Caught between 2 styles (10 Viewers)

[Deity]

I think Robins has a lot of thinking to do this weekend.

Our preferred style of play “ Robins ball” is far less effective in this division where the aggressive press puts us under pressure and we turn over ball too easily.

however when we try to miss out the press and go long Godden does not have the pace or physique to hold the ball up for us, or run in behind.

we can see the players confidence dropping with each match. They can see this dilemma themselves.

this is not an over reaction to last night but if you have watched any of the other matches you will have seen Bristol City work us our in the second half, QPR from minute 1 and Barnsley set up to prevent our rhythm.

our lack of pace in the transition through the centre of the team is also a problem.

when the wing backs do get crossed in their is very little ( literally ) to aim for in the box.

I know the cheque book is closed but we must hope the fringe players get moved on and we can bring in 1or2 loans to add some different ingredients to our young squad

 

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[Dickie]

True, but not every team press so aggressively and high up the pitch as Bournemouth. Brentford do though, and they’re next.

Agree about speed. The one time we broke down the left with Giles who put that cross in we cut them open and nearly scored.

At least Robins has the international break to sort it out

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

As we have less of the ball our wing backs become less effective and get exposed defensively. Neither are the best defenders, I would bring McCallum in.

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

We need change formation to adapt games.

Brentford dumped Fulham out of the cup and looked very dangerous. Last night was a reality check that we are small fry in this league and we will be played off the park against certain teams. We need to pick up points against the teams who we think will be in the bottom half of the table.

 

[Saddlebrains]

Said in another thread.


We're getting smashed in midfield. Need to tighten up and try and win games 1 nil or 2-1.

For me its 451

Marosi
Dabo Hyam Rose Mccallum
O'Hare Hamer Kelly Sheaf Giles
Godden

Ohare and giles more inverted and supporting off goddens shoulder.


We cant keep conceding 2 or 3 a game and have 40% possesion and expect to stay up

 

[AFCCOVENTRY]

Part of the problem is we can’t keep the ball up front and bring the attacking players in. Godden just isn’t good at that at this level. We need to try Walker or Baka up there with him to bully the defenders. Godden doesn’t want to ruin his hair.

 

[SkyblueTexan]

I think we might have to change formation and style of play against the better sides in this division. We're too predictable and that becomes a problem. Teams are pressing and easily picking the ball off of our mistakes and giveaways. Perhaps we pick the best available XI, pack the midfield in order to bridge the gap from defence to attack and play a more counter-attacking style of play than how we've been used to playing. That might call for some players to be played out of position and who may need to adapt to slightly different roles. It might be less pleasing on the eye, but it's about survival and putting points on the board.

 

[covcity4life]

If Allen and Shipley are not good enough go 2 up. Baka or max have to be 1 of the 2

Still early days though

 

[Grendel]

If Allen and Shipley are not good enough go 2 up. Baka or max have to be 1 of the 2

Still early days though

So we paid £1 million for Walker and he’s not as good as Biamou or Bakayoko!

 

[covcity4life]

So we paid £1 million for Walker and he’s not as good as Biamou or Bakayoko!

No i mean i like a big man in a front 2. No issues with walker over godden in that 2

 

[Londonccfcfan]

No i mean i like a big man in a front 2. No issues with walker over godden in that 2

Neither are big men or target men.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

Yes we need patience and stick with our tried and tested.

Can't go around chopping and changing. Need faith in the system.

 

[covcity4life]

Neither are big men or target men.

Both are bigger and stronger than godden and walker

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Yes we need patience and stick with our tried and tested.

Can't go around chopping and changing. Need faith in the system.

The system is less the issue it’s more our players aren’t used to being pressed which is causing problems with possession all over the pitch

 

[robbiekeane]

It’s a learning curve. No doubt we have to adapt our game, but remember for some of these players it’s the first time playing a team anywhere near as good as Bournemouth. Young squad, need to make sure they don’t lose confidence and belief. Over to the coaching staff...

 

[clint van damme]

In our two promotion season's Robins has changed formation during the season.
I think there's every possibility it will happen again.

 

[Esoterica]

In our two promotion season's Robins has changed formation during the season.
I think there's every possibility it will happen again.

I said the same in the match thread at the end of the game on Friday. Word gets around a division quickly when one or two teams have had success against a team's chosen formation. I expect a few more teams will now do their homework and try to pin our wing backs back and then press our defence.
We looked so much slower and hesitant in possession at the back than Bournemouth did but thats because our usual 'out balls' had been shut off and the option to go long just isn't there with Godden, either over the top because of his lack of pace or to his feet because he's too isolated and not his natural game.
We've got 2 weeks to work on options in that scenario, so wouldn't be at all surprised to see Bakayoko thrown into a front 2 vs Brentford. And then when he looks rusty we'll all be questioning why he's not been given a single minute so far this season

 

[cc84cov]

Part of the problem is we can’t keep the ball up front and bring the attacking players in. Godden just isn’t good at that at this level. We need to try Walker or Baka up there with him to bully the defenders. Godden doesn’t want to ruin his hair.

Great idea drop our in form striker

 

[clint van damme]

Great idea drop our in form striker

I don't understand this train of thought. He's got 3 in 4.
It's true playing Goddden makes it difficult to go long which to means he needs more support not dropping.

 

[cc84cov]

As we have less of the ball our wing backs become less effective and get exposed defensively. Neither are the best defenders, I would bring McCallum in.

