Potential new signing discussion CM

[jacobncfc]

Well, going by what Mitchell/Nemane have done so far, it couldn't be worse.

IB needs to stick to his guns, he's getting close to finding his best XI (these ridiculous collapses are another issue entirely. Good luck to him on that!) With Slocombe, Cameron and Rawlo still out, it'd be nuts to throw out the attacking approach and go all defensive. We still need to play to our strengths with this squad.

I don't want us to go all defensive by any means. Our strength is clearly upfront and, as patchy as our form has been, you'd have to say that Wootton/Roberts/Rodrigues are scoring and creating plenty of goals. I don't see that changing, particularly, so our job is to get the team functioning behind them so that they aren't having to score at least three to win a game. On paper that team which was so good at the back end of last season looked like a defensive line up, but our approach to games meant that it wasn't.

Getting Slocombe and Cameron back is clearly going to help with that, but I still think we can make the midfield more balanced.

Slocombe
Brindley/DKE - Lacey - Cameron - Taylor/Chicksen
O'Brien - Francis - Palmer
Roberts - Wootton - Rodrigues

For me, that team looks balanced. It's not perfect, but I'm not sure anything we can put out (or anyone else at this level really) will be. A lack of pace/runners in behind is the obvious issue, but we have Nemane and Mitchell available to bring on in games where that is standing out as a particular problem.

In midfield you have Francis who can focus on sitting, linking the play from defence forward (which he's good at) and screening the defence (which he needs to work on). Palmer looks ideal to play in a more box-to-box role, and then O'Brien can look to get into the box and support the attack when we have the ball, and start the press when we don't (with the added protection of two other midfielders behind him if he does get passed around).

[Carlton_Pie]

I don't want us to go all defensive by any means. Our strength is clearly upfront and, as patchy as our form has been, you'd have to say that Wootton/Roberts/Rodrigues are scoring and creating plenty of goals. I don't see that changing, particularly, so our job is to get the team functioning behind them so that they aren't having to score at least three to win a game. On paper that team which was so good at the back end of last season looked like a defensive line up, but our approach to games meant that it wasn't.

Getting Slocombe and Cameron back is clearly going to help with that, but I still think we can make the midfield more balanced.

Slocombe
Brindley/DKE - Lacey - Cameron - Taylor/Chicksen
O'Brien - Francis - Palmer
Roberts - Wootton - Rodrigues

For me, that team looks balanced. It's not perfect, but I'm not sure anything we can put out (or anyone else at this level really) will be. A lack of pace/runners in behind is the obvious issue, but we have Nemane and Mitchell available to bring on in games where that is standing out as a particular problem.

In midfield you have Francis who can focus on sitting, linking the play from defence forward (which he's good at) and screening the defence (which he needs to work on). Palmer looks ideal to play in a more box-to-box role, and then O'Brien can look to get into the box and support the attack when we have the ball, and start the press when we don't (with the added protection of two other midfielders behind him if he does get passed around).

I wonder why IB has gone away from playing a back 3? Could it be the lack of centre defenders?

Playing a back 3 allowed us to play 3 in centre mid and still get Roberts & RR in the team

[St Kitts Magpie]

I wonder why IB has gone away from playing a back 3? Could it be the lack of centre defenders?

Playing a back 3 allowed us to play 3 in centre mid and still get Roberts & RR in the team

Plus we don't really have what could be described as wing backs. Taylor at a push but Chicksen, Brindley and DKE are all full backs IMO