2020/21 Season: Could We See A Change In Playing Style?

[wassy04]

I was referring to the shape as opposed to how it was executed. Thought it was easy for everyone to know their role and a solid base

I liked Karanka’s style too, but we ended up finishing 9th after he left. Who knows where we would have finished if he’d stayed. We finished 7th last season so Sabri wins.  :)

Haha its not a battle between them, although I'm sad we never got to say where we'd have finished that year.

Just think Sabri could tweak it to closer resemble that base formation

My view is we would have finished top six if Karanka had seen out the season. He also got the best out of Carvalho, but what will be will be.

Different coaches have different fundamental ways of playing, and this is Sabri’s. Some players flourish under one coach and then struggle under the next. Some the opposite, Watson for instance. The bottom line is how many points they collect. I’m sure Sabri is aware that he has to be in the top six almost from the get go.

Yeah in fairness he basically built the side round Carvalho. Then again when you spend 13m on one player you kind of have too. If nothing else the loss of karanka was a disaster for the carvalho investment project. If he'd played all year as a number 10 I suspect his value would be much higher.

[Sabricadabra]

I was referring to the shape as opposed to how it was executed. Thought it was easy for everyone to know their role and a solid base

I liked Karanka’s style too, but we ended up finishing 9th after he left. Who knows where we would have finished if he’d stayed. We finished 7th last season so Sabri wins.  :)

Haha its not a battle between them, although I'm sad we never got to say where we'd have finished that year.

Just think Sabri could tweak it to closer resemble that base formation

My view is we would have finished top six if Karanka had seen out the season. He also got the best out of Carvalho, but what will be will be.

Different coaches have different fundamental ways of playing, and this is Sabri’s. Some players flourish under one coach and then struggle under the next. Some the opposite, Watson for instance. The bottom line is how many points they collect. I’m sure Sabri is aware that he has to be in the top six almost from the get go.

Yeah in fairness he basically built the side round Carvalho. Then again when you spend 13m on one player you kind of have too. If nothing else the loss of karanka was a disaster for the carvalho investment project. If he'd played all year as a number 10 I suspect his value would be much higher.

I agree.

[stirred]

Word is that we’d tried 3 at the back in pre-season, and looking at the squad as it currently stands, the best sides I can pick on paper seem to involve 3 at the back, with fairly central attacking players, running of channels with 2 strikers and overlaps by wing-backs – we don’t really have out and out wingers.

Maybe I’m being hopeful here, I want change because the current formation hasn’t really worked since February and I still doubt we have the midfield / wide players to make it work with just Grabs up top.

I feel we need those 3 need in the middle of the park, but want the second striker too else feel we’ll continue to see Grabban isolated up front and lack the out ball. I’ve gone for two attacking midfielders out of the 3 similarly to knit the play with those strikers but may have to temper that against better sides.

                SAMBA

      FIGS    WORR    BLCKT

CASH        CLBCK              RIBS

        CARVS          FREEM

          GRABS      TAYLS

(It may seem controversial to have Carvs ahead of Lolley but I’m assuming he’s injured to start with). We have depth and quality / alleged quality / high potential replacements for those front 4 positions, e.g. Lolley & Johnson for Carvalho & Freeman, with Guerrero & Mighten, maybe De Costa to come in up top. And there’s Ameobi too.

There will be times to play 2 more defensive mids in more of a 3-4-1-2, we have Silva and Sow, Fred and Yates in reserve. Maybe the new Cypriot in for Ribs / Blackett.

I can’t bring myself to take Cash away. My biggest concern on that side, other than getting players to adapt, is the wide players when I finally accept Cash has gone, and maybe Figs bringing the ball out.

I'd pay a tenner on ifollow to see that given a go.

[stirred]

Word is that we’d tried 3 at the back in pre-season, and looking at the squad as it currently stands, the best sides I can pick on paper seem to involve 3 at the back, with fairly central attacking players, running of channels with 2 strikers and overlaps by wing-backs – we don’t really have out and out wingers.

Maybe I’m being hopeful here, I want change because the current formation hasn’t really worked since February and I still doubt we have the midfield / wide players to make it work with just Grabs up top.

I feel we need those 3 need in the middle of the park, but want the second striker too else feel we’ll continue to see Grabban isolated up front and lack the out ball. I’ve gone for two attacking midfielders out of the 3 similarly to knit the play with those strikers but may have to temper that against better sides.

