Re: Championship.. Tactics.

[Saxo1man41]

Do you think Tony will stick to the tactics and formation that has served us well this season, or do you think he will change things at the higher level?

If he changes things, do you think there's a possibility someone like Dack could be sacrificed(sold) to facilitate bringing in new players to suit that style?

Again no opinion from me, just the questions.

[champs95]

Do you think Tony will stick to the tactics and formation that has served us well this season, or do you think he will change things at the higher level?

If he changes things, do you think there's a possibility someone like Dack could be sacrificed(sold) to facilitate bringing in new players to suit that style?

Again no opinion from me, just the questions.

I think they will build a side around Dack next season. I would love to see us get Armstrong. And I think we have a good chance of getting him. And see a forward line with Dack, Chapman and Armstrong supporting Graham. And we need a player of his ilk to come in and be an alternative (to Graham) Also this depends if Chapman is injury prone, and if we can get him cheap. I think the same system but slightly better players here & there. ...ie someone like Smallood, who has been great in Div1. But wont be good enough in the Champ week in week out.

[AucklandRover]

It's a very interesting question.
For example, if we get Chapman (or similar), would he start ahead of Bennett? (It's TM's "artist" v. "soldier" thing again).
I suspect we are quite likely to see something like 4-3-2-1, but if one of the midfielders is a winger, should the other two both be defensive-minded? If not, and one of them is Payne/Whittingham/New Recruit, does that give the defence enough protection - especially if the winger is someone like Chapman, rather than someone like Bennett?
I have got the impression several times that Mowbray is quite tempted by three at the back, but we have three good full-backs, and I'm sure he doesn't want them to be redundant.
I reckon this brings us back to flexibility. The danger for managers, of course, is that lots of fans call a flexible approach "tinkering" because they have a notion of "best XI". Regardless, I think he will stick to the "horses for courses" tactic.
Mowbray seems to be much more modern in his thinking than I expected. I believe his prolonged use of two holding players was based on two factors: 1) the loss of Chapman; 2) the fact that he wanted Graham, Dack and Armstrong all on the pitch at the same times. That is, THREE players ahead of the midfield.
Next season, the personnel at his disposal might well lead to a change of formation, but I still think many fans' picture of the team (one version of which is set out below) is unrealistic in terms of defensive security.
Raya
Nyambe Lenihan Mulgrew Bell
Smallwood Payne
Chapman Dack Armstrong
Graham.

Of course, the summer might see us bringing in players who make a complete re-think necessary!

[robinrover]

We could play a very similar team to this season tactically this all depends on the meeting in India
Will Tony end up promised shirt buttons or something far greater
Fans need to have patience again as whatever our manager has planned on how to succeed in the championship it might not happen straight away
We lost our first 2 games this season and ended going up.

[Despair]

Yep we’re on the same page again chaps!
TM’s meet in India and the outcome could / will speak volumes.
IF V’s have aspirations / vision is of re-capturing consistent 20k + gates at Ewood my gut says it’s not gona happen.
If we’re doing really well, I could see it occurring a few times but not consistently.
Football is a total business sport and the financing has to stack up.
I just hope that whatever purse TM is given, his deserved status he has achieved here is enough to convince him to give it a go.
This mans no idiot and will know this season was last season. Now it’s all to be done again. Clean sheet if you like.

No matter what, I will hold him in great regard whatever our performance is next year.

[robinrover]

Tony Mowbray is fast becoming a favourite manager of mine and if he can successfully convince the clueless ones to part with some cash again to push this club further forward then he will be in the top 3 managers for me
That's the problem he has at the moment is marrying his vision with theirs
I am sure they would love promotion to the premier league on shirt buttons however the reality is quite different.

[Saxo1man41]

Tony saying we can't be as cavalier in the championship. That to me suggests a change in approach. Wonder how it will be done?

[AucklandRover]

Tony saying we can't be as cavalier in the championship. That to me suggests a change in approach. Wonder how it will be done?

I wondered about that comment too, Saxo.
I'm not sure if he was talking about a tactical change in formation, or simply referring to the fact that we've been naive in a few matches where we were in control and given the ball away too easily.
We generally solved the problem of conceding too many goals from set-pieces, but we were still too easy to catch on the break at times.
I wouldn't be at all surprised to see us using the three-at-the-back formation more often, as Bell and Bennett are well suited to the wing-back role. Then we could use the more attacking type of winger (such as Chapman) in the last half hour.
I still have an old-fashioned yearning for 4-4-2 (!), but that's impossible if we're going to play all three of Dack, Graham and Armstrong (or an equivalent replacement) - especially if a creative central midfielder is in the mix too.