Wing backs

I think the right hand side isn't too bad with Tomkinson and Halliday, neither are exactly speed demons, but they have enough in them to recover. They've had 5 or 6 starts together, so that relationship is still building between the two so there will be the odd mistake whilst it grows I suppose.

The left hand side is a worry though. Kelly for me has been impressive more often that not, but is another one who is on the slower side. The left wing back area needs sorting if this is a long term thing. Ridehalgh might have the odd moment but overall, he looks to have certainly regressed with his pace and awareness this year, naturally at his age and after a career of injury issues. Richards for me isn't a wing back. He'd never played it before coming here, so he is learning the role still but again isn't exactly pacey or naturally aware of where he needs to be at times. He's always been a left sided centre back during his youth career and maybe he slides to there over the season or next season if Stubbs goes and Platt doesn't renew. A pacey LWB for me is a huge need.

 

Until we can bring one in I'd be happier to see Gillead there rather than Ridehalgh.

 

Alexandra comes across as one of the most impressive, thoughtful, considered and kwowledgeable Manager since Parkinson. What he does however does not tie up.

We are now getting to know him. He seems to have a number of core beliefs. Three Centre Halves. Full backs who are half wingers who are a key part in our attack. Two forwards well up and central. No wingers as such. Get the ball forward quickly, if necessarily at the expense of accuracy.

Can possibly bring success but as people are pointing out this, like all systems, has flaws. Some of our best players do not get a game with this structure. Too much is expected of our full backs. There are inviting gaps behind them.
Three Centre Halves get in each others way. No width or specialised dribblers. At times it is a tough watch.
Most important - it is not getting results.

Does anyone think he will compromise or have a PLan B up his sleeve?

 

Indeed. It's a shame our problem is on the left and not the right. He was excellent there last night and it's no surprise that our midfield was more effective without him.

 

The fault with this shape is that we don't have any specialist wing backs in the squad so apart from just "lumping it in" we lack the creativity in forward areas.

Halliday has done ok but looks painfully short when facing up a full back one on one and Richards when playing there looks exactly what he is, a left sided centre half.

If we're to persevere with the wing back system then this is definitely a priority area to improve.

 

I like him there better than Halliday as I feel he gives us more by carrying the ball and that little bit of extra pace.

I'm not saying Halliday has done anything wrong, he's been ultra consistent but if we're honest, he's not really a wing back, just a very good full back that's trying to adapt.

 

Would like to see Wilson given an opportunity at LWB. He has pace. Seems strange why GA has discarded him.

 

It would be very hard indeed on Halliday but you might well be right.

 

I always wondered if a good wing back is an established winger who decides to learn to defend better or a full back who gets better at attacking?

 

Usually someone who isn't good enough to be an all out winger as good wingers are rare as rocking horse poo.

 

In my opinion, you could probably teach a winger to defend, but you can't teach a full back how to take players on and beat a man.

 

I don't think it's in his nature to have a Plan B. Looking over his career, he isn't a man who sets for years in a job. He signs players of an age usually rather than youth on 3+ year contracts. He's probably more of a realist, who knows the lifespan of an EFL manager and knows it's short term success, has looked at the squad and decided that this is the best approach.

Neville has said before he regrets sacking him, but did say something around transfer activity was a rubbing point for Alexander and Salford, along with Wellens too. He's said before that the way they agree to sign a player, is to have the owner group represented by one, the head of recruitment, and the owner all agree over a move. Managers would pitch a sheet of names and a lot were guys he'd worked with once before, which the scouts didn't think would work in the system and when it came to vote, a lot of friction would come up. If you look over his transfer history, he does sign the same player at 2 or 3 clubs over his career. You get the feeling that if GA likes someone, he will favour them and it feels like that here. How certain players aren't getting a look in, few others who people would happily see the back of are in the matchday 18s.

 

He played the wing back role in Wales and while the standard isn't as high I'm surprised his experience in that position hasn't at least seen him get a cameo there.

 

I've said it before but if you want to be an attack minded side in this formation, then your wing backs need to be wingers. Otherwise you're asking defenders to be your main source of creativity.

 

I wouldn't go as far as that, I'm the sense that I wouldn't play Chapman there but they certainly need some traits of a winger as they are sometimes the sole attacking outlet if you're being dominated in the central areas.

 

We're lucky that Halliday is so good he can play wing back and attack with pace, even though he's a defender.

Yet he's not a winger, and the service from our wing backs isn't good enough.

Without Walker, we offer very little threat, and that's key because there's nothing and no one linking up defence and attack with real ability right now. The strikers won't score without any quality attacking midfielders or wingers on the pitch actually getting the ball to them in good positions.

Watching the wing backs and Smallwood trying to create chances is painful.

 

Bet you couldn't have taught Don Hutchins to defend !

 

That's pretty much it in a nutshell. You can get away with it to an extent if your midfield is agile and creative but if not that's your only source of creativity.