| Key issues to address ahead of next season 12:03 - Mar 23 with 5181 views | streetlyjack |
With the season now looking like its going to finish with a whimper I wonder and hope if Matos and the coaching team are carrying out a full autopsy on how we can move forward next season as a competitive team both home and away to avoid another stale campaign.
For me the following key points are critical to address if we are to challenge up at the top or even reach the new extended format of the play offs (this should be our minimum aim).
1) Our Playing style - now seems to be outdated even in the championship, far too slow, easy to work out and vulnerable to a counter attack as well as set pieces.
2) Shape & Balance - a midfield core based around Ronald, Eom and Franco just doesn't work - no physical strength, little creativity and no end product. I struggle to work out what our approach is as we are neither solid in defending or creative enough in attack...the quality unfortunately just isn't there so this dynamic has to change next season. This team needs a serious injection of pace or we will continue to be stuck in our 'sideways and backwards' cycle. To have opposition managers comment that they are 'happy to let you have the ball as you never do anything with it' is damning.
3) Loan Strategy - Our loan strategy just hasn't delivered this season with very little contribution coming from our loan players when you think about it. I do appreciate a change of manager will not have helped here as these were not Matos picks. If you look at other teams at the top this season you can see their loan players are contributing to their success. Bringing players in on loan as back up is fine only if your starting 11 has good quality - unfortunately we dont have this luxury so need a rethink on who we loan in next season as they really need to be adding value to the starting 11 and not just as back up.
4) Recruitment - I wont name anyone in particular but its clear to everyone that we need to ship a few out this summer who are just not good enough to take us forward - better to take a loss now rather than keep them on the books, they have had long enough to prove themselves so lets just call it quits and move on. If we are to sell our key assets for £25m+ then this gives us a great opportunity to reset and build a more functional team for next season.
5) Leadership - Cabango is not the answer and does not come across as a leader of men or someone that can drag his team up by the scruff of the shirt when things get tough, he in fact tends to be one of the main culprits for making poor decisions which cant fill his teammates with much confidence.
Matos should now have seen everything he needs to see from this squad to give him absolute clarity on what and where the improvements can be made for next season. We cant afford to let another season drift like this one especially now with the introduction of the new play offs format.
I am definitely keeping the faith but Matos and the board need to rectify some of the mistakes we have made this season which wont be easy but MUST be addressed.
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| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 13:16 - Mar 26 with 778 views | RichardO |
| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 22:17 - Mar 24 by streetlyjack |
Agree with all those points and the old habits seem to be far more evident in away games where we seem to be far more cautious and revert back to our default position of sideways and backwards.
Derby, Preston, Wrexham & Ipswich away are prime examples of the old approach of hogging possession without any purpose. The first half away at Portsmouth however we were far more pro active and got our rewards. I cant honestly think that Matos would send out a team to invite pressure and be so conservative away from home so can only assume some players are just programmed that way and find it difficult to adapt? |
Think the problem with away games is we start pushing forward a bit recklessly leaving gaps for the home teams who are expected by the home fans to attack Once we go down a goal then the home team are then far more careful with the press allowing us the ball, which is where lots of teams struggle against well organised defenses as we do.
Of late we have stood off opposition wingers and left gaps in our midfield because we have not done the pressing throughout the team well enough, not knowing when to let the goalie have the ball so we can flood the midfield and benefit from the ability of our centrebacks to win the ball in the air while stopping oppositions progress on the floor, it does seem as if when we do win the ball our midfield are not in positions to benefit. It could be said that the centrehalves should be a bit better at guiding the headed balls to our players or at least into spaces that our midfield could come onto from a better defensive position in the midfield.
You must remember we left ourselves open to the counter attack within the first couple of minutes of the Ipswich game by pressing too high or badly and they scored their goal within the first five minute setting the tone of their game,defend deep and counter attack as we then pushed forward which us exactly what Coventry did once ahead taking every opportunity as we attacked leaving gaps everywhere and Wreham.
Basically in away games keep things tight , don't over commit players but ensure we have players with pace who can help us benefit from counter attacks. | | | |
| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 15:45 - Mar 26 with 681 views | onehunglow |
| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 13:16 - Mar 26 by RichardO |
Think the problem with away games is we start pushing forward a bit recklessly leaving gaps for the home teams who are expected by the home fans to attack Once we go down a goal then the home team are then far more careful with the press allowing us the ball, which is where lots of teams struggle against well organised defenses as we do.
Of late we have stood off opposition wingers and left gaps in our midfield because we have not done the pressing throughout the team well enough, not knowing when to let the goalie have the ball so we can flood the midfield and benefit from the ability of our centrebacks to win the ball in the air while stopping oppositions progress on the floor, it does seem as if when we do win the ball our midfield are not in positions to benefit. It could be said that the centrehalves should be a bit better at guiding the headed balls to our players or at least into spaces that our midfield could come onto from a better defensive position in the midfield.
You must remember we left ourselves open to the counter attack within the first couple of minutes of the Ipswich game by pressing too high or badly and they scored their goal within the first five minute setting the tone of their game,defend deep and counter attack as we then pushed forward which us exactly what Coventry did once ahead taking every opportunity as we attacked leaving gaps everywhere and Wreham.
Basically in away games keep things tight , don't over commit players but ensure we have players with pace who can help us benefit from counter attacks. |
So why do we do it
why ?
It’s proven to be useless and damaging
It’s cost us games we should have won
The coach has to sort this out | |
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| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 19:17 - Mar 26 with 626 views | RichardO |
| Key issues to address ahead of next season on 15:45 - Mar 26 by onehunglow |
So why do we do it
why ?
It’s proven to be useless and damaging
It’s cost us games we should have won
The coach has to sort this out |
Trying to work out your preferred team knocked back with injuries, sometimes it would be seem as if coaches cannot see the wood for the trees, but would Galbraith have played in the midfield if the right back position was sorted, having to walk the tightrope with aged players, in this case Ward, who is deemed as unable to play ninety minutes but to add some experience to the squad, as we did at times with Allen and Naughton, Key not available or not picked makes you think it is a shame Parker hasn't had enough time to gain the experience needed, very young when introduced to the first team but has never let us down or had any performances worse than others.
Unsettled in the defence and unsettled in the midfield, rotation was needed but that first eleven picked has to be defensively stronger. | | | |
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