Our new style of play

[dummiesoot 16,008]

Must be honest, pragmatic is working just now. Could do with higher intensity but it is what it is.

More pissed off at Goldson's passing last night and twice left Bassey under the cosh with stupid headers to him. Then he blames everyone else for his mistakes.

[16BlueSherbert90 19,224]

16 hours ago, RDB14 said:

In fairness, we have Aribo, Morelos, Arfield, Jack, Davis, Roofe, Helander, Kent all to come back into contention for a starting spot.   I know Arfield and Roofe were on the bench tonight but both coming back from injuries.  Once we have a fully fit squad we will be fine.  Tonights starting line up was far from our strongest.

This 👍🏻

Pity the poorer players couldn't aim to get themselves up to a good standard as well though when others are injured or away. 

[16BlueSherbert90 19,224]

13 hours ago, HG5 said:

Agreed re stagnation.

Also, I think the squad’s shattered from doing great things last year.

Hence the number of injuries & lack of forward intent from the fullbacks - they’re done.

At the weekend Carragher was going on about ‘never seeing such numbers in an attacking sense’ as the Liverpool pair were posting.

Blood boiling, I was thinking ‘you only need to look at your mate Stevie’s team’…

However, that was then, this is now &, while Borna put in an average cross to be turned into something special by Arf, Tav’s forays forward weren’t what we’ve become used to.

This desire from some to freshen up the squad isn’t just idle talk.

They're meant to be fit, there is no way I am buying into that chat. No way 😏

Problems with injuries, sure. The team we had starting yesterday were a mess, but since we are missing our better squad of players, there wasn't much GVB could do about that. 

Although I do think GVB will need his coaching staff to do something to be better prepared incase we are ever plagued with injuries again. Whether that is freshening up the squad or what, who knows. 

 

 

[HG5 11,134]

1 hour ago, 16BlueSherbert90 said:

They're meant to be fit, there is no way I am buying into that chat. No way 😏

Problems with injuries, sure. The team we had starting yesterday were a mess, but since we are missing our better squad of players, there wasn't much GVB could do about that. 

Although I do think GVB will need his coaching staff to do something to be better prepared incase we are ever plagued with injuries again. Whether that is freshening up the squad or what, who knows. 

 

 

I think it’s a reasonable explanation for all the injuries, also where what look innocuous knocks/stretches turn into longer layoffs.

 

 

[ianferguson 2,619]

20 hours ago, Mondraker said:

Exactly...there's been no change in how we play. 

We are horrendous at the simple things. Simple passes are behind, short, too wide, too long. Our ability to make space and angles is zero, the movement in general is poor

Until Arfield came back in we had no midfielder who could run into the box beyond a striker.

63 league games, ONE defeat , your standards are very high.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,025]

8 hours ago, Nk89 said:

Has he, or backroom staff went to the away fans at hibs or hearts etc.. after wins? Surely he should be over there appreciating the supporters? celtic have this over the top togetherness dancing at the end when they are 4 behind! But it definitely helps them. 

Who gives a fuck  

Our previous manager was one for all that pish and look what happened, it was all fake

Means absolutely nothing

[Laudrupsleftfoot 10,950]

4 hours ago, tm91 said:

Gio generally is much more pragmatic and willing to work with what he has, rather than force players to play the way he wants - which is exactly what a lot of people were calling for when things didn't work under Gerrard.

Gerrard's high-pressing style with 2 narrow number 10's either worked incredibly well or resulted in stagnant, dull and ineffective football and was never deviated from.

We're also maintaining 60-70% in the vast majority of the games - the only times we haven't been is away from home in 'bigger' games against Hearts/Hibs/Aberdeen. We can have a discussion about that but Gio has specifically chosen to play a different way in those games. Even the thing with the full-backs - ultimately it's done what it has supposed to, which is ensure we have shored up defensively. The clean sheets speak for themselves. And while it's limited Tav, it's gotten more out of Borna.

Before we relied on our full-backs but the point under Gio's system is that the wingers provide the width, while the full backs tuck in to provide passing options and to be on hand defensively. It means you rely far more on the lone forward to hold play up and the wide players to provide quality - if they're lacking, we will be - and given we've had Itten leading the line and Wright and an off-form Hagi as wide options it's no surprise we've not been at our best. As it is, we *have* gotten the best out of Morelos and both Kent and Sakala look better suited to playing wider.

There will be times when we play attacking football and win games stylishly and times when we play more pragmatically under Gio. I'll take that sort of tailored approach every time over 'systems' managers who refuse to deviate from the plan. Very few managers and teams can afford to be that way.

As it is, the main problem of the past few games is that our quality takes a nosedive once a few key players are taken out. We need quality options middle to front, especially in the wide areas.

Gio getting far too much credit for those three games.

Could easily have been two draws and a defeat and it's not because of his 'pragmatic' approach that we escaped with 2 wins and a draw.

 

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,025]

4 hours ago, Laudrupsleftfoot said:

Gio getting far too much credit for those three games.

Could easily have been two draws and a defeat and it's not because of his 'pragmatic' approach that we escaped with 2 wins and a draw.

 

Shouldn't be getting credit for good results because it could have gone the other way but didn't

wit

[Davy Vandenbroucke 26,193]

22 minutes ago, The Specky Liar said:

Shouldn't be getting credit for good results because it could have gone the other way but didn't

wit

His argument could apply to basically any narrow win ever 

[Laudrupsleftfoot 10,950]

6 hours ago, The Specky Liar said:

Shouldn't be getting credit for good results because it could have gone the other way but didn't

wit

Credit in the sense that it was despite of his tactics that we got those results rather than because of them.

Find that difficult to argue against for anyone who watched the games tbh.

[The Specky Forum Organiser 65,025]

1 hour ago, Laudrupsleftfoot said:

Credit in the sense that it was despite of his tactics that we got those results rather than because of them.

Find that difficult to argue against for anyone who watched the games tbh.

 What chance have you got

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,864]

8 wins. 1 draw. 25 points from 27. 2 goals conceded. No matter how people try to dress it up with their if’s but’s and maybe’s, that is sensational form.

I genuinely think some people are so conditioned to seeing one sided title races these days that they have forgotten what a normal, competitive season looks like and how often you have to grind results out to get over the line when you are in those circumstances.

[RockwellGers 14,722]

2 minutes ago, DBBTB said:

8 wins. 2 draw. 25 points from 27. 2 goals conceded. No matter how people try to dress it up with their if’s but’s and maybe’s, that is sensational form.

I genuinely think some people are so conditioned to seeing one sided title races these days that they have forgotten what a normal, competitive season looks like and how often you have to grind results out to get over the line when you are in those circumstances.

I think there has been a dip in the last couple of games, but then we have been missing players. That also is normal in a competitive season. celtic are winning quite consistently at the moment, so people are probably getting a bit anxious to see us dominate and not drop any points.

Especially going into the game with them next week.

[PromDeAnglais 5,498]

10 games. 0 losses.

He can play a 4-6-0 for the rest of the season for all I care if he keeps that record up.

[ZZed 4,510]

Not sure what our new style of play is? Gio needs to get in players that can execute his style of play so it will probably take about 3 windows.