Lets get back to 4-2-3-1/4-5-1/4-2-2-1-1 (1 Viewer)

LJC_CCFC

New Member
Despite the success of the 4-4-2 system deployed by Robins against Sheffield United, it does now need to be scraped. It was effective against the blades because they play 4-4-2 and their style is pump it long to the big men with absolutely no midfield ball retention hence why they play Doyle. Last night saw us batter Crewe from start to finish yet come away with a 3-0 defeat, yes this was of course down to Crewe being clinical and us being poor in front of goal. However it was also down to the formation, playing that system left us light in the middle and Crewe with their decisive passing game exposed us on the break. The system also doesn't allow Jennings and Moussa to be as effective. Jennings a defensive midfielder has to be a jack of all trades when in the central midfield, his main skills being ball retention, tackling and hassling the opposition and as a result having to play a killer ball or shoot doesn't come naturally to him. As for Moussa possibly our most creative player, being restricted to marshalling the midfield isn't good for him. The lad is too small and can't tackle and is wasted here when he should be in the hole scaring the shit out of defences, as was noted by Robins on Friday when the change in formation saw Moussa playing in the hole and beating two men to shoot and set up Clarke for the winner. Playing two in the middle also leaves bailey on the bench, our best midfielder and passer his energy and calming effect on the team is missed badly. While I'm here o may as well state that Leon Clarke is as a footballer, woeful. Despite his scoring record his link up play is poor and he couldn't trap a bag of cement, whereas sleeves has a great first touch, works hard, good feet and can finish.


Team to start vs Yeovil

Murphy (if possible as now we know he is shit and should have saved both the second and third)

Christie
Wood
Edge
Adams

Jennings
Bailey

Baker
Moussa
Macca

Sleeves

I must mention baker before I end this post, I was one of the baker haters before this season but the lad has turned it around and is great week in week out and of everyone last night he can leave with his head held high because he put everything into the game because it means everything to him, as does every game now.

PUSB
 

Last edited:

kingharvest

New Member
Although i think i agree, its not that easy. 4-5-1 worked well when we had DMC because he dropped deep and held the ball up well, which gave our midfield time to catch up. We have a problem with Clarke in that he cannot keep hold of anything. The ball continuously bounces off him, his touch is appalling. So we've struggled to get things going. Add to this that teams have cottoned on to this and closed down our centre halves very quickly to force us to punt it long as opposed to build from the middle.

So i think Robins has switched to 442 to give clarke more support, and because Elliot holds it up much better than clarke.

I mean last night we hammered them with 442. I think our downfall was that when they scored, we just pushed on even further, started to panic alot, and totally lost our shape. We desperately needed bailey on to calm things down in the middle, and we ended up with Moussa and Jennings streaming forward and leaving huge holes in the middle.

So although i think 451 suits the rest of the team better and our style, it doesn't suit clarke, and thats a problem for Robins.
 

LJC_CCFC

New Member
Although i think i agree, its not that easy. 4-5-1 worked well when we had DMC because he dropped deep and held the ball up well, which gave our midfield time to catch up. We have a problem with Clarke in that he cannot keep hold of anything. The ball continuously bounces off him, his touch is appalling. So we've struggled to get things going. Add to this that teams have cottoned on to this and closed down our centre halves very quickly to force us to punt it long as opposed to build from the middle.

So i think Robins has switched to 442 to give clarke more support, and because Elliot holds it up much better than clarke.

I mean last night we hammered them with 442. I think our downfall was that when they scored, we just pushed on even further, started to panic alot, and totally lost our shape. We desperately needed bailey on to calm things down in the middle, and we ended up with Moussa and Jennings streaming forward and leaving huge holes in the middle.

So although i think 451 suits the rest of the team better and our style, it doesn't suit clarke, and thats a problem for Robins.

So don't play Clarke, play sleeves or bring in a McGoldrick type player on loan next week
 

cmoncity

New Member
i actually stood there last night and thought cody would have had a hatrick.thaymt is where we need him in games like that.clarke and ball are not good enough end of
 

Grendel

Well-Known Member

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