[Albion] Matt O Riley [26/08/24 - sings on a 5-year deal]

[sussex_guy2k2]

That was borderline comical last night, putting his foot in the ball trying to draw Brentford forward when they had absolutely zero intention of pressing him.

Absolutely. The thing is, they stuck their 4 midfielders between our front 4 and everyone else and went man for man second half, so they didn’t need to press us.

But, whilst many on here with claim that’s BVs fault, it’s entirely tactical for me, and that falls on the manager. If he’d changed shape to disrupt the man to man marking, he gives BV more passing options to hit.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Absolutely. The thing is, they stuck their 4 midfielders between our front 4 and everyone else and went man for man second half, so they didn’t need to press us.

But, whilst many on here with claim that’s BVs fault, it’s entirely tactical for me, and that falls on the manager. If he’d changed shape to disrupt the man to man marking, he gives BV more passing options to hit.

Yep, that was a young keeper who has been drilled to do what he was doing and was obeying instructions. Fair play to him despite frustrating for us, he carried out what he’d been instructed to do despite derision from the crowd. Suggests to me players do believe in what they’re trying to do, for now at least.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Absolutely. The thing is, they stuck their 4 midfielders between our front 4 and everyone else and went man for man second half, so they didn’t need to press us.

But, whilst many on here with claim that’s BVs fault, it’s entirely tactical for me, and that falls on the manager. If he’d changed shape to disrupt the man to man marking, he gives BV more passing options to hit.

Indeed. I’m sure I’m living in fantasy land but I’d love to see a 3 man midfield of Baleba, Weiffer and MOR. Let’s try and actually control a game, give the defenders and keeper options to pass out to, create a wall to prevent the opposing team strolling through us and have enough bodies to assist the attack without having players getting in each others way.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Absolutely. I’m sure in living in fantasy land but I’d love to see a 3 man midfield of Baleba, Weiffer and MOR. Let’s try and actually control a game, give the defenders and keeper options to pass out to, create a wall to prevent the opposing team strolling through us and have enough bodies to assist the attack without having players getting in each others way.

You’re suggesting tactics or something? Maybe balance in the team?

You’ve blown my mind.

Joking aside, the system worked first half. The issue, as it often has been, is what we do when the opposition work out how to play against us, as Brentford did second half (by going man for man and positioning their midfield between our defence and attack - clever stuff), as Wolves did second half (by putting an extra man in midfield), as Ipswich did second half (by playing narrow in midfield and countering), as Palace did from the start (playing an incredibly narrow midfield and forward line so we couldn’t play through them), as Man City did at the start of our game with them before Pep’s baffling tactical change after they scored to give up control of the midfield… once the opposition work out how to shut us down offensively, we seem to have no response to it tactically.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

You’re suggesting tactics or something? Maybe balance in the team?

You’ve blown my mind.

Joking aside, the system worked first half. The issue, as it often has been, is what we do when the opposition work out how to play against us, as Brentford did second half (by going man for man and positioning their midfield between our defence and attack - clever stuff), as Wolves did second half (by putting an extra man in midfield), as Ipswich did second half (by playing narrow in midfield and countering), as Palace did from the start (playing an incredibly narrow midfield and forward line so we couldn’t play through them), as Man City did at the start of our game with them before Pep’s baffling tactical change after they scored to give up control of the midfield… once the opposition work out how to shut us down offensively, we seem to have no response to it tactically.

There’s enough footage out there now for every team to know what we’re going to do and how easy it is to negate. I simply can’t get my head around an empty midfield meaning we hand over the initiative to any team who field 2 or more midfielders who can hold shape.

 

[Hastings gull]

Absolutely. The thing is, they stuck their 4 midfielders between our front 4 and everyone else and went man for man second half, so they didn’t need to press us.

But, whilst many on here with claim that’s BVs fault, it’s entirely tactical for me, and that falls on the manager. If he’d changed shape to disrupt the man to man marking, he gives BV more passing options to hit.

