Tactical analysis & discussion season 2022-23

[GX Blue]

We can talk tactics but the main issue is personnel.

Grealish is not good enough to be one of our main attacking wide players. He just isnt.

Ake getting into left sided attacking positions isn’t helping as hes poor in those areas.

Signing Phillips was dreadful. He’s slow, injury prone and was a poor buy. This isn’t me in hindsight saying this as it was obvious he was a bad fit. His main strength is long diagonal passes from midfield we hardly ever do that. Rodri gets no rest at all because of our hierarchy loving Bielsa.

Akanji is not as good as Stones and Laporte at bringing the ball out and making the right passes.

Everyones favourite new toy Rico Lewis is a downgrade as well. One day he might
be an amazing player but he’s still young and lightweight to be receiving balls in tight areas. He’s getting far too many minutes.

So Lewis Grealish Ake Akanji are our issues and most see these as the current shining lights….

Pep has fallen out with too many players at once and playing significantly weaker players.


Players being dick heads behind the scenes or not this ‘11’ would have won most games.

Ederson

Walker Stones Laporte Cancelo

Rodri

Mahrez Bernardo KDB Foden

Haaland.

Obviously injuries, loan deals, etc mean it’s not possible anymore but that was all we had to do really before all this nonsense. Now he’s fallen out with most of these and it’s a thing of the past.

 

[red 2 hats]

The boredom and predictably of our play is off the scale.

It was said yesterday that was our 19th different defensive combination this season, if that is true it's scandalous, we can't keep switching personal like that, I know we've had injuries, but we need stability, all great teams build from a solid back line.

We pass for the sake of passing, it's slow and ponderous and easy to play against, we're risk averse, we've got a goal machine upfront and we don't utilise him.

We seem scared of other teams, fuck that, they should be petrified of us, we're flakey as fuck and gifting teams goals, we're our own worst enemy.

We've been used to pressing teams and breaking at speed, that no longer happens, we've too many square pegs in round holes, confusing tactics and formations and alleged changing room fall outs, players suffering from fatigue, recruitment shite and a manager too stubborn to change, it's not great at the minute, but it's a lot better than when we were proper shit.

 

[AdamMarrett]

I believe the last minute of the CL semi final loss to Madrid is what's caused this safe way of playing. Pep's been obsessed with control of the game ever since. That minute has hurt us this season I believe, we're playing the safe way especially recently.

The World Cup is a factor but I think mentally that semi final loss still lingers and what happened. We've rarely looked like ourselves bar the United game at home when we were 6-1 up. Even the performance against West Ham on the opening day we didn't create a lot, but we controlled the game and Haaland scored two. I've sat back and gone over our performances and something is off and has been all season and I think it's tactical and can be fixed.

I believe that final minute against Madrid has changed Pep's thinking. I could be wrong and it's probably something different entirely. Just let the lads play the way they know not what this crap is.

 

[Gray]

We are far too slow in our build up play, and our finishing percentage is woeful.

Try getting the ball up to Haaland much quicker, he will attract defenders and leave space for other players.

Season is bang average so far.

 

[Claytop]

I feel like we just have to write if off as one of those seasons, similar to the 19/20 one. There's obviously not the same hunger and determination there for a lot of them, even if it's just dropped a couple %.

You never know with the CL, could get lucky for a change.

Going to be a big summer.

 

[JRockBlues]

Stones and Laporte are our best passing centre backs out of the 5 that we have. With neither in the team we are lacking in passing past the press. Everything starts with us going to Rodri or Lewis and a team like Spuds pack the area with Kane dropping deep to join Bentancour & Hojberg. So instead of us overloading areas like we used to it's now teams playing against us that have the numerical advantage in areas we want to play.

 

[Tolmie scores]

Do you honestly believe that Phillips at £50m is being used to make a point? Crazy talk.

I bet he wasn't necessarily his choice, possibly not a Pep fit and also not good enough for us, maybe maybe Prp is making that point

 

[Tolmie scores]

We can talk tactics but the main issue is personnel.

Grealish is not good enough to be one of our main attacking wide players. He just isnt.

Ake getting into left sided attacking positions isn’t helping as hes poor in those areas.

Signing Phillips was dreadful. He’s slow, injury prone and was a poor buy. This isn’t me in hindsight saying this as it was obvious he was a bad fit. His main strength is long diagonal passes from midfield we hardly ever do that. Rodri gets no rest at all because of our hierarchy loving Bielsa.

Akanji is not as good as Stones and Laporte at bringing the ball out and making the right passes.

Everyones favourite new toy Rico Lewis is a downgrade as well. One day he might
be an amazing player but he’s still young and lightweight to be receiving balls in tight areas. He’s getting far too many minutes.

So Lewis Grealish Ake Akanji are our issues and most see these as the current shining lights….

Pep has fallen out with too many players at once and playing significantly weaker players.


Players being dick heads behind the scenes or not this ‘11’ would have won most games.

Ederson

Walker Stones Laporte Cancelo

Rodri

Mahrez Bernardo KDB Foden

Haaland.

Obviously injuries, loan deals, etc mean it’s not possible anymore but that was all we had to do really before all this nonsense. Now he’s fallen out with most of these and it’s a thing of the past.

That about sums up where we are. Now with FFP charges, Pep goes and were hampered by trf ban, pts deduction coming all in all a bit grim. BUT we will be there rain or shine

 

[Craig]

Why not switch the wingers then?

Because neither of them have the pace to beat people on the outside so would still be forced inside but on to their weaker foot. The only one who could beat people on the outside and stretch the pitch is Foden but he’s barley been running at fullbacks all season

 

[Tolmie scores]

The boredom and predictably of our play is off the scale.

It was said yesterday that was our 19th different defensive combination this season, if that is true it's scandalous, we can't keep switching personal like that, I know we've had injuries, but we need stability, all great teams build from a solid back line.

We pass for the sake of passing, it's slow and ponderous and easy to play against, we're risk averse, we've got a goal machine upfront and we don't utilise him.

We seem scared of other teams, fuck that, they should be petrified of us, we're flakey as fuck and gifting teams goals, we're our own worst enemy.

We've been used to pressing teams and breaking at speed, that no longer happens, we've too many square pegs in round holes, confusing tactics and formations and alleged changing room fall outs, players suffering from fatigue, recruitment shite and a manager too stubborn to change, it's not great at the minute, but it's a lot better than when we were proper shit.

We are also a bang averagevside now, that's the truth. Top four. With our form...looks a mamoith task, where do we get our next win from. Maybe all of us going mad v villa. Scarves twirling , tops off an all that lol