Defence

[slimjim1690 4,534]

Not sure if its just coincidence or not but in the last two games when we switched to a back three I thought we actually looked a lot more comfortable, now I have to make a slight exception for yesterday because we were reduced to 10 men and the midfield was being overrun, but we can all acknowledge our full backs are a major cause for concern, but with a 3-5-2  it really does stop us from being overrun in the middle and can prevent us allowing the opposition midfield getting balls out wide that do us so much damage.

I have mentioned in a couple of other threads that I've not been impressed with Alves in the two league games so far but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) when Wilson has come on the 3 CB's look much more comfortable and are not getting pulled out of position very often but when one of them does at least we have 2 CB' in position if he gets skinned, this formation I feel could be the answer to our obvious full backs problem and also allows for two midfielders to also be adding support to the forwards.

[.Williamson. 82,544]

Hodson is quality 

[6superbarry6 14,159]

1 minute ago, slimjim1690 said:

Not sure if its just coincidence or not but in the last two games when we switched to a back three I thought we actually looked a lot more comfortable, now I have to make a slight exception for yesterday because we were reduced to 10 men and the midfield was being overrun, but we can all acknowledge our full backs are a major cause for concern, but with a 3-5-2  it really does stop us from being overrun in the middle and can prevent us allowing the opposition midfield getting balls out wide that do us so much damage.

I have mentioned in a couple of other threads that I've not been impressed with Alves in the two league games so far but (and I can't believe I'm saying this) when Wilson has come on the 3 CB's look much more comfortable and are not getting pulled out of position very often but when one of them does at least we have 2 CB' in position if he gets skinned, this formation I feel could be the answer to our obvious full backs problem and also allows for two midfielders to also be adding support to the forwards.

Its definitely an option especially once Pena is match fit,

[STEPPS BOY 74,142]

If we are going to play 2 up front then against the taigs, sheep etc we need to play 3-5-2.

 

[andy500 463]

Not sure. I think our wingers have been among our best performers early in the season. A lot of our creativity comes from Candeias and Windass.

Maybe telling our fullbacks to engage less going forward is a better idea. We also aren't seeing much from our forwards - despite having two of them. We either need to strengthen that area - or swap one for an attacking midfielder.

[PRW. 5,631]

4 hours ago, STEPPS BOY said:

If we are going to play 2 up front then against the taigs, sheep etc we need to play 3-5-2.

 

This. 

The midfield is run over too easy in a 4-4-2 as Hibs/Sheep/Tarriers will have an extra man in there

[BlueAvenger 10,288]

Pains me but our defence is fuckin suspect. We struggled to cope with Murray yesterday who is no fuckin world beater ! 

[VladimirWeiss69 802]

3-5-2 is the way to go. Will the full backs really be missed if they were to be dropped, even still we could put them in as part of the midfield. The game is one or lost in the Midfield IMO, Motherwell and Hivs both had a 5 man midfield which makes it much harder on the midfielders that are already there, this made it even harder to win the Hivs game when one of our 4 midfielders got wrongly sent off.

[LaudrupsPatrickBoots 13,510]

Alves is solid until he comes up against pace.

Cardoso shat it a wee bit yesterday IMO 

[Drunk and disorderly. 14,512]

You need a very good midfield with defensively reliable wingers and back ups on the bench to pull a 352 off imo.

It's a good idea, but we lack the depth of squad to pull it off. Imagine one of our CBs were injured or sent off. Imagine our wingers were shite defensively..... 

I think we should stick to a simple 442 until we have a more adaptive squad. We are at least 3 or 4 signings away from that just now.

[Boaby Bear 411]

Could and should be used in certain fixtures as it offers stability at the back in the central areas. But I prefer a back 4 with 2 in front of them, then any permutations with the remaining four. 

Morelos definitely has the tools to play solo up front with any 3 in behind of dorrans windass candeias pena dalcio we would be set up nice to sit back and soak up for counter attacking or possession football at home.

[eejay the dj 31,964]

Must admit . Watching the goals back . Not impressed by Alves to be honest . He just went wondering for first 2 goals

[eejay the dj 31,964]

5 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

Hodson is quality 

[Courtyard Bear 41,357]

Definitely worth having a go if just to see how it gets on. 

[STEPPS BOY 74,142]

Same failings as past few years.

1 clean sheet in 4 competitive games, panic stations anytime a cross ball comes in an hibs pinpointed weakness in inside left position and exploited it yesterday.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,606]

13 minutes ago, LaudrupsPatrickBoots said:

 

Cardoso shat it a wee bit yesterday IMO 

cardoso has the air of zurab khizanishvili to me, he'll stroll through games against utter shite but games where battering rams play up top or half decent strikers he'll be a rabbit in the headlights

[Ivybank 4,589]

5 minutes ago, eejay the dj said:

Must admit . Watching the goals back . Not impressed by Alves to be honest . He just went wondering for first 2 goals

Agree,said that after watching him in the recent internationals,that and his lack of pace, 

cardoso is ok but not great, 4 goals conceded in 2 league games is unacceptable

[K.A.I 36,183]

I think Cardoso and Alves are still gelling. They are two good defenders even if they didn't cover themselves in glory yesterday.

As I said in a couple of other threads it's the full-backs that are a nightmare. First goal yesterday even though Cardoso allowed him to skip past way too easily, the ball came right across to Tav's position and he was nowhere to be seen as usual.