In theory you are quite right, but instead of holding the ball, as he did on numerous occasions, when it was clear that brentford were not going to come forward, then a quicker option should have been utilised. The inability to change tactics was what was frustrating.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

There’s enough footage out there now for every team to know what we’re going to do and how easy it is to negate. I simply can’t get my head around an empty midfield meaning we hand over the initiative to any team who field 2 or more midfielders who can hold shape.

Nope. I totally agree.

I’ve accepted he’s going to be here for this season at least, but I struggle watching us. It’s like he has no idea what’s happening in games at times, or how to affect them positively for us.

I’ve used the word “inept” to describe him tactically on here, and I appreciate that may be harsh. But I think almost all of the points we’ve dropped this season have been due to his inability to read the flow of games and adapt, and he’s not getting better at it. But he’s also not giving himself many chances with a midfield that consists of one player having to do the role of 3 players (Baleba). It’s school boy stuff.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

In theory you are quite right, but instead of holding the ball, as he did on numerous occasions, when it was clear that brentford were not going to come forward, then a quicker option should have been utilised. The inability to change tactics was what was frustrating.

I agree. But he’s, what, 20/21 years old? First time in this league as a guaranteed starter. He’s clearly doing what his manager is asking of him.

I’m not going to criticise BV for that. I’m going to criticise the manager for not giving him better options and not adapting accordingly to the flow of the game.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Nope. I totally agree.

I’ve accepted he’s going to be here for this season at least, but I struggle watching us. It’s like he has no idea what’s happening in games at times, or how to affect them positively for us.

I’ve used the word “inept” to describe him tactically on here, and I appreciate that may be harsh. But I think almost all of the points we’ve dropped this season have been due to his inability to read the flow of games and adapt, and he’s not getting better at it. But he’s also not giving himself many chances with a midfield that consists of one player having to do the role of 3 players (Baleba). It’s school boy stuff.

Nope. I totally agree.

I’ve accepted he’s going to be here for this season at least, but I struggle watching us. It’s like he has no idea what’s happening in games at times, or how to affect them positively for us.

I’ve used the word “inept” to describe him tactically on here, and I appreciate that may be harsh. But I think almost all of the points we’ve dropped this season have been due to his inability to read the flow of games and adapt, and he’s not getting better at it. But he’s also not giving himself many chances with a midfield that consists of one player having to do the role of 3 players (Baleba). It’s school boy stuff.

Alarm bells rang with me after the Leicester collapse when he said “everyone in the stadium thought the game was won” . How can he be so naive?

 

[curly69]

For me last night was a team that does not know how to work with each other ,a team of good players that have no idea what they are meant to do, a team that lack a leader. We have a great team but not sure where it's going? Not saying new manager just saying it's not right how much longer can we put up with a bad potter?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Alarm bells rang with me after the Leicester collapse when he said “everyone in the stadium thought the game was won” . How can he be so naive?

This is the thing. Everyone keeps saying be patient… he’s had a lot of games that follow the same patterns now, and he’s not learning.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

This is the thing. Everyone keeps saying be patient… he’s had a lot of games that follow the same patterns now, and he’s not learning.

I’m stopping short of calling for him to be sacked as I’d previously said he was on ‘fraud watch’ at half time against Spurs, we dug ourselves out of that one so it was egg on my face. That said, I need to see something that resembles a coherent game plan, a clear working strategy which isn’t set up to fail the first time the opposition tweak their formation.
It’s easy to forget amongst the hand wringing that we were a narrow VAR call from losing that last night.

 

[DJ NOBO]

Many of the problems are due to the incoherent style of management and pattern of play thanks to Fab.

