Do we need to go back to basics?

[DanH90]

I read an interview with Dyche the other day when he said that this season we have tried to play a bit more expansively (which has clearly failed since we can’t seem to pass the ball to a teammate.)

But this might explain why we seem to get played through so easily, and perhaps we need to go back to the 4-5-1 that served us fairly well a few seasons ago, when Hendrick played behind Wood.
I think this would require a striker who can actually hold the ball up effectively (which I don’t think Wood or any of our strikers can) I was watching the Hull-Everton game yesterday and Eaves did a great job of getting Hull playing further up the pitch as he held it so well (I am not suggesting him as a signing, tbh I am not sure who could fit the bill.) We are going to need to grind our way to a few wins, as we certainly can’t do anything else.

I was thinking a line up like this could at least provide more stability

Pope
Roberts Collins/Tarks Mee Taylor
Cornet Stephens Cork/Westwood. McNeil
Brownhill
NEW

[RVclaret]

McNeil in the 10, Cornet left and new right winger + central midfielder. Turns our season around.

[Iloveyoubrady]

McNeil in the 10, Cornet left and new right winger + central midfielder. Turns our season around.

This. JBG and Lennon aren’t bad bench options/back ups but not starters.
Central midfield is just a weak point.

[DanH90]

I agree a new CM is a must, but I just can’t see us getting the type of quality we need in this Jan window, so I thought possibly a big target man who could do a job until the end of the season and at least get us further up the pitch and be an outlet (someone like Kieffer Moore or Lyndon Dykes maybe) then really sit back and go back to being incredibly hard to beat. The football would be even less pretty than it currently is but might allow us to grind out a few 1-0 wins.

[jojomk1]

No
we need two cm's and a wr
exciting times

[Blatherwickstattoo]

“Tried to” being the phrase. We aren’t expansive , we just look lost all over the pitch and can’t string 5 passes together. When we get into dangerous areas we go backwards to them lump it and lose it anyway. If that’s expansive than I’d like to know what Dyche has been smoking

[DanH90]

I agree 100%, we don’t have the personnel to be expansive, but I can definitely see that this season our tactics have changed subtly, we are trying to push more men forward and be less rigid, but it just isn’t working.
We need to go back to two banks of 4, camped firmly in our half and then playing direct to a genuine target man who can actually hold the ball (which Wood can’t)

[Quickenthetempo]

It doesn't get more basic than it is at the minute.

[DanH90]

It doesn't get more basic than it is at the minute.

I agree, but we just don’t have the players to be any more expansive, but I think we can be more effective. Stop leaking goals by being more defensive and committing less players forward, but have someone who can actually hold the ball and allow McNeil Cornet etc to get the ball in more dangerous areas.

The ideal would be to get a new winger and a CM but I just can’t see it happening in this window, so this might be a plan B that could grind out a few wins to potentially help us cling to survival.

[Blatherwickstattoo]

90% of our team wouldn’t get in a top half championship side. Expansive or not. We need, young, hungry, fast players. We used to pride ourselves on our fast press and work rate. Now we are just a team of old men who can’t play very well.

[clarethomer]

McNeil in the 10, Cornet left and new right winger + central midfielder. Turns our season around.

Would be madness in the form they are showing this season to put cornet on the left and mcneil in the 10

At least cornet is banging them in when he plays

[warksclaret]

We need to get back to the defenders and midfield not making silly mistakes, that's been leading to goals. Massive month for us-in terms of incomings and the work the coaches need to do with the players

[Spijed]

After the Wolves and West Ham games I actually thought we were on the right road again, keeping two good clean sheets. We even presented Newcastle with their only good chance to score.

For whatever reason we didn't have the same discipline against Man U. and Leeds.

Teams who get themselves out of trouble tend to do so by grinding out results. Until we do that we won't survive.

[fanzone]

We are already doing the basics but badly

[ewanrob]

Just watching WH v Leeds...the standard of the Leeds youngsters is outstanding...we are a country Mile behind them...I think these are the basics we should be concentrating on.

[SonofPog]

I just want the "framework" back.

Remember when we had Ings and Vokes... In defense the Minimum requirement was maximum effort... In Attack. Just go hog wild. Be creative. Try things. Run at them, overlap. We're no longer trying in defense... and its been a long time since we were inventive going forward.

[Elizabeth]

Maybe, but above all Collins in for Tarkowski and Roberts in for Lowton . That will create more energy and strength than is currently there

[KRBFC]

I thought we were already playing basic stuff

[ksrclaret]

Crikey, I'd hate to see what we serve up under the title of "back to basics" given what we've already been watching.

Shudder.