The problem, cause & way forward

[grandad]

I am sure the following has been covered by others but this is just my view.
The current problem is obviously not scoring the goals that win matches. This is caused by the players becoming bored with the tactics of playing keep ball on the edge of our area. It takes so long passing across the back 4 eventually finding a CMF. By this time the opposition have pulled 11 behind the ball. It then forces us to commit our backs to join in with trying to find an opening. This leaves our CB's exposed, especially down the flanks, to a counter attack when we eventually give the ball away.
Our wingers don't get a run at defences & starving Mitro with anything to work with.

The last 3 matches have seen us play slower & slower & it seems to me the players are fed up with the system & are just going through the motions.

We are so predictable that the way forward is for a complete change in style. Keep the opposition guessing how we are going to play at the start, during & near the end. There is no problem playing keep ball but not through the whole game.

Maybe when Hector arrives we could play 3-5-2 with someone playing close to Mitro. Our current 4-3-3 is not working so we must find a system that does. One factor that we are lacking is a pacy box to box mid fielder. TC does not have the pace or tenacity for this job. He is more effective in & around the box.

I am sure others have their own views but is might lead to some positive contributions. There is no point in keep blaming the Owners, Manager, Coaches & players. We have what we have so let's do something about it.

[SuffolkWhite]

4411 is what we need I think, more tempo and support for Mitro.

[Whitesideup]

I am sure the following has been covered by others but this is just my view.
The current problem is obviously not scoring the goals that win matches. This is caused by the players becoming bored with the tactics of playing keep ball on the edge of our area. It takes so long passing across the back 4 eventually finding a CMF. By this time the opposition have pulled 11 behind the ball. It then forces us to commit our backs to join in with trying to find an opening. This leaves our CB's exposed, especially down the flanks, to a counter attack when we eventually give the ball away.
Our wingers don't get a run at defences & starving Mitro with anything to work with.

The last 3 matches have seen us play slower & slower & it seems to me the players are fed up with the system & are just going through the motions.

We are so predictable that the way forward is for a complete change in style. Keep the opposition guessing how we are going to play at the start, during & near the end. There is no problem playing keep ball but not through the whole game.

Maybe when Hector arrives we could play 3-5-2 with someone playing close to Mitro. Our current 4-3-3 is not working so we must find a system that does. One factor that we are lacking is a pacy box to box mid fielder. TC does not have the pace or tenacity for this job. He is more effective in & around the box.

I am sure others have their own views but is might lead to some positive contributions. There is no point in keep blaming the Owners, Manager, Coaches & players. We have what we have so let's do something about it.

As you say, much discussed topic ... but perhaps because it is the most relevant.  I agree that the 4-3-3 is not working for us. Yesterday Brentford looked much more threatening on the attack and were unlucky not to get a second goal. They always seemed to have an option for their forwards whereas often we don't.

Pacy box-to-box midfielder - is that not Johansen's role?

Perhaps the best chance we had was Bobby Reid's header. For me that showed the significance of getting someone else in the box rather than just Mitro. Every time the ball went to him (Mitro, that is) he had two large centre-halves within inches, and unsurprisingly perhaps, he didn't have the best of games. They were taking care of him which allowed Bobby to get loose and he had a free header. A great run, and maybe he should have done a bit better. Mitro has scored a higher percentage of the team's goals than any other Championship side. Marking him out of the game (often easier said than done) seems to limit our chances considerably, so yes, another confirmation of the fact our system is not working for us as well as it should.

I also noted, in the first half in particular, balls being played forward to midfielders in space whose reaction was to pass the ball first time but often backwards, which reminded me of Parker's own style a bit. Onomah (who I thought had a good game esp 2nd half) did this at least 3 times. Is this a communication issue or a deliberately coached tactic or a lack of ambition from the midfielders in question?

Not sure we have the players for a 3-5-2, particularly the wide 2 in midfield as our players are either defensive (Christie, Bryan) or offensive, ie wingers (Cav, Knockaert). But like you, I feel something needs to change as whilst we can always lose to a good team like Brentford, we should not be outplayed.

[LittleErn]

"The current problem is obviously not scoring the goals that win matches." True, but it is only part of the problem - the other part is not being able to defend against fast counter-attacking wingers and/or a high press on our lethargic back four.

"It takes so long passing across the back 4 eventually finding a CMF. By this time the opposition have pulled 11 behind the ball. It then forces us to commit our backs to join in with trying to find an opening. This leaves our CB's exposed, especially down the flanks, to a counter attack when we eventually give the ball away. Our wingers don't get a run at defences & starving Mitro with anything to work with." Agreed. It is also noticeable that when our wingers, or other attackers for that matter, do make runs they are usually ignored. Presumably giving the ball away while taking a chance of scoring is worse than giving it away while dwelling on it at the back.

"getting someone else in the box rather than just Mitro" - If only. Our defence minded tactics don't allow much of this. In any case, it's usually so congested by the time we get near the box that another body just becomes part of the crowd.

"something needs to change" ✔