Parker needs to be brave in his selection ....

[howitis]

I think there is no doubt that this is the first time since Parker took over that pressure is starting to build. Results and the manner of the performances have just not been good enough. Throw in the fact that our strongest asset Mitro, is having less and less influence on a game (due to tactics) and this game takes on extra significance.
To be fair Parker couldn't wish for a better fixture at this moment. A poor team with some significant injures, Wigan really are there for the taking. Let's hope that Parker is brave and gives Booby Reid a run out up top alongside Mitro and changes tactics and personnel.
I would go 442 with GK (my goodness we need an upgrade), Odoi Mawson, Ream, Bryan, Sess, Arter, Cairney, Knockaert, Mitro, Reid
or
352   with same personnel.

We need to win this handsomely playing positive attacking football.

Lastly we can't play the Parker way with Mawson and Bettinelli. Neither have the football ability to play put from the back.

[Sting of the North]

I disagree with most of this.

First off I wouldn't completely alter our formation and negate much of the work that has been put in during pre-season and training. We are not that far off being a very good team, so why just give up now?

Secondly, Bettinelli has overall handled the playing out from the back very well so far this season so I think you are being a bit unfair. Although I agree that Mawson is not great at it, I don't think he has been that bad either.

Thirdly, I don't think it is our tactics that don't allow for more involvement of Mitro, but rather our execution of the same.

Lastly, I don't think the brave option is to change tactics and personnel for the sake of reaction to short term results that has not quite been up to the expected. I think that is the knee jerk reaction which is quite the opposite of brave, that for example SJ fell for when desperately trying to find a team in the shambles of a squad that started last season (not really blaming him as he was dealt a really bad hand). Let's hope SP is more composed, and more importantly has the full backing of the Khans.

[filham]

I disagree with most of this.

First off I wouldn't completely alter our formation and negate much of the work that has been put in during pre-season and training. We are not that far off being a very good team, so why just give up now?

Secondly, Bettinelli has overall handled the playing out from the back very well so far this season so I think you are being a bit unfair. Although I agree that Mawson is not great at it, I don't think he has been that bad either.

Thirdly, I don't think it is our tactics that don't allow for more involvement of Mitro, but rather our execution of the same.

Lastly, I don't think the brave option is to change tactics and personnel for the sake of reaction to short term results that has not quite been up to the expected. I think that is the knee jerk reaction which is quite the opposite of brave, that for example SJ fell for when desperately trying to find a team in the shambles of a squad that started last season (not really blaming him as he was dealt a really bad hand). Let's hope SP is more composed, and more importantly has the full backing of the Khans.

A post that a lot of us will agree with at 10pm tonight on the back of a 3-0 victory but if somehow we fail to score more than a solitary goal we will probably be calling for changes.

[Sting of the North]

A post that a lot of us will agree with at 10pm tonight on the back of a 3-0 victory but if somehow we fail to score more than a solitary goal we will probably be calling for changes.

I am sure a lot of you will as always, but that won't change my opinion on this. Or, actually if we play really badly it will of course change my opinion one small step. It takes many such steps to change my overall opinion though, since I firmly believe that following a plan is generally key to promotion.

[Twig]

How it is?  Nonsense more like. Totally change the set up, Change the keeper? You have to be joking.

[FFC1987]

I disagree with most of this.

First off I wouldn't completely alter our formation and negate much of the work that has been put in during pre-season and training. We are not that far off being a very good team, so why just give up now?

Secondly, Bettinelli has overall handled the playing out from the back very well so far this season so I think you are being a bit unfair. Although I agree that Mawson is not great at it, I don't think he has been that bad either.

Thirdly, I don't think it is our tactics that don't allow for more involvement of Mitro, but rather our execution of the same.

Lastly, I don't think the brave option is to change tactics and personnel for the sake of reaction to short term results that has not quite been up to the expected. I think that is the knee jerk reaction which is quite the opposite of brave, that for example SJ fell for when desperately trying to find a team in the shambles of a squad that started last season (not really blaming him as he was dealt a really bad hand). Let's hope SP is more composed, and more importantly has the full backing of the Khans.

Would love to carry on being a contrarian with your posts, but can only agree here. We have been doing a lot right, but closing off games/capitalising on when we are in full control of games. I think the brave option, is sticking to his guns, no knee jerk reactions and winning the game like we should do.

