Bimpy474

I'd say they are fairly big changes, they are in fact the key to Rafa's 4-2-3-1 and game tactics. Good crossing attacking fullbacks who provide your only width, and a creative clever number 10. None of which we have right now. The full backs could be sorted (ish) by picking Lazaar and Yedlin, who far better at the attacking side of the game than Dummett and Anita. As for the number 10, we need to buy one as Diame and Perez aren't good enough for it. I reckon Rafa thinks they're ok for the Championship, with big upgrades coming in the Premier imo, if we go up of course.

As poor as Dummett was last night (as was Anita as they got in behind us down both flanks constantly) what I saw of Lazaar live against Wolves did not inspire me with any confidence at all, he was awful. True he was poor against Wolves, he'll have to get used to English football so gets a bit of leeway from us for now surely. Although i would say Lazaar should be pushing a very poor Dummett from the team by now, but Rafa probably thinks he's not doing enough in training to deserve starting. That and Rafa is very cautious when introducing players to his system (Lazaar been here long enough though for that not to be a factor now imo).

He was played in after some good work from Diame and like you say he stopped and cut back. Okay if he's on the right and cuts back on his left but he had the perfect opportunity to put a first ball in with his good foot and wasted it. He will be fine imo, you can see he's class even if he hasn't shown enough of it yet. He'll know he needs to improve and that's the thing, unlike others we've had before he'll know it and try his hardest to be better. Not be happy to sit on his wages and not give a fuck.

While fairly true his form has dropped off and he was awful last night, and needs dropping as it stands.

It's been the same tactics all season. Can't say it's good tactics when we win and bad tactics when we lose.. Well you can sort of. When a team is good enough to exploit our tactic, we do absolutely nothing, or should i say Rafa does nothing to change it. We look completely unable to approach games differently. Now i love Rafa but that is not a good thing from him imo, it's only a minor issue if you look at the table but our limited flair and creativity are shown up terribly if the opposition get it right against us. Come on man, he's a world class manager isn't he but he can't adjust tactically in the championship ? Your sentence is completely correct, he is world class and so far has shown he can't adjust in the Championship tactically when a team plays a certain way. I know the first point should rule out the 2nd but it hasn't as we've seen so far. He's been overly cautious so far in some respects but i've no doubt he'll see it and change. But so far for the 1st half of the season he hasn't, but with window and him learning more about his players in certain situations i've no doubt he'll tweak it. I don't think he'll tweak it. We have a better squad than everyone else, we'll improve it in January and we'll keep on going as we are, which will still be enough to get promoted. We do, but in central midfield we are weak as p*ss for numbers and quality (Shelvey and Hayden aside). We must strengthen in CM, simply must. Sure ? After Shelvey and Hayden we have Colback and Anita. Doesn't sound good to us but as third and fourth choice in this division that's very good. Not helped by the tactics I'd say. Anita maybe, we've not seen him in CM so i'm pretty sure Rafa doesn't even see him as one anymore. But Colback isn't good enough for the Championship, he's utter garbage. We need to sign two CM's imo.

It's been the same tactics all season. Can't say it's good tactics when we win and bad tactics when we lose.. Well you can sort of. When a team is good enough to exploit our tactic, we do absolutely nothing, or should i say Rafa does nothing to change it. We look completely unable to approach games differently. Now i love Rafa but that is not a good thing from him imo, it's only a minor issue if you look at the table but our limited flair and creativity are shown up terribly if the opposition get it right against us. Come on man, he's a world class manager isn't he but he can't adjust tactically in the championship ? Your sentence is completely correct, he is world class and so far has shown he can't adjust in the Championship tactically when a team plays a certain way. I know the first point should rule out the 2nd but it hasn't as we've seen so far. He's been overly cautious so far in some respects but i've no doubt he'll see it and change. But so far for the 1st half of the season he hasn't, but with window and him learning more about his players in certain situations i've no doubt he'll tweak it. I don't think he'll tweak it. We have a better squad than everyone else, we'll improve it in January and we'll keep on going as we are, which will still be enough to get promoted. We do, but in central midfield we are weak as piss for numbers and quality (Shelvey and Hayden aside). We must strengthen in CM, simply must.