                SAMBA

      FIGS    WORR    BLCKT

CASH        CLBCK              RIBS

        CARVS          FREEM

          GRABS      TAYLS

(It may seem controversial to have Carvs ahead of Lolley but I’m assuming he’s injured to start with). We have depth and quality / alleged quality / high potential replacements for those front 4 positions, e.g. Lolley & Johnson for Carvalho & Freeman, with Guerrero & Mighten, maybe De Costa to come in up top. And there’s Ameobi too.

There will be times to play 2 more defensive mids in more of a 3-4-1-2, we have Silva and Sow, Fred and Yates in reserve. Maybe the new Cypriot in for Ribs / Blackett.

I can’t bring myself to take Cash away. My biggest concern on that side, other than getting players to adapt, is the wide players when I finally accept Cash has gone, and maybe Figs bringing the ball out.

I'd pay a tenner on ifollow to see that given a go.

                SAMBA

      M-SOH  WORR   BLCKT

CASH        CLBCK              RIBS

        CARVS          FREEM

          GRABS      TAYLS

Improved distribution with a new right centre-back?

[optimistic_red]

SAMBA

M-SOH WORR BLCKT

DARW CLBCK RIBS

LOLLEY FREEM

GRABS TAYLS

Looking good

[Strawberry Avenger]

Word is that we’d tried 3 at the back in pre-season, and looking at the squad as it currently stands, the best sides I can pick on paper seem to involve 3 at the back, with fairly central attacking players, running of channels with 2 strikers and overlaps by wing-backs – we don’t really have out and out wingers.

Maybe I’m being hopeful here, I want change because the current formation hasn’t really worked since February and I still doubt we have the midfield / wide players to make it work with just Grabs up top.

I feel we need those 3 need in the middle of the park, but want the second striker too else feel we’ll continue to see Grabban isolated up front and lack the out ball. I’ve gone for two attacking midfielders out of the 3 similarly to knit the play with those strikers but may have to temper that against better sides.

                SAMBA

      FIGS    WORR    BLCKT

CASH        CLBCK              RIBS

        CARVS          FREEM

          GRABS      TAYLS

(It may seem controversial to have Carvs ahead of Lolley but I’m assuming he’s injured to start with). We have depth and quality / alleged quality / high potential replacements for those front 4 positions, e.g. Lolley & Johnson for Carvalho & Freeman, with Guerrero & Mighten, maybe De Costa to come in up top. And there’s Ameobi too.

There will be times to play 2 more defensive mids in more of a 3-4-1-2, we have Silva and Sow, Fred and Yates in reserve. Maybe the new Cypriot in for Ribs / Blackett.

I can’t bring myself to take Cash away. My biggest concern on that side, other than getting players to adapt, is the wide players when I finally accept Cash has gone, and maybe Figs bringing the ball out.

I'd pay a tenner on ifollow to see that given a go.

                SAMBA

      M-SOH  WORR   BLCKT

CASH        CLBCK              RIBS

        CARVS          FREEM

          GRABS      TAYLS

Improved distribution with a new right centre-back?

Improved distribution with a new CH.

Improved getting the ball and giving the ball in CM.

Forest for the 2nd half of last season brought back memories of Calderwood's Forest.  Couldn't keep the ball in midfield.  Couldn't score.  Couldn't defend.

Hopefully the new players will allow the Coach to do whatever it is he's trying to do.

SA.

[Squarered]

Not sure why you have Cash in your formation Stirred, he's long gone! Also no Lolley who has played no10 before. It's make or break for Carvalho this season without doubt, will he make the team?

Wondering recently if our low possession percentage approach is actually costing us towards the end of games (and the end of season)?
If we let the opposition have the ball we have to then defend and close them down as a team for the majority of the game and expend energy doing so. If we could find a way to be as effective this season as last, whilst retaining more possession we may then maintain energy/stamina which mean we concede less late goals? Thoughts?

[wassy04]

Not sure why you have Cash in your formation Stirred, he's long gone! Also no Lolley who has played no10 before. It's make or break for Carvalho this season without doubt, will he make the team?

