Is this what transition looks like?

[supertom]

Our issues last season were shit defending ...  The more fluid attacking we saw at the end of last season has been there, but more sporadically.  Benteke's injury and Weimann's lack of form are really key reasons for this, so I'm both hopeful and expectant that we'll see better as the season settles down.

The more fluid attackng came when we moved the ball more quickly; now, we seem to working at half-speed all the time, making our game very predictable. Injuries to Benteke and Gabby hav enot helped, nor has Weimann's poor form, as you say.

I think we move the ball too fast once we get into the attacking third. Our only way of playing seems to be at 100mph. No one really stops to look up and use a bit of vision. It also doesn't help us because most of our midfield and attack have poor first touches.

We've just not got that balance yet and closing off the wide areas too often limits our attacking avenues too.

We need to get the ball into their half quicker because we dally too much at times, but be a bit more considered with it at times once we get to the final third. Players tend to rush passes and try and play at full pelt all the time and it breaks down to often. That is also inevitably when we then find ourselves become increasingly more reliant on bypassing the midfield entirely and hoofing the ball.

What we lack in technique we have a decent amount of pace. I'd like to see us expand the pitch and counter quickly along the flanks a lot more. Essentially like we did under O Neill. For want of better quality midfielders we need to utilize our speed better and spread our play across the pitch more. We lack the guile and technical ability to break teams down through the middle. We give opposition fullbacks a far too easy time. And in actuality Tonev providing some width gave us a bit of joy in the first half against Everton.

[paul_e]

Our issues last season were shit defending ...  The more fluid attacking we saw at the end of last season has been there, but more sporadically.  Benteke's injury and Weimann's lack of form are really key reasons for this, so I'm both hopeful and expectant that we'll see better as the season settles down.

The more fluid attackng came when we moved the ball more quickly; now, we seem to working at half-speed all the time, making our game very predictable. Injuries to Benteke and Gabby hav enot helped, nor has Weimann's poor form, as you say.

I think we move the ball too fast once we get into the attacking third. Our only way of playing seems to be at 100mph. No one really stops to look up and use a bit of vision. It also doesn't help us because most of our midfield and attack have poor first touches.

We've just not got that balance yet and closing off the wide areas too often limits our attacking avenues too.

We need to get the ball into their half quicker because we dally too much at times, but be a bit more considered with it at times once we get to the final third. Players tend to rush passes and try and play at full pelt all the time and it breaks down to often. That is also inevitably when we then find ourselves become increasingly more reliant on bypassing the midfield entirely and hoofing the ball.

What we lack in technique we have a decent amount of pace. I'd like to see us expand the pitch and counter quickly along the flanks a lot more. Essentially like we did under O Neill. For want of better quality midfielders we need to utilize our speed better and spread our play across the pitch more. We lack the guile and technical ability to break teams down through the middle. We give opposition fullbacks a far too easy time. And in actuality Tonev providing some width gave us a bit of joy in the first half against Everton.

The width thing against Everton is a fallacy, Tonev's best work was when he came inside and played 1-2 touch passes, which is exactly what we should do in the narrower system we play.  Width has it's place and is an option but reading on here you'd sometimes think that it's impossible to be successful without 2 wingers hugging the touchline.

[supertom]

Our issues last season were shit defending ...  The more fluid attacking we saw at the end of last season has been there, but more sporadically.  Benteke's injury and Weimann's lack of form are really key reasons for this, so I'm both hopeful and expectant that we'll see better as the season settles down.

The more fluid attackng came when we moved the ball more quickly; now, we seem to working at half-speed all the time, making our game very predictable. Injuries to Benteke and Gabby hav enot helped, nor has Weimann's poor form, as you say.

I think we move the ball too fast once we get into the attacking third. Our only way of playing seems to be at 100mph. No one really stops to look up and use a bit of vision. It also doesn't help us because most of our midfield and attack have poor first touches.

We've just not got that balance yet and closing off the wide areas too often limits our attacking avenues too.

We need to get the ball into their half quicker because we dally too much at times, but be a bit more considered with it at times once we get to the final third. Players tend to rush passes and try and play at full pelt all the time and it breaks down to often. That is also inevitably when we then find ourselves become increasingly more reliant on bypassing the midfield entirely and hoofing the ball.

What we lack in technique we have a decent amount of pace. I'd like to see us expand the pitch and counter quickly along the flanks a lot more. Essentially like we did under O Neill. For want of better quality midfielders we need to utilize our speed better and spread our play across the pitch more. We lack the guile and technical ability to break teams down through the middle. We give opposition fullbacks a far too easy time. And in actuality Tonev providing some width gave us a bit of joy in the first half against Everton.

