Esoterica
Well-Known Member
The Jekyll and Hyde performances in each half that we saw so often last year look to be a deliberate choice from Robins.
Saturday was a return to last year's 4-4-2 with Chaplin getting his first start as McNulty's replacement and there was some striking similarities with much of last season's games. In the 1H Chaplin played very deep, as did the whole defence too, which in turn drags Doyle back with them. We set up to either counter attack through Bayliss/Thomas/Chaplin (last year Jones/Nazon/McNulty) or go long to JCH (Beavon/Biamou). 2nd half our defense step up a bit higher and the home team push on, Chaplin actually plays up top and we exploit the space as the game opens up.
Having messed about with the shape/formation for a few games, the underlying game plan this year looks similar with the focus on defense causing disjointed attacking first half performances and then more fluidity in the 2nd half. I'd expect to see more of the same from now on, at least away from home.
The stats look similar to last season too:
Yet to concede in the first half in 7 games but the only first half goal we've scored is the late Bakayoko penalty:
Much stronger in attack after half time but conceding more too although these have mainly been down to individual errors or losses of concentration (a new crop of young talented but naive players?)
I'm not much of a fan of trying to win games in one half of football and althought I think Robins is a stubborn, defensive manager, I can see what he is trying to achieve again. In theory it could work out better this time round as teams are more adventurous against us than last year when many teams were happy with a point against us home or away. Have to be wary that the standard is higher too though and cut out these concentration lapses and individual errors.
Personally I'd still like to start games with Ogogo/Kelly instead of Doyle. Their ability to go box to box will be more use with the way we set up in the first half and then we can use a fresh Doyle to settle the team with 30 minutes to go (5 of our 7 goals conceded then). Also looking forward to Jones returning.
Now the dust is starting to settle on the season though I'm quietly confident that we'll continue to progress, even if it's 2 steps forward, one step back like much of last year.
Saturday was a return to last year's 4-4-2 with Chaplin getting his first start as McNulty's replacement and there was some striking similarities with much of last season's games. In the 1H Chaplin played very deep, as did the whole defence too, which in turn drags Doyle back with them. We set up to either counter attack through Bayliss/Thomas/Chaplin (last year Jones/Nazon/McNulty) or go long to JCH (Beavon/Biamou). 2nd half our defense step up a bit higher and the home team push on, Chaplin actually plays up top and we exploit the space as the game opens up.
Having messed about with the shape/formation for a few games, the underlying game plan this year looks similar with the focus on defense causing disjointed attacking first half performances and then more fluidity in the 2nd half. I'd expect to see more of the same from now on, at least away from home.
The stats look similar to last season too:
Yet to concede in the first half in 7 games but the only first half goal we've scored is the late Bakayoko penalty:
Much stronger in attack after half time but conceding more too although these have mainly been down to individual errors or losses of concentration (a new crop of young talented but naive players?)
I'm not much of a fan of trying to win games in one half of football and althought I think Robins is a stubborn, defensive manager, I can see what he is trying to achieve again. In theory it could work out better this time round as teams are more adventurous against us than last year when many teams were happy with a point against us home or away. Have to be wary that the standard is higher too though and cut out these concentration lapses and individual errors.
Personally I'd still like to start games with Ogogo/Kelly instead of Doyle. Their ability to go box to box will be more use with the way we set up in the first half and then we can use a fresh Doyle to settle the team with 30 minutes to go (5 of our 7 goals conceded then). Also looking forward to Jones returning.
Now the dust is starting to settle on the season though I'm quietly confident that we'll continue to progress, even if it's 2 steps forward, one step back like much of last year.
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