I would try Wieffer and Baleba in midfield with MOR ahead of them. He has much more idea if goal scoring. Ayari in contrast just panics and looks like he will miss each time

Agree with all that. MOR was too close to Gruda last night on the wing, hindering both of them. He (MOR] is an ACM, and has a goal in him. Trouble is that’s the territory of a whole number of our squad. Which brings us back to the scattergun approach of the summer recruitment.
As for Ayari, I’ve seen enough. He’s not a bad player, just not of the quality we need to push on. Too lightweight, and doesn’t do anything brilliantly.

 

[Shins]

Indeed. I’m sure I’m living in fantasy land but I’d love to see a 3 man midfield of Baleba, Weiffer and MOR. Let’s try and actually control a game, give the defenders and keeper options to pass out to, create a wall to prevent the opposing team strolling through us and have enough bodies to assist the attack without having players getting in each others way.

This, with wingers narrower to support the striker and license for the fullbacks to overlap more. The 3 man midfield giving a bit more defensive solidity.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

This, with wingers narrower to support the striker and license for the fullbacks to overlap more. The 3 man midfield giving a bit more defensive solidity.

Agreed, again. Watching last night and chatting to the fella next to me we were at a loss as to how we’ve nullified our wingers so much, we seldom get them the ball with green grass to run into, they receive the ball back to goal near the half way line with a defender about 5 yards away. Our abundance of wingers should be our strength but we’re completely impotent.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

That was borderline comical last night, putting his foot in the ball trying to draw Brentford forward when they had absolutely zero intention of pressing him.

But if you keep repeating the same thing……

Is BV really that stupid that someone has to tell him?

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Agreed, again. Watching last night and chatting to the fella next to me we were at a loss as to how we’ve nullified our wingers so much, we seldom get them the ball with green grass to run into, they receive the ball back to goal near the half way line with a defender about 5 yards away. Our abundance of wingers should be our strength but we’re completely impotent.

Part of it is how we use our full backs, to be fair. Our RW is handicapped having Veltman behind him, no matter what anyone on NSC tries to argue. It’s part of the reason for Mitoma’s struggled this year too. For most of the season, teams have known that if they shut his side down, the right hand side won’t offer a threat because they only need to close off space to one player ie Minteh or Georgino when he’s played there.

But a large part of it is how poorly we move the ball through midfield now, as well. We don’t get the ball out to those positions quickly enough.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

This is the thing. Everyone keeps saying be patient… he’s had a lot of games that follow the same patterns now, and he’s not learning.

Not sure it’s about not learning, more of a lack of flexibility in approach.
Does he only have one style ans simply can’t adjust, I really don’t understand what MOR is doing, and Baleba literally is the only player centrally. Is that the style, that the other player floats around?

At West Ham with Wieffer it did look more structured, and again when Ayari came on it got a little better yesterday, but in comparison to Brentford we look light up front, and at the moment Pedro is fairly pointless.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Part of it is how we use our full backs, to be fair. Our RW is handicapped having Veltman behind him, no matter what anyone on NSC tries to argue. It’s part of the reason for Mitoma’s struggled this year too. For most of the season, teams have known that if they shut his side down, the right hand side won’t offer a threat because they only need to close off space to one player ie Minteh or Georgino when he’s played there.

But a large part of it is how poorly we move the ball through midfield now, as well. We don’t get the ball out to those positions quickly enough.

Spot on.

 

[Swimboy64]

I agree. But he’s, what, 20/21 years old? First time in this league as a guaranteed starter. He’s clearly doing what his manager is asking of him.

I’m not going to criticise BV for that. I’m going to criticise the manager for not giving him better options and not adapting accordingly to the flow of the game.

I don’t think his inability to read the flow of the game and adapt was the problem last night.In very simple terms we just couldn’t put the ball in the net.Enciso’s effort that hit the post should have been buried also a poor header from him that he should have put away and a few more attempts that were right at Flekken apart from the save with his legs that caused his injury. We could have been 2 or 3 up but we weren’t and we never are that it think is the real problem
They need to do their jobs in front of goal
Tactically good first half players letting him down I’m afraid