GazzaLegend
Well-Known Member
I’m trying to keep a level head now the dust has settled and understand what has brought about such a dramatic turn in fortunes over the past 5 matches.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
This is not about the manager per se, he has done enough by getting us to this point to be the right man to take us into the next season and we need to back him.
I’m trying to find a tactical reason for such a dramatic change in performance. The sudden switch is every bit as dramatic as the change from bad to good when the gaffer came in.
The single biggest impact for me is the complete collapse of our midfield structure.
Back in January/February, we were playing g]some good stuff and we looked really secure at the back. One of our strengths was a high press, well coordinated and effective. We were also really good at winning the 2nd ball and winning the ball back quickly if we lost it.
I’ve given it some thought followimg tonight. Trying to take a sensble un emotional approach despite my rage and disappointment.
The biggest change I can see is moving back to single holding midfielder in Lunstram. Why? Lundstrum is far to immobile to play the holding midfielder on his own, that’s a fact and he has always played better alongside another sitting midfielder, with one of them holding and the other going forward when we were in attack.
We were at our best, beating the likes of Hibs away 3-0 with Lundstram and Raskin as a pair, or if not Raskin, it was Sterling in there with him.
We have reverted back to Lundstram on his own, with Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling sacrificed as a 2nd rate LB. That has resulted in a massive hole in our midfield, the back 4 exposed and Lundstrams form dropping off a cliff.
Take tonight’s game for example, both Borna and Raskin sitting on the bench and Sterling at LB at the expense of our midfield structure. Why the hell would we do that?
There has to be something else driving that change in direction from the gaffer as the former lineup was the catalyst for the rapid change in good fortune when he came in.
Why would he give up so much tactically and structurally to sacrifice Sterling to cover LB and leave Raskin and Borna on the bench?
I do think we under estimate just how big a loss Yilmaz and Cortez has been as well.
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