Systems And Formations

[Gekko]

I believe we'd be much better with a back four, in fact, I think we're much more suited to it.

We'd be shaping the tactics to best use the strengths of the players, instead of trying to somehow fit them into a system.

According to Transfermarkt, Keltjens is not a wing back, but to quote them, his main position is defensive midfield, he can also play RB and CB. So he could easily play RB in a four.

Olufunwa is a CB who can also play RB, so he'd be another option. He also has a bit of pace.

Both Gallacher and Robinson are full backs, again importantly, NOT wingbacks. Get one of them playing at LB in their natural positions.

All the CBs are CBs, so whoever's in form and fit.

DJs main position is right winger, so put him there, instead of sticking him up front every time.

Similarly, Carey's main position is on the left wing, so put him there, instead of playing deep where he can't have a positive effect on the game. For what it's worth, Crawford is also a left midfielder.

Centre midfield, like centre backs, has plenty of options. Whoever's in form and fit, unless you're called Sprangler, then you've no chance.

Our two central attacking midfielders are Max and Connor Smith. For the moment, and the way they've been playing, coming off the bench if needed is the best they could hope for.

Our natural centre forwards are May, Clark, Kimpioka and Sidibeh.

May and Clark have been our most productive and successful partnership in recent years, and I don't understand why we don't take advantage of that knowledge and try it again.

Clark was too deep today, but I think he was frustrated at the lack of service he was getting and tried to drop back to get hold of the ball himself.

Kimpioka would be a handy option from the bench with his speed and skill, and Sidibeh I think needs to be gradually introduced to this level of football, instead of just thrown in at the deep end like he's been up to now.

Kane would have given us a different option from those four, but obviously we don't have that choice now.

So, including current injured and out of favour players, we could pick from...

                                   Mitov

Keltjens/Olufunwa  Gordon/McGowan       Considine/Smith      Gallacher/Robinson

Jaiyesimi/Wright   M. Smith/Sprangler  Phillips/MacPherson   Cary/Crawford

                   Clark/Kimpioka      May/Sidibeh

C. Smith and Max available from the bench if we need to mix it up a bit.

For me, this formation would mean everybody is in their preferred and natural positions, which is where you'd presume they'd be at their best.

We'd be playing to our strengths, the replacements from the bench would be easier to make and hopefully we'd be gaining some confidence and momentum as we go.

[Northern saint]

The best managers, coaches improve players yet in recent years ours have no track record of doing so.  They play players in the positions to get the best out of them. They do not destroy their confidence in their abilities by playing them in positions unsuited to their skill set and drop them at every opportunity. 

Good teams have a style, players know their roles and play for each other.  Saints used to be amongst those but for the last few years the system has been more important than the ability of the player to play it.  How many players heavily criticised by fans have been destroyed by the coaching.  

How many players came in looked good only to fade badly?  Where did Ballantyne of last season go?  

I agree with your premise yet have no faith in this management to turn this around by admitting their mistake and changing.  

I don't pin my hopes on Wright coming back.  Why we didn't recall Steven from Alloa as he's more advanced than other wingers on our books, I don't know.  

I think nine teams in the league know they'll have at least a point against us.  If betting was allowed I'm sure the odds for getting a clean sheet against us would be around 30 to one on.  

As for May, I'd be tempted to use his energy in a forward midfield role, track back and support.  He's shown he can pass a good ball.  

About the only player you know is on the team sheet is Mitov.  I'm struggling to pick a team as what I've seen doesn't say he deserves to play.  Most because they've never been given a chance to find their form with the chopping and changing.

  

[PSJ.84]

Just score more ****ing goals than the other team. 

[blueheaven]

Tell you what: we're really seeing how much better a manager Tommy Wright was than Craig Levein. Wright would have tried all of this stuff. He would have found the system that best suits the players, he would have made changes during games to address things that were going wrong, and if we had a bad run of results he'd have pulled us out of it and turned it around.

I don't think Levein is capable of doing any of that.

[tucker]

24 minutes ago, blueheaven said:

Tell you what: we're really seeing how much better a manager Tommy Wright was than Craig Levein. Wright would have tried all of this stuff. He would have found the system that best suits the players, he would have made changes during games to address things that were going wrong, and if we had a bad run of results he'd have pulled us out of it and turned it around.

I don't think Levein is capable of doing any of that.

Just shows how good Tommy was and probably McInnes before as well 

[R.B.B:- Adz]

Why is no journalist asking Levein the questions that an entire forum is asking each other. Many of the journalists who have regular access to Levein read this forum. From Robert Thompson, Eric Nicholson and Sean Hamilton to Aidan Smith and Matt Gallagher. Stop asking him sh** like “2-0 defeat today Craig, how do you we played”… pointless!

