Priority for Michael Beale

[ayro 3,043]

1 hour ago, .Williamson. said:

Defoe says Beale was very good at adapting his tactics to suiting the players he had available to him, and MB said himself yesterday he plans on playing on the front foot and taking the handbrake off in our games, so we will have to wait and see what happens.

Do most teams not play “the horseshoe” btw? It’s essentially just playing out from the back, it’s just all season we have been slow as fuck at moving it up the pitch 

When SG first arrived we played with wingers, once teams got used to it, we went to the inverted 10s, it then became stale and then they left, I am sure we would have another change whether if they had stayed either after the January break or at the end of the season.

No idea what MB has been using as preferred formation at QPR but I definitely prefer a system to suit what you have rather than “let’s be Pep” regardless.

The horseshoe thing is a lot of shite that everyone is now referring to as if it’s new, if you have the majority of possession and the opposition camp out from their box then what are you supposed to do?

We desperately need more pace and athleticism especially in midfield and then things should become easier, especially if we are taking the handbrake off.

[glasgow argyle 1,093]

17 hours ago, bluenoz said:

Getting the best out of senior players who are underperforming.

 A creative midfielder and a right winger. Nothing new there.

Looking for a keeper instead of waiting until the summer should be considered.

Giving serious consideration to Lowry, McCann & Lovelace.

Getting to the root problem of why we have so many injuries. It can't all be down to bad luck.

Hopefully, improved fitness levels should have started a few hours ago.

A genuine quality midfield playmaker & Right winger are an absolute must.

Depending on injury situation,  a Centre Back, even if a short term loan basis , depending on what budget is available to our new manager?

[Amokachi 3,060]

41 minutes ago, ayro said:

When SG first arrived we played with wingers, once teams got used to it, we went to the inverted 10s, it then became stale and then they left, I am sure we would have another change whether if they had stayed either after the January break or at the end of the season.

No idea what MB has been using as preferred formation at QPR but I definitely prefer a system to suit what you have rather than “let’s be Pep” regardless.

The horseshoe thing is a lot of shite that everyone is now referring to as if it’s new, if you have the majority of possession and the opposition camp out from their box then what are you supposed to do?

We desperately need more pace and athleticism especially in midfield and then things should become easier, especially if we are taking the handbrake off.

I just hope to fek his priority is to win games and he’s not completely preoccupied with some illusion we want to be sitting watching some form of a footballing masterclass. 

[Colin Traive 22,910]

40 minutes ago, ayro said:

When SG first arrived we played with wingers, once teams got used to it, we went to the inverted 10s, it then became stale and then they left, I am sure we would have another change whether if they had stayed either after the January break or at the end of the season.

No idea what MB has been using as preferred formation at QPR but I definitely prefer a system to suit what you have rather than “let’s be Pep” regardless.

The horseshoe thing is a lot of shite that everyone is now referring to as if it’s new, if you have the majority of possession and the opposition camp out from their box then what are you supposed to do?

We desperately need more pace and athleticism especially in midfield and then things should become easier, especially if we are taking the handbrake off.

Kent hugging the touchline is fucking hopeless. Everyone knows that’s how we play, he can’t go forward so he plays it back to Barisic et voila, the horseshoe is back. The other downside is that Kent effectively blocks Barisic from overlapping him so we lose out on his crosses from the bye line.

Kent causes more uncertainty in the opponent’s defence when he cuts inside looking for one-twos (Tillman, Lawrence) or having a pop. There will always be occasions when staying wide is the right option but we have to mix it up and be much less rigid and predictable.

I’d hope that Kent can be rejuvenated under Beale, at least to a level where we can get him re-signed and sold.

As for the right wing, it’s back to square one. Wright is a grafter but he is very limited and Matondo is one of the worst players to ever wear the jersey. We’ve never addressed that side since Candeias left to be honest but we don’t need an out and out winger. As with Kent, the solution is a player who can mix it up.

[Finny 5,573]

I think his tactics have changed slightly since he went on his own. Somebody put a good article up on how he was playing qpr and I think they were one of the most attack minded teams in the league but with the lowest amount of crosses in the league. That would suit me instead of lumping aimless crosses into Antonio/Alfredo. 

