Formations to counter Formations 07:00 - Nov 6 with 1181 views | RichardO | We have seen Duff pick different formations this season because things having been quite right and made changes because of injuries and all the ins and outs but has he found the right formation? With Mowbray's astute press we were pushed back with Grimes trying to step up in the middle but of Saturday he dropped back deep early as the high press didn't allow us to play the ball out easily and yet we didn't play the longer goal kicks which has been used to better effect this year and rarely used last year which many of us complained about to same effect we got pushed deeper and deeper making the gulf between forwards and defence immense. Mowbray's formation was set up to counter the new goal kick rules which has made the playing out from the back the number one priority by most teams but now teams are getting wise to it ask Man U's Ten Hag about it. But we couldn't use the long ball last year because we didn't have the right style of forwards I hear and yet a change of shape help us go on two acceptable runs of games last year and one this year. This year we seem to get things right defensively with both Pederson and Key and while learning the Championship adding their experience to make the difference not allowing tricky wingers time to have the ball to their feet being in a good position to counter the threaded ball in behind them look at the impressive Humpreys and the number of balls he cuts out by luck? But Key is small and didn't look comfortable under the cross field high ball and Pederson looks a little slow and yet both had gain in confidence and with experience looked comfortable in the championship and added to our defensive stability. Ashby and Tymon worked really hard and really put a admiral shift in on Saturday but it didn't hide the fact that they didn't get to grips with the wingers in that first 30 minutes allowing us to be pushed back, did it allow us to get pushed back against Watford?Against Leicester we ourselves dropped back to try and counter the threat while being so deep offered little going forward maybe enough to go ahead but not enough to relieve the pressure built. So if fit do Key and Pederson come back in the teams as both have nullified tricky wingers when the players around them have done their jobs properly which I don't think they did against Leicester, Watford and Sunderland but if you make the wingers job easy then you get presses back as a team making the midfield and if playing 4-3-3 the forwards job that much harder as trying to get forward as a threat and back to cover means they have to become box to box players let's be fair the likes of Cullen is never that previous seasons the likes of Laird, Christie and Wolf the endless need to try and push forward and drop so deep took their toll. Do we adopt the Cooper defensive setup protecting the full backs with other fullbacks possibly playing Ashby and Tymon in front of Key and Pederson or vice-versa but that would mean other players being utilised differently even dropped to the bench. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Formations to counter Formations on 16:33 - Nov 6 with 1079 views | jack247 | Just picking up on the longer goal kicks point, I liked Darling pushing up on the right and aiming goal kicks at him to flick on for Lowe. Even with 10 men we were happy to do this. I thought it was an inventive solution to the problem we have playing long to attackers who can’t really compete in the air. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Formations to counter Formations on 18:50 - Nov 6 with 1016 views | BillyChong | Cullen was berating the defence (mainly Darling) on a number of occasions in the first half for not getting the ball to him when in space. He was dropping deep for an easy ball but the option was almost always turned down. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Formations to counter Formations on 19:02 - Nov 6 with 1010 views | SullutaCreturned |
Formations to counter Formations on 18:50 - Nov 6 by BillyChong | Cullen was berating the defence (mainly Darling) on a number of occasions in the first half for not getting the ball to him when in space. He was dropping deep for an easy ball but the option was almost always turned down. |
it might just be me but Cullen hasn't got the greatest first touch and he's slow on the turn. Maybe they turne down the pass to him because it would so easily have gone wrong? | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Formations to counter Formations on 19:51 - Nov 6 with 986 views | RichardO |
Formations to counter Formations on 16:33 - Nov 6 by jack247 | Just picking up on the longer goal kicks point, I liked Darling pushing up on the right and aiming goal kicks at him to flick on for Lowe. Even with 10 men we were happy to do this. I thought it was an inventive solution to the problem we have playing long to attackers who can’t really compete in the air. |
Using Darling in the aerial battle does seem to work at getting the ball forward but with the likes of Sunderland pressing so high even if their defenders win the ball in the air if the likes of Lowe , Paterson and Cullen tuck into the emptied middle area looking to capitalise on defenders knocked down clearance or if Yates is making a nuisance of himself even allowing our forwards / midfield to come onto a bouncing ball with forward momentum, at the moment they are too far up the pitch looking for flick ons that are not coming or too far back defending. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
Formations to counter Formations on 20:22 - Nov 6 with 963 views | onehunglow |
Formations to counter Formations on 19:02 - Nov 6 by SullutaCreturned | it might just be me but Cullen hasn't got the greatest first touch and he's slow on the turn. Maybe they turne down the pass to him because it would so easily have gone wrong? |
He’s not the greatest full stop. He has little if any stand out ability but he’s a nice boy who rubs around a lot, just like Jerry really. If you have no great first touch,nor heading ability or able to dribble past people,you need to be a deadly finisher which is why I rate Greaves and Law so highly . Jimmy ,bless him,didn’t break sweat and could head a ball at all really but anyone who was around at that one saw him as lethal . He never celebrated much when scoring either | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) |
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Formations to counter Formations on 20:30 - Nov 6 with 960 views | jack247 |
Formations to counter Formations on 20:22 - Nov 6 by onehunglow | He’s not the greatest full stop. He has little if any stand out ability but he’s a nice boy who rubs around a lot, just like Jerry really. If you have no great first touch,nor heading ability or able to dribble past people,you need to be a deadly finisher which is why I rate Greaves and Law so highly . Jimmy ,bless him,didn’t break sweat and could head a ball at all really but anyone who was around at that one saw him as lethal . He never celebrated much when scoring either |
If Greaves and Law are the barometer, it’s hardly a surprise you rarely rate any of our players. | ![](/images/avatars/0.gif) | | ![](/images/icons/ignore-user.png) |
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