”Sven Sprangler appeared to arrive in Perth with a bang, can you put your finger on his downturn in form”

”Max Kucheriavyi is a talented player but appears to be struggling with the step up to Premiership football, would a loan be something you would consider”

“Tony Gallagher appeared to struggle at RWB today, did you consider changing system for today’s match”

Edited February 25 by R.B.B:- Adz

[Willie Peat]

39 minutes ago, tucker said:

Just shows how good Tommy was and probably McInnes before as well 

And Lomas also.

[RandomGuy]

16 minutes ago, Willie Peat said:

And Lomas also.

Get him back. Better to burn out than fade away, as they say. 

Relegated while playing 2-1-7, with our game at Celtic Park abandoned because he sang The Sash throughout and started a riot. 

[blueheaven]

3 hours ago, tucker said:

Just shows how good Tommy was and probably McInnes before as well 

Yep: Wright and McInnes both fantastic managers, both known for playing defensive football at times, but both also able to do it effectively and intelligently so that it brings out the best in their players and produces results. The downgrade we've made by going from managers like McInnes and Wright to guys like Davidson, MacLean and the supposedly safe and experienced Levein is absolutely gigantic.

We could have been sitting here right now with either one of those two as our manager if only the club hadn't made such a huge screw-up of every single one of its recent managerial decisions.

[Gekko]

4 hours ago, R.B.B:- Adz said:

Why is no journalist asking Levein the questions that an entire forum is asking each other. Many of the journalists who have regular access to Levein read this forum. From Robert Thompson, Eric Nicholson and Sean Hamilton to Aidan Smith and Matt Gallagher. Stop asking him sh** like “2-0 defeat today Craig, how do you we played”… pointless!

”Sven Sprangler appeared to arrive in Perth with a bang, can you put your finger on his downturn in form”

”Max Kucheriavyi is a talented player but appears to be struggling with the step up to Premiership football, would a loan be something you would consider”

“Tony Gallagher appeared to struggle at RWB today, did you consider changing system for today’s match”

I follow a few English clubs on social media, and it's interesting to note the difference between their in-house media presence compared to ours.

Apart from lots more content through the week, videos from matches on this day in the past and previous games against upcoming opponents, the interviews with the managers are far more in depth.

There's a pre match interview a day or two before, which to be fair, we get here but without any pressing questions.

Once the team is announced, there's a quick one or two minute interview with the manager when he's asked about, and explains, any changes to the line up and the like.

This is a great idea, it wouldn't take long and it would maybe help people understand the manager's way of thinking.

Then the after game interview is where you really notice a difference.

A full, in depth interview covering all aspects of the game, the performance, tactics, substitutions and more.

They really grill him. Why did you set up that way? Why take off Bloggs and put on Smith? Why did Jones not get a game? And so on.

It lasts on average, around eight minutes and no stone is left unturned.

With us, you're lucky to get two minutes, and it's always the same three questions.

What were your thoughts on the game?

What about (insert incident that happened in the game here. VAR, sending off, that type of thing)

Then finish with "What about the great backing from the fans? Or, what's your thoughts on the next game? (which Levein always answers as "don't know, haven't thought about it")

Hopefully the new media team will make improvements in this direction.

All of the above would be a good start.

As for the other Journalists from various local media outlets, I'd imagine they don't want to ask challenging questions in case they offend the manager and get their access limited.

[Bruno Strasser]

Systems and Formations are all well and good but too many of our players are just not good enough. If we end up in the Play Off spot we are as good as relegated. 

[Gekko]

3 hours ago, Bruno Strasser said:

Systems and Formations are all well and good but too many of our players are just not good enough.

While there's certainly truth in that, I don't think it's the whole story.

To use an analogy of a project manager who's in charge of a new house build.

He puts the joiner on electrics, the electrician on the plumbing, and the plumber on the painting and decorating.

They might all do their best, and maybe even get the job done to a certain extent, but not as well as they would have if they'd been doing what they're meant to do.

That doesn't make them bad tradesmen, it's just that they're not being used in a way to make the most of their abilities, and that's down to the project manager.

We might not be the best squad in the league, but I believe we can do much better with what we have.

[blueheaven]

4 hours ago, Bruno Strasser said:

Systems and Formations are all well and good but too many of our players are just not good enough. If we end up in the Play Off spot we are as good as relegated. 

The thing is, Bair wasn't good enough but he's now starting every week for Motherwell. Costelloe wasn't good enough and yet he's starting every week for Dundee. Is it really the players being not good enough that's the problem, or have we just become really, really bad at coaching, developing and getting the best out of footballers? 

This used to be a club where players would come and resurrect their careers. Often fairly limited players could come here and become vital parts of a more successful group, because we had managers who were able to create settled squads that were greater than the sum of their parts. Now it just feels like a club that players need to escape from for their own good.