Diamonds are a girls best friend...

[mowgli]

...And the diamond midfield could be Todd's best friend. Let me explain before you think i've gone mad and been on the magic mushrooms.

Our defenders are playing too far up the pitch and Wethers doesn't have the legs to chase pacy forwards. The wiser managers in this league have spotted this and are getting midfielders to play diagonal balls over the top. Look at how Billy Sharp broke away and should have scored until Bower made that last ditch tackle. I wondered what the hell was happening for the 4th goal at Blackpool when I saw it on TV, once again a precise ball split the defence who were too high up and their player pounces and makes us look like mugs.

Premiership teams still play this way against Arsenal and that's why Henry makes them look like fools. I remember Charlton defending really deep a few years ago and Henry hardly had a look in. We need to defend deeper and play to our defensive strengths. Wethers and Bower are great in the air, they can head balls away all day long and both make great solid tackles. They need support though. Step forward Steven Schumacher.

He is not exactly lethal going forward but breaks up play really well in the middle of the park, makes good important tackles and spreads the ball around well, usually sideways instead of going forward and attacking. I'd like to see him play in front of the back 4. He doesn't have to play too deep as the defence will do that but he can offer them support they really need. If we'd had a player in this position on Saturday would we have conceded 4 goals. Hard for me to say as I wasn't there so please feel free to pass comment and let me know.

Holmes and JJ on the wings as normal with them also cutting inside more and playing balls in to Bridge-Wilkinson who is going to be the creative midfielder he is meant to be without having to track back all the time and help out with defensive duties. JJ looks really dangerous when he cuts inside, has great close control and is now looking to shoot more which has resuted in a few goals.

Bridge-Wilkinson staying forward more and threading balls through to the strikers or actually trying to run at players and shoot for a change. He can also play balls out wide if the players are there to receive them but the emphasis is on him staying forward and not dropping back all the time.

Our current 4-4-2 formation sees Bridgey and Schuey in almost identical positions in the middle of the field and both play balls out to the wingers but Schuey doesn't get forward and Bridgey is playing too deep. Concentrate on the strengths of our players by using this diamond midfield and with both wingers also dropping inside it won't leave a massive gaping hole in the centre of our midfield.

Ricketts
Doyle Bower Wethers Parker

Schumacher

JJ Holmes

Bridgey

Windass Eddie Johnson

What are your thoughts/opinions on this. Please give a reasoned argument if you disagree rather than just saying i'm off my fcuking head.

I posted this on the OMB and wondered what your thoughts are on this?

[wykie]

...And the diamond midfield could be Todd's best friend. Let me explain before you think i've gone mad and been on the magic mushrooms.

Our defenders are playing too far up the pitch and Wethers doesn't have the legs to chase pacy forwards. The wiser managers in this league have spotted this and are getting midfielders to play diagonal balls over the top. Look at how Billy Sharp broke away and should have scored until Bower made that last ditch tackle. I wondered what the hell was happening for the 4th goal at Blackpool when I saw it on TV, once again a precise ball split the defence who were too high up and their player pounces and makes us look like mugs.

Premiership teams still play this way against Arsenal and that's why Henry makes them look like fools. I remember Charlton defending really deep a few years ago and Henry hardly had a look in. We need to defend deeper and play to our defensive strengths. Wethers and Bower are great in the air, they can head balls away all day long and both make great solid tackles. They need support though. Step forward Steven Schumacher.

He is not exactly lethal going forward but breaks up play really well in the middle of the park, makes good important tackles and spreads the ball around well, usually sideways instead of going forward and attacking. I'd like to see him play in front of the back 4. He doesn't have to play too deep as the defence will do that but he can offer them support they really need. If we'd had a player in this position on Saturday would we have conceded 4 goals. Hard for me to say as I wasn't there so please feel free to pass comment and let me know.

Holmes and JJ on the wings as normal with them also cutting inside more and playing balls in to Bridge-Wilkinson who is going to be the creative midfielder he is meant to be without having to track back all the time and help out with defensive duties. JJ looks really dangerous when he cuts inside, has great close control and is now looking to shoot more which has resuted in a few goals.

Bridge-Wilkinson staying forward more and threading balls through to the strikers or actually trying to run at players and shoot for a change. He can also play balls out wide if the players are there to receive them but the emphasis is on him staying forward and not dropping back all the time.

Our current 4-4-2 formation sees Bridgey and Schuey in almost identical positions in the middle of the field and both play balls out to the wingers but Schuey doesn't get forward and Bridgey is playing too deep. Concentrate on the strengths of our players by using this diamond midfield and with both wingers also dropping inside it won't leave a massive gaping hole in the centre of our midfield.

Ricketts
Doyle Bower Wethers Parker

Schumacher

JJ Holmes

Bridgey

Windass Eddie Johnson

What are your thoughts/opinions on this. Please give a reasoned argument if you disagree rather than just saying i'm off my fcuking head.

