Why hasn't this squad really clicked?

What do you mean by 'clicked'?

Like, played the perfect game, or blown a team away 6-0, what do you mean exactly?

 

I sort of get what he is saying, we are handy placed in the league with only 3 defeats from 14 and won 50%, but i have yet to see a match where we have been in complete control, even the 3-0 against Stevenage was not as one sided as the score might suggest. Hopefully Walker will make the difference in that no 10 role allowing Chapman to move out wide, where i think he will have more impact, Osadibe is also an attacking midfielder and if he is going to be out well into the new year , then a replacement needs to be found.

 

Because its not as good as we all think, Smallwood still needs a decent partner and our full backs are inconsistent. Add to that Periera is terrible and the subs coming on aren't very good . It's an unpopular opinion but I don't think Hughes is all that clever tactically either. Just seems to be a 1 trick pony, sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't but its predictable especially his subs.

 

Let’s break your comments down to debate them properly.

Smallwood still needs a decent partner
our full backs are inconsistent
Periera is terrible
subs coming on aren't very good
I don't think Hughes is all that clever tactically

From your observations we are a mid table to bottom half side but yet we are sat comfortably in the playoffs. Can you elaborate on your comments?

 

I'm not convinced by this team.

Take cooks goals away and a motm display from Lewis this team is nowhere.

For me when a goalie is getting motm the rest of the team are not doing there job.

Apart from Cook no-one looks like scoring, thats a problem.

I do not believe we'll get promoted.

Defending is questionable all too often. And so is our attack..

Good morning happy clappers.

 

• Yeah sure, this league is so bad we're in the play offs. Comfortably? We could be 10th place on Tuesday night that's not comfortable at all. Remember under Bowyer we were top 3 and people still couldn't see the failures in his tactics brushing any negatives under the carpet. Does Hughes get a free run because of all his successes as a manager?

 

This is a fair reflection of our start to the season. On the main, we look tidy and organised, we try and play football although not always with success. Only the odd game where we haven't competed but on the flip side we've not really dominated a game like Hughes would like us to do. On the positive there are times when we look dominant but we do have a tendancy to take our foot off the gas after a good 20 minutes. Despite a large squad i'd say these players are pretty much first team definites, Lewis and yesterdays back four. Smallwood, Wright and Cook. Its the same three positions up for grabs every week, Hughes clearly likes what Gilly does and Chapman shows good spells. The right wing remains a problem. Wether the team is good enough to gain an automatic spot if those three up for grab spots click remains to be seen.

 

As it stands we have the third best goal difference in the league and third best defence. That defence ain't currently a problem. The attack definitely hasn't clicked, Cook apart the only goal threats seem to be from Wright or players not currently getting in the team in Banks and Young. I'd say we look solid if unspectacular

 

You make some good points, but don't do yourselves any favours with the last sentence.

 

I get what @Inspector is saying, I posted similar in yesterdays match thread.

I genuinely believe we have one of the strongest squads in the league and probably, based on experience, the strongest manager. However for some reason performances, not so much results, aren’t quite where I expected them to be. Results wise I’m ok - Stevenage and Salford cracking results and decent performances. However despite Grimsby’s recent form and very good performance on the day, I expected more from yesterday - a feeling I’ve had from a number of games this season.

I ask the question - why do we keep hearing from opposition related fans/media etc “that’s the best we’ve played all season” when coming up against us? Perhaps testament to us that we’ve heard it a number of times and yet not dropped many points, but for some reason I keep going back to the feeling of expecting more.

I mentioned yesterday, i don’t expect us to walk every game or put in worldy performances every 90 mins (despite how this post may sound). However i have this constant nag that I feel we haven’t reached 5th gear yet and keep wondering why???

Part of me still genuinely believes we aren’t starting games, selection and tactically wise, as Hughes intended. I believe he brought Oliver in as his lead CF and a combination of Cooks goals and Oliver’s slight lack of impact when played, has thrown him a little. Add to that injuries to Walker and Osadabe and Gillead partnering Smallwood (which I feel like also wasn’t the plan) - I think he’s had to adjust his original plan for the season and we’re still working some of it out.

All this is counter balanced however by a clear sign of good recruitment. We’ve got relatable characters back in the squad - a lot of them. We have as good a keeper we’ve seen in many years. We’ve developed a solid looking LB in Foulds. We have young players with a management & coaching team to help them develop. We have our club back (nearly) again.

So not a doom and gloom post - just a good topic of debate.

 

Rename thread to why aren't we running away with the league.

 

I was pondering playing Critchlow as a defensive midfielder.
He has the right attributes like strength, composure and passing ability.
Plus he could drop deeper when required.

 

The reason is less talented Squads know how to counter playing from the back with a high press giving ball players no time on the ball.
At times especially at home our football is a bit predictable we should if the occasion demands it sacrifice football principles and be prepared to mix it up

 

What exactly does mix it up mean though Park? Generally a team has a set way of playing and that will include either going long by the keeper, like we did under Parky, or playing out from the back like we do under Hughes. The way we set up with a loan striker in the 4-2-3-1 formation, if Lewis goes long we invariably lose possession as Cook is not a hold up type player. Lewis's mix it up outball is usually to try and find the full backs, with varying levels of success.

 

We need someone who can run at players and beat 2 or 3 defenders.
Atm we seem a bit robotic. Neat and tidy but lacking a creative spark. A couple of times yesterday we got in good positions but with no one overlapping the attack fizzled out. We were just too narrow and predictable