⚽Match thread v Tranmere Rovers 01.01.24 [EFL L2]

[jackal2]

The biggest issue with the defence is not the players. We play a back 3. Of course this doesn't give us the solidity of a back 4. Those 3 seem reluctant to get pulled any wider than the width of the goal. Nemane and Jones are asked to do the jobs of full backs, neither of them are, they're wingers.

This is the system we play. It is a gamble, we are lightweight defensively because we are so loaded with attacking players. This isn't supposed to matter because we're supposed to control the game. LW is always talking about it. We control the play at all times and then it doesn't matter if you are lightweight defensively because you can't concede if you have the ball.

True.

In the National League this worked in most games because our players were man-for-man considerably better than those of most of our opponents who had smaller resources, but now in League Two our superiority is far less pronounced, and against the top sides we're not superior at all. Mansfield and Wrexham for example over-powered us.

Moreover, it's less than realistic to expect to completely control play away from home against most League two opposition, because they have similar resources to us, and that's where our problems begin. When we're not in control, then out of possession we're actually quite a flimsy outfit with too many attacking/creative players and not enough defensive/ball-winning players.

The recruitment in January needs to focus on defensively-minded players who, whilst still being capable of passing a ball, are primarily equipped to destroy rather than create, because in some games you've got to win the battle before you're able to play your football.

At the moment our squad, and therefore our team, is top-heavy with creators and low on destroyers. We need the right balance of both, whatever formation we play.

[pjace]

True.

In the National League this worked in most games because our players were man-for-man considerably better than those of most of our opponents who had smaller resources, but now in League Two our superiority is far less pronounced, and against the top sides we're not superior at all. Mansfield and Wrexham for example over-powered us.

Moreover, it's less than realistic to expect to completely control play away from home against most League two opposition, because they have similar resources to us, and that's where our problems begin. When we're not in control, then out of possession we're actually quite a flimsy outfit with too many attacking/creative players and not enough defensive/ball-winning players.

The recruitment in January needs to focus on defensively-minded players who, whilst still being capable of passing a ball, are primarily equipped to destroy rather than create, because in some games you've got to win the battle before you're able to play your football.

At the moment our squad, and therefore our team, is top-heavy with creators and low on destroyers. We need the right balance of both, whatever formation we play.

Spot on Jackal agree 100%