It's been the same tactics all season. Can't say it's good tactics when we win and bad tactics when we lose.. Well you can sort of. When a team is good enough to exploit our tactic, we do absolutely nothing, or should i say Rafa does nothing to change it. We look completely unable to approach games differently. Now i love Rafa but that is not a good thing from him imo, it's only a minor issue if you look at the table but our limited flair and creativity are shown up terribly if the opposition get it right against us. Come on man, he's a world class manager isn't he but he can't adjust tactically in the championship ? Your sentence is completely correct, he is world class and so far has shown he can't adjust in the Championship tactically when a team plays a certain way. I know the first point should rule out the 2nd but it hasn't as we've seen so far. He's been overly cautious so far in some respects but i've no doubt he'll see it and change. But so far for the 1st half of the season he hasn't, but with the window and him learning more about his players in certain situations i've no doubt he'll tweak it.

It's been the same tactics all season. Can't say it's good tactics when we win and bad tactics when we lose.. Well you can sort of. When a team is good enough to exploit our tactic, we do absolutely nothing, or should i say Rafa does nothing to change it. We look completely unable to approach games differently. Now i love Rafa but that is not a good thing from him imo, it's only a minor issue if you look at the table but our limited flair and creativity are shown up terribly if the opposition get it right against us.

It's not the formation, it's the team being overloaded with defensive players. 4-5-1 can be very attack minded if the full backs are better footballers. Aye, i said it during the game. Our width and crosses were provided by Dummett and Anita who were both awful crossing it.

There was a little thing today that drove me mad, with about 10 to 15 minutes to go he was in on the left on his left foot, yet instead of crossing straight away or driving forward to cross, He turned back on his right and Hutchinson tackled him. You see that a lot with him, and in our tactics generally, narrow play and turning back a lot.

This is probably a fair assessment. Easy to forget that Rafa is also planning for the long-term with this side and that'll be starting with shape and defensive work, first and foremost. True, but he needs to be a little bit more, well less rigid imo. Especially when it's not going so well. But you are right, he thinks long term. I reckon this performance might just advance a few buys this window, with ACON on as well.

He must be awful in training for Dummett to still start ahead of him.

How the fuck has Rafa not seen this pile of shite, is in fact a pile of shite. Baffled.

We're top, Pardew sacked, Mackems in the bottom 3....and now this, and it's fucking Christmas

Not sure if we're overreacting a tad as well, we beat Birmingham 4-0 in our last home game with just one player different. The difference between Shelvey and Colback is immense but not to extent the whole teams play as bad as it did today. Bit of missing Shelvey, a poor performance, Sheff Weds being better than us on the day, poor subs timing all played their part. We need a plan B though when things aren't working for any reason, seems like Rafa thinks not mind.

It's more than one game. Teams know what to do against us. Even Rotherham nearly managed it. Yep, we are very predictable, we try nothing other than 4-2-3-1. Now while it works most of the time, you need to change now and again to counter teams trying to counter it.

Our width is provided by two of the worst crossers of the ball in our team, ludicrous tactics this like.

The amount of deep balls in from Dummett and Anita that have been behind the players has been embarrassing. Absolutely awful.

6 minutes...oooh

That tackle could have been a red on it's own, it was a blatant hack.

Said this in the pre match topic. Or similar regarding same old boring set up. Was met with Rafa fairies attacking me? I like the 1 up top with a no 10 around him, but in this game it hasn't worked. It's clear to see but Rafa refuses to see it, it would appear. So do many of our fans/members. Just bitch at you if you question anything Rafa does or doesnt . Well Rafa shouldn't be and isn't above criticism if he gets it wrong imo.

Said this in the pre match topic. Or similar regarding same old boring set up. Was met with Rafa fairies attacking me? I like the 1 up top with a no 10 around him, but in this game it hasn't worked. It's clear to see but Rafa refuses to see it, it would appear.

Still only 1 up top

But but but we're top of the league [/Dave] Not getting involved in that But when losing at home with 20 minutes left you have to give yourself more options.

0-1 down and still only 1 up top. So frustrating.