For whatever reason, we seemed to set up our midfield against Leeds something like the below..------------------LuizTrez, McGinn, Barkley, GrealishMcGinn sat a lot deeper next to Luiz against Liverpool, perhaps a bit further forward against Leicester but left of Luiz. That wasn't the case on Friday, where we set up similar to what we did against Fulham. It's a formation (2 x number eights) I don't want to see us playing for a while, Luiz is not superman and our full backs need more cover than what Grealish and Trez/Traore/AEG can provide. We need to be a lot more compact tactically, two sitting midfielders should always try and be goal side of the ball. Traore isn't ready for a start yet (and looks completely unsuited to the role he has been bought for tbh) so I wouldn't mind something like the following for Southampton. A lot more narrow but also support for the full backs to get forward and a change of role for Grealish. --------Luiz, NakambaMcGinn, Grealish, HourihaneWe have options then to drop McGinn back one if required, bring in Barkley or Trez/Traore out wide. Another tactical change I'd like to see Smith considering if we are chasing a goal is a front three of Traore/Davis/Watkins. Davis can make the ball stick and Watkins is more than capable of playing wide left but again to keep two midfielders goal side of the ball.
Interesting in the press conference today.We left the game plan after the first goal went in. Hence being ripped a new one. In my view, of that starts happening, you make a substitution, if for no other reason than to waste some time, but at least to get a new message out there or to hook the worst offender.
Putting a lot (too much?) faith in his favourite XI.
Quote from: eamonn on October 30, 2020, 02:20:44 PMPutting a lot (too much?) faith in his favourite XI.Players deviated from game plan, well take a couple of them off then Dean and remind them who is in charge! We got totally stretched between the lines and left space for them to attack, well then Dean do something about it tactically, not a nonsensical Traore for Trez sub that made things even worse.
Anyone would think we were bottom reading this thread.