Gerrards tactics

[johanhentze 14,096]

2 hours ago, 6superbarry6 said:

Roofe has that award, absolutely awful as was Bassey 

Hardly noticed Hagi when he came on, to be honest.

[johanhentze 14,096]

1 minute ago, james_85 said:

Last year we had so much width and getting crosses and then we could mix it up by going through the middle but we don't seem to have the width now to the same extent  and everything goes through the middle. We need a settled team ASAP but that doesn't seem to be on the cards any time soons

Tav and Borna havent started the season at all. They have been absolutely posted missing. Shocking from a Captain, by the way.

[NI 903]

43 minutes ago, Malkytfp1 said:

Honestly mental. How can you judge him? You've seen him for less than combined 45 minutes. It's absolutely mental.

That's why I said it's very early, I hope he'll come good.
For now, I can't see anything in him but I will be happy to be proven wrong in the coming weeks. Was sad to see him leaving the pitch tonight, it could've been a game for him.

I spoke about Hagi because I like him in the middle of the park and I wish we see Kelly a lot more to be honest with you.

[King Jela 20,371]

A real lack of directness in our play. You wouldn't think we were even interested in scoring at times. No midfielders bursting through the opposition defence, nobody looking up to spot a run. No real link up play. No movement. Its keep ball without much else. 

We peaked last year but then stood still in the summer. You never stand still after a succesful season. This slow start is a direct consequence of doing fuck all after winning the league. 

 

[crabbit247 784]

I dont like the fact that the team shape seldom, if ever, changes. And I see our sigings this summer as squad subs.

However,  regardless of that I would expect players to go out and play in the same manner that they are capable of.

Either we have players who are not pushing as hard as they did last season or its an instruction from the bench to sit off and wait when off the ball.

Either one of the above is something the manager needs to address. 

On top of this , there are other factors that i believe are affecting our matches so far this season in that both fullbacks are well below last seasons standard.  Borna and tav have lost the ability to find a man with a cross. And borna in particular seems to have no appetite to take anyone on. They were both massive players for the whole of last season.

Any striker playing, but more importantly Alfredo, always looks isolated as we end up playing deeper and deeper due to no high press. So our defenders back off. It pulls the whole team backwards. 

I still don't think we are a million miles off what we are all after. But there's a reason I'm sat on my couch typing this out with a belly full of beer and not managing.

[johanhentze 14,096]

6 minutes ago, King Jela said:

A real lack of directness in our play. You wouldn't think we were even interested in scoring at times. No midfielders bursting through the opposition defence, nobody looking up to spot a run. No real link up play. No movement. Its keep ball without much else. 

We peaked last year but then stood still in the summer. You never stand still after a succesful season. This slow start is a direct consequence of doing fuck all after winning the league. 

 

We were missing someone like Arfield tonight.

[bluenoz 30,907]

23 minutes ago, steven33jackie said:

We played 433 last season and this season is still 433. Have the tactics really changed. Or are players under performing? At some point players have to take responsibility on the park and its not happening. Tav made a great run in the final minutes but hit the first man with his cut back although Morelos for the umpteenth time took up a position behind the defenders rather than move to the front Post.

Definitely the new signings have made no impact whatsoever, although I thought Bacuna played a couple good thru balls to Aribo at the beginning of the game. Not making excuses for Gerrard but consistency in team selection has at times been taken out of his hands. 

There is a player in Bacuna but he is no where near fit enough and he comes with a reputation of having a bad attitude. Too early to tell with him about everything.

[rangersross 6,530]

6 minutes ago, johanhentze said:

We were missing someone like Arfield tonight.

Arfield last season, sure. 21/22 Arfield looks just as ineffective as 19/20 Arfield. We need someone new to do consistently what Scott can only do at his best. 

[El-Hadji Spit RFC 733]

Actually dreading Hivs tbh

[johanhentze 14,096]

28 minutes ago, rangersross said:

Arfield last season, sure. 21/22 Arfield looks just as ineffective as 19/20 Arfield. We need someone new to do consistently what Scott can only do at his best. 

He would have made a difference second half, in my opinion.

[johanhentze 14,096]

27 minutes ago, El-Hadji Spit RFC said:

Actually dreading Hivs tbh

Fuck off... its Hibs.

[ForeverAndEver 71,547]

1 minute ago, johanhentze said:

Fuck off... its Hibs.

If that meant anything we’d never lose a league game and we’d be in the CL every season

[rangersross 6,530]

1 minute ago, johanhentze said:

He would have made a difference second half, in my opinion.

He’s one of my favourite players when he’s at his best but I remember back in the latter half of 19/20 when we were losing points and Gerrard always brought him on around 60/65 minutes and he’d do absolutely nothing. It got to the point where I just thought ‘it’s hopeless’ whenever we brought him on. I’ve been starting to feel the same way about him recently - which is a shame because the things he was doing at his peak last year were just brilliant. 

[johanhentze 14,096]

2 minutes ago, ForeverAndEver said:

If that meant anything we’d never lose a league game and we’d be in the CL every season

My point is that people are running scared of Hibs.. We should never be scared of anyone - especially in our own league. Yea, ig know we lose occasionally, but we should never fear ANYONE in our own league.

