"Where's the width?"

[leeblue]

I am quite happy with the line up in midfield but do worry that we will be overly reliant on Barney for goals. Walker and Revs have less than double figures for us, Doog aint getting any younger and has zero pace, and Laurent is still very unpredictable. Really need Moose and Macca to hit double figures.

goals from midfield vital to any sort of successful season for sure, think sawyer will be the one to deliver them, dont write dougie off just yet

 

[Beefy]

One of my massive gripes with the manager is that he doesn't treat each game as a different one. So it's all very well saying it's working well now, but it doesn't mean it should be used for every game. For example, using a very defensive midfield away from home against the top team in the league isn't generally what you should use at home to the bottom club in the league. In the past he's done this type of thing and I really do hope he's learnt from his mistakes.

In your opinion it's a mistake. Without checking the stats I think that we've been very adept under Steve Tilson at knocking over smaller clubs at home.

No offence to you, but you do do this quite often - because you think things should be done in a certain way (chopping & changing the line-up, making early substitutions) and Tilly does them differently doesn't mean that he's naive or that he's making mistakes. It means that he and you have different ideas about how to be a successful football manager.

 

[Beefy]

As for width, we're no more narrow now than we were when we won this league. Mark Gower was basically a centre-midfielder who had been playing wide, similar to the way that Moussa is playing now and Grant is in the role that Bentley and Bradbury had on the right.

 

[Bromley Blue]

As for width, we're no more narrow now than we were when we won this league. Mark Gower was basically a centre-midfielder who had been playing wide, similar to the way that Moussa is playing now and Grant is in the role that Bentley and Bradbury had on the right.

I've got to disagree with that. Gower may have been brought up as a centre mid (which I've read on here but didnt know) but he was an out n out winger whilst with us and since. Moussa is doing a fantastic job out there but I dont think he'll remain in this position for the rest of his career as Gower has.

For me we need to be looking to bring in a winger and sort the defence out long term before the transfer window shuts.

 

[Beefy]

Gower rarely hugged the touchline. He drifted in looking to pass the ball or have a shot and when he didn't have the ball he used to break into the box which is how he scored so many goals for us. He's playing as a more orthadox winger for Swansea now he's part of a midfield five but for us he was never an out and out winger. I think that's the route that Tilson is trying to take Moussa down.

 

[silentshrimper]

I don't see any problems at all with Grant on the right, same as when any of our more central suited players have gone on the right. I personally think it brings balance to our side, with Moussa flying down the left as Gower did. Francis and Grant seem to like playing together and over lapping, I would be tempted to try Grant at right back and Francis at right midfield to be honest. Would have tried that out in the Carling cup match though! I think Grant is better defensively whilst Francis is better attacking wise, so it makes sense!

 

[Beefy]

Grant has a surprising amount of ability on the ball and does have a knack of using a few tricks to get past his man. Francis is a great crosser of the ball, the best we have by a huge margin, but IMO isn't skilful enough to make it as a winger.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

I've got to disagree with that. Gower may have been brought up as a centre mid (which I've read on here but didnt know) but he was an out n out winger whilst with us and since.

When we signed Mark Gower, he was a central midfielder, who also had the ability to play right side of midfield. He was not a winger in anyway, shape or form. He switched to the left, more in necessity than anything else through injury and lack of alternative options, and ended up making the position his own - Primarily because he would cut in from the left and shoot with his right foot.

Even when he left us, he was not an out and out winger - he could play on either flank, but he was not what you would class a winger.

 

[Richard_Cadette]

Grant has a surprising amount of ability on the ball and does have a knack of using a few tricks to get past his man. Francis is a great crosser of the ball, the best we have by a huge margin, but IMO isn't skilful enough to make it as a winger.

For me, that kind of sums up the problem we have on the right side. Grant does have ability, but I don't know what his best position is, and I am not convinced Tilly has worked it out yet either. He is almost a utility player, akin to Lewis Hunt, and the problem with utility players is that they can do a job in a number of positions, but because they are not specialised, they will never set the world alight.

Equally, your point about Francis - He is an exceptional crosser of the ball, and as an overlapping full back, is very good (not quite so good at the defending part!), but when he plays right midfield, he is nowhere near as effective.

All of that, IMO, leaves us a bit betwixed and between. We have Betsy and Scannell as our only natural right sided midfielders, and I suspect Tilly has no plans to use either of them much this season, so it will most likely be Grant unless we sign anyone else.

My own personal opinion is that it is too cautious - Yes, it may give the impression of being a solid line up when playing away from home, but even then, you have to have an outlet, and with no real pace up front, I think the midfield is too pedestrian. To be fair, Grant played very well against Huddersfield, and won the penalty, but over the course of a season, I think we may striggle in that position. Tilly's slightly sarcastic comment about 'Where's the width' may come back to bite him, and when playing against teams which pack the midfield/defence, you almost certainly always need width to break through that.

 

[Beefy]

Grant has got a natural position - it's in the centre of midfield and once everything has settled down I think that's where he'll play. Within a few weeks I suspect our midfield will be:

Moussa Grant Sawyer McCormack

 

[Andy_S]

Grant has got a natural position - it's in the centre of midfield and once everything has settled down I think that's where he'll play. Within a few weeks I suspect our midfield will be:

Moussa Grant Sawyer McCormack

If McCormack starts on the right ahead of a fit Laurent, Betsy and Scannell I will be very surprised and extremely, extremely disappointed.

 

[Beefy]

I don't see why. Laurent is a striker and a decent one at that. Scannell has never shown that he can compete at this level and Betsy has failed to nail down that spot despite being the only proper winger at the Club for more than a year. Playing McCormack there (in a position that he's already played well in for this Club) allows Sawyer the chances to get into the side in the middle and allows McCormack to provide more of a goal threat by breaking into the box late.