[Albion] Are Hughton’s tactics too negative?

[bn1&bn3 Albion]

Sitting on a lead against the worst team (on form) in the league with 75 minutes to go? I would call that too negative.

I couldn't make last night's game so I can't comment on it.

I agree we do play negatively and it does my head in at times but at the moment we are staying out of the relegation zone..

When Locadia is fully fit I hope to see a more positive style of football.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I think Hughton's approach to football is a tad too cautious. Stephens and Propper between them have played 50 Prem matches and haven't bagged a single goal between them. Stick them in ANY other Prem side and they would score goals.

Propper was scoring 1 in 4 for PSV, 1 in 5 for Vitesse in the Dutch Eredivisie. Either he hasn't done anything Hughton has asked for 6 months or Hughton has coached the goals out of him.

 

[NooBHA]

The obsessed Norwich fans are going to be loving this.

I was just thinking the exact same. And they didn't even have the luxury of seeing him dispose of teams by playing attacking football in the Championship in the two seasons prior

 

[Mellotron]

The only time we altered it was Chelsea. One solitary game.

Possibly the best attacking play I've seen from us all season, in that game. Hope once Locadia's through we try that again, with him and Izquierdo on the pitch.

 

[NooBHA]

If the '' No's '' get up to 100 I will be happy

 

[NEASTGULL]

I have only watched two matches live this season - Newcastle and Middlesbrough. It would be unfair to judge on the cup match, however at Newcastle, it seemed like although we controlled the ball, especially in the first half, there was never any danger of us scoring (apart from the header from Duffy). It was almost as if we were afraid that if we attacked, we would lose.

If we are good enough to take a 1-0 lead, why do we need to immediately defend for our lives? Surely, if we are playing well enough to score, there would be a possibility that a 2nd goal may follow, and we could then control the game a bit easier.

Only time will tell whether out tactics are too negative, however with the run in we have, I believe that when we have a team on the ropes (like last night) we should keep playing the same way, trying to score again, and not immediately drop back into our shells like we seem to do.

 

[cjd]

We have ONE win in the last fourteen games.

We have a worse goal difference than West Brom and Southampton and only two goals better than Swansea.

Mr. Gungho Bournemouth have a far superior goal difference to us.....and more points.

The lowest goals scored in the Premier League.

As a personal opinion, I don't believe we have one of the worst squads in the league.

Anyone who thinks we are not too negative needs to take a reality check.

 

[Triggaaar]

The obsessed Norwich fans are going to be loving this.

How is mid-table in the Championship these days?

 

[Kalimantan Gull]

Unfortunately, maybe Swansea were doing it worse than us, but having changed manager, they're now doing it better. With a point covering the 4 teams directly below us, and us having 5 of our remaining 13 games left against top 6, I'm not sure we're in a better place than them.

I'm not sure if that's just a general point, or aimed at me. It feels like the latter, which is weird, as I'm one of those constantly pointing out that the footy geniuses on here don't know half as much as our manager, and that we're about where we'd expect to be given our squad. In fact, having not had a new striker since last season, we've done a little better than I feared.

it was the former

 

[NooBHA]

We have ONE win in the last fourteen games.

We have a worse goal difference than West Brom and Southampton and only two goals better than Swansea.

Mr. Gungho Bournemouth have a far superior goal difference to us.....and more points.

Anyone who thinks we are not too negative needs to take a reality check.

Not many other sides in the league plays with two wingers

 

[biddles911]

I don't think the balance is quite right, especially against the teams in the bottom half. I think the wingers are asked to play too negatively, too much in their own half, and this has contributed quite considerably to our lack of goal threat. The last couple of seasons, it's been all about being solid and then getting the ball quickly to the wingers when we have opportunities to attack. This season, the wingers spend too much time on defensive duties, which makes it hard to transition to an attacking mindset when we do have the ball. I also think we are missing Sam Baldock massively - he would create a lot of space for our wingers, which would allow them to play better. There's no one else really creating that space this season - hopefully Locadia will help with that, once he's finally able to play. Overall, I feel Chris should have more confidence in our players to produce the goods against the bottom half teams. He tends to sound very defeatist before we even play teams, and doesn't seem to have the confidence in our players to compete at this level all things being equal, which results in a very conservative setup. He also seems unwilling to change things up with subs due to a fear of altering with the stability of our set up. Of course he knows the players better than me, so I'm probably wrong, but I just wish he had a bit more confidence in the players to have a go at the bottom half teams. The whole team looks short of confidence at the moment as well, which of course doesn't help. I'm still 100% Hughton in, as I'm sure most people are - but this does not stop me having frustrations.

Absolutely agree with this. Don’t think anyone here is suggesting all-out attack just a rather more attacking mindset, if only to take some pressure off the defence.

It doesn’t help that several players are playing well below their normal level of last year e.g. March, Knocky, Bruno. I’m not sure how much of this is due to tactics, loss of confidence or that they they’re not quite up to Premier League standard?

One thing I would definitely advocate, though, is bringing on subs that might change the game much earlier, particularly when we’re chasing the game.


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[Triggaaar]

If the '' No's '' get up to 100 I will be happy

Do you not think it's possible Chris is being a bit too negative?

 

[pork pie]

Not many other sides in the league plays with two wingers

Nor do we. They are used as extra full-backs.

 

[Wrong-Direction]

Ask again after Saturday's game

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[n1 gull]

Not many other sides in the league plays with two wingers

Wingers who play as full backs are not really wingers are they?

 

[cjd]

Not many other sides in the league plays with two wingers

Wingers ? Are they the chaps that in normal teams attack the opposing defence ?

 

[NooBHA]

Do you not think it's possible Chris is being a bit too negative?

I think he cuts his cloth to fit what he has got in terms of a squad of players. Half of them are in effect Championship standard players. So do I think he is ''Too Negative'' No I don't

Do I think he should take more chances ''Yes occasionally I do''

However, that's what you get from Chris when his squad of players don't match up to the opposition. I think he plays the percentages and targets points and away from home I think he sees a point is a good point and at home I think he is very adventurous. I mean we absolutely pounded Bournemouth and Burnley without managing to get the 3 points.

That was down to the squad of players just not having the cutting edge needed at this level.

 

[NooBHA]

Nor do we. They are used as extra full-backs.

Heaven forbid the poor souls might be asked to defend as well

 

[The_Viper]

Izquierdo, Knockaert and March have 5 goals and 4 assists. COMBINED. Make no mistake, the tactics are KILLING us going forward. March won the penalty yesterday and then was forced into playing as a second full back, Izquierdo did little to no attacking work in the second half. They're more than capable but the tactics are not allowing it.

 

[Triggaaar]

I think he cuts his cloth to fit what he has got in terms of a squad of players. Half of them are in effect Championship standard players.

Half of the team are new acquisitions, so should be PL standard, and surely some from last year are PL standard? You also told us that Murray and Hemed were good enough and would score when given the chance.

However, that's what you get from Chris when his squad of players don't match up to the opposition. I think he plays the percentages and targets points and away from home I think he sees a point is a good point and at home I think he is very adventurous.

A point away generally is a good point, but if the game allows for more we should be fighting for it, not settling for the point we thought we'd be happy with.

I mean we absolutely pounded Bournemouth and Burnley without managing to get the 3 points.

And I don't think people felt we were too negative in those games.

That was down to the squad of players just not having the cutting edge needed at this level.

Are you quoting Harry Redknapp? It's not all down to the players, the manager is the most significant member of the team and deserves the credit when we do well and not so well.