Superb post with some very interesting questions. This should be good

I do agree it goes much further than just personnel which many seem to think that playing Knowles or a Wolfe will dramatically change things. It's not a hard simple

Agree with durhampie, Doyle (who I like as a player) slows the play down too much for me, it's partly because he doesn't go hiding always wants the ball but playing the quarterback position as he has he doesn't vary his distribution enough. He plays too safe too often but he's more then good enough to be in the starting XI and would be in mine.

Reeves who overall looks a decent player is too similar to Doyle and JOB which I didn't expect tbh, not that I knew him as a player prior to his arrival. Those 3 are all too similar, if Wolfe continues to impress then younger legs will help.

The reason Ardley doesn't let the attacking players do what they do best is because with a central midfield 2 of the names available I think we would have a very soft centre. They arent a dynamic/strong enough pairing to allow Enzio and Roberts/Rodders etc to keep their boots white and attack fullbacks.

To avoid having a soft centre and allowing teams to exploit our weakness in central defence (lack of pace) you go 3 in central Midfield, I'd prefer one screening and two in front to provide more support for Wootton and two wide men. When it ends up being 2 in front of back 4 we then have problems in an attacking sense.

I don't mind one up top (I know many hate it) but to play it you need that player to be great at it (Nicky Forster at Reading a great example if you can remember him) I don't think Wootton is comfortable enough doing it. You also need support around them, that's where I think we have the players when all fit.

Roberts, Rodders, Knowles, Enzio are good enough and lively enough to get around him and provide support but they have to be disciplined with their movement.

Although play too many of those together and again it's very lightweight at times and they can go MIA very easily in games. This is where we miss Thomas IMO in either formation , he is mobile and physical even if he wasn't a natural finisher by any stretch.

It's a real dilemma, Wootton suits a partner up top but I don't think our central midfield is mobile , dynamic enough. Play a stronger midfield and you are not getting best of Wootton.

Gun to the head with this squad I'd go
4-1-2-3 (with two wide players up top with one roaming and given more freedom) that suits the current squad the most IMO.

To beat high press with this level of footballer it's simple go long, go aerial and to set plan. Again Thomas was perfect for this tactic.

We haven't the standard of player to beat the high press like the top boys do which you are so often in PL and Champions League.

As for whether the players collectively believe in the system it's impossible to tell for us mere supporters IMO, you'd have to ask them privately. One thing that is obvious is that the players play for the manager, I don't see any lack of effort or issues in the camp as suggested recently on NCM. If that happens the manager is dead in the water, if he doesn't have all putting a shift in. I've seen no evidence of this.

Ardley has a Plan A , anyone who says he doesn't is a joke. He doesn't have enough of a contrasting Plan B IMO, on that basis he needs to amend Plan A to make it click and soon. It won't take much at all, minor things collectively could make us much improved. Wolfe could be key if given a go and impresses consistently. The biggest change needed is more adventurous with the passing more often and if sticking to 1 up top, to alter the midfield dynamic a bit.

All of the above is just my view, I've never played professionally, never been managed by a professional, and certainly have no coaching qualifications. That's where we are way behind the manager, the coaches and the players involved at this level.

Do we have anyone with a UEFA coaching badge on the site? Would be excellent to hear their views if we do.