[bluenoz 30,907]

The writing was on the wall when we were losing games in pre season. We have now lost five games before October and I can't think of one player who is in form at the moment.

You can't keep doing the same thing and wait for things to get better. Changes need to be made.

Gerrard's arrogance to the team having no life suggests he doesn't want to admit certain things are wrong. 

In my opinion, Gerrard is having just as bad a season as all of his players so far.

[Hadron Collider 30,985]

1 hour ago, bluenoz said:

The writing was on the wall when we were losing games in pre season. We have now lost five games before October and I can't think of one player who is in form at the moment.

You can't keep doing the same thing and wait for things to get better. Changes need to be made.

Gerrard's arrogance to the team having no life suggests he doesn't want to admit certain things are wrong. 

In my opinion, Gerrard is having just as bad a season as all of his players so far.

I’m dumbfounded the way he’s protecting these players mate. Maybe that’s the problem. They know he won’t call them out?  Time he got ruthless with them and call it. He can’t be a manager who’s one of the boys. Get them telt Stevie. 

[NorthernLights 2,526]

Just attack teams. Trust your defence and holding midfielder to keep them out. 

[McEwan's Lager 30,545]

12 hours ago, james_85 said:

Last year we had so much width and getting crosses and then we could mix it up by going through the middle but we don't seem to have the width now to the same extent  and everything goes through the middle. We need a settled team ASAP but that doesn't seem to be on the cards any time soons

We don’t have as much width because teams have worked out that is one way of stopping us and sometimes have two men covering our full backs once they get higher up the park.

It started happening to Tav about halfway through last season. Last night he was completely denied the ability to go forward by Sparta. They were clamping right down on him and forcing him to receive the ball with his back to goal.

I think we are trying to play through the middle more to compensate for that.

[theweebluenose 4,332]

11 hours ago, johanhentze said:

He would have made a difference second half, in my opinion.

As much as I like him I don't think he would, guarantee to be carded within minutes for a clumsy challenge - especially with last nights ref.

We do however need someone similar in our midfield, nobody I can see in our squad can really fit that role currently.

[PGWoodwind 119]

17 minutes ago, McEwan's Lager said:

We don’t have as much width because teams have worked out that is one way of stopping us and sometimes have two men covering our full backs once they get higher up the park.

It started happening to Tav about halfway through last season. Last night he was completely denied the ability to go forward by Sparta. They were clamping right down on him and forcing him to receive the ball with his back to goal.

I think we are trying to play through the middle more to compensate for that.

Don't know if their manager is particularly good or what but it seemed that he saw right through us tactically cause after half time they seemingly were able to walk right through us.

[GersInCanada 7,775]

scum having a worse start to the season than us is to some extent papering over the cracks. Gerrards frustration is shared by us all but at least he is not throwing players under the bus.

3 points on Sunday followed by a 2 week break may be all that's required.

[Davidorrp 282]

Gerrard like a lot of managers is very loyal to his stalwarts in the team. And it’s those players that are mostly under par at the moment, Goldson, Tav, Barasic, Davis, Kamara, Kent, Morelos, Roofe.  All players (Davis apart) who were linked with moves too. Perhaps these players just don’t have their hearts in staying here anymore, or maybe they peaked as well, but they are generally first choice when available so is complacency a problem? Competition for players brings out the best in a team.  It’s arguable that Tav and Barasic should be benched for Patterson and Bassy who at the moment are way more  dynamic players. But Gerrard at moment doesn’t seem to be that ruthless in this regard and perhaps he needs to be.  No player should be guaranteed their position on past glories. And bringing in a player for 20 mins or 1 game and then dropping them next game doesn’t give players a chance to bed in. 
 

Couple this with a change from a high press to a mid/low block and players never seem on the front foot. Passes start being lazy and slow, tippy tippy stuff and urgency and drive just seems to disappear, and we end up deeper due to not pressing.  
 

All the above can be fixed by Gerrard and coaching staff. Be ruthless with players,  drop poor performing players, encourage competition, and go back to a high tempo, high press tactics.  Does anyone remember our players looking gubbed when we did that?  Which was the excuse given for changing!

I live in hope.

[Jimfanciesthedude 24,556]

15 minutes ago, GersInCanada said:

scum having a worse start to the season than us is to some extent papering over the cracks. Gerrards frustration is shared by us all but at least he is not throwing players under the bus.

3 points on Sunday followed by a 2 week break may be all that's required.

Didnt we say this before the last international break lol

[GersInCanada 7,775]

12 minutes ago, Jimbeamjunior said:

Didnt we say this before the last international break lol

probably

[shotstopper 765]

We play in a professional league against professional opposition where we play teams 3/4 times per season. If you don't change your team or alter your tactics, then you are in big trouble. Just ask Liverpool after they won the league. Managers in our league, if not brilliant, are not stupid. They are professional and know how to stop teams beating their sides especially having played teams on several occassions. Notice the high press that teams are doing against us this season instead of just parking the bus as they did last season. If Gerrard and his staff cannot see this and respond, then his time is up.

Injuries, covid and suspensions have not helped, let's just hope this will soon resolve itself although it is taking a long time. Three points on Sunday and we will all be back singing their praises once again.     No surrender.