Dean Smith - Confirmed

[ChicagoLion]

The midfield has been a problem all season and is the main reason we allow the opposition more chances than any one else.
The switch from 4 3 3 to 3 4 3 has not addressed this.

[Marlon From Bearwood]

The midfield has been a problem all season and is the main reason we allow the opposition more chances than any one else.
The switch from 4 3 3 to 3 4 3 has not addressed this.

I think 352 would work much better than the current 343.

It would mean we could play 2 out and out strikers,  get Jack back in the middle where he’s most effective and stop relying on El Ghazi and Trez who are nowhere near consistent enough anyway.

[Luke8]

The midfield has been a problem all season and is the main reason we allow the opposition more chances than any one else.
The switch from 4 3 3 to 3 4 3 has not addressed this.

I think it has to an extent. I reckon even if you include the Man City game (which looks a bit of an aberration) the number of shots we are conceding have gone down compared to when we were playing 4-3-3. Certainly the number of good/clear chances we were giving away.
 

[chrisw1]

The midfield has been a problem all season and is the main reason we allow the opposition more chances than any one else.
The switch from 4 3 3 to 3 4 3 has not addressed this.

I think 352 would work much better than the current 343.

It would mean we could play 2 out and out strikers,  get Jack back in the middle where he’s most effective and stop relying on El Ghazi and Trez who are nowhere near consistent enough anyway.

Our midfield is already getting over run, don't you think this would leave them over exposed?  Also, with Jack in the middle and no ElGhazi, do you think our fullbacks are strong enough to provide the width without their support?  I wouldn't have thought so to be honest.

[aj2k77]

It's really surprised me, in a bad way, just how bad we've been defensively this year.  I think this is mostly down to the lack of cover from our midfield, which tends to get overrun in most matches.

Good point mate. I just think luiz and nakamba as cms together doesnt work. I think you can only play one and i think it has ti be nakamba.

Unless he rrverts to two at the back and puts either conor/lansbury/drinkwater with luiz and nakamba

Didn't work against Leicester did it?

Well we've lost more games than anyone else bar Norwich and conceded more goals than anyone else so holding up a cup game as a sign that it works goes in the face of the overwhelming evidence that really it doesn't particularly work, does it?

Well bringing up results from matches that they didn't even play together in as a way of proving your point doesn't really hold much water does it?

Well they've started 8 league matches together and we've lost 6 of them, if that helps.

[Luke8]

Or another way of looking at it is the results with Nakamba and Luiz as the central midfielders in our 3-4-3:

Burnley - Won 2-1
Leicester - Drew 1-1
Brighton - Won 1-0 (from 70 minutes)
Watford - Won 2-0 (from 55 minutes)
Leicester - Won 2-1
Bournemouth - Lost 1-2

Both are pretty simplistic, lacking enough context, ways of looking at it but I think it would suggest that while they are probably not the definitive solution, it may be one of the better options we have currently.

[Steve67]

Our midfield is Larry lightweight. I’m amazed our coaching staff don’t see it, don’t acknowledge it and worst of all, completely failed to address it in the transfer window.  Well, other than bringing in Danny Drinkwater.

[Demitri_C]

It's really surprised me, in a bad way, just how bad we've been defensively this year.  I think this is mostly down to the lack of cover from our midfield, which tends to get overrun in most matches.

Good point mate. I just think luiz and nakamba as cms together doesnt work. I think you can only play one and i think it has ti be nakamba.

Unless he rrverts to two at the back and puts either conor/lansbury/drinkwater with luiz and nakamba

Didn't work against Leicester did it?

Oh you mean the game that nyland saved us on? Worked fanstaically well in a more important game on Saturday didnt it?

[PeterWithesShin]

Well they've started 8 league matches together and we've lost 6 of them, if that helps.

Pretty sure it's 7 in the league, won 2 lost 5. Plus both legs of the semi. However the league games do include games against the top 3 and Wolves away.

[Drummond]

It's really surprised me, in a bad way, just how bad we've been defensively this year.  I think this is mostly down to the lack of cover from our midfield, which tends to get overrun in most matches.

Good point mate. I just think luiz and nakamba as cms together doesnt work. I think you can only play one and i think it has ti be nakamba.

Unless he rrverts to two at the back and puts either conor/lansbury/drinkwater with luiz and nakamba

Didn't work against Leicester did it?

Oh you mean the game that nyland saved us on? Worked fanstaically well in a more important game on Saturday didnt it?

You mean the goalkeeper did his job?

[villa `cross the mersey]

Nice bloke, Villa fan, did well to get us promoted last season ........ but I am disappointed that we are still making the same stupid mistakes now than those earlier in the season .....ok it's the players screwing up but Smith and his coaches should be ironing these problems out - we aren't down but I really seeing us struggle from here on in,  principally as we can't keep a clean sheet or defend a lead - this league is unrelenting and having a tight well drilled defence is the key to survival
I appreciate that the club had to completely rebuild, squad wise but I think we were a little naive expecting Smith to be the manager to keep us where he had got us,against the odds - he may still do it and I would be happy to eat humble pie but it's starting to look a tall order -  we need a run of results like we hit last season, but it has to come against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and the Mersey duo ....... I just can't see it happening

[Demitri_C]

I think he will get the sack come the summer if we go down.

 Its hard to justify him staying on spending 150m and relegating us. I think we look a lot wrse than we did last year tbh

[GordonCowansisthegreatest]

I think he will get the sack come the summer if we go down.

 Its hard to justify him staying on spending 150m and relegating us. I think we look a lot wrse than we did last year tbh

Be interested to know which game you were watching today??

[Three Spires Villa]

Nice bloke, Villa fan, did well to get us promoted last season ........ but I am disappointed that we are still making the same stupid mistakes now than those earlier in the season .....ok it's the players screwing up but Smith and his coaches should be ironing these problems out - we aren't down but I really seeing us struggle from here on in,  principally as we can't keep a clean sheet or defend a lead - this league is unrelenting and having a tight well drilled defence is the key to survival
I appreciate that the club had to completely rebuild, squad wise but I think we were a little naive expecting Smith to be the manager to keep us where he had got us,against the odds - he may still do it and I would be happy to eat humble pie but it's starting to look a tall order -  we need a run of results like we hit last season, but it has to come against the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and the Mersey duo ....... I just can't see it happening

I know, it’s so frustrating

[Demitri_C]

I think he will get the sack come the summer if we go down.

 Its hard to justify him staying on spending 150m and relegating us. I think we look a lot wrse than we did last year tbh

Be interested to know which game you were watching today??

Sorry i didnt word that properly i meant tk aay defensively.

There is no question we are a lof worse this year. The defending today as a lot of games this year has been a complete an dutter shambles