This will be the third season in a row that we are setting up to lose ridiculous goals from the full-back positions and ours being useless and caught out with zero positional sense. I said in the transfer section that if it was upto me, I'd withdraw the bid for Walker and put any cash into signing 1 or 2 if possible, good full-backs.

Tav/Wallace/Hodson against Tierny, McGregor or Sinclair this season and we are getting raped again in the spaces in the final third when they are attacking.

[STEPPS BOY 74,142]

2 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

I think Cardoso and Alves are still gelling. They are two good defenders even if they didn't cover themselves in glory yesterday.

As I said in a couple of other threads it's the full-backs that are a nightmare. First goal yesterday even though Cardoso allowed him to skip past way too easily, the ball came right across to Tav's position and he was nowhere to be seen as usual.

This will be the third season in a row that we are setting up to lose ridiculous goals from the full-back positions and ours being useless and caught out with zero positional sense. I said in the transfer section that if it was upto me, I'd withdraw the bid for Walker and put any cash into signing 1 or 2 if possible, good full-backs.

Tav/Wallace/Hodson against Tierny, McGregor or Sinclair this season and we are getting raped again in the spaces in the final third when they are attacking.

Griffiths/ Dembele against centre halves..

Broon and co against midfielders..

 

fucking depressing thinking about it, tbf

[K.A.I 36,183]

1 minute ago, STEPPS BOY said:

Griffiths/ Dembele against centre halves..

Broon and co against midfielders..

 

fucking depressing thinking about it, tbf

If Dorrans and Jack get wiser they could easily snuffle Brown but I think it needs the guidance of a Walter Smith-type rather than a Pedro. 

I think that's why under managers like Smith and sometimes McLeish in recent years we had success against the tarriers because they knew it needs some strong characters in there and the need to clatter the cunt in the first five minutes to set down a marker.

Whereas the likes of Pedro and Warburton before him, their method would be pish like "take care of the football" while Brown goes steaming about from the start the midfield battle is won instantly. 

I think Alves and Cardoso if they concentrate and have a wee bit more understanding might be alright against Griffiths and/or Dembele - it's the full-back positions against them that fills me with fear.

[Tommy WATP 86]

14 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

If Dorrans and Jack get wiser they could easily snuffle Brown but I think it needs the guidance of a Walter Smith-type rather than a Pedro. 

I think that's why under managers like Smith and sometimes McLeish in recent years we had success against the tarriers because they knew it needs some strong characters in there and the need to clatter the cunt in the first five minutes to set down a marker.

Whereas the likes of Pedro and Warburton before him, their method would be pish like "take care of the football" while Brown goes steaming about from the start the midfield battle is won instantly. 

I think Alves and Cardoso if they concentrate and have a wee bit more understanding might be alright against Griffiths and/or Dembele - it's the full-back positions against them that fills me with fear.

I think Dorrans is still lacking some sharpness and adjusting to the pace of the game up here again. His style has obviously changed and he won't have that acceleration he had when younger but is an intelligent footballer. Will he be the type to lay down a marker in an old firm? I don't think so. 

[K.A.I 36,183]

1 minute ago, Tommy WATP said:

I think Dorrans is still lacking some sharpness and adjusting to the pace of the game up here again. His style has obviously changed and he won't have that acceleration he had when younger but is an intelligent footballer. Will he be the type to lay down a marker in an old firm? I don't think so. 

I think he could be - but it comes back to what I said in the post about him and Jack getting wiser/smarter and sooner.

[LaudrupsPatrickBoots 13,510]

56 minutes ago, Jimbeamjunior said:

cardoso has the air of zurab khizanishvili to me, he'll stroll through games against utter shite but games where battering rams play up top or half decent strikers he'll be a rabbit in the headlights

He started off well imo but after the red card it just looked like he lost it.

I can't put my finger on what it was exactly, maybe because he's still settling and it was just the occasion and heated atmosphere getting the better of him.

Whatever it was, it's made me feel a bit less confident in him going up against the taigs.

[LaudrupsPatrickBoots 13,510]

44 minutes ago, K.A.I said:

If Dorrans and Jack get wiser they could easily snuffle Brown but I think it needs the guidance of a Walter Smith-type rather than a Pedro. 

I think that's why under managers like Smith and sometimes McLeish in recent years we had success against the tarriers because they knew it needs some strong characters in there and the need to clatter the cunt in the first five minutes to set down a marker.

Whereas the likes of Pedro and Warburton before him, their method would be pish like "take care of the football" while Brown goes steaming about from the start the midfield battle is won instantly. 

I think Alves and Cardoso if they concentrate and have a wee bit more understanding might be alright against Griffiths and/or Dembele - it's the full-back positions against them that fills me with fear.

Dorrans certainly has that wee bit of bite about him to get in about Brown the way none of our players managed last season, my only concern with him is that he's got a wee moment of stupidity in him and we all know he won't get away with that against them.

[STEPPS BOY 74,142]

5 minutes ago, LaudrupsPatrickBoots said:

He started off well imo but after the red card it just looked like he lost it.

I can't put my finger on what it was exactly, maybe because he's still settling and it was just the occasion and heated atmosphere getting the better of him.

Whatever it was, it's made me feel a bit less confident in him going up against the taigs.

Cardosos defending at first goal was Kiernanesque.

Piss poor.