a serious question for tacticians

[Townerslovechild]

In the second half Leeds improved and we tired, so the game we played in the first half was much less effective.

[Pocket rocket]

They were one of the fittest teams we have played and it showed second half.

[frogmiller]

I can't say I am an expert on football. I have an average understanding and put in my two pennorth every now and again but some of the finer points elude me.

There are a couple of geezers who sit near me who were semi-pro and done coaching badges etc and they know their onions. I wanted to ask them a couple of things after todays game but we got separated. So I thought I would ask you lot who are a knowledgeable bunch.

Why was there such a dramatic difference between the the two halfs of today's match?

What did Leeds do in the second half that they did not do in the first?

Or, what did Rotherham not do in the second half that they did in the first half?

We were so dominant first half and yet second half we got battered.

I don't understand.

Simple.

Leeds kept to a rigid game plan in the first half which gave them a set area to operate and we man marked them. In the second half they were more fluid in their movement and with the introduction of the sub at half time they took up the spaces in between our players some of our players couldn't adapt to them in either thought or speed. That is why Taylor seemed to go missing in the second half and Towell was less effective.

[anastasiacrabapple]

I know a lot of psychologists and just about everyone of them goes to see a psychologist due to significant psychological problems.
It’s all boll&&ks.

All we need to do is hammer the ball high into the sky and hope it lands on the head of the big lad upfront.
This is such a successful tactic that no other Championship team plays this way.

Back to motivation.
Lance Armstrong wrote a couple of very popular motivational books but in reality he won by cheating!

[BigLadonOS]

Simple.

Leeds kept to a rigid game plan in the first half which gave them a set area to operate and we man marked them. In the second half they were more fluid in their movement and with the introduction of the sub at half time they took up the spaces in between our players some of our players couldn't adapt to them in either thought or speed. That is why Taylor seemed to go missing in the second half and Towell was less effective.

What he said.

[JohnLeedsMiller]

It was a tactical change by Leeds in the second half to load the wings if you ask me. They almost went 3 at the back and when attacking down the wings (particularly their right) they pushed 2 or 3 out wide. This forced Taylor and Forde to have to drop back. Simple tactics but it should have meant gaps in the center, but we didn't adapt quick enough and exploit it. We just defended deeper and deeper.

I didn't think we shaded the first half either. I thought Leeds were the better team in both halves. It was a very dogged performance by us and I thought we were a bit unlucky not to come away with a point.

After the previous match I slated Vaulks but thought he went from a 4 out of 10 last week to an 8 out of 10 this week. I would rather have a 6 or 7 / 10 every week.

We needed to be playing like that against the likes of Bolton, Reading, Ipswich, not just turning it on for top of the league.

[the_idiotb_stardson]

It was a tactical change by Leeds in the second half to load the wings if you ask me. They almost went 3 at the back and when attacking down the wings (particularly their right) they pushed 2 or 3 out wide. This forced Taylor and Forde to have to drop back. Simple tactics but it should have meant gaps in the center, but we didn't adapt quick enough and exploit it. We just defended deeper and deeper.

I didn't think we shaded the first half either. I thought Leeds were the better team in both halves. It was a very dogged performance by us and I thought we were a bit unlucky not to come away with a point.

After the previous match I slated Vaulks but thought he went from a 4 out of 10 last week to an 8 out of 10 this week. I would rather have a 6 or 7 / 10 every week.

We needed to be playing like that against the likes of Bolton, Reading, Ipswich, not just turning it on for top of the league.

Excellent john, best post so far...

[jocksgloves]

My nephew made an excellent point yesterday. The chasing down of the keeper is very popular amongst supporters but one pass by the goalie takes two or three of our players .Maybe we should drop back, and defend from the half-way line.

[frogmiller]

My nephew made an excellent point yesterday. The chasing down of the keeper is very popular amongst supporters but one pass by the goalie takes two or three of our players .Maybe we should drop back, and defend from the half-way line.

I thought that in the first half we took out the option of being able to pass the ball out from the back out of their game plan by man marking them. Their keeper hoofed it up the field and gave us more of a chance to win the ball.