Match Thread vs. Wealdstone 14.09.21 [NL]

[Elite_Pie]

Agree, champions is a massive ask regardless to our style of play or even how big our budget is as this is massively competitive league this year. I imagine it’s the strongest it’s ever been.

I would agree with you on that. I think if the top five in our division were promoted to League 2 this season, none of them would be relegated the following season.

[nw6pie]

I think we keep getting outnumbered and overrun in midfield. We’re an absolute nightmare for teams when we’ve got it and are attacking, but we are very easy to get at when we lose it. The defence and midfield has a tough job on at the best of times, the switch to 4-2-3-1 last night made that even more obvious IMO.

I’m not sure Palmer and Francis are physically imposing enough to play as what is basically a straight midfield two (when Roberts or Rodrigues are nominally playing there, they don’t do a lot without the ball). I wonder whether our best system might be three from Palmer, Francis, O’Brien and Vincent, with three from Wootton, Roberts, Rodrigues and Mitchell ahead of them.

I’d agree with that re the midfield four and the front four options. It’s interesting that Vincent isn’t even making the bench right now, because I’d be curious to see what a midfield of him, Francis and Palmer would be like, with Mitchell, Wootton and Roberts ahead of them.

[the_anticlough]

I’d agree with that re the midfield four and the front four options. It’s interesting that Vincent isn’t even making the bench right now, because I’d be curious to see what a midfield of him, Francis and Palmer would be like, with Mitchell, Wootton and Roberts ahead of them.

If we're going with a back 4 now, the old Terry Venables' England christmas tree formation seems like it would suit our players best. Or is IB playing this type of 4-3-3 already (I wasn't at the game)?

................Slocombe
Brindley...Lacey...Cameron...Taylor
..................Francis
.........Palmer.........Rodrigues
....Roberts....Wootton.....Mitchell

And we have other players who can step into those roles...
Also hope that we don't completely abandon the 3-5-2...it would be great if we were adaptable and keep the opposition managers guessing by running it out every once in a while

[jacobncfc]

If we're going with a back 4 now, the old Terry Venables' England christmas tree formation seems like it would suit our players best. Or is IB playing this type of 4-3-3 already (I wasn't at the game)?

................Slocombe
Brindley...Lacey...Cameron...Taylor
..................Francis
.........Palmer.........Rodrigues
....Roberts....Wootton.....Mitchell

And we have other players who can step into those roles...
Also hope that we don't completely abandon the 3-5-2...it would be great if we were adaptable and keep the opposition managers guessing by running it out every once in a while

I think that’s an attacker too many - I want Rodrigues higher up the pitch and without any defensive responsibilities.

3-5-2 is our best system still I think. Imagine we’ll revert back to it Saturday. I’d like to see Nemane given a proper chance in the rwb role.

[the_anticlough]

I think that’s an attacker too many - I want Rodrigues higher up the pitch and without any defensive responsibilities.

3-5-2 is our best system still I think. Imagine we’ll revert back to it Saturday. I’d like to see Nemane given a proper chance in the rwb role.

I'd prefer him to have runners ahead of him, like Miller. He can play attacking midfielder. There is a slight issue with R and R in a front three, both are dribbler/creators and you need off-the-ball running around them

As for Nemane, I'd already given up on that or we would have seen more than 1 half (v 10 men) of it already
I assume IB has weighed this up and not liked what he's seen.
I think our staple, 'core' formation is now 4-3-3 because recruitment failed on the wing-backs (not surprising, it's tough).
It's going to set us back a fair bit getting used to a new system with new players but the fixture list buys a some time to bed it in

[jacobncfc]

I'd prefer him to have runners ahead of him, like Miller. He can play attacking midfielder. There is a slight issue with R and R in a front three, both are dribbler/creators and you need off-the-ball running around them

As for Nemane, I'd already given up on that or we would have seen more than 1 half (v 10 men) of it already
I assume IB has weighed this up and not liked what he's seen.
I think our staple, 'core' formation is now 4-3-3 because recruitment failed on the wing-backs (not surprising, it's tough).
It's going to set us back a fair bit getting used to a new system with new players but the fixture list buys a some time to bed it in

There were a lot, lot more issues with 4-3-3 last night than we’ve had with 3-5-2 in the other five games.

I’d love for us to find a way to get Wootton, Cal, Ruben and Mitchell into the same line up and it be effective, but I can’t see how we can and hope to have any control over games. They’d all end up being like last night or the second half against Aldershot.

[the_anticlough]

For a first outing that shouldn't be a surprise...but for our squad it's got more legs than the wing-back system, because we don't have anyone who can do an adequate job on the right.
We're going to have to see what happens, maybe the recruitment boys can still pull a rabbit out of the hat

[laddo]

This season's great debate so far 4-3-3 Vs 3-5-2 what is our 'core' formation? Or is there no 'core' formation for Burchnall?

[keldsyke]

Notts_Popular_Front, I assume you do not attend matches or watch highlights of Notts games, as we certainly do not just try to 'walk the ball into the net'. Everyone is welcome to their opinions, but at least watch the games if you are going to comment on our style of play. Once we decide to move forward, we become quite direct with often only a couple of passes opening up the opposition defence.

To be fair he’s right we do try to walk the ball into the net at times, Roberts and Rodrgues are massively guilty of this by trying to take the more difficult route when there’s a simpler and better option available.

I think a better description is that we over complicate things when there is a easier / better option available.

[jacobncfc]

For a first outing that shouldn't be a surprise...but for our squad it's got more legs than the wing-back system, because we don't have anyone who can do an adequate job on the right.
We're going to have to see what happens, maybe the recruitment boys can still pull a rabbit out of the hat

It could work if Vincent is able to give us a lot more running than Francis does as the third midfielder. He needs a chance first, but otherwise I don’t think we have the central midfielders to only play two of them ahead of a back four.