Consistency in Selection

[torres]

Yes it was poor yesterday, yes it has been poor for a while but it’s never easy to have solid performances when the selection changes so dramatically every game as well as formation. 
 

Yesterday for example a new front 4 that had never played together, none of which have had much recent game time to speak of, our best current centre back at right back, our right back from the previous game at left back ....

 

This is happening far too often and throw in a formation change every other game, it makes for the disjointed, uneasy, awkward performances we’ve seen.

 

Now this is no excuse to be unable to pass 5 yards, to be unable to kick from your own box, to miss a sitter, etc etc BUT you know if you have played at any level that you grow as a team if you have roughly the same players in the same position week in week out. Just look at most successful teams (and the pigs!!) 

 

Monk’s reasoning will of course be “until something works I need to find a solution”

 

My concern is that he isn’t giving anything enough time to work or even dismiss it.

 

I fully expect 4 or 5 changes again against Luton then the same again at the weekend which really can’t be positive 

[FreshOwl]

Exactly, but it also shows Monk has no clue when he’s throwing in 4 newbies 

[torres]

5 minutes ago, FreshOwl said:

Exactly, but it also shows Monk has no clue when he’s throwing in 4 newbies 

I think he had to yesterday in his defence.

 

If he changes them all again then he deserves questioning 

[Guest]

1 minute ago, torres said:

I think he had to yesterday in his defence.

 

If he changes them all again then he deserves questioning 

 

He needs to change something though otherwise we will soon be on the end of another drubbing. If Barnsley had been any good they could and maybe should have been through on countless occasions. Most likely not against Luton, although they played some nice stuff at our place. 

[NeonLeon]

Did think the complete reshuffle of the back four that kept a clean sheet last week, just to accommodate for the loss of Odubajo, was abit much. 
 

Would’ve surely made more sense to move the full backs round and keep the centre back pairing the same. 

[F. Spiksley]

For the past few seasons our squad can be explained as being akin to a Sainsbury’s Mint Collection (around about 75p-95p dependent on location). At times we have a surfeit of Butter Mints when we really need Glass Mints; and a dearth of Humbugs when they are also desperately needed. 

 

The game has evolved significantly in the past decade where players are expected to be that bit more versatile, playing in a finely tuned systemic approach. All tactics are measured to within inches of positioning - it’s almost become like chess (slight exaggeration perhaps?).

 

So with this in mind I think we’ve really signed too many of the same types - all much of a muchness imho. Yes, we’ve acquired some very good squad players recently but notwithstanding, we do, I feel, need that Midfield General - force of nature - a player with authority and presence albeit in a more modern and evolved role in the centre of the park. A player to compliment Bannan, Reach, and all the others that are deemed to be “midfield”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Owls2k]

19 minutes ago, NeonLeon said:

Did think the complete reshuffle of the back four that kept a clean sheet last week, just to accommodate for the loss of Odubajo, was abit much. 
 

Would’ve surely made more sense to move the full backs round and keep the centre back pairing the same. 

Who you you have played at RB and LB? Iorfa is definitely our best CB but he was only at RB yesterday as cover, don't think Monk had much choice there.

Edited February 9, 2020 by Owls2k

[Owls2k]

 

3 minutes ago, F. Spiksley said:

For the past few seasons our squad can be explained as being akin to a Sainsbury’s Mint Collection (around about 75p-95p dependent on location). At times we have a surfeit of Butter Mints when we really need Glass Mints; and a dearth of Humbugs when they are also desperately needed. 

 

The game has evolved significantly in the past decade where players are expected to be that bit more versatile, playing in a finely tuned systemic approach. All tactics are measured to within inches of positioning - it’s almost become like chess (slight exaggeration perhaps?).

 

So with this in mind I think we’ve really signed too many of the same types - all much of a muchness imho. Yes, we’ve acquired some very good squad players recently but notwithstanding, we do, I feel, need that Midfield General - force of nature - a player with authority and presence albeit in a more modern and evolved role in the centre of the park. A player to compliment Bannan, Reach, and all the others that are deemed to be “midfield”. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It took me until halfway through paragraph 2 to figure out you'd stopped talking about mints.

[SiJ]

He doesn't have a clue what his best team is right now.

