TC86 Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 (edited) So just back from the Elgin match and what I seen today once again convinced me of two things that are both connected . Firstly I don't think we are equipped to play 4-4-2 because when we do or defensive frailties are exposed . For me our best set up is 4-5-1 , yes it means only one striker but we control matches better , we still create chances and look defensively stronger , We started off today with the one striker and I thought 1st half we completely controlled the match . scored a good goal and didn't look in any real danger of conceding and certainly didn't look like we would do anything other than win that game . Second half he decided to go to a 4-4-2 when in my opinion there was simply no need to do that . We were well in control of the match , we had the goal and without being brilliant were doing more than enough in the match to suggest it would be a comfortable victory but from then on we looked totally disjointed and very exposed defensively . I just think AGAIN he is trying to keep our strikers happy by accommodating them all instead of taking the hard decision to say we are playing one up front and whoever starts needs to make sure his performances are good or he will be replaced . Edited 8 September 2019 by DBDU 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nemsadzDEE Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 2 minutes ago, DBDU said: So just back from the Elgin match and what I seen today once again convinced me of two things that are both connected . Firstly I don't think we are equipped to play 4-4-2 because when we do or defensive frailties are exposed . For me our best set up is 4-5-1 , yes it means only one striker but we control matches better , we still create chances and look defensively stronger , We started off today with the one striker and I thought 1st half we completely controlled the match . scored a good goal and didn't look in any real danger of conceding and certainly didn't look like we would do anything other than win that game . Second half he decided to go to a 4-4-2 when in my opinion there was simply no need to do that . We were well in control of the match , we had the goal and without being brilliant were doing more than enough in the match to suggest it would be a comfortable victory but from then on we looked totally disjointed and very exposed defensively . I just think AGAIN he is trying to keep our strikers happy by accommodating them all instead of taking the hard decision to say we are playing one up front and whoever starts needs to make sure his performances are good or he will be replaced . I agree with what your saying mate but find it really concerning that we can't play 442 and dominate against a lower league team. Any team should be able to play 442, if not it's a clear sign of an unbalanced squad. I think our big issue is lack of creativity and think resigning Hemmings has given us a headache as Johnson and Nelson would do fine. It looks like we've spent the bulkkf the budget and i doubt there's money left for a number 10 type. We'd be in a far better position if we spent the money on a creative player rather than Hemmings. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TC86 Posted 8 September 2019 Author Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 (edited) 17 minutes ago, nemsadzDEE said: I agree with what your saying mate but find it really concerning that we can't play 442 and dominate against a lower league team. Any team should be able to play 442, if not it's a clear sign of an unbalanced squad. I think our big issue is lack of creativity and think resigning Hemmings has given us a headache as Johnson and Nelson would do fine. It looks like we've spent the bulkkf the budget and i doubt there's money left for a number 10 type. We'd be in a far better position if we spent the money on a creative player rather than Hemmings. Totally agree , we should be able to play 4-4-2 but we cant . I thought when we went 4-4-2 Meekings in particular really struggled and if I'm being honest I thought their big striker bossed him a bit ! I also agree with what you are saying about resigning Kane . I really like kano but seeing as we already had 2 very good strikers at the club , resigning him was always going to create a headache for McPake as in who does he drop and I will be honest I would rather the cash would have went on a real creative No10 In the mould of Harkins , Stewart , Scott Allan , Scott Wright . A lot of thinking now needed by the gaffer at such an early stage in his managerial career . He always showed steel as a player he is going to need that here because there is a lot of work required here to turn this around on the last couple showings . Edited 8 September 2019 by DBDU 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeothedug Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 54 minutes ago, nemsadzDEE said: I agree with what your saying mate but find it really concerning that we can't play 442 and dominate against a lower league team. Any team should be able to play 442, if not it's a clear sign of an unbalanced squad. I think our big issue is lack of creativity and think resigning Hemmings has given us a headache as Johnson and Nelson would do fine. It looks like we've spent the bulkkf the budget and i doubt there's money left for a number 10 type. We'd be in a far better position if we spent the money on a creative player rather than Hemmings. Yes absolutely ridiculous we can't win 4 or 5 nothing against bloody Elgin ex Highland League even with 4 4 2. F#cking joke to be honest. McPake better sort things out. Fed up of managers being useless with tactics and team selection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeothedug Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 46 minutes ago, DBDU said: Totally agree , we should be able to play 4-4-2 but we cant . I thought when we went 4-4-2 Meekings in particular really struggled and if I'm being honest I thought their big striker bossed