[Gaffbear 4,096]

Hope to see pre gio levels of fitness and stamina in a few weeks . The fluidity of our front 3 and our full backs overlapping again

 

[blaudrup 5,475]

3 minutes ago, Finny said:

I think his tactics have changed slightly since he went on his own. Somebody put a good article up on how he was playing qpr and I think they were one of the most attack minded teams in the league but with the lowest amount of crosses in the league. That would suit me instead of lumping aimless crosses into Antonio/Alfredo. 

I might be overthinking it, but I read that, and it was from his purple patch weeks (!) and I wondered if they were kind of match stats from when games go really well.

It would be interesting if those stats carried over to the bad weeks (!) when it all went wrong.

[ayro 3,043]

44 minutes ago, Amokachi said:

I just hope to fek his priority is to win games and he’s not completely preoccupied with some illusion we want to be sitting watching some form of a footballing masterclass. 

Yeah, there is a time and place for philosophy, journey, project and all those other wanky terms.

The time is now for winning games, one at a time and just focus on the next opponent rather than looking too far ahead.

Strongest team available starting against Hibs and take it from there.

[Inigo 32,534]

Obviously his short term priority is getting a tune out of underperforming players.

Then see if there're any of the youth players that can do a job ahead of some of the older, ailing players. 

Then revamp the squad in the next two windows, with emphasis on youth, hunger and energy. Especially from midfield forward.

[ayro 3,043]

45 minutes ago, Colin Traive said:

Kent hugging the touchline is fucking hopeless. Everyone knows that’s how we play, he can’t go forward so he plays it back to Barisic et voila, the horseshoe is back. The other downside is that Kent effectively blocks Barisic from overlapping him so we lose out on his crosses from the bye line.

Kent causes more uncertainty in the opponent’s defence when he cuts inside looking for one-twos (Tillman, Lawrence) or having a pop. There will always be occasions when staying wide is the right option but we have to mix it up and be much less rigid and predictable.

I’d hope that Kent can be rejuvenated under Beale, at least to a level where we can get him re-signed and sold.

As for the right wing, it’s back to square one. Wright is a grafter but he is very limited and Matondo is one of the worst players to ever wear the jersey. We’ve never addressed that side since Candeias left to be honest but we don’t need an out and out winger. As with Kent, the solution is a player who can mix it up.

If we can get a functional Kent it makes a huge difference.

There are more than enough formations available that we should be maximising what suits the players we have at our disposal in lieu of this is my system and I am not changing it.

[King Jela 20,489]

Get the rebuild started in January, stop them winning a treble, complete most of the rebuild in the summer and qualify for the CL. 

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,977]

1 hour ago, glasgow argyle said:

A genuine quality midfield playmaker & Right winger are an absolute must.

It’s mental that these two positions have been a problem since we got back to the top flight and have still never been properly addressed.

[OrangeRab 2,787]

There’s probably going to be more horseshoe unless we get a midfielder who can take the ball on the turn. If you pass to Lundstrum, Jack, Davis, Sands, Arfield they take a touch and lay it off to the full back or CB. They don’t have the ability to take the ball on the turn. 

Kamara is the only one that ever takes the ball on the turn in transition.

[OrangeRab 2,787]

2 minutes ago, BlueSuedeSambas said:

It’s mental that these two positions have been a problem since we got back to the top flight and have still never been properly addressed.

Yeh. I guess we’ve at least signed some wingers. They’ve just all been hopeless. We haven’t really made an effort to find a midfield playmaker. We seem to accumulate CDM or players that can pass sideways like they’re going out of fashion. 

[GA1972 9,658]

4 hours ago, .Williamson. said:

Defoe says Beale was very good at adapting his tactics to suiting the players he had available to him, and MB said himself yesterday he plans on playing on the front foot and taking the handbrake off in our games, so we will have to wait and see what happens.

Do most teams not play “the horseshoe” btw? It’s essentially just playing out from the back, it’s just all season we have been slow as fuck at moving it up the pitch 

Just about everyone does, it’s exactly why football is dull as fuck now 

Gerrard did it plenty as well it’s just with Gio there was a name already created for it by Feyenoord fans 

[The Archer 1,134]

9 minutes ago, OrangeRab said:

Yeh. I guess we’ve at least signed some wingers. They’ve just all been hopeless. We haven’t really made an effort to find a midfield playmaker. We seem to accumulate CDM or players that can pass sideways like they’re going out of fashion. 

