Rick
12-20-2005, 11:45 AM
Colin Todd openly admits he doesn't understand why our home form is so poor so I just wondered if anyone could shed any light on why a visit to Valley Parade these days is as entertaining as watching Audley Harrison in a boxing Match.
I'll start the ball rolling with my thoughts on the matter.
Firstly we are set up at Home just like we are set up away from home, which is a problem.
Away from home we are able to break on the team as they come to us and we use the space and mount breakaways and counter attacks. At home this can't happen especially against the lesser teams due to the fact they are content to sit back and soak up the pressure and at time have all 11 players in their own half. We are playing into the oppositions hands because of this as it allows them to play for the point they are more than happy with. It is no coincidence that the only teams this formation works against are the teams who come to Valley Parade to attack, and as we all know we are pretty good against teams who come to Valley Parade to attack, the problem is those who simply come to defend, the ones that make Todd spit his dummy out like Colchester, etc. A more attacking formation, different ideas or the inclusion of players who want to play for the club rather than just draw a wage are need in these home games.
Then we have the substitutions which are strange to say the least. In our last two home games, games we have been behind with 10min or so to go we have been two negative in trying to gain a point or better.
Against Hartlepool we put Wetherall up front for the last 10min when we had Cooke and Claridge on the bench, will someone please tell me the thought behind this as I don't understand it.
Against Rotherham we took Cooke off and put Claridge on, a like for like substitution when we were losing, we then proceeded to create just 1 chance in 10 min effectively handing the game to Rotherham. Taking off a defender in my opinion would of been a much better option showing that we were going for it and I will assure you we would of created more than 1 chance in the last 10 min.
For me I wouldn't mind seeing a 3-5-2 formation or a 4-3-3 to try and attack these teams who are content with just defending.
If I was in charge of City against a team like Colchester or Rotherham I would pick a formation that would pressure them, try get a goal early and make them come out of their defensive formation.
The problem is Todd is set in his ways and won't try to change anything, we will always play the same and as we do we will lose to the teams we should be beating.
I'll start the ball rolling with my thoughts on the matter.
Firstly we are set up at Home just like we are set up away from home, which is a problem.
Away from home we are able to break on the team as they come to us and we use the space and mount breakaways and counter attacks. At home this can't happen especially against the lesser teams due to the fact they are content to sit back and soak up the pressure and at time have all 11 players in their own half. We are playing into the oppositions hands because of this as it allows them to play for the point they are more than happy with. It is no coincidence that the only teams this formation works against are the teams who come to Valley Parade to attack, and as we all know we are pretty good against teams who come to Valley Parade to attack, the problem is those who simply come to defend, the ones that make Todd spit his dummy out like Colchester, etc. A more attacking formation, different ideas or the inclusion of players who want to play for the club rather than just draw a wage are need in these home games.
Then we have the substitutions which are strange to say the least. In our last two home games, games we have been behind with 10min or so to go we have been two negative in trying to gain a point or better.
Against Hartlepool we put Wetherall up front for the last 10min when we had Cooke and Claridge on the bench, will someone please tell me the thought behind this as I don't understand it.
Against Rotherham we took Cooke off and put Claridge on, a like for like substitution when we were losing, we then proceeded to create just 1 chance in 10 min effectively handing the game to Rotherham. Taking off a defender in my opinion would of been a much better option showing that we were going for it and I will assure you we would of created more than 1 chance in the last 10 min.
For me I wouldn't mind seeing a 3-5-2 formation or a 4-3-3 to try and attack these teams who are content with just defending.
If I was in charge of City against a team like Colchester or Rotherham I would pick a formation that would pressure them, try get a goal early and make them come out of their defensive formation.
The problem is Todd is set in his ways and won't try to change anything, we will always play the same and as we do we will lose to the teams we should be beating.