Bring McCallum in for what ? What difference would it of made ? Giles has put more crosses in than anyone else in the league McCallum would of made zero difference

 

[cc84cov]

I don't understand this train of thought. He's got 3 in 4.
It's true playing Goddden makes it difficult to go long which to means he needs more support not dropping.

Play him in a 2 gets my vote if we are gonna do it but we lose the man in midfield when we’ve changed it to that against Bristol & Barnsley we ended up over run probboat why Robins was reluctant to do it against Bournemouth

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

Bring McCallum in for what ? What difference would it of made ? Giles has put more crosses in than anyone else in the league McCallum would of made zero difference

You didn’t read my reasoning then. He’s a better defender and we’re shipping too many goals to win games.

Him putting in the most crosses means little as most of them end up nowhere near the intended target

I believe these are successful crosses and he’s ranked 38th in the league:

 

[cc84cov]

You didn’t read my reasoning then. He’s a better defender and we’re shipping too many goals to win games.

Him putting in the most crosses means little as most of them end up nowhere near the intended target

I believe these are successful crosses and he’s ranked 38th in the league:

https://www.whoscored.com/Regions/252/Tournaments/7/Seasons/8304/Stages/18825/PlayerStatistics/England-Championship-2020-2021

He’s been one of our main outlets unless we use him further forward I wouldn’t drop him for McCallum

 

[Grendel]

In our two promotion season's Robins has changed formation during the season.
I think there's every possibility it will happen again.

He mainly did it when there were key injuries

 

[clint van damme]

He mainly did it when there were key injuries

last seasons certainly coincided with the Jobello injury.

 

[Grendel]

last seasons certainly coincided with the Jobello injury.

The L2 promotion season was when jones was injured

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

The L2 promotion season was when jones was injured

Was it Kelly who was injured when Baylis came in?

 

[clint van damme]

The L2 promotion season was when jones was injured

I think we'll see a change this year. Having said that, it was only Friday where we were totally outclassed. That hasn't happened in previous games.

 

[cc84cov]

We changed last season at home to fleetwood 2-0 down

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

He’s been one of our main outlets unless we use him further forward I wouldn’t drop him for McCallum

But if he's being pressed back that much how much of an outlet is he?

Is it worth him getting two or three crosses in (which with only Godden in the middle aren't that likely to be converted) compared to being exposed behind him half a dozen times or more a match because he's not as strong defensively?

Pragmatically we have to accept there are games where we will need to put more solidity defensively ahead of an attacking outlet. It's not like McCallum isn't capable of getting forward at all like Mason.

For me next game against a good Brentofrd team I'd bring McCallum in

 

[cc84cov]

But if he's being pressed back that much how much of an outlet is he?

Is it worth him getting two or three crosses in (which with only Godden in the middle aren't that likely to be converted) compared to being exposed behind him half a dozen times or more a match because he's not as strong defensively?

Pragmatically we have to accept there are games where we will need to put more solidity defensively ahead of an attacking outlet. It's not like McCallum isn't capable of getting forward at all like Mason.

For me next game against a good Brentofrd team I'd bring McCallum in

I think Giles is quality if we use him further forward with McCallum behind then possibly,

 

[The Philosopher]

True, but not every team press so aggressively and high up the pitch as Bournemouth. Brentford do though, and they’re next.

Agree about speed. The one time we broke down the left with Giles who put that cross in we cut them open and nearly scored.

At least Robins has the international break to sort it out

But they will. It seems that other teams have learnt to set up that way against us.

The way to overcome this is to have a physical / pacy player somewhere in our front 3. O hare, Allen, Godden are individually good but don’t provide the over the top option that would stop the opposition pressing high.

You can see why Kastaneer, Baka and Jobello were drafted in when the system was devised. Walker might be an option in place of Allen but having 3 smaller players up front isn’t, in my limited opinion, isn’t sensible. A physical outlet up front stops the opposition defensive midfielder raiding forward.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

I think Giles is quality if we use him further forward with McCallum behind then possibly,

In which case we have to consider who would play in front of Dabo to even out the formation. When Dacosta is fit maybe him behind Dabo? Pask behind him?

Also need to consider the effect it would have on the change of shape. Having people in front of them would mean losing either an CAM or DCM or reverting to a back four.

 

[stupot07]

The reason we will be hit and miss this season:

Last seasons best 11

--------------------Marosi
---------rose-----fadz-----hyam
Dabo------kelly---walsh-------mccallum
------------ohare-----Allen
-------------------godden

This seasons best 11

---------------------Marosi
----rose/Ost-----fadz------hyam
Dabo-------kelly--Hamer-------Giles/McCallum
---------------o'hare--allen
--------------------godden

We have bolstered the squad but we haven't really added quality to the starting 11, we are a good league one side playing in the Championship.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

 

[Deity]

The reason we will be hit and miss this season:

Last seasons best 11

--------------------Marosi
---------rose-----fadz-----hyam
Dabo------kelly---walsh-------mccallum
------------ohare-----Allen
-------------------godden

This seasons best 11

---------------------Marosi
----rose/Ost-----fadz------hyam
Dabo-------kelly--Hamer-------Giles/McCallum
---------------o'hare--allen
--------------------godden

We have bolstered the squad but we haven't really added quality to the starting 11, we are a good league one side playing in the Championship.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk

Spot on.

Walker and Sheaf yet to make an impact and DaCosta and Hilsner injures