I just don't understand the lack of substitutes today. The equaliser was coming well before it arrived. As @Twizz points out three good experienced subs available plus Mellor and with 4 games in a short spell why not use the squad.
Agree with this. Particularly against the smaller sides where having another player in the final third would help us. Obita looked brighter in the second half but McCarthy offers little going forward or defensively.
I can't imagine Kaikai will be here long past January 1st. Gareth obviously doesn't rate him, which I guess must be down to what he's seen at the training ground because he always seems to deliver in his occasional cameos on the pitch.
I agree that 3421 has had its day. We've got three very competent central defenders and we can manage just playing two of them. JJ will handle being benched.
I looked at the subs today and thought to myself how much more exciting it would be to see a team featuring Hanlan, Horgan, Wheeler and Kaikai than it would be one featuring Freeman, Wing, JJ and McCleary. Appreciate that not all are ready to start but it's time we shook things up a bit.
I’d like to see Hanlan starting on Tuesday (if no other reason than Vokes must be tiring after 4 games in 2 weeks. But Freeman and McLeary should still be starting in my view, at least in Freeman’s case until Scowen is back.
I would certainly give McCleary a rest in favour of Hanlan. We haven’t got much option in changing the midfield unless one of the missing three come back.
I totally agree with all of you who have mentioned
a) we seem to look "leggy"/lethargic in the second half of too many games
b) GA makes subs too late
c) A back 3 is an indulgence when we dont have a proper ball winning midfielder to shield them
I am struggling with these given the apparent depth of the squad, clearly GA is either set in his ways or he is not impressed with their training performances, either way it runs the risk of our "first choice" 11 getting injured if we do not rotate more.
I think JJ & McCarthy are big enough boys & team players to understand if they are benched to allow a move to a flat back 4 with Obita & Grimmer as FBs & an extra body (Horgan?) in midfield.
Of course once Gape or Scowen are back life ought to become easier, but with the team & options we have we should be doing better going forward. Danny Senda nailed it with his analysis in midweek about how to overcome teams that employ a compact low block & we definitively have the players to achieve it. We have a lot of players comfortable with the ball at their feet and capable of stringing decent passes together, we just need the confidence to do it regularly & at a bit more pace than today.
I would definitely go with Grimmer over McCarthy as the former is the better defender & in a flat back 4 is expected to roam forward less.
I would start with Vokes up front & Hanlan wide right, Horgan wide left & Mehmetti as a No10, but expect the 3 of them to interchange as required & Wing & Wheeler in midfield.
Comments
If we finish in the top seven I'll buy you a beer?
I just don't understand the lack of substitutes today. The equaliser was coming well before it arrived. As @Twizz points out three good experienced subs available plus Mellor and with 4 games in a short spell why not use the squad.
Was there any debate about the Morecambe goal crossing the line ? Max was pretty animated my angle was wrong to make any judgement.
Today has convinced me I'm not coming next week. It's either more of the same, or a very rotated squad struggling to gel.
Either way I don't see the point.
Another poor performance and fans making excuses as usual.
If we finish in the top six I'll buy everybody a Catherine Wheel.
The kids at the other end managed to make themselves heard above the (much nearer) terrace today,
If we don't freshen it up a bit midweek you'll really wonder what's going on.
It's back to back midweek, weekend, midweek.
Why not get Horgan and Hanlan in there?
Ideally dropping one of the back 3 out to facilitate it.
The lack of subs was annoying, but thats a good enough starting 11 to be more than 1 up against a turgid Morecambe team.
Need to be top 6 in league 1!
Agree with this. Particularly against the smaller sides where having another player in the final third would help us. Obita looked brighter in the second half but McCarthy offers little going forward or defensively.
Impossible to tell from the Frank Adams at the wrong end, but it certainly looked to be a brave call.
Wonder if there will be any decent shots of it floating around.
I just don't understand why when we know we're weak in central midfield, that we're insisting on playing 2 there.