I posted this on the OMB and wondered what your thoughts are on this?

If our defenders play any deeper they would be in the bantams bar. We defend too deep to compensate for Todd not having a clue and diagonal balls are meat and drink for fast attackers. Our problem is a shite midfield allowing the Blackpools of this world to dictate the game as they want. Plus why is Deano dropping so deep as well????????????

[Northern]

Just for the guys on here, I'll post what I put on the OMB...

Like you say the only problem with playing the diamond formation in the middle is that the wingers usually have to become more central because a big gap is left in the centre of the park! Now with the way the wingers were playing in the opening few games, I dismissed the diamond formation as the imo the wingers aren't as effective in this formation!

However, this last month the wingers have hardly done much and the way things are going I think something new should be tried! The only other problem I have is where you say "Bridge-Wilkinson staying forward more and threading balls through to the strikers or actually trying to run at players and shoot for a change!" MBW's passing has been awful all season and I'm not too sure what he's like at running at players (the idea would be good for the first goalscorer bets tho )

So basically the formation would look like this yeah? With JJ and Holmes playing slightly more central to cover the gap but obviously going out wide when coming down the wings!

-----------------------Ricketts-------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
--Doyle--------Bower------Wethers------Parker--
-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------Schumacher-----------------------
---------JJ-----------------------------Holmes----------
------------------------Bridgey------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
--------------Windass-----------EJ--------------------

I think it's worth a shot, with the way we're playing at the moment anything is! Teams seemed to have sussed us out at this stage so a change would be good and I do think it could work!

I also think Deano has been playing more like a midfielder in recent games so playing him just behind the front two would probably work! But we have no other strikers apart from EJ and Graham! Graham and EJ didn't work very well together in the Johnson's Paint Trophy but I guess that doesn't count for much!

Another idea maybe is that using a target man with that formation would be very effective, knocking the ball down and feeding the ball to Windass who's playing just behind the front two!

Get rid of Graham, bring a decent target man in on loan, play the diamond formation and we're sorted! tup:

[Kop Kred]

Just for the guys on here, I'll post what I put on the OMB...

Like you say the only problem with playing the diamond formation in the middle is that the wingers usually have to become more central because a big gap is left in the centre of the park! Now with the way the wingers were playing in the opening few games, I dismissed the diamond formation as the imo the wingers aren't as effective in this formation!

However, this last month the wingers have hardly done much and the way things are going I think something new should be tried! The only other problem I have is where you say "Bridge-Wilkinson staying forward more and threading balls through to the strikers or actually trying to run at players and shoot for a change!" MBW's passing has been awful all season and I'm not too sure what he's like at running at players (the idea would be good for the first goalscorer bets tho )

So basically the formation would look like this yeah? With JJ and Holmes playing slightly more central to cover the gap but obviously going out wide when coming down the wings!

-----------------------Ricketts-------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
--Doyle--------Bower------Wethers------Parker--
-----------------------------------------------------------
---------------------Schumacher-----------------------
---------JJ-----------------------------Holmes----------
------------------------Bridgey------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------
--------------Windass-----------EJ--------------------

I think it's worth a shot, with the way we're playing at the moment anything is! Teams seemed to have sussed us out at this stage so a change would be good and I do think it could work!

I also think Deano has been playing more like a midfielder in recent games so playing him just behind the front two would probably work! But we have no other strikers apart from EJ and Graham! Graham and EJ didn't work very well together in the Johnson's Paint Trophy but I guess that doesn't count for much!

Another idea maybe is that using a target man with that formation would be very effective, knocking the ball down and feeding the ball to Windass who's playing just behind the front two!

Get rid of Graham, bring a decent target man in on loan, play the diamond formation and we're sorted! tup:

If only life was so simple eh?


All good stuff tup:but the man who will dictate tictacs, formation and personnel is Colin Todd.... need I say more:D

[wykie]

Diamond, whats a bloody diamond, 442 lads Bower and Wethers on the top table, Deano third row of the kop, wingers double up and protect the full backs no going past the 18 yard lone. Sorted:D goalie stop bloody sulking.

Taped copy of Todds game plan.

[mowgli]

It seems like it is only the fans that have new ideas. Colin has run out of his. Lets rely on one player to get down the wing and one to score all the goals. Even that isn't working. The young lad for Brighton will be dangerous tomorrow and if he gets one on one with Wehters defending high up the pitch we're in trouble.

[panther]

Sorry ! read the title and thought yesssssss ! I can relate to that ! but then found out were talking football ! lol

[Ed]

but then found out were talking football ! lol

And got completly confussed?

[Mallorcabantam]

A different aproach that might work is to play 3 across the back Doyle. Bowser and Parker with Weathers as a Sweeper --
Or a back three of Bowser, Weathers and Parker, with Doyle playing inforont of them, breaking things up