Originally Posted by
Piglet_Phoenix
What did we learn today we didn’t already know? Would it be so radically different to try to attack and win the game from the off instead of starting defensively, waiting until we concede and then desperately trying to scramble something out of the game? How many times under Curle has this happened? It’s too much of a recurring theme to be coincidence.
Hope and Miller do not work together as a combination upfront – each one of them needs to play off a larger unit who can win a header and hold the ball up. When they start together they are too easy for big defenders to defend against. Why do we keep persisting with this tactic?
You can’t play three defensive midfielders and expect to play fluent attacking football, you’re basically left with Adams being your only creative outlet. This tactic is so limited and predictable – the opposition know precisely where the ball’s going every time we have possession. So with the back five you’re left with eight defensive players, two forwards and playmaker – it’s imbalanced, and it looks awful. When you’re away from home playing a team from a higher division, there may be justification for playing this combination of players – but you have to set yourself up to properly counter-attack – the manager isn’t capable of doing this. The attempts to shoe-horn these players into a 4-4-2 will, more often than not, fail.
We have players at the football club capable of winning games of football while playing a style of football which is decent to watch, but we have a manager who seems incapable of making even the most basic tactical decisions correctly. In terms of his substitutions, take Brown off and leave Grainger on? Take Jones off and leave Joyce on? Decisions so retarded it’s almost like he wanted to lose.
Anyway – the ratings…
Bonham – 4 – A decent save at the start the first half, but vanished into thin air for the goal. A league standard goalkeeper should not be conceding any goals like that, it’s simply not good enough. I’d rather we played one of our own young keepers ahead of either Bonham or George. Indeed, they might make mistakes – but it wouldn’t be any different.
Brown – 7 – Reminds me a bit of Paul Haigh without the huge thighs. Does the simple things really, really well and defends excellently. Good in the air and in the tackle, solid in the block, direct with his passing – and improving all the time. If we could sign him for longer or permanently we should make it happen. I’d try him at left-back (where he can apparently play) and put Grainger out to grass – permanently.
Grainger - 1 – Complete garbage. Awful set pieces. It’s painful, the treacle he runs through seems to get deeper every week as this old faithful carthorse keeps plodding away, slowing to an arthritic crawl. He gamefully tries to defend, but typically fails. It looks like he’s trying his hardest, bless him – but this is professional football, not a kick about with your elderly relatives in the grounds of an Old Folks’ home. He reminds me of Harrison Ford trying to “run” in that recent Star Wars film and the new Bladerunner.
Hill – 7* – He knew what he was letting himself in for, yes? He’s improved our central defence exponentially and it’s really telling that whoever plays alongside him looks twice the player (at least) they were when he wasn’t with us. Did his defensive job magnificently, although it was disappointing he missed the target with his header late on – he’ll know (and feel) that disappointment more than anybody.
Liddle – 7 – With Hill alongside him he finally looks like a footballer, and in fairness I thought he had a decent, steady, game today. Not only that, but he was also reading the game a lot better than usual and showing a hitherto absent bravery to put his body on the line for the team. Making tackles, winning headers, intercepting the ball – normally things you wouldn’t associate with Liddle – were all there today – so fair play to him.
Jones – 5 – Too often caught sleeping in midfield and his positioning was questionable. Someone should have been aware of the Exeter players making those tricky little runs behind our back four and midfield – and it’s Jones’ job to prevent that either by making the other players aware or closing the door himself. Needed to help the back four more by working back and giving them in option when our defence were in possession. Still however, did some decent work driving us forward and we lost momentum when he was substituted
Joyce – 2 – Looks like he needs a rest. Out of the three defensive midfielders Joyce inexplicably, was the only one who played the full game. In honestly most of the game passed him by and when he had the ball he wasted it. Maybe he’d been asked to get forward more and be more creative? Wherever he was playing, he wasn’t effective or influential at all. When Joyce and Jones work together as two in central midfield they look formidable, but today – it didn’t work.
Etuhu – 6 – Our best midfielder first half, and for me – much improved. I’d quite like to see him given an opportunity in central midfield alongside Jones – as he’d be much more effective with more options ahead of him to pick out when he won the ball. I kept wanting to see Devitt steaming up the right wing when he Etuhu won the ball – but as it was he could only pick out Hope (and we all know how that’s going to end).
Adams – 4 – How many times are you going to loop a high cross into the penalty area from the left wing looking for our stumpy forwards to win headers against players twice their size? Ok, so after the fif****th attempt – would you maybe try something a little different? Or would you keep on doing it, again, and again, and again. It’s like getting one of those clockwork monkeys (the ones on wheels which hit cymbals together), winding it up and releasing it against a wall. If you are going to keeping on looking for the head of our forwards – you have to get the ball across a lot faster, with a lot more accuracy and pace. Or even, try passing the ball to players in blue shirts instead of crossing it.
Hope - 4 – All pace, no brain. I can’t fault his effort, but he doesn’t have the awareness to play to his strengths. Wasted a golden opportunity when we finally managed to get his head on the ball in the box, but let’s face it – he’s not good enough. Being a footballer should be about having technical ability and the brain to use it – Hope has neither.
Miller – 4 – Must do more when the ball isn’t falling for him. Why not come short / deep for Adams instead of hiding behind defenders in the penalty area all game? Yes, I can criticise Adams for pumping those awful crosses into the box all afternoon – but you could counter that by arguing Miller didn’t really come closer to him / or find enough space in the box to give him any other option. I don’t blame Hope as much, as he doesn’t know any better – but Miller is more capable of showing better movement and intelligence.
Subs
Devitt – 6 – We looked much better with another creative player on the pitch. Devitt needs to be given a run of league starts – not just the odd cameo from the bench and reserve cup game. I’d start him ahead of one of the defensive midfield trio for the next game (on today’s performance – Joyce)
Lambe – 6 – Some decent touches and better crossing than Adams.
Kennedy – 5 – Some totally pointless fouling and looked a bit rusty. Resting him hasn’t helped his sharpness, great decision Keith.
My team for the next game would be:
GK – Our own youth player
RB – T Miller
LB – Brown
CB – Hill
CB – Liddle
M – Jones
M – Etuhu
W - Lambe
W – Devitt
CF – Cosgrove
CF - Miller
I haven’t specified which wings I’d have Lambe and Devitt on as they’d be instructed to switch (and spend periods centrally) throughout the game. We’d benefit immensely without any ponderous nonsense at left back – and while I’m not sure whether Cosgrove is good enough or any long term solution – in theory he’d be there to hold the ball up and bring Miller, Lambe and Devitt into play.
Two holding midfielders should be sufficient for tier four and you have a lot more attacking options with this tactical arrangement – you’re trying to win the game from the start instead of trying not to lose it – a dangerous subversive approach in the world of Curle…
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