Skyblueabo1111
Well-Known Member
Our best run last year, that got us into the play offs was 532. Simms and Assante up front, when Wright injured.
Let’s be Frank. (4 Viewers)
- Thread starter Fergusons_Beard
- Start date
Skyblueabo1111
Well-Known Member
People were shitting themselves after the Monaco friendly tbf
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
I think the OP is fair to question why there was still seemingly a lack of plan B.
Yep, it’s the first game of the season, but it’s the same symptoms of last. We’ve had the summer to address it and haven’t. He’s also had the same group to work with, so all have had a full pre-season to take on board new instructions.
On the other hand it’s game one and perhaps FL et al feel the current players aren’t capable of the plan B be wants to play. We might see a change with new recruits.
Clearly nowhere near time for him to go, but it would be good to see us react and adapt.
We’re a play off “favourite” so more teams are going to sit in against us and we need a response.
Yep, it’s the first game of the season, but it’s the same symptoms of last. We’ve had the summer to address it and haven’t. He’s also had the same group to work with, so all have had a full pre-season to take on board new instructions.
On the other hand it’s game one and perhaps FL et al feel the current players aren’t capable of the plan B be wants to play. We might see a change with new recruits.
Clearly nowhere near time for him to go, but it would be good to see us react and adapt.
We’re a play off “favourite” so more teams are going to sit in against us and we need a response.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
We’ve won 1 in 2 games since Lampard has been manager. He’s had to work with some ridiculously bad signings by the prior regime.
We finished 5th despite being 17th when he took over?
stevefloyd
Well-Known Member
As I have said I am still not 100% convinced with Lampard....YET... but as much as I liked Robins and co he has left us with some utter shite and as people have said before if no one wants them we are essentially stuck with them. I would happily see anyone go except Rudi but if he has to go to enable us to hopefully improve the quality of the squad then so be it BUT it cannot be done in 1 window so for the time being we have to try to be patient, as frustrating as it may be!
Johhny Blue
Well-Known Member
Plus there was an early season display of “Robin’s time”
Boicey
Well-Known Member
I'm sure FL isn't laughing when he had/has to sort out the terrible keeper, dodgy centre backs, passive midfield and flaccid strike force Robins spent all our windfall money on.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
He got us to 5th last season. I'm sure we'll do OK this season but if we don't, it won't be anything to do with Robins.
Boicey
Well-Known Member
Of course it is. FL has to sort out all the recruitment weaknesses of the last few years.
Starting with Collins and Binks. Then probably Simms and a centre back.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
But he still got us to 5th.
You can't get to 5th at the end of 2024 - 25 and take all the plaudits and then blame 2023 - 24 recruitment if things don't go well in 2025 - 26!
I think we'll be fine and have a decent season, if we don't, then Lampard is responsible either way.
Sky_Blue_Dreamer
Well-Known Member
I know I could look this up myself but I can't be arsed.
What is the win% and PPM if you take out those initial games of our 9 game winning run playing the 3-5-2?
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Our home form was still very good after we reverted to 4 at the back, it was our away form that took a dip.
SeaSeeEffCee
Well-Known Member
Will be interesting to see how we do and how we play on Saturday. Away performances at the end of last season simply weren’t good enough. They’ve had a summer to work on it, hopefully there is improvements.
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
Not entirely clear on the relevance to my post.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Think at the moment I’d go two up front. None of them look right in the line striker role and neither winger is impacting much. Plus our CMs are pretty sitty so a system that pushes Grimes up a bit, doesn’t expect Sheaf or Torp to become Hamer and lets Rudi run about where he likes while removing some of the defensive burden from the full backs probably isn’t the worst idea.
Calista
Well-Known Member
But what formation?
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
352 with Rudi and the wingbacks pushing up to 325 but Grimes further forward so he’s recycling it further up the pitch. Something like:
Rushworth
Lats Thomas Kitching
MvE Grimes Sheaf Brau
Rudi
Simms Wright
Fitness and form depending. Bloody risky with only Perry for backup but we need a CB regardless IMO.
