Quote from: Toronto Villa on January 05, 2015, 02:28:04 PMPart of the issue right now is that many of the players Lambert has signed to date were signed to play previously employed systems. Now, if he really wants this new system to work then he will need to go a different route in his player acquisition strategy. It also begs the question, had he played this system all along would Benteke even have been signed in the first place?Not sure I agree with this.Take a look at Westwood, Bennett, Lowton, Cole etc. Would they be better employed playing as we currently do ie slow passing, relying on the fullbacks to get forward or long ball bypassing the team and getting players around Benteke.I'd say it's how we are playing now, which makes why he bought them in the first place and then played a system that doesn't suit all the more baffling to me. That leads me to think he's just throwing mud at the wall and seeing what sticks. Nothing is planned.
Part of the issue right now is that many of the players Lambert has signed to date were signed to play previously employed systems. Now, if he really wants this new system to work then he will need to go a different route in his player acquisition strategy. It also begs the question, had he played this system all along would Benteke even have been signed in the first place?
Wouldn't it be nice if we could switch to different styles/tactics as the opposition and situation dictates? Fine to be patient when there is not much on but preferably with some movement to drag defenders around a bit and an occasional killer pass to try and make something happen. But then to mix it up a bit why not play the occasional long ball into Benteke or over the top to either take the opposition by surprise or just if he is in space. Or do a quick 3-4 pass counter attack if it is the best option and on. I just don't see why a team has to stick with one approach even in a single game, especially as we don't seem capable of making any single approach work that well. It would require a bit of nous, concentration and game-reading intelligence from the players involved, and probably one, maybe two "playmaker" types to dictate the moves and set the tempo. Perhaps Lambert doesn't trust the players to be that adaptable, or maybe the players really aren't up to it, but could say Sanchez and Delph pull the strings like this if asked to?
It is difficult, but it's even harder to play long-ball with a striker like Gabby or Weimann.
Quote from: ktvillan on January 05, 2015, 08:04:10 PMWouldn't it be nice if we could switch to different styles/tactics as the opposition and situation dictates? Fine to be patient when there is not much on but preferably with some movement to drag defenders around a bit and an occasional killer pass to try and make something happen. But then to mix it up a bit why not play the occasional long ball into Benteke or over the top to either take the opposition by surprise or just if he is in space. Or do a quick 3-4 pass counter attack if it is the best option and on. I just don't see why a team has to stick with one approach even in a single game, especially as we don't seem capable of making any single approach work that well. It would require a bit of nous, concentration and game-reading intelligence from the players involved, and probably one, maybe two "playmaker" types to dictate the moves and set the tempo. Perhaps Lambert doesn't trust the players to be that adaptable, or maybe the players really aren't up to it, but could say Sanchez and Delph pull the strings like this if asked to? We are sadly bereft of the key qualities which you mention. No effective leadership on the pitch for starters. A definite dearth of little grey cells as well.
I think we'd be helped enormously by keeping a midfield base of just two, rather than continuing to do a 3 man mid where no one really takes up the mantel of breaking into the box or trying to get forward to make some penetrative passes. Lamberts 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 system has rarely worked. I'd rather we switched to a 4-2-3-1, allowing someone, either Cole, Grealish or perhaps trying Cleverley (and lighting a rocket up his arse) to play in the 10 position. In addition we need the wide players to use the flanks and go on the outside more to help out the fullbacks, and also so we don't expect all our width to come from the fullbacks.All too often in that 3 man CM we have one player (mostly TC) who becomes utterly redundant.
Quote from: supertom on January 05, 2015, 06:50:31 PMI think we'd be helped enormously by keeping a midfield base of just two, rather than continuing to do a 3 man mid where no one really takes up the mantel of breaking into the box or trying to get forward to make some penetrative passes. Lamberts 4-3-3/4-3-2-1 system has rarely worked. I'd rather we switched to a 4-2-3-1, allowing someone, either Cole, Grealish or perhaps trying Cleverley (and lighting a rocket up his arse) to play in the 10 position. In addition we need the wide players to use the flanks and go on the outside more to help out the fullbacks, and also so we don't expect all our width to come from the fullbacks.All too often in that 3 man CM we have one player (mostly TC) who becomes utterly redundant. Ideally the 433 and 4231 should be pretty interchangeable i.e. not ridged system, after all its probably a difference of about ten meters on the pitch. What is required is the freedom for a player (or players) to make that shift and for the whole system not to collapse when they do. As others have said this player movement and game management needs practice/coaching and also good communication on the pitch. It's hard to say whether that is happening, or indeed whether the team communicate effectively.I must admit that I was pleased to hear that Westwood was dropping into a 3 man defence on Sunday, not because it is a tactical masterstroke, but because it implies that 'something' is happening on the training ground and that the players have the autonomy to try and change things on the pitch.
Passing the ball to a players feet is easy. Passing a ball into space encouraging movement is what Swansea, and othe good footballing teams play. We don't do that. That's the problem