Has Big Sam changed his approach?

[TRon]

Last two matches where we had every reason to go out with a negative approach, we have pretty much got up and at 'em. Better short passing, and pushing forward in numbers - taking the game to the opposition as it were. I know Big Sam has said he'll do it his way, but we have been far more defensive previously. I don't know if this is a result of the crowd reaction, the players 'revolt' or just the players getting used to what Sam wants. But I think he's definitely changed tack even if he won't admit it. Still pleased though, whatever the reason.

 

 

[Dave]

Definite change last night and against Blackburn. Whether that's due in any part to the supposed player comments who knows, but the difference is as clear as day and night iyam.

[tgarve]

i disagree, i think te approach has always been the same, but its more effective with the players that are in the system now, ie smith up front works better than viduka, and geremi isnt fast or strong enough to be a centre mid.

[Razor]

I think he has changed his tactics to a bit more of an attacking plan in general, but i think the last 2 performances have been largely due to the players themselves.

[ChezGiven]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

[James]

Maybe there was some difference between what Sam meant when he says to 'keep it tight', and what the players understood.

 

After all, when Roeder said 'keep it tight' it meant sitting back, leave the strikers isolated and hope the opposition dont score.

[Guest alex]

If we play badly with shit tactics it's down to the manager. If the reverse is true it's down to the players

[Rich]

I think the difference is that the players have pulled their fingers out, more than anything, they have to take some major flak for their previous displays, mind: a lot have made bad errors that have cost us goals, something Allardyce can't really help.

 

We've not seen effort like that from so many individuals for a long time, let alone just this season.

 

The important thing is that it keeps going.

[Guest Stephen927]

There seemed to be a more determined look about the side, which hasn't really been evident before.

I don't think there was any major change in formation, looked like a 4-3-3 with Milner wide left and Martins wide right, but it seemed to interchange a lot, between 4-4-2 and 4-3-3.

[TRon]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

 

I don't recall us pushing up as much in previous matches. Against some of the poorer sides the main criticism has been that we have been too defensive and there has been a definite change to that and I think most people would have noticed the difference.

 

[ChezGiven]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

 

I don't recall us pushing up as much in previous matches. Against some of the poorer sides the main criticism has been that we have been too defensive and there has been a definite change to that and I think most people would have noticed the difference.

 

 

Agreed, it just felt 'Allardyce-esque', whatever the fuck that means.

[danswan]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

 

I don't recall us pushing up as much in previous matches. Against some of the poorer sides the main criticism has been that we have been too defensive and there has been a definite change to that and I think most people would have noticed the difference.

 

 

Agreed, it just felt 'Allardyce-esque', whatever the fuck that means.

 

similar to 'Burlesque' but where they all have huge papier maché heeds?

[Guest alex]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

 

I don't recall us pushing up as much in previous matches. Against some of the poorer sides the main criticism has been that we have been too defensive and there has been a definite change to that and I think most people would have noticed the difference.

 

 

Agreed, it just felt 'Allardyce-esque', whatever the fuck that means.

 

 

similar to 'Burlesque' but where they all have huge papier maché heeds?

 

[Parky]

If we play badly with shit tactics it's down to the manager. If the reverse is true it's down to the players

 

There was an internet driven theory that SA was stubborn apparently. lol

[ChezGiven]

Eh?

 

I thought last night was the sort of performance we expected from an Allardyce team? Milner's advanced position made us into a 4-3-3 for large part of the game.

 

I don't recall us pushing up as much in previous matches. Against some of the poorer sides the main criticism has been that we have been too defensive and there has been a definite change to that and I think most people would have noticed the difference.

 

 

Agreed, it just felt 'Allardyce-esque', whatever the fuck that means.

 

similar to 'Burlesque' but where they all have huge papier maché heeds?

 

 

Thats grotesque.

[Guest toonlass]

Think that its that the team have started playing as a team, the crowd made a huge effort on saturday and yesterday to keep backing the lads and everyone knuckled down and got stuck in. I hope the crowd are as magnificent on Saturday against the Brum, cos I think it ralleys the lads on. Whatever it is, more please...

