[Albion] Team v Cardiff

[Arkwright]

That old chestnut.
The problem with that is our squad just isn't cut out for a back three/five. We have three CBs, six full backs, and four wingers. What's more CH has repeatedly said that he likes playing with a back four and wingers. Is this merely your wish, or do you expect it to happen?

Wish / hope, we have three good centre halves who could easily play as a back three enabling Bruno and Bong to link closer to the front wide players. Something does need to change away as we offer little to no threat in open play.
CH has played the system at home to Chelsea and take out the first ten minutes you could argue it worked.

 

[Stat Brother]

I've been trying to think, all afternoon, of something more stupid than a wholesale change of formation for a massive 6 pointer game, and I just can't do it.

I even started the day posting a thread with people holding lit fireworks in their mouths.

 

[Machiavelli]

Wish / hope, we have three good centre halves who could easily play as a back three enabling Bruno and Bong to link closer to the front wide players. Something does need to change away as we offer little to no threat in open play.
CH has played the system at home to Chelsea and take out the first ten minutes you could argue it worked.

I agree that Balogun looks a solid acquisition, but my broader point still stands: the squad's been put together with a back four and wingers in mind. I agree about Chelsea, and would even argue that the first ten minutes was more to do with attacking brilliance, but do note that CH (along with several other managers) adapted to three/five at the back in order to match up to Chelsea's (then) formation. There is much less of it this season.

And as much as I like radicalism, CH's conservatism is somewhat reassuring when it comes to formation and selection. He's built an exceptionally solid system, where each player has been drilled about their roles. A back three against Cardiff will remain as a wish/hope on your behalf, but the likelihood of it happening is minimal.

One way to address your valid concern about away ambition is to just play the normal formation, but to use it differently -- to use it more offensively, through moving higher up the pitch, committing more players forward, etc.

 

[BensGrandad]

Lets just hope that it is nor a repeat of the game in The Championship with a morning kick off on TV, when they completely outplayed us.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Lets just hope that it is nor a repeat of the game in The Championship with a morning kick off on TV, when they completely outplayed us.

Umm yeah

 

[dazzer6666]

Lets just hope that it is nor a repeat of the game in The Championship with a morning kick off on TV, when they completely outplayed us.

Wasn’t it absolutely hammering down all through that match ?

 

[b.w.2.]

Well he's not going to say they're cr@p, is he. That would be asking for trouble.

So focus on us... simple...


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[LamieRobertson]

Wasn’t it absolutely hammering down all through that match ?

it certainly was

 

[LamieRobertson]

So focus on us... simple...


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Or just carry on doing his interviews the way he is.....simpler still

 

[b.w.2.]

What’s more important to me is that his post match interview doesn’t include the words “we need to keep the ball better”, which we’ve pretty much heard after the last 4 games meaning that once again we’ve struggled to keep possession and invited loads of pressure on ourselves !

Agreed... to me, the talking up your opponent BS is totally unnecessary, especially when your opponents are inferior...

He could say something like “we need to retain possession better than we have done in the last few games” BEFORE the game... so, focus on us, not them...


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[Hampster Gull]

I've been trying to think, all afternoon, of something more stupid than a wholesale change of formation for a massive 6 pointer game, and I just can't do it.

I even started the day posting a thread with people holding lit fireworks in their mouths.

But you are wise SB, despite your silly cycling pants

 

[bobzam]

As long as we attack them, play our football and not worry about sitting back - we are the better team. Play them off the park. The one game we can attack right?

 

[casbom]

It's going to be a very tight game like the Newcastle game. I don't envisage the same number of shots that Newcastle had against us but we need to keep our guard up, especially with Josh Murphy in good form. I'd love us to get a sneaky 1-0 win but I've got a feeling it's going to be a bore draw. I just hope Andone comes on a lot earlier in the second half to see if he can make a difference.

 

[GT49er]

As long as we attack them, play our football and not worry about sitting back - we are the better team. Play them off the park. The one game we can attack right?

Like Fulham...........what could go wrong?

 

[Sarisbury Seagull]

What I would like to see:

Ryan;
Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Bong;
Knockaert, Bissouma, Stephens; Kayal, Izquierdo;
Murray.

I really want Bissouma to start as I think this is the sort of match he could shine but to start deeper as he can break and carry the ball forward rather than starting in the 'number 10' position and that means both he and Kayal can take turns pushing forward with the other one covering with Stephens when necessary. This would also give us solidity which I think we will need at the start of the match as Cardiff have to come out strongly against us - they must be targeting 3 points here. Would also like Andone to get more minutes from the bench as well.

What I expect to see:

Ryan;
Bruno, Dunk, Duffy, Bong;
Ali J, Stephens, Kayal, Izquierdo;
March;
Murray.

 

[sydney]

ok so AJ out so knocky in for Aj , march to the bench, andone in behind muzz........or bissouma in for aj and solly gets another chance to be subbed for andone early in 2nd half......need to have a go at this lot , they put 4 past fulham the other week so if we sit back we ask for trouble.

 

[Stat Brother]

ok so AJ out so knocky in for Aj , march to the bench, andone in behind muzz........or bissouma in for aj and solly gets another chance to be subbed for andone early in 2nd half......need to have a go at this lot , they put 4 past fulham the other week so if we sit back we ask for trouble.

Do you see our defence as being on a par with Fulhams?

 

[BRIGHT ON Q]

I’m guessing no one has March in their team but he will be shoehorned in somewhere. Need to try someone else in there tomorrow as it just doesn’t work with March.I would stick Bissouma back in and move Kayal a bit further forward.

 

[Moshe Gariani]

Also... Dear Chris... please, please don’t start your preview interview with the now infamous words “These are a good team...” They clearly are NOT...

Excellent observation. Chris is going to need to dust off his file named "Press Conference clichés when playing a lower ranked team away from home".


"They've not found life easy since promotion but then we know ourselves how hard it can be in this division"

"I have got a lot of respect for [insert name of opposition manager]. He has done an excellent job down there / up there (delete as necessary)"

"It is always a hard place to go. They have a great support and our job is to quieten them down"

"They will be looking at this as a game from which they need to take points"

"We will need to be at our levels to take anything from the game"

 

[Betfair Bozo]

ok so AJ out so knocky in for Aj , march to the bench, andone in behind muzz........or bissouma in for aj and solly gets another chance to be subbed for andone early in 2nd half......need to have a go at this lot , they put 4 past fulham the other week so if we sit back we ask for trouble.

Fulham don't sit back though do they. That game was a shootout. Also, that 4 was almost half of Cardiff's total for the season.