Wondering recently if our low possession percentage approach is actually costing us towards the end of games (and the end of season)?
If we let the opposition have the ball we have to then defend and close them down as a team for the majority of the game and expend energy doing so. If we could find a way to be as effective this season as last, whilst retaining more possession we may then maintain energy/stamina which mean we concede less late goals? Thoughts?

Its the obvious flaw yes, I guess if you've got better central midfield options on the bench you can rotate to allow the starters to press harder. The idea is this also opens up space to attack on the break. 

For the most part I liked our horrible tactics, just dont think they were well executed at times and we also needed to be able to be more expansive when teams sat back which we didn't seem capable of

[GaribaldiRED]

Paul Taylor wrote in the Athletic today that the team have been practicing playing 4-4-2 and also with 3 at the back. It will be very interesting to see if we will try to play with two strikers more often. We have some very good options now in Grabban, Taylor, Da Costa, Guerrero and even Migthen/Freeman/Ameobi as well if we go for a more 4-4-1-1. Lots of options all of a sudden.

[wassy04]

Paul Taylor wrote in the Athletic today that the team have been practicing playing 4-4-2 and also with 3 at the back. It will be very interesting to see if we will try to play with two strikers more often. We have some very good options now in Grabban, Taylor, Da Costa, Guerrero and even Migthen/Freeman/Ameobi as well if we go for a more 4-4-1-1. Lots of options all of a sudden.

Going two up top didn't seem to have much impact in the last game. Its definitely something we were crying out for at home when teams sat deep last year. 

Our recruitment has felt like a move to 3 at the back though. Was surprised we didn't try it in EFL Cup tbh. Maybe he thinks we're not ready for it. Would solve our lack of wingers problem!

[stirred]

Not sure why you have Cash in your formation Stirred, he's long gone! Also no Lolley who has played no10 before. It's make or break for Carvalho this season without doubt, will he make the team?

Wondering recently if our low possession percentage approach is actually costing us towards the end of games (and the end of season)?
If we let the opposition have the ball we have to then defend and close them down as a team for the majority of the game and expend energy doing so. If we could find a way to be as effective this season as last, whilst retaining more possession we may then maintain energy/stamina which mean we concede less late goals? Thoughts?

Cos Lolley is injured Square! As I said, he'll be up for that spot when he's fit, but it would be good to see Carvalho take his chance in the meantime if we try that formation.

Ok, I'll accept it, Cash has gone :(   It looks like Darikwa is Sabri's choice for RWB, fingers crossed he does well.

But I think 3 at the back is the best way to get possession and creativity in midfield and two up top. Really hope we can get that to work, cos I think with 4-4-2 we lose it in midfield. 4-1-4-1 more solid and maybe the CM 2 in the 4 can be passing and creative players like Freeman & Silva/Carvalho, but we've sacrificed a striker.

In 4-2-3-1 our wide players in the 3 aren't natural wide players, so we rely on the fullbacks to go forward. I'm not sure we have the midfield to be supporting the attack and covering the defence with marauding fullbacks. The safe thing is then to play two defensive players like Colback & Yates in there, but in that case we're almost back to square one.

But get 3 at the back with players comfortable defending out wide to cover the full back slots, and comfortable in distribution. Then one defensive midfielder in front should give us enough protection and we can start making the opposition worry about us.

[GaribaldiRED]

Paul Taylor wrote in the Athletic today that the team have been practicing playing 4-4-2 and also with 3 at the back. It will be very interesting to see if we will try to play with two strikers more often. We have some very good options now in Grabban, Taylor, Da Costa, Guerrero and even Migthen/Freeman/Ameobi as well if we go for a more 4-4-1-1. Lots of options all of a sudden.

Going two up top didn't seem to have much impact in the last game. Its definitely something we were crying out for at home when teams sat deep last year. 

Our recruitment has felt like a move to 3 at the back though. Was surprised we didn't try it in EFL Cup tbh. Maybe he thinks we're not ready for it. Would solve our lack of wingers problem!

I have just watched the game again and I thought we were much better after the subs came on against Barnsley. We didn't have many clear cut chances but I believe there were some promising moves but Barnsley worked very hard and were good at closing us down. Still think the game had a preseason feel about it with a lot of missed passes but I think we got better and better as the game went on. I'm actually fairly optimistic after watching the game a second time. I think the new guys will definitely improve us.