Nothing wrong with the formation, the team hasnt bothered to turn up. No way back from this so rest up Kayal
IMO Everything wrong with the formation
Nothing wrong with the formation, the team hasnt bothered to turn up. No way back from this so rest up Kayal
Hughton has had an absolute shocker today. Zamora should never be a lone striker with his lack of pace and I'm gonna have nightmares tonight over our middle three. 442 has bought us all our success his season. I'm worried he's now going to try and limp to a play off place using 541 away.
Unfortunately, like everyone's said, the 3 in midfield has been poorly used today. He played 3 players that are too similar in the midfield and they clearly didn't know their roles as none of them seem capable of tracking runners and none of them really knew who was supposed to be supporting Zamora.
I've always said, stick 3 people in the middle to do 2 people's job and they all think someone else is doing what needs to be done.
It's like playing with less than 10 men.
Just listening to BBC Sussex and someone's made an interesting point. Went to 2 in midfield in the second half and a midfield runner gets the goal. None of them knew who was supposed to be doing that first half.
3 in midfield can work and used well it can be devastating, but players need clear roles and they just didn't seem to know who was going and who was staying today.
I've always said, stick 3 people in the middle to do 2 people's job and they all think someone else is doing what needs to be done.
It's like playing with less than 10 men.
No sure it's down to clear roles, I just think 3 in midfield leads to laziness and complacency.
You do know that basically every successful side over the last 15 years has had 3 in midfield right?
But they did it with variations of: -
1 designated holder
1 box-to-box player
1 attacking playmaker
There have been variations of this I.e. With a regista or 2 box-to-box players in front of or behind a playmaker etc, but ultimately the key point is still that those teams have 3 players with 3 very clear roles.
We played 3 box-to-box players to today and they simply didn't know where to be on the pitch offensively and defensively, and it meant we didn't have the options to build out of the back or support Zamora.
Perhaps due to injury or resting Hughton had to change the team. For me Sidwell and Crofts are fine to come on but to play them both together does not work.
Stephens looked a bit lost without Kayal and we missed the pace of Murphy as an outlet.
No excuses because we were poor all round but a heavy pitch does not suit us and Cardiff dug in better.
We move on and hope it is a bad day at the office.