| Balance 16:16 - Aug 20 with 2111 views | 1JD |
Balance
One major takeaway from the 3 league games I have seen so far under Mclaren is that the team balance is horrible and has been since day one at Preston. I am surprised to see the same basic errors appearing in each game so far.
Starting with the keeper, who doesn’t inspire confidence in anything he does, to a defense that lacks pace, a central midfield that lacks pace, and a forward line that lacks pace.
There is a common denominator and it has been painful to watch a team of sloths trying to break open a team. We are so one-paced it’s alarming and damn right obvious to those who have been in attendance.
Some big calls to be made by Mclaren - notably dropping Loungo and Freeman who do not deserve to start and have massively underperformed in each of the three games so far. Scowen just about keeps his place. And only because Manning is out on loan.
All three look unfit to me, one-paced, weak and slow with an inability to do absolute central midfield basics - pass the ball and keep some kind of possession. What hope have the rest of the team got when your midfield three are this poor in possession?
Despite the hype of this triumvirate last year, I have always felt this is not a well balanced midfield three and never has been. No pace, no passing interchange, static movement, and little to no goal threat. Perhaps the wing-back formation last season masked the fundamental flaws that are now appearing in this midfield-three combination this season. They cannot get out wide quick enough to cover the onrushing opposite wide player, and as soon as they do, it’s popped back into central to exploit the gap they vacated.
Meanwhile, when we do get the ball our central three have been woeful in possession, rapidly turning the ball straight back where it came from. It’s killing us, and along with Ingram seemingly playing as 12th man for the other side, continuously giving back possession even whilst under no pressure, and Matt Smith giving a lesson in how not to hold the ball up - we are continuously giving back possession for fun. Major surgery needed. |  | | |  |
| Balance on 17:02 - Aug 20 with 2039 views | bosh67 |
For me it is pretty simple. We are a weak squad.
Lumley is a better deliverer of the ball than Ingram.
The back four is what it is. We have huge problems there unless we can get Hall back and he isn't exactly match fit.
I personally think Bidwell is a better player than he gets credit for. He is at least tough and can put in a tackle. The new BFG is coming into a league that is quicker than he is used to so I have no idea why we don't play Baptiste who is unspectacular but relatively solid in most games when he plays. He at least can read play. The back four though are evidently a huge issue, plus the keeper. I am not sure Bassong solves it short term as he hasn't played for a year!
I have never understood the central 3. It barely worked last year and I am a fan of Freeman, Luongo and Scowen. We are far too narrow and teams walked round us last season playing this way and they are to even better effect this year. You need one midfielder to break things up and another to get the ball forward and wide quickly.
The one area we have pace is on the wings. No idea why we let Manning go on loan but we have Chair, Pav, Samuel and Smyth. All have pace. All should be hugging the line and stretching defences. With a central 3 we are painfully predictable and easy to defend against. Plus we get walked around on the break. It appears that Ollie and now McClaren have had no idea about why wingers suit this club and the forwards we actually have and what they can do.
Sylla, Smith etc are box forwards. I tear my non existent hair out watching Smith and Sylla with their backs to goal 40 yards out trying to take the ball out the sky. Pointless. Let them be running into the box, pushing defender back and feeding on crosses from the wings.
We need generals at the back like we had with Hill and Derry and there must be a few out there that we can get in. The kids will fall apart without generals and as such we probably should have kept Mackie around because he was always a mentor on and off the pitch to the younger players.
But breaking the midfield 3 and going 4 across the middle with flying wingers is key. I really feel for Pav. The best of the lot and he must be wondering why he bothers. But think with Samuel down one side and Pav or Smyth down the other. That is where we can get behind defences and have pace to press high to prevent counter attacks.
But our so called managers don't get it. [Post edited 20 Aug 2018 17:03]
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