It's a tricky situation because we have a very good system that the players know very well having played it for such an extended period of time. Yes, we've gone through a tricky patch but changing everything may not be the best solution. Whatever shape we go with, we're coming up against much stronger opposition players than last year. We're not suddenly going to be transformed by changing formation. My gut feeling is tweaking the roles/personel match by match to cover areas the forthcoming opposition may exploit in the short term and in the longer term looking for better players who wont get exploited so much.
Both Calderon and Painter have had a hard time. I think Painters weakness, pace, is more in your face, so he'll attract more criticism but note it was Calde who was dropped from the side against Palace. The crux of the problem for me is we haven't been able to replace Bennett.
Bennett would cover a lot of ground between right central/wide right and was much more fluid in his movemenent and energetic than any of our current MCR opitions. This allowed Calderon to venture forward and also made us appear weak for cover on the right side, but we weren't because Bennett would come from his central position to cover, and if he wasn't there, Bridcutt was. Painter was generally protected quite well by Dicker and Bridcutt coming across.
Barnes has always played a massive role defensivly, and when people bang on about Hoskins replacing him, they're just not getting how we play as far as I'm concerned. Unless we play a different way, Hoskins isnt a direct replacement for Barnes. Just because they're both strikers, it doesnt mean they do the same job on the pitch. Barnes has the footballing brain and understanding to drop in and support the side defensivly and has been doing so very effectivly for over a year now. It's only more obvious now because we're up against better opposition. If Barnes is replaced, it will be by a new signing rather than Hoskins imo.
Sparrow has got good energy and I wasn't at all suprised to see him back in the side against Hull. I suspect he may keep his place too. Vicente I havent really seen enough of to make an opinion on defensivly but Gus has suggested in his interviews he's happy with that side of his game.
I think we may be seeing more of Vicente and Sparrow just ahead of Bridcutt to help cover the full backs and Noone to reclaim the left wing slot as he has great energy in there. Need to see how good Vicente is in the Dicker role though to know if he's going to regularly do that. I think he can, but we may not be getting the best out of him, may be best for the team though.
Ankergren
Calderon - Greer - Dunk - Painter
Bridcutt
Sparrow - Vicente
-------------------------Noone
Barnes - Mackail-Smith
Both Calderon and Painter have had a hard time. I think Painters weakness, pace, is more in your face, so he'll attract more criticism but note it was Calde who was dropped from the side against Palace. The crux of the problem for me is we haven't been able to replace Bennett.
Bennett would cover a lot of ground between right central/wide right and was much more fluid in his movemenent and energetic than any of our current MCR opitions. This allowed Calderon to venture forward and also made us appear weak for cover on the right side, but we weren't because Bennett would come from his central position to cover, and if he wasn't there, Bridcutt was. Painter was generally protected quite well by Dicker and Bridcutt coming across.
Barnes has always played a massive role defensivly, and when people bang on about Hoskins replacing him, they're just not getting how we play as far as I'm concerned. Unless we play a different way, Hoskins isnt a direct replacement for Barnes. Just because they're both strikers, it doesnt mean they do the same job on the pitch. Barnes has the footballing brain and understanding to drop in and support the side defensivly and has been doing so very effectivly for over a year now. It's only more obvious now because we're up against better opposition. If Barnes is replaced, it will be by a new signing rather than Hoskins imo.
Sparrow has got good energy and I wasn't at all suprised to see him back in the side against Hull. I suspect he may keep his place too. Vicente I havent really seen enough of to make an opinion on defensivly but Gus has suggested in his interviews he's happy with that side of his game.
I think we may be seeing more of Vicente and Sparrow just ahead of Bridcutt to help cover the full backs and Noone to reclaim the left wing slot as he has great energy in there. Need to see how good Vicente is in the Dicker role though to know if he's going to regularly do that. I think he can, but we may not be getting the best out of him, may be best for the team though.
Ankergren
Calderon - Greer - Dunk - Painter
Bridcutt
Sparrow - Vicente
-------------------------Noone
Barnes - Mackail-Smith
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