[Sting of the North]

I disagree with most of this.

First off I wouldn't completely alter our formation and negate much of the work that has been put in during pre-season and training. We are not that far off being a very good team, so why just give up now?

Secondly, Bettinelli has overall handled the playing out from the back very well so far this season so I think you are being a bit unfair. Although I agree that Mawson is not great at it, I don't think he has been that bad either.

Thirdly, I don't think it is our tactics that don't allow for more involvement of Mitro, but rather our execution of the same.

Lastly, I don't think the brave option is to change tactics and personnel for the sake of reaction to short term results that has not quite been up to the expected. I think that is the knee jerk reaction which is quite the opposite of brave, that for example SJ fell for when desperately trying to find a team in the shambles of a squad that started last season (not really blaming him as he was dealt a really bad hand). Let's hope SP is more composed, and more importantly has the full backing of the Khans.

Would love to carry on being a contrarian with your posts, but can only agree here. We have been doing a lot right, but closing off games/capitalising on when we are in full control of games. I think the brave option, is sticking to his guns, no knee jerk reactions and winning the game like we should do.

Yes, and you actually put it much more concise and to the point in your last sentence here.

[fulhamfan]

At Wednesday last weekend Cav and Knock were practically hugging the touchline all game leaving a massive gap between them and Mitro.
With out and out wingers like them we need more than 1 man in the box. Mitro looks cut adrift from the rest of the team otherwise and it is showing in recent games

[Whitesideup]

If we continue not to close out games, then it's not bravery exactly that Parker requires, but an ability through coaching and tactical awareness to get what is clearly an able group of players to be more threatening in the final third as I am sure this would then, with the players we have,  deliver more goals, and consequently points. 

[Woolly Mammoth]

Perhaps we should press the ball a little higher up the pitch, defend from the front. Mitro to do what he does best by pushing up on their last man, making him try and mark him, and Knock and Cav being busy with energy and pressing the ball. Pressure will create errors unforced and otherwise. As I would imagine Wigan defenders will be nervous especially early on, sow  seeds of doubt in their minds. Cause them to lose their shape early. We get a an early goal or two and they will have to abandon plan A and possibly plan B.

[Statto]

In fairness to the OP, I don't see a huge difference between Reid playing the number 10 role in a 4-3-3 (which he has done, off the bench) versus playing as a second striker in a 4-4-2. The numbers are different but in reality it just means him positioning himself a bit further forward. I'm keen to see what Reid can do there, playing on the shoulder of the last defender, looking to latch on to through balls from Cairney and knock downs from Mitrovic.

It would mean Cairney dropping back but IMO that would help us pass the ball out from the back better.

I agree with the fundamental point above that abandoning our current tactics now would be neither "brave" nor prudent, but IMO this is not a radical change, at least going into games we're under pressure to win.

[The Rational Fan]

Matt O'Riley and De La Torres seem to be dropped from u23, maybe they will appear on the bench at Reading.

[Count Flapula]

4-4-2?

Cairney playing deep in a 2-man midfield? Did you not watch the games in the Prem when we experimented - catastrophically - with this?

Our team is built around getting Cairney in positions where he is most effective at playing the killer passes and not exposing him defensively / tracking back - unquestionably him sitting deeper in a 2-man midfield blunts us in attack and leaves us massively exposed when we lose the ball (especially with 2 wingers staying wide in a 4-4-2). Most teams play 3-man midfields now so we would simply be overrun. I'm not averse to a 4-4-2 / 4-4-1-1 with a no.10 type playing off a striker / dropping back to make up the numbers in MF when needed, but not when we've built our team around Cairney.

The formations we play (3-man midfield with 2 goalscoring wide forwards playing off a target no.9) suits the personnel we bought - we just need to make sure the likes of the wide forward on the far side of play and 2 midfielders get in dangerous positions in the box to support Mitro. It worked for us in largely the same formation under Slav and a lot of the same players.

We need tactical tweaks - not formation overhauls.

[grandad]

So we have 2 OP's from Howitis both of which are complete nonsense.. His comments beggar belief. It is not even worth the time to respond directly. It's a free world so if he keeps wanting to be negative for the sake of it , let him