Wonder if Raskin is coming in January for  low fee

[onlythestrongsurvive 1,007]

11 hours ago, SPWF said:

I’ll fucking greet if Kent signs a new contract tbh. He is dug meat. 

I'd get shot myself as well as Morelos as just can't be relied on (and Kamara) but can see the reasoning behind getting them to extend

[onlythestrongsurvive 1,007]

6 hours ago, J-Maestro said:

If they extend their contracts they’re not leaving.

maybe would next year, maybe get back to form and wouldnt want them to - just ifs and buts, not advocating keeping them, just looking at all sides

[.Williamson. 82,798]

7 minutes ago, GA1972 said:

Just about everyone does, it’s exactly why football is dull as fuck now 

Gerrard did it plenty as well it’s just with Gio there was a name already created for it by Feyenoord fans 

It’s all about the speed you play it at, we have been almost walking speed.

I am absolutely against it when you are chasing a game. Like I couldn’t believe at 3-0 down against that lot at the start of the season we still continued playing out that way. It was completely the reason for the 4th coming about 

[BlueSuedeSambas 53,977]

5 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

It’s all about the speed you play it at, we have been almost walking speed.

I am absolutely against it when you are chasing a game. Like I couldn’t believe at 3-0 down against that lot at the start of the season we still continued playing out that way. It was completely the reason for the 4th coming about 

We definitely need to be more direct.

People see that word and assume that means hoofing it to a big striker, but it doesn’t always mean that. We just need more vertical passing, moving the ball more quickly, getting the ball into the centre forward feet fast and having more runners from midfield.
 

They are all ways to be more direct without resorting to the stereotypical idea of what direct football is.

[starofdavid 128]

8 minutes ago, onlythestrongsurvive said:

I'd get shot myself as well as Morelos as just can't be relied on (and Kamara) but can see the reasoning behind getting them to extend

cannot see either of them extending contract so as to be sold,they will go on a free and give themselves a nice signing on contract,they will be thinking.and their agents,why give the club a transfer when we can have all the money ourselves...unless,of course,the new contracts are better than being offered elsewhere  ...as Goldson 

[onlythestrongsurvive 1,007]

6 minutes ago, starofdavid said:

cannot see either of them extending contract so as to be sold,they will go on a free and give themselves a nice signing on contract,they will be thinking.and their agents,why give the club a transfer when we can have all the money ourselves...unless,of course,the new contracts are better than being offered elsewhere  ...as Goldson 

ye probably but at this time no team will want them.

[B1872 20,847]

Seen a training video of us working on one touch passing and Kent actually shooting so that’s a start. 👍🏻

[GA1972 9,658]

24 minutes ago, .Williamson. said:

It’s all about the speed you play it at, we have been almost walking speed.

I am absolutely against it when you are chasing a game. Like I couldn’t believe at 3-0 down against that lot at the start of the season we still continued playing out that way. It was completely the reason for the 4th coming about 

The problem with that style is what’s happened to us under Gio and to a lesser extent Gerrard 

It gets so ingrained the players become completely risk averse and it makes it impossible to move the ball as quickly as you need to. If you pass the ball across the defence but wont miss out a pass/player to just go direct to the other side then it makes it easy to defend against. On top of that if you wont play the ball between the lines you become so predictable that Martindale and Livi can have you sussed out easily 

Keeper makes a difference as well and ours are far too slow at distributing the ball. McGregor for example will never play the easy pass back across the pressing striker that would take him out the game and allow a full back/centre back an easy platform to start an attack 

I do think it’s difficult also to maintain an intensity off the ball or to inject urgency into your play if you lose a goal for example when you’re so slow, ‘patient’ and lax on the ball for most of the game 

[OrangeRab 2,787]

38 minutes ago, starofdavid said:

cannot see either of them extending contract so as to be sold,they will go on a free and give themselves a nice signing on contract,they will be thinking.and their agents,why give the club a transfer when we can have all the money ourselves...unless,of course,the new contracts are better than being offered elsewhere  ...as Goldson 

Yeh if they wait till January any transfer fee accrues to them. So very slim they leave in January for any fee.

Best hope is they buy into Beale and extend