round rather than drawing in and beating a player.