North by North West. Away to Blackpool Sat 24th Feb, 3-0'clock

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm more worried about Evatt signing a £3/4M player with the most assists in the league to get us over the line, and then not play him. Similarly with Ogbeta & Ramsey they will never get used to how we play if we don't play them.

Whoever bought Evatt a new bingo machine at Xmas has a lot to answer for, so many changes in almost every game it's no wonder the team looks so disjoined most games.

Introducing players slowly and basically them being useless for half a season is the Evatt way. Which makes the summer even worse considering we don’t seem to get any January impact from signings.

Remember the days when a ‘meh’ Jan signing completely transformed us? Seem long gone as it seems like any signing struggles to adapt sits on the bench then gets injured.

[Worthy4England]

I don't think it's "Evatt's way" in the sense he's not signing people on the basis that they're going to be useless for 6 months. Many sides introduce players sparingly in Jan. What I think we've seen this season, is that the core team have sort of gone "very indifferent" in certain areas. Dion a great example. Struggling to put ball in net, then injured. I think we get three points last Saturday with Baxter in nets. Whilst it's welcome to have Santos back, did we expect he was going to sort out defensive woes all on his tod? It looks very disjointed at the moment and you still ain't winning many when you're leaking 3 and 4 in a game and you might not win, gifting them 1 (a la Barnsley)

[Bertie Wooster]

In my opinion it's because Evatt is so set in his ways (formation, tactics etc.), surely they do due diligence before these signings and discuss how they will fit in with the way Evatt likes to play, and if not how they would need to tweak the system to get the best out of them. All new players need games, this Evatt bingo ball - in one game then out for the next, doesn't help them get up to speed, even the best players need a run of games.

With Collins surely he needs to play & if he doesn't fit it with how we currently play, then you tweak the formation or tactics to get the best out of him or don't sign him at all.

[BWFC_Insane]

I don’t really like talk of plan B because that in itself suggests you are so rigid that you need a discrete plan to switch to. But I do think we are too rigid with the system we are picking. It’s not working because we leave ourselves open and sides have worked out they can hurt onus on transition and we aren’t hurting sides enough when we have possession.

I don’t see why given the sort of game it will be we wouldn’t go to Wigan play with a back four, front three and use say Vic as a wide outlet ball.

Sometimes you have to change things.

In our last league one promotion we went from a 433/451 hybrid to a three at the back to accommodate the loss of wide players in January.

Now we have a problem with wing backs tiring and not being on form or injured - so same thing. The system we are playing isn’t working so we need to change and maybe it will kickstart a run. Feels late but feels like now or never.

[Worthy4England]

I'm curious. How many times do our rivals, or other teams in the league, or indeed in any league, change formation on a game-by-game basis? They might play a full back who is more defensive or more attacking, or switch out a destroyer in midfield for a quarterback-type - but I honestly don't know how frequently a bona-fide formation change happens. Genuine question. I suspect it happens less frequenrly than people think.

In fairness, Evatt's done it in yesteryears. I don't think (bit difficult to tell, sometimes) that anyone is suggesting a game-by-game change. I think it's reasonable to say what we're currently doing isn't looking great (whereas before Christmas, it generally did look fine). Feels as much "confidence" as "ability" - combined with a couple of injuries and some red cards - all not helping.

Their first one, yesterday - well played them - but really? Quick free kick and we've switched off. I know we complain when we're looking to go quick and they put a man right on the ball, but fairly standard....

[BWFC_Insane]

I'm curious. How many times do our rivals, or other teams in the league, or indeed in any league, change formation on a game-by-game basis? They might play a full back who is more defensive or more attacking, or switch out a destroyer in midfield for a quarterback-type - but I honestly don't know how frequently a bona-fide formation change happens. Genuine question. I suspect it happens less frequenrly than people think.

Changing formation week in week out is not I think desirable. But it feels like we need one to reinvigorate us and give opponents something new to consider.

I’d also suggest that few are playing systems that rely on hard running of the wing backs and midfield covering as much area as we are. Our system is hard to adjust because there isn’t really anywhere to go with it. If your wing backs tuck in or sit deeper you have no outlet.

A 433 gives you more options to tuck someone into midfield when needed or to drop into a pseudo 442 or 451.

The problem with our setup is it is completely reliant on certain players being able to do very specific physical things. And maybe a 5% drop off in output hurts us more than a more compact 433/451 setup.

[TANGODANCER]

Their first one, yesterday - well played them - but really? Quick free kick and we've switched off. I know we complain when we're looking to go quick and they put a man right on the ball, but fairly standard....

Which raises a question I've been meaning to ask: At one time you were supposed to wait for the ref's whistle before taking a free kick. Does that rule not apply now? Things like this and yardage-stealing on throw ins (which is blatantly cheating even if we adopt it) can cause unfair advantages and win/lose games. It all seem to have got a bit out of control right now?

[Worthy4England]

Safest thing as you're told at a pretty early age is not to assume the ref is going to blow and play until they do. I'm sure we all hollered foul when JDC got hit in the yed, but that's no excuse for players assuming the play will be bought back.

[Prufrock]

He won't rip it up, and probably rightly so. We were good against Cambridge, and good going forwards with 11 against Blackpool. The issues yesterday were individual mistakes rather than the shape.

I would personally like to see us go 343 though. CMG has been the brightest spark in the last two games, and we need to get Collins in.

Part of our issue at the moment is we're always looking to get 2v1 down the side with the wing backs and the 8s, and so Sheehan gets left alone, and when the wing backs get pinned in we can't get out.

So at home against Cambridge say you could go:

Coleman
Jones, Santos, Toal
JDC Sheehan Thomason Ogbeta
CMG Vic Collins

But a Wigan away:

Coleman
Jones Santos Toal
JDC Sheehan Thomason Ogbeta
Dempsey Vic Maghoma.

You also have the option to go and or press high as a 3 rather than a 2, or to fill the middle of the pitch.

Also, Christ we miss Baxter.

[The_Gun]

Slightly surprised we’ve not seen Forrester yet - he’s a very good defender and I think he might help our lack of solidity at the back. Assuming Santos is back on Tuesday, I’d be looking at starting Forrester at RCB, and either Toal or Iredale at LCB.

[Bertie Wooster]

Slightly surprised we’ve not seen Forrester yet - he’s a very good defender and I think he might help our lack of solidity at the back. Assuming Santos is back on Tuesday, I’d be looking at starting Forrester at RCB, and either Toal or Iredale at LCB.

Agree 100% - Forrester is a far better RCB than Jones (Jones is poor at RCB). I don't mind Jones as a RB but for me he's a liability at RCB. His passing is poor, his reading of the game is poor and he has a very slow reaction time to events in the box, its like he's stuck in treacle at times - not his fault as he's never really been a RCB it's a position put on him by Evatt.