[toptoon]

Yesterday at least, we were defending from the front very wellvia  Smith, Martins Geremi and Milner making it very hard for Arsenal to play there passing game though us. If we had sat back and isolated our strikers they would have probaby picked us off at will. We had players higher up the pitch and penned them back well at times. Geremi and Milner seemed to be given more of a license to get forward and again Martins and Smith chased them down well dropping into midfield when needed.

 

If we had Owen and Viduka on the pitch they are more finishers than grafters and i don't think it would have worked as well. 

[Skirge]

I hope that is the way he will play now for every game, that is not just the way to play against Arsenal but its how we should play every match!!

Win the ball as soon as you can and as high up the pitch as you can, all that dropping off when we lost possession was pure shit.

 

[TRon]

Yesterday at least, we were defending from the front very wellvia  Smith, Martins Geremi and Milner making it very hard for Arsenal to play there passing game though us. If we had sat back and isolated our strikers they would have probaby picked us off at will. We had players higher up the pitch and penned them back well at times. Geremi and Milner seemed to be given more of a license to get forward and again Martins and Smith chased them down well dropping into midfield when needed.

 

If we had Owen and Viduka on the pitch they are more finishers than grafters and i don't think it would have worked as well. 

 

That's how I saw it.

[toptoon]

I hope that is the way he will play now for every game, that is not just the way to play against Arsenal but its how we should play every match!!

Win the ball as soon as you can and as high up the pitch as you can, all that dropping off when we lost possession was pure s***.

 

 

Correct as when we we drop back we get penned in and isolate our strikers and we have to then resort to hoofing it up the pitch and hoping which is far easier for the opposition to deal with.

 

Hope fully we continue to play this way as we can then help to nullify the oppositions play which BSA seems to love, as well as not isolating our strikers so we can offer much more offensively.

 

Maybe we are about to turn a corner.......now where have i heard that before? lol ....I live in hope still! If we go back to dropping off teams again the way we were i'm not sure i'm going to be able to take it.

[ToonDevil]

Agree that the focus seems to have shifted in how we try to keep a clean sheet (i.e. sit back vs. pressure).  I wonder if this approach will be as effective against teams that boot it up to a big man, as opposed to trying to pass it through the team.

[toptoon]

Agree that the focus seems to have shifted in how we try to keep a clean sheet (i.e. sit back vs. pressure).  I wonder if this approach will be as effective against teams that boot it up to a big man, as opposed to trying to pass it through the team.

 

Its certainly worth a go by the looks of things, i'd hate to go back to sitting back and trying to soak up pressure from Derby,  Reading etc etc try not to concede first and nick something from the game.

 

Faye looks like could be instrumental against those types and Taylor too imo.

[TRon]

As a tactic, dropping back away from home isn't a bad one if you have the players to implement it. You need fast forwards the like of Bellamy, Dyer or Martins to hit on the break, and a cute midfielder like Elano or Solano to spot the decisive pass to the runners.

 

The players we have got are far better suited to pressing higher up the pitch as the last two games have shown.

[Keefaz]

As a tactic, dropping back away from home isn't a bad one if you have the players to implement it. You need fast forwards the like of Bellamy, Dyer or Martins to hit on the break, and a cute midfielder like Elano or Solano to spot the decisive pass to the runners.

 

The players we have got are far better suited to pressing higher up the pitch as the last two games have shown.

 

Back in days of yore under SBR, we often used to just pop a ball over the top for Bellamy to run onto who'd either score or get a pen. As you say, you need someone to pick up the run and get the ball moving ASAP. Oba could do it, but that doesn't seem to be his game.

[TRon]

As a tactic, dropping back away from home isn't a bad one if you have the players to implement it. You need fast forwards the like of Bellamy, Dyer or Martins to hit on the break, and a cute midfielder like Elano or Solano to spot the decisive pass to the runners.

 

The players we have got are far better suited to pressing higher up the pitch as the last two games have shown.

 

Back in days of yore under SBR, we often used to just pop a ball over the top for Bellamy to run onto who'd either score or get a pen.

 

Yep. Solano was also great at picking the ball up from a defensive position and bringing the ball out to set up a quick counter. We won a lot of away matches during SBR's heyday.