IF we play 1 up front sunday

[Stumpy Tim]

If we're level with 20 minutes left, Derby will sit in their shell. That's when we throw the kitchen sink at them - not from kick-off. Having said that, I do think we should consider going back to the team we played against Leicester and Charlton - though with Ince for Stephens. Buckley & Lua Lua out wide, Lingard in the centre with Ince. Ince needs to be told to get in the box to use his height though. Maybe March & either Buckley or Lua Lua thinking about it. It's nice to have some pace coming off the bench

I still think we're very much in this, if we don't go gung-ho from the off

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

so we are going to wait for 60 minutes and then throw everything at them and as they are so good on the break they will still score....hmmmm a great way to carry on,something needs changing,if we are to progress.

 

[Dan Aitch]

Stick with the current system, that's obvious... or should be. If we're still behind at 65 minutes then make changes. If we're still behind at 80 then I'd suggest we throw the kitchen sink at them but that's Oscar's decision to make and despite all of us screaming for a change in attacking urgency, his system came through at Forest. I shan't start doubting him now.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Stick with the current system, that's obvious... or should be. If we're still behind at 65 minutes then make changes. If we're still behind at 80 then I'd suggest we throw the kitchen sink at them but that's Oscar's decision to make and despite all of us screaming for a change in attacking urgency, his system came through at Forest. I shan't start doubting him now.

Some sense at last,ok i have opened myself up but i will listen and hope for a classic performance from Albion.....

 

[Brighton Mod]

Didn't our winner v forest come with one man in the box and cms playing out wide like our wingers usually do, rather than playing two strikers?

Quick ball down the line a swift cross, without the usual Lua Lua delay and they were running backwards and Ulloa forwards. Quick ball, quick ball, something we have spectacularly failed at this year. It had nothing to do with playing one up front.

 

[Acker79]

Yup. Only 2 defenders though. And the cross was pinpoint.

This has hardly happened much throughout the course of the season though. You cannot argue with our goal scoring stats however.....

Totally agree. For me, the issue isn't how many players playing in a strikers role we have that is the issue, nor is it where the crosses are coming from. As I've said on many ratings threads and others, when you only have one target in the box, you need a crosses that land on a sixpence, and at this level the only players who can do that with the necessary regularity often have too many weaknesses elsewhere in their game to be used frequently.

When the is only one target for a cross, defenders know a cross can only hurt them if it gets to that player, so crowd him out and most of the time the ball is either cleared or goes across the box away from danger. Have two or three players in there (doesn't have to be a second striker, can be attacking midfield players, can be the wide man from the other side, etc), suddenly defenders can't just gang up, it means the cross doesn't have to be as perfect, since there's more space for the intended target to move into, and if it misses the first man there's a second or third who can attack it.

We had a free kick late in the game on Thursday where the free kick taker was with the ball out wide, kuszczak was in his box, and we had three players on the edge of the centre circle, while derby had all eleven men in the box pretty much doubling up on our six players.

It was the same story v Wigan when we lost 2-1. It's the same story in a lot of games this season, which makes me think as logical as my argument above appears to me, Oscar actually disagrees, because I'm sure he would have addressed this at some point in the season.

2 strikers? combined to score the goal....that's 2 strikers on the pitch at the same time

Only one of which was playing as a striker, the other played as a winger (albeit one that floats left/central/right), just like Buckley, Lingard, lualua, march were doing.

 

[bhawoddy]

Stick with the current system, that's obvious... or should be. If we're still behind at 65 minutes then make changes. If we're still behind at 80 then I'd suggest we throw the kitchen sink at them but that's Oscar's decision to make and despite all of us screaming for a change in attacking urgency, his system came through at Forest. I shan't start doubting him now.

It's not about chasing the game, it's about being positive about what we do. If we attack, then be positive by getting players into dangerous areas. If it breaks down, get men behind the ball.
So many times we attack without being positive. Other than crofts it's rare to see any of our midfielders getting into the box or beyond ulloa.
No one said this is going to be easy, and every player is going to have to give 150% in this one. Ulloa needs to up his game and our creative players need to be positive. Defenders carry on as they have been all season and you never know......

 

[Working class pride]

I want us to keep the ball, pass, pass, and pass again and work a few chances. When we have the ball, they cant attack us. When we get a chance then I hope they take it and this time hope that Upson doesnt undermine all the good work by cleaning one of their players out in the box and also hope the ball doesnt hit the cross bar and then smack our keeper on the arse to rebound into the net.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

I shall stand down now,there is no right or wrong only that what serves,our system works better away from home so perhaps i should have posted this earlier in the week,that said we are still in it and as others have said it could go either way...

It comes down to players at the end of the day and lets hope that they have a good day tomorrow.

Final point of note,just ask your selves how many times we have had a player of the year be a forward over a defender? over the years

or how many good strikers the club has home produced as opposed to the numerous defenders we have?

or that one our most expensive players sold started life as a defender,turned striker -Virgo? (that's about being brave and trying something different)

Perhaps we are too defensive minded as a club,but to be fair we had to be over the years...

 

[Commander]

Well it's not quite what the title says,but i will accept and also that at some stage if we want to get promoted,then more than 1 up front will be on the pitch to try to make it happen at some stage tomorrow.

OK, it says 'if we play one up front we don't want promotion'.

