Selection dilemma: four into three…

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RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Looking at yesterday’s line up, Sercombe missed out.

But he is too good to be on the bench.

Wright would be first name on the team sheet for most teams in the league so no question of him missing out. Is it a case of rotating Sercombe, Perry, Thomas and Chapman?

And this is without thinking about playing a second striker.

A good dilemma!
Benctfc
Posts: 1353
Joined: 29 Dec 2011, 16:54
Location: Whaddon road
Joseph or May as the one up front is a tough decision as well.
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Benctfc wrote:Joseph or May as the one up front is a tough decision as well.
Crikey. Forgot that!
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Shade
Posts: 16823
Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
From what I saw against MK Dons, Joseph can do the running as well as finish when he hasn't been ill, so that's a bit of a no-brainer for me unless Alfie can find his scoring boots.

The squad and formation will change week in, week out depending on injuries and who we are playing this season. Last season, we were the best, we didn't have to change for anyone much - we could rock up with our tried and tested and play most teams off the park even when we had over half our defence out injured at Cambridge, for example, as the back ups were still good enough to battle through. But this season we will have to "adapt to survive", and change things about like we did at Charlton. Partly to nullify the opposition threats by playing two deep midfielders, partly to cause confusion in the opposition defence by playing to no.10's. Other times we will need to have the second man up front because we will have Vassell, Joseph, May, Norton, Williams all fit and ready to play, and offering different things. Plus having 5 strikers and only playing 1 up top seems like a waste!
RegencyCheltenhamSpa
Posts: 29758
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 03:27
Shade wrote:From what I saw against MK Dons, Joseph can do the running as well as finish when he hasn't been ill, so that's a bit of a no-brainer for me unless Alfie can find his scoring boots.

The squad and formation will change week in, week out depending on injuries and who we are playing this season. Last season, we were the best, we didn't have to change for anyone much - we could rock up with our tried and tested and play most teams off the park even when we had over half our defence out injured at Cambridge, for example, as the back ups were still good enough to battle through. But this season we will have to "adapt to survive", and change things about like we did at Charlton. Partly to nullify the opposition threats by playing two deep midfielders, partly to cause confusion in the opposition defence by playing to no.10's. Other times we will need to have the second man up front because we will have Vassell, Joseph, May, Norton, Williams all fit and ready to play, and offering different things. Plus having 5 strikers and only playing 1 up top seems like a waste!
Conclusion: we have more than enough to be comfortably safe and looking up not down.
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Malabus
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Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 12:26
Location: The Death Star.
So-far I think we are a good mid-table side in L1.
everyman
Posts: 2034
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 09:11
Shade wrote:From what I saw against MK Dons, Joseph can do the running as well as finish when he hasn't been ill, so that's a bit of a no-brainer for me unless Alfie can find his scoring boots.

The squad and formation will change week in, week out depending on injuries and who we are playing this season. Last season, we were the best, we didn't have to change for anyone much - we could rock up with our tried and tested and play most teams off the park even when we had over half our defence out injured at Cambridge, for example, as the back ups were still good enough to battle through. But this season we will have to "adapt to survive", and change things about like we did at Charlton. Partly to nullify the opposition threats by playing two deep midfielders, partly to cause confusion in the opposition defence by playing to no.10's. Other times we will need to have the second man up front because we will have Vassell, Joseph, May, Norton, Williams all fit and ready to play, and offering different things. Plus having 5 strikers and only playing 1 up top seems like a waste!
I am impressed with Michael`s box midfield it suits our players perfectly especially having the front two backing up a lone striker either Joseph/May.Does any other team use this midfield box ?
everyman
Posts: 2034
Joined: 21 Nov 2009, 09:11
Shade wrote:From what I saw against MK Dons, Joseph can do the running as well as finish when he hasn't been ill, so that's a bit of a no-brainer for me unless Alfie can find his scoring boots.

The squad and formation will change week in, week out depending on injuries and who we are playing this season. Last season, we were the best, we didn't have to change for anyone much - we could rock up with our tried and tested and play most teams off the park even when we had over half our defence out injured at Cambridge, for example, as the back ups were still good enough to battle through. But this season we will have to "adapt to survive", and change things about like we did at Charlton. Partly to nullify the opposition threats by playing two deep midfielders, partly to cause confusion in the opposition defence by playing to no.10's. Other times we will need to have the second man up front because we will have Vassell, Joseph, May, Norton, Williams all fit and ready to play, and offering different things. Plus having 5 strikers and only playing 1 up top seems like a waste!
It`s more of a squad game now every player named is has to be ready during the 90+mins.
Red Duke
Posts: 1991
Joined: 20 Nov 2009, 09:15
Location: North West
everyman wrote:
Shade wrote:From what I saw against MK Dons, Joseph can do the running as well as finish when he hasn't been ill, so that's a bit of a no-brainer for me unless Alfie can find his scoring boots.

The squad and formation will change week in, week out depending on injuries and who we are playing this season. Last season, we were the best, we didn't have to change for anyone much - we could rock up with our tried and tested and play most teams off the park even when we had over half our defence out injured at Cambridge, for example, as the back ups were still good enough to battle through. But this season we will have to "adapt to survive", and change things about like we did at Charlton. Partly to nullify the opposition threats by playing two deep midfielders, partly to cause confusion in the opposition defence by playing to no.10's. Other times we will need to have the second man up front because we will have Vassell, Joseph, May, Norton, Williams all fit and ready to play, and offering different things. Plus having 5 strikers and only playing 1 up top seems like a waste!
I am impressed with Michael`s box midfield it suits our players perfectly especially having the front two backing up a lone striker either Joseph/May.Does any other team use this midfield box ?
I am also impressed with MD tactics, employing those to suit the players strengths and not their weaknesses. Many newly appointed managers at this level seem to do the opposite and explains why certain clubs unexpectedly under perform at the start of their reign. Those who don't change soon get the sack.
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Shade
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Joined: 27 Sep 2010, 13:02
Location: Cheltenhamshire
Switching the formation to suit the players he had was what began MD's and the clubs rise. His first 10 games he said he wanted to play 4-4-2 and that he would "always play two up front" and we didn't win for 10 games. He changed to the 5-3-2 that the players at his disposal was crying out for and we never looked back. Now he has played a lone striker and won despite having 2 others on the bench. He learnt a big lesson early in his managerial career - play to the strengths of the tools at your disposal, you can't always do what you want to do, especially in the lower leagues where you have to work with what you have.
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