Mr Burns
New member
SImpy put, because teams have sussed us out, and can counter the style we play, it would appear with ease.
As I have just said on another thread, I think our main issue is the center backs. The whole team seems set up to protect them as much as anything. (He hasn't fully sorted out the defensive problem, otherwise our main target wouldn't be a centre half.In defence of Poyet, I think the two centre halfs may be the reason why he won't opt for a more attacking system. Whist Bruno and Bridge are good enough to walk in virtually any Championship side (as is Kuszczak), I don't see another championship side that either El-Abd nor Greer would get in other than us. Therefore this ultra defensive system he plays with just one up front, is probably partly done to not exposing Greer and El Abd too much. So whilst on paper we may have the meanist defensive record in the football league, we certainly haven't sorted out the back four IMO. I think we need an experienced center half with the same sort of pedigree as Bruno, Kuszczak or Bridge, and this will allow Dunk to come back in and have a top centre back to learn of. I firmly believe if we had a top class center back, Dunk would start. )
I would like to see Gus, in times like this, go an old fashioned 442. Two wingers and two attacking full backs to scare the shit out of full backs. THe problem with this though, is we have no target man to met the crosses, and we are so slow out, we allow the oppostion to drop so deep, that we nullify CMS main strength which is playing balls for him to run onto. By the time El-Abd or Greer have spent five minutes walking the ball to the half way line, the oppsition are camped on the edge of their box, and we simply cannot break them down.
For me one way to conter this, is attack them wide and at speed. None of this slow build up play. Everything is in place to do this, except a player to get on the end of things, but if we played at a higher tempo, we may be able to ultilise CMS strengths, and a tall target man wouldn't be needed as you could use Hoskins, Dobbie or even Toby for the time being to play with CMS.
But if we are going to attack like this, we need strong center halfs, and I think we have probably two of the poorest center back in the division, albeit surrounded by two of the best full backs and keeper in the division.
So may plan B would be to up the tempo considerabily, and use the wingers and full backs at the same time. Imagine being a full back and having to put with with either KLL, Buckley or Orlandi running at you, and then when they sit back, you have wave 2 of Bruno and Bridge.
But all the time we play this lop sided, slow approach play with Barnes playing as a wide/winger/defender, its suggests to me Gus is worried about exposing the defence, and if thats the case, maybe he needs to sort that out once and for all, because a team with Greer and El Abd (not personal against either of them before anyone starts) with Barnes (aqnd I say Barnes as he seems to be exclusvie to that role) playing all over the place covering them, IMO is not a team that can seriosuly consider the play offs..... or something like that.