But, the second part of the above post does make a bit more sense. I'm sure we will have two strikers on at one point, but that's very different to going there with a completely different game plan than we'd had for the whole season. We've seen how good Derby are on the counter attack, I can't believe people are suggesting we should go there all guns blazing, we'd be 3-0 down by half time. We need to frustrate them, get their crowd on their backs, make them come at us so we can pick them off. We only need one goal and then it's all to play for and anything can happen. To go there and go steaming out of the blocks from the start would be disastrous.

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

OK, it says 'if we play one up front we don't want promotion'.

But, the second part of the above post does make a bit more sense. I'm sure we will have two strikers on at one point, but that's very different to going there with a completely different game plan than we'd had for the whole season. We've seen how good Derby are on the counter attack, I can't believe people are suggesting we should go there all guns blazing, we'd be 3-0 down by half time. We need to frustrate them, get their crowd on their backs, make them come at us so we can pick them off. We only need one goal and then it's all to play for and anything can happen. To go there and go steaming out of the blocks from the start would be disastrous.

I really must go now,her indoors wants to shop,but all of my posts very much are tongue in cheek,we need to out score the inevitable 1 they will score..

 

[Wrong-Direction]

it could be a cagey 0-0 for 70mins and then KLL and CMS come on to attack......this has worked for us alot, and derby would surely defend what they have (as they did in 2nd half).

no need to completely change tactics and formation at this stage......save lingard, orlandi, and jfc need replacing in the starting 11.

if we went gung-ho and they hit us on the break its all over.

I guarantee it won't be 0-0 on 70mins

 

[bhawoddy]

OK, it says 'if we play one up front we don't want promotion'.

But, the second part of the above post does make a bit more sense. I'm sure we will have two strikers on at one point, but that's very different to going there with a completely different game plan than we'd had for the whole season. We've seen how good Derby are on the counter attack, I can't believe people are suggesting we should go there all guns blazing, we'd be 3-0 down by half time. We need to frustrate them, get their crowd on their backs, make them come at us so we can pick them off. We only need one goal and then it's all to play for and anything can happen. To go there and go steaming out of the blocks from the start would be disastrous.

Your forgetting one important thing, they don't need to "come at us". How can they get frustrated? A 0-0 suits them perfectly.

The onus is on us to win the game, so therefore we are the ones who need to go at them. How we do that is down to the management and players

 

[Driver8]

There is no way we will change our formation for this game. If we need a goal in the last 10-15 mins then we will throw the kitchen sink at them but other than that it will be "as you were".

 

[Couldn't Be Hyypia]

I'd be pleased if we're still in with a realistic chance of going through with 15 to go. Even if that meant the scores were still 0-0 in the match. Derby fans could get very twitchy.

Obviously I'd rather were were 3-0 up, but that feels unlikely.

 

[bhawoddy]

There is no way we will change our formation for this game. If we need a goal in the last 10-15 mins then we will throw the kitchen sink at them but other than that it will be "as you were".

Can't see many people who think we will.

 

[bhawoddy]

I'd be pleased if we're still in with a realistic chance of going through with 15 to go. Even if that meant the scores were still 0-0 in the match. Derby fans could get very twitchy.

Obviously I'd rather were were 3-0 up, but that feels unlikely.

I'm pretty sure if it's 0-0 with 15mins left derby fans will be more than happy and certainly not twitchy IMO.

 

[Spadge]

Two up front does not work in modern football, the midfield would be completely over run. Derby controlled the midfield enough on Friday without taking another of our players out.

Personally I think we should be patient and look to defend. Look at games in recent weeks where the defending team has won... Chelsea, Real Madrid, Crystal Palace, Derby.

Based on Derby's strengths and how they played on Friday we need to let them come at us a little bit. They were only dangerous on the break and we struggle massively to break down 10 players in a team's half.

I think we should go for -

Kuszczak
Calderon/Bruno Greer Upson Ward
Ince Andrews
March Stephens Lingard
Ulloa

We then have the stability at the back with some pace to break. We have one of the best defensive records in the league, lets play to that strength. The only way I see us winning is but not conceding. If it's 0-0 after 60-70min then look to introduce Lua Lua, CMS, David/Orlandi (to play a killer pass or set piece)

Yep 2 up front never works!

Man City would never play Aguero and Dzeko together, Liverpool would never play Sturridge and Suarez together, Leicester would never play Nugent and Knockaert together and Burnley wouldn't dream of playing Ings with Vokes...................Whats that you say? What do you mean there at the very top of there respective leagues?

 

[MattBackHome]

I hope this gets bounced tomorrow and i am made to look the fool,so be it,but any team that is so inflexible with it's tactic's becomes predictable.

I think a defining feature of OGs play is that it IS flexible, especially when compared to GP. Both Garcia and Jones, and some players have talked about how depending on the tactics of the opposition the focus will shift between playing the ball out slowly (the preferred option), split defenders with the ball moved wide to full backs, trying to hit Lingard/Buckley in a channel or finally lump it to Leo (simplified explanations of the tactics but you get my drift).

If anything, you could argue that a philosophy designed around how the opposition plays is a bit TOO flexible. But the signs appear to be that we're moving in the right direction.

 

[theonesmith]

Yep 2 up front never works!

Man City would never play Aguero and Dzeko together, Liverpool would never play Sturridge and Suarez together, Leicester would never play Nugent and Knockaert together and Burnley wouldn't dream of playing Ings with Vokes...................Whats that you say? What do you mean there at the very top of there respective leagues?

Knockaert a striker

Sturridge and Suarez usually alternate taking roles in the middle and out wide. Rarely if ever have they done the traditional English approach of hovering around the 2 centre backs