him a bit ! I also agree with what you are saying about resigning Kane . I really like kano but seeing as we already had 2 very good strikers at the club , resigning him was always going to create a headache for McPake as in who does he drop and I will be honest I would rather the cash would have went on a real creative No10 In the mould of Harkins , Stewart , Scott Allan , Scott Wright . A lot of thinking now needed by the gaffer at such an early stage in his managerial career . He always showed steel as a player he is going to need that here because there is a lot of work required here to turn this around on the last couple showings . I agree re a creative player. Why not two? That's something that has been overlooked for many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkblue Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 1 hour ago, DBDU said: For me our best set up is 4-5-1 , yes it means only one striker but we control matches better , we still create chances and look defensively stronger , Was given a bit of a hard time recently for suggesting this. However, it is by some distance, the only formation we've look comfortable with . That to me is MUCH more important that which players are getting a game. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reverend Lovejoy Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 9 minutes ago, barkblue said: Was given a bit of a hard time recently for suggesting this. However, it is by some distance, the only formation we've look comfortable with . That to me is MUCH more important that which players are getting a game. Totally agree but can see why McPake feels he has to pick certain players. In the first half today we should've been out of sight with the amount of ball we had. Maybe 4-5-1 protects us defensively but only really gives us more of the ball in the middle of the park. We rarely create anything of note with the extra man and extra possession. It does give us something to build on though but will maybe initially result in low scoring wins and, or, draws. I don't see us taking sides apart and winning handsomely, although any point is better than losing in the manner we've done recently. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barkblue Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 1 minute ago, Reverend Lovejoy said: Totally agree but can see why McPake feels he has to pick certain players. In the first half today we should've been out of sight with the amount of ball we had. Maybe 4-5-1 protects us defensively but only really gives us more of the ball in the middle of the park. We rarely create anything of note with extra man and extra possession. It does give us something to build on though but will maybe initially result in low scoring wins and, or, draws. I don't see us taking sides apart and winning handsomely, anything point is better than losing in the manner we've done recently though. I think we all want exciting, expansive football with lots of goals and loads of incident. McPake tried that in the derby. End result was a game with tons of chances and eight goals. But I think we'll end up on the wrong end of most of these games with the midfield we have. We play much better when we control the ball and tempo (Aberdeen game) and we also, in my opinion, created lots more chances too, rather than the toothless possession we saw against Ayr and ICT. I do get it. Hemmings is THE man and there's pressure on McPake not to be so negative at home and especially against the likes of Elgin. In the end, we'd all take a season or two of 'boring, boring Arsenal' if we won most games 1-0. Currently we're playing 442, while still creating little and struggling to protect the back-line. Something's going to have to give sooner or later. If McPake can't get/find/stick with a formation and line-up that does better than the last few weeks, then he'll be heading off soon. The crazy thing is I think more than the last 2 managers, he has put a decent set of players together, but he's trying to unlock something from them that's just not there. That will only end one way unfortunately. I'm a McPake believer. Give him time and he'll get it right. Many more results like the last two and he won't get that time though. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eyeothedug Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 10 minutes ago, Reverend Lovejoy said: Totally agree but can see why McPake feels he has to pick certain players. In the first half today we should've been out of sight with the amount of ball we had. Maybe 4-5-1 protects us defensively but only really gives us more of the ball in the middle of the park. We rarely create anything of note with the extra man and extra possession. It does give us something to build on though but will maybe initially result in low scoring wins and, or, draws. I don't see us taking sides apart and winning handsomely, although any point is better than losing in the manner we've done recently. We need to be many many times better. New central defender and a couple of creative options in midfield required. Plus a new keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dondeh Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 19 minutes ago, eyeothedug said: Plus a new keeper. Slander apparently . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8utters Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 I think we changed it at HT because Ness took that heavy challenge and is either crocked again or taken off as a precaution. As per usual we beat ourselves with a crazy 3 minute spell where anything that could go wrong did. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dens Bound Rhino Posted 8 September 2019 Report Share Posted 8 September 2019 Missed the game today so cant comment on the game or performance, however if switching to a 4-4-2 has cost us the game (against Elgin!!) we are in bigger trouble than I initially thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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