Sacrifice one of our centre backs..

[Nocountryforoldjack]

I didn't even think it was particularly sly!

Blame goes to the recruitment team as well mind, unless there was plenty of evidence he was good in a three at MK Dons and has regressed badly here. Either way, we signed 2 central defenders last summer to play in a three and we're still a shambles at the back.

Yep

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

There was improvement last season with a 4 in terms of protection, sure, and I personally prefer a 4. But again I come back to it, I don't care whether you have a 3 or a 4 there yesterday, individuals not doing their job properly caused all three goals. That's nothing to do with formation whatsoever.

I just don't think we have very good individual defenders. Best of a bad bunch is Wood, he's ok. But Darling and Cabango are awful: error prone, and get bullied physically far too often to my taste. And Naughton is shot.

We need that boy in from Chelsea pronto. It wouldn't surprise me if Duff wants another one in after that as well.

One of the great things about the 2011 side was as well as being able to play football, Monk and Williams could defend like lions. We need defenders like that. Especially in this league.

Is that the same wood who under no pressure chested the ball into his own net.... Yeah all our defenders are shite.

 

[Andrew - North Hill]

Is that the same wood who under no pressure chested the ball into his own net.... Yeah all our defenders are shite.

Hence why I said best of a bad bunch. If I had my way I'd replace them all but that isn't going to happen is it. Best we can hope for is at least one more arrival (ideally two) that will put more distance between what we have at the moment and the first XI.

 

[Nocountryforoldjack]

Hence why I said best of a bad bunch. If I had my way I'd replace them all but that isn't going to happen is it. Best we can hope for is at least one more arrival (ideally two) that will put more distance between what we have at the moment and the first XI.

Agreed

 

[Neath_Jack]

There was improvement last season with a 4 in terms of protection, sure, and I personally prefer a 4. But again I come back to it, I don't care whether you have a 3 or a 4 there yesterday, individuals not doing their job properly caused all three goals. That's nothing to do with formation whatsoever.

I just don't think we have very good individual defenders. Best of a bad bunch is Wood, he's ok. But Darling and Cabango are awful: error prone, and get bullied physically far too often to my taste. And Naughton is shot.

We need that boy in from Chelsea pronto. It wouldn't surprise me if Duff wants another one in after that as well.

One of the great things about the 2011 side was as well as being able to play football, Monk and Williams could defend like lions. We need defenders like that. Especially in this league.

It's everything to do with three CB's, they are clearly not comfortable playing it, they weren't last season and they're not this season. Think of all the easy / sloppy goals we conceded last year. Is it a confidence thing, panicking, aware of their limitations? They all looked absolutely different players in a traditional back four, and the results backed that up. Nothing you say will make me think otherwise I'm afraid so we will agree to disagree.

 

[Manselton Jack]

No issues with Wood, he's good enough but the other 2 are struggling.
Early days with Ashby but so far he's been terrible as well

 

[Skippyjack]

Said this years ago.. but only now fans have twigged.. obviously my scoop.. Wood apparently has pace, but I'm yet to see it and Cabango is mostly rubbish since he's played for us.. Darling is only good in the oppositions box, but put him in ours and he falls to pieces, strange really.. plus fans think we're play off material for some bizarre reason.. even though Roger is a scummer, he's right, we're pretty sh*te, but the championship is mostly sh*te so we've got a punchers chance

 

[Baron Goblet]

If 3 at the back I would go with Darling Grimes Wood.

4 at the back we would have more options for Cabango and Wood.

 

[Longlostjack]

Duff has said that we need to play to players strengths so I was a bit surprised that he stuck to 3 at the back and then argued that the improvement in the second half was not due to the change in formation. Seemed a bit of a defensive comment but maybe I‘m reading too much into it.

 

[Swanjaxs]

Here's the thing, get this Chelsea lad in and drop either Cabango or Darling for the Cov game (that's how bad we are)

Go to a flat back four, hey presto we'll be looking good
Easy.

 

[cadleigh]

Key and Ashby play so high up the pitch you can already realistically call our formation a 3-5-2 or even a 3-3-4 at times.
If you sacrifice a defender then you would have to expect Key and Ashby and Abdulai to play more as conventional full backs and attack less often than they currently do.

Surely you’d have Key on the right wing and Ginnelly on the left (or as inside forwards) with Ashby/Abdulai at RB and Tjoe-A-On at LB? Granted we’ve not seen T-A-On play for us yet but that’s a potentially exciting combo on the left with a pacey LB able to overlap with his winger. And we know Key can defend.

Cabango and Wood were much better last season when we went to two CBs.

 

[bakajack]

Surely you’d have Key on the right wing and Ginnelly on the left (or as inside forwards) with Ashby/Abdulai at RB and Tjoe-A-On at LB? Granted we’ve not seen T-A-On play for us yet but that’s a potentially exciting combo on the left with a pacey LB able to overlap with his winger. And we know Key can defend.

Cabango and Wood were much better last season when we went to two CBs.

My understanding is that Tjoe-A-On is a left sided centre half?

 

[KrunchyKarrot]

Sometimes the message the manager is trying to get across is a dud. See Russell Martin's first 18 months. There will always be things you can't control, that's no reason to ignore obvious issues that you can.

Jasper, have we got a ball winning CM youngster coming through?

 

[jasper_T]

Jasper, have we got a ball winning CM youngster coming through?

Abdulai is best as a holding mid, and has the size and physicality for that sort of role. Cotterill is more of a distributor, probably needs time to mature physicality but a very good footballer. Lloyd is between an 8 and a 10, but might drop back over time (as Byers did). Most of the academy talent is in midfield.

 

[KrunchyKarrot]

Abdulai is best as a holding mid, and has the size and physicality for that sort of role. Cotterill is more of a distributor, probably needs time to mature physicality but a very good footballer. Lloyd is between an 8 and a 10, but might drop back over time (as Byers did). Most of the academy talent is in midfield.

Thanks