Cov98
Well-Known Member
I feel like that'd be very susceptible to counter attacks. Simms and Wright obviously wont track back, if Grimes is further forward and the wing backs have pushed up, that leaves Sheaf in front of the back 3.. none of which possess any pace.
Would probably be cracking to watch going forward though
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
Grimes further up from where he is as currently Rudi and Sheaf/Torp do that role when we’re attacking but Grimes and Sheaf gives you a bit more of a base and allows Rudi to focus on going where there’s space and getting on the end of crosses from the full backs or from grimes and sheaf from deep. It’s not ideal but I just don’t see the 4231 working for us at the moment. Certainly away.
Cov98
Well-Known Member
4-2-3-1 could work really well for us if we changed the way we played it.
We need to be much faster with the ball, less reliance on wingers to float crosses in and try more balls in behind for the strikers or the wingers to run onto. As it stands we don't have a striker that knows where to be to get on the end of all these crosses we're putting in, we have strikers who make decent runs in behind but always get ignored. Until Frank can get a striker that will work in this system, I feel we have to adjust the way we play.
A good example of this was against Hull Torp slid a ball into Rudi who was making a run into the box and got a shot off. 9/10 times though that ball will end up going out to Tats who will cut back and cross in.
Skyblueabo1111
Well-Known Member
532 or stick with the system, but play Wright left, Simms CF. 38 goals , season before.
Cally Fedora
Well-Known Member
I think it will have a fair impact. The latter signings of that era were bizarre. Lampard (or whoever) has somehow found a buyer for Binks but it’s not proving as easy to move on Latibeaudiere, Dasilva, Bassette, Simms, BTA, Collins or Raphael. Strange signings all.
shmmeee
Well-Known Member
You’re naming all the signings after Austin came in and took responsibility for signings away from Robins tbf.
One possibility other than funds for our lack of signings of course is that Lampard is rejecting a lot of what’s put in front of him I guess if he’s insisting on more control.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Of course it will have an impact.
But a new manager coming in is always going to want to make changes to the squad.
But having finished 5th Lampard has shown he can make it work so I expect him to have us challenging again.
Grendel
Well-Known Member
you said it’s the same issues as last season and we’ve had all summer to address it?
We finished fifth despite being near the relegation zone when this management team took over? What needed addressing?
I haven’t separated this between Robins/Lampard because I can’t be arsed.
But playing 3 at the back we were 1.57ppg
Playing 4 at the back we were 1.47ppg
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Jay88
Active Member
100%, the meltdown on forums after 1 game is incredible. Hull defended very well in their low block, especially Charlie Hughes who won everything. Our match sharpness will be better as we play a few games.
Lampard took us from 17th to 5th last season, turned our season around and gave us a very good season after it initially looked like petering out (or even a possible relegation scrap). Like you say about the previous signings, I don't think he'd have liked to have been stuck with Simms, Thomas-Asante and Bassette as 3 of his number 9's. Still almost 3 weeks left of the transfer window too for him to bring his own signings in and so far his signings are very good
Nick
Administrator
Torp and Grimes both split the defence.
How many times did BTA or Wright get it into feet close to or in the box just to fuck about with it and lose it?
Cally Fedora
Well-Known Member
OK, that’s correct. The main point though is that whoever bought them it’s going to have an impact on Lampards tenure for a while as what he inherited needs work. And to be fair he did inherit some very good players as well.
Great_Expectations
Well-Known Member
Lack of plan b or ability to adapt, I think my point was pretty clear to be honest.
Doesn’t meant I want Lampard out, doesn’t mean the world is ending, I’d just like us to have a different option when faced with a low block.
Pretty sure the forum is unanimous on that.
Edit: somehow included my original post and your original reply, so removed both.
Yes 100% this.
Doug told us he wanted an elite tactician, so it’d be nice to see some flexibility and changes in the gameplan when we’re struggling to break a team down or when something is clearly not working, rather than continuing to lob crosses in.
It was an issue under Robins too.
clint van damme
Well-Known Member
Remember years ago Strachan was saying some players can operate when not fully fit but some players have to be near 100% fit to produce decent form, Im starting to think the latter applies to Wright and his hat trick v Sunderland not long after his return from a long lay off was a bit of an anomaly.