Either get Horgan in there, or play Hanlan wide left, and Mehmeti central.
Max was animated because he was pulled back into the goal ie fouled and the ref missed it.
Usual turgid second half performance where the opposition have sussed us out and we run out of ideas - but don't make changes early enough.
Second Half record in the league this season = Won-2 Drawn-8 Lost-6
Why is Ainsworth so reluctant to use subs and when he does, it’s always late with little or no time to have any impact.
How much do you reckon we've Fawked out on fireworks?
Why indeed.
Answers on a postcard.
I can't imagine Kaikai will be here long past January 1st. Gareth obviously doesn't rate him, which I guess must be down to what he's seen at the training ground because he always seems to deliver in his occasional cameos on the pitch.
I agree that 3421 has had its day. We've got three very competent central defenders and we can manage just playing two of them. JJ will handle being benched.
I looked at the subs today and thought to myself how much more exciting it would be to see a team featuring Hanlan, Horgan, Wheeler and Kaikai than it would be one featuring Freeman, Wing, JJ and McCleary. Appreciate that not all are ready to start but it's time we shook things up a bit.
We certainly need to make some changes midweek.
But maybe we'll use the FA Cup game, already relegated to a "shut a key stand" job type game, as a rotation frenzy instead?
I’d like to see Hanlan starting on Tuesday (if no other reason than Vokes must be tiring after 4 games in 2 weeks. But Freeman and McLeary should still be starting in my view, at least in Freeman’s case until Scowen is back.
McCleary didn't play every game in the championship season, so it feels a little odd he's starting every single game 2 years on.
Especially now we have Wheeler, Horgan, Hanlan and Kaikai back.
I would certainly give McCleary a rest in favour of Hanlan. We haven’t got much option in changing the midfield unless one of the missing three come back.
Personally I favour 4 at the back.
I totally agree with all of you who have mentioned
a) we seem to look "leggy"/lethargic in the second half of too many games
b) GA makes subs too late
c) A back 3 is an indulgence when we dont have a proper ball winning midfielder to shield them
I am struggling with these given the apparent depth of the squad, clearly GA is either set in his ways or he is not impressed with their training performances, either way it runs the risk of our "first choice" 11 getting injured if we do not rotate more.
I think JJ & McCarthy are big enough boys & team players to understand if they are benched to allow a move to a flat back 4 with Obita & Grimmer as FBs & an extra body (Horgan?) in midfield.
Of course once Gape or Scowen are back life ought to become easier, but with the team & options we have we should be doing better going forward. Danny Senda nailed it with his analysis in midweek about how to overcome teams that employ a compact low block & we definitively have the players to achieve it. We have a lot of players comfortable with the ball at their feet and capable of stringing decent passes together, we just need the confidence to do it regularly & at a bit more pace than today.
3atb has its merits just as 4atb does, but it's redundant in attacking terms without quality WBs. We need the extra man in midfield, not in defence.
I have huge respect for oilysailor. But yes no football fan who is emotionally involved can ever celebrate a goal where Var is involved
Tuesday I’d play a 4231, freshen up a bit as must be some tired legs.
Max
Grimmer Forino Mawson Obita
Wing Freeman
Wheeler Mehmeti KaiKai
Hanlan
For me, next time out, 4-2-3-1: Stryjek; McCarthy, Forino, Mawson, Obita; Wheeler, Wing; Kaikai/Hanlan, Freeman/Horgan, Mehmeti; Vokes
Today feels even worse than losing midweek. You simply have to win against bottom of the league teams at home if you want to achieve anything.
Yes there were a few hard luck stories, but you still have to put them away.
I would definitely go with Grimmer over McCarthy as the former is the better defender & in a flat back 4 is expected to roam forward less.
I would start with Vokes up front & Hanlan wide right, Horgan wide left & Mehmetti as a No10, but expect the 3 of them to interchange as required & Wing & Wheeler in midfield.