The width thing against Everton is a fallacy, Tonev's best work was when he came inside and played 1-2 touch passes, which is exactly what we should do in the narrower system we play.  Width has it's place and is an option but reading on here you'd sometimes think that it's impossible to be successful without 2 wingers hugging the touchline.

2 Wingers just doesn't work anymore in the modern game, but it'd be nice to have one getting some chalk on his boots sometimes. It shouldn't be our only way of playing, but likewise, playing almost entirely through the middle shouldn't either.

[Dante Lavelli]

I agree Supertom, one of our three guys up top should be adept at playing as a winger. Ideally the other one should be able to morph into the mythical #10 too.

Right now the balance isn't quite right.

[paul_e]

You're still getting bogged down by positions on a board, making the field 'wider' is useful as it makes the gaps between players bigger but being able to do something with that space is more important.  Gabby and Weimann were perfectly adequate wide players for 4months at the end of last season and we had one of the best attacks in the league, it worked because our players were running good lines that we expected but defenders didn't.  We need to get that chemistry back, once we do the lack of a winger is no longer important.  An attacking midfield who spots the runs sooner and releases the ball sooner when the runs are made is far more important.

[Monty]

The thing about width isn't MONish endless crossing, but making space. If you all stand very close together, it's not very hard for defences to stay compact and stop you. If you spread out, they have to spread out as well, and you can actually try to find some spaces in the centre. It's very simple, but Lambert appears to have other ideas, so I'm hoping they're much better than my simplistic ones.

[Ads]

The full backs need to create width and they're only going to do that if you're winning the ball in midfield. Sylla is the player to give us the presence and help the likes of Westy.

[paul_e]

Sylla pressing higher up the ptich was an important part of our revival last season as it meant we were much higher up the pitch when we won the ball back and hadn't got 7-8 players pressed back to the edge of our box as has happened a lot this year.

[Monty]

I like Sylla, but his presence only makes sense if Delph is there too I think. I certainly don't want to see KEA and Westwood in the same midfield in general.

[Ads]

Delph in front of Sylla and Westwood, with more licence to hit the box, is our best midfield combination

[Monty]

Delph in front of Sylla and Westwood, with more licence to hit the box, is our best midfield combination

At this point I'd have to agree with you.

[garyshawsknee]

I think so Ads. He has the natural ability, id like to think once he gets a goal, he could go on a bit of a run.

[Dante Lavelli]

You're still getting bogged down by positions on a board, making the field 'wider' is useful as it makes the gaps between players bigger but being able to do something with that space is more important.  Gabby and Weimann were perfectly adequate wide players for 4months at the end of last season and we had one of the best attacks in the league, it worked because our players were running good lines that we expected but defenders didn't.  We need to get that chemistry back, once we do the lack of a winger is no longer important.  An attacking midfield who spots the runs sooner and releases the ball sooner when the runs are made is far more important.

i'm not disgreeing as such.  I actually think gabby is capable of the winger role (especially if he can learn a trick or two once in tight spaces. 

You're still getting bogged down by positions on a board, making the field 'wider' is useful as it makes the gaps between players bigger but being able to do something with that space is more important.  Gabby and Weimann were perfectly adequate wide players for 4months at the end of last season and we had one of the best attacks in the league, it worked because our players were running good lines that we expected but defenders didn't.  We need to get that chemistry back, once we do the lack of a winger is no longer important.  An attacking midfield who spots the runs sooner and releases the ball sooner when the runs are made is far more important.

I don't think we're disagreeing by much here, I think the side needs a player that has the instinct of a winger.  A player who is comfortable on the touchline (when packed), with a trick to do something.

Gabby is often great at it, but in generally it comes from broken play rather than a 'winger's trick' to go round someone.
Ironically I think this season's issues are more as a result of Weimann's lack of confidence and as a result we've got two very industrious player but lacking in flair/vision. 

[supertom]

Delph in front of Sylla and Westwood, with more licence to hit the box, is our best midfield combination

At this point I'd have to agree with you.

Seconded. We can't carry both Westy and KEA. It's too immobile. As said, if you've got Sylla and Delphs energy in midfield it also gives our fullbacks a bit more license to get forward and create more width for us.
I also think we could do with Lowton really hitting form again (also allowing Bacuna further up the pitch). Lowton was a very clever user of the ball last season. He read the game well, he was actually very tidy on the ball and useful in attack. I honestly think he's got more quality on the ball than most of our mids actually do, so if we get him back on form it could be beneficial.

[SamTheMouse]

Delph is probably the key to any improvement. To unlock defences these days you need someone who can beat his man, and in a tight spot Fab is the best we have at that. I agree he should be given more licence to get forward, but unfortunately he's got mediocre players alongside him in midfield right now, and none of them are very good at tracking runners or tackling.