One holding midfielder at home Mr Jokanovic- just ONE!!!!!!!!!!!

[dannyboi-ffc]

McDonald to Parker to Mcdonald to Parker to McDonald to Parker to Sigurdsson to Parker to Madl to Parker to McDonald to Sigurdsson lose the ball........1-0 down.

The sweeping midfielder should pick the ball up and start attacks controlling everything across the pitch in front of the back 4. But we have 2 of them which means both the pair of them and the defence are forever picking easy passes sideways and back instead of having the extra body in a forward position making a run.

It's too predictable with no runners. I feel sorry for Sessegnon.  And maybe he should take corners because Cairney doesn't know how to beat the first man.

[westcliff white]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

[Lighthouse]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

A point I made on another post is that our full backs have little cover as today proved.

[dannyboi-ffc]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

But why do both fullbacks attack at the same time. They should be coached that if Sess overlaps and goes Odoi tucks in. Not sure Odoi is that much of an attacking full back anyway. Certainly not like Sess is.

Maybe Kalas should play right back and Odoi dropped. I'm not a massive fan to be honest, he's good but not great.

Other option is try Smith and Martin or any combination of two preferably Ayite when available. And drop Cairney for a game. In September he has been one of our most ineffective players. Maybe Jozabed deserves a go?

[davew]

I really don't think this manager is any better than the previous few! We are now sinking back to the position that we should be in i.e. just above relegation. We have most of the teams in the top 1/2 of the table to play and after that we will all see SJ lacks ideas and is not creative enough! On paper our squad looks stronger, but is it really?? I remember after last years Summer transfer window that fans thought we had made some good signings and there is no need to remind ourselves where we ended up in the league. I won't blame SJ for the fact that we DO NOT have 1 quality striker, that must be down to Khan!! I am at the stage where I cannot for the foreseeable future listen or watch (replays) our matches. Really sad and disappointing is not the word to express how I feel about it all!!!

[westcliff white]

I get to Lighthouse and Danny I do, I haven't figured it out either. The only thing I an think of is when the ball is on the left Cairney has gone central so Odoi pushes wide for the over hit ball and the same on the other side.

But, for me, the 2 defensive midfielders are one of the reasons we had the second best defensive record prior to todays game

[dannyboi-ffc]

I get to Lighthouse and Danny I do, I haven't figured it out either. The only thing I an think of is when the ball is on the left Cairney has gone central so Odoi pushes wide for the over hit ball and the same on the other side.

But, for me, the 2 defensive midfielders are one of the reasons we had the second best defensive record prior to todays game

But in every game at the Cottage we concede on the counter attack. Where are the two holding midfielders then? Imo when teams press us we lose the midfield battle so these defensive midfielders aren't doing their job well enough to keep ignoring Jozabed who never gets a chance. Dare I say it maybe bring Tunnicliffe back in for more energy and legs

[longleigh10]

I've said it before, and i'll say it again   :dead horse: it takes years to build a squad that can really play together, they need to know each others style of play and can anticipate what their team-mate will do.  keep the academy players moving through the ranks together, then watch them flourish..  I know some are better than others and will want to progress further, but 'no man is an island' as the old saying goes.  Come on Sess we're routing for you..

[St. Andrews White]

I'd agree with you there Danny.

One defensive mid, one box-to-box runner and one creative one to ping passes and slip people in.

In midfield, I'd have:

Parker, LVC
Kebano, Jozabed, Ayite

The defence and sole striker is another issue.
But this midfield would give us pace, a runner though the centre, a tough defensive leader and someone creative.

Surely worth a try?

[PokerMatt]

Totally underwhelmed by McDonald since an early couple of performances. I don't think I saw him make any effective passes today - it's hard to pick the worst player, but for me it's one of McDonald or Sig today.

Parker isn't really a holding player, so I can see what SJ is trying, but they're both just so slow that they're surrounded by players and have no time. Thought Scott was our best player first half, and I actually liked the bit more of an attacking angle from Johansen second half. Do agree that LVC should be tried there.

[love4ffc]

I've said it before, and i'll say it again   :dead horse: it takes years to build a squad that can really play together, they need to know each others style of play and can anticipate what their team-mate will do.  keep the academy players moving through the ranks together, then watch them flourish..  I know some are better than others and will want to progress further, but 'no man is an island' as the old saying goes.  Come on Sess we're routing for you..

:plus one: completely agree with this. 

As for one holding midfielder....I can't help but wonder if we should be looking at playing a different formation all together.  Maybe back to a basic 4-4-2 with Cairney playing the number 10 role.  Then play Piazon up top with Smith or Martin. 

[westcliff white]

Danny I agree with the Jozabad and Tunni comments, I wold switch (even though not my preferred two formations) to a 4-4-1-1 with Tunni at right back and Jozabad in a midfield 2.

Re the defensive midfield, I think we get overrun when both full backs are forward and sometimes one of our defensive players is caught up linking play so we get overrun. I see your points, but would also say at the start of the season, the team we started with, we didn't have that issue. I would go back to that team and then ease the new guys in from the bench over a period of time

[davew]

I think there is too much analysis, when the simple answer is that we are just not good enough (in this league anyway)!

[Whitesideup]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

A point I made on another post is that our full backs have little cover as today proved.

Exactly. Odoi had a poor game today, but at times when the ball was played down their left (ie our right ... are you following me?) there wasn't a white shirt within 30 or 40 yards of him.

[Bill2]

You can mess about with all the players and formations but the real reason we didn't win today and other games is that we don't have anyone up front knocking the goals in. We have lots of play but if you look at the stats our shots on target is rubbish, I cannot recall Martins having a shot on target in any of the games I have sen him in. The rest of the players can miss from anywhere and frequently do.

[davew]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

A point I made on another post is that our full backs have little cover as today proved.

Exactly. Odoi had a poor game today, but at times when the ball was played down their left (ie our right ... are you following me?) there wasn't a white shirt within 30 or 40 yards of him.

Perhaps we should all be wearing white shirts, just a thought!

[Snibbo]

I really don't think this manager is any better than the previous few!

But he looks the part

[bill taylors apprentice]

Yes, we are lacking a goal scorer but really the problems deeper than this but having two holding MF's is not the problem!
The problem (one of them) is the type of holding MF !

Unless the opposition lay down and surrender, the team at present is set up to fail.
No penetration with the ball and lacking depth to our covering defensively, simple !

[Fulham76]

Sorry Danny for once I will disagree, if we play 2 attacking full backs at home then we need the two defensive midfielders. Full backs these days don't defend, there are very few Stuart Pearce's around these days. With Odoi and Sess both going forward we are left exposed so we need them.

Yep, that's exactly what happened for their first goal yesterday. Sessignon was so far forward when we lost the ball, 2 of their players had a free run at our goal. Literally stole the ball, one pass forward without any cover or tackle & crossed it for their guy put it away. Eezy peezy

[filham]

I think you have it about right Danny but whatever anyone thinks everyone must agree that Jocanovic has got it wrong and some change of tactics are needed.

I would like to see a conventional 4-4-2 line up with a good mixture of short passing and long balls to ensure the opposition didn't know exactly what was coming at them.