 

The injuries and exclusions haven't helped him, but it is all very much throw sh*t at the wall and see what sticks imo.

 

Yesterdays starting XI, though warmly received by many, smacked of desperation to me.

 

I wouldn't want to completely write the bloke off, but the signs are not good right now. 

[FreshOwl]

41 minutes ago, torres said:

I think he had to yesterday in his defence.

 

If he changes them all again then he deserves questioning 

He didn’t have to, it shows he has absolutely no clue. It’s what I used to do on football manager, shoehorn in all the players with the best stats without any thought given to structure or cohesion 

[Dick_Turpin]

6 minutes ago, SiJ said:

I wouldn't want to completely write the bloke off, but the signs are not good right now. 

This is me. Not overly confident but I guess we have to stick with it for a while. 

[OwlBiSeeinThi]

50 minutes ago, torres said:

Yes it was poor yesterday, yes it has been poor for a while but it’s never easy to have solid performances when the selection changes so dramatically every game as well as formation. 
 

Yesterday for example a new front 4 that had never played together, none of which have had much recent game time to speak of, our best current centre back at right back, our right back from the previous game at left back ....

 

This is happening far too often and throw in a formation change every other game, it makes for the disjointed, uneasy, awkward performances we’ve seen.

 

Now this is no excuse to be unable to pass 5 yards, to be unable to kick from your own box, to miss a sitter, etc etc BUT you know if you have played at any level that you grow as a team if you have roughly the same players in the same position week in week out. Just look at most successful teams (and the pigs!!) 

 

Monk’s reasoning will of course be “until something works I need to find a solution”

 

My concern is that he isn’t giving anything enough time to work or even dismiss it.

 

I fully expect 4 or 5 changes again against Luton then the same again at the weekend which really can’t be positive 

Managers have been looking for the right formula here for years with no success. Why does anyone think that will miraculously change with the same core of players. We have no depth of squad. If we lose one or two to injury the whole thing falls to pieces and everyone left drops to the lowest common denominator, i.e. panic and hoof ball.

Monk knows we have a problem. He's said as much. But without serious resources he's limited to what he can achieve with this group of players.

Until the underlying problems are addressed in all departments of this club, nothing will change.

 

I also have a suspicion, if the new lads in attack were on the bench or not even in the squad people would have been moaning about that as well.

He can't win either way which is why I'm sure he pays no attention to the drivel on here.

 

 

[NeonLeon]

16 minutes ago, Owls2k said:

Who you you have played at RB and LB? Iorfa is definitely our best CB but he was only at RB yesterday as cover, don't think Monk had much choice there.

If Urhoghide was good enough for Brighton and Leeds away, then why not Barnsley? Palmer goes left back and he comes in at right back.

 

He’s probably got more recent experience of playing on crap pitches in awful conditions too! 
 

 

 

[Wednesday_Jack]

1 hour ago, FreshOwl said:

Exactly, but it also shows Monk has no clue when he’s throwing in 4 newbies 

Almost everyone was calling for them players to start yesterday. We are talking about players who are earning £30k a week...the effort and desire of the players is nothing to do with monk or team selection or formation. It’s about those 11 players showing some fight and sadly we lack this!! 

[SiJ]

12 minutes ago, rickygoo said:

This is me. Not overly confident but I guess we have to stick with it for a while. 

If I could see a plan or what he is trying to do then I'd be a bit more confident.

 

I'm not really seeing that though.

 

Aside from long punts by Dawson (or not so long punts), we dont really seem to do all that much. 

[FreshOwl]

3 minutes ago, Wednesday_Jack said:

Almost everyone was calling for them players to start yesterday. We are talking about players who are earning £30k a week...the effort and desire of the players is nothing to do with monk or team selection or formation. It’s about those 11 players showing some fight and sadly we lack this!! 

You pick a team based on cohesion and structure. You don’t throw in 4 newbies with no awareness of each other just because their stats may be slightly higher, especially in a local derby. 
 

it was naivety of the highest order from a supposed experienced championship manager 

[Wednesday_Jack]

4 minutes ago, FreshOwl said:

You pick a team based on cohesion and structure. You don’t throw in 4 newbies with no awareness of each other just because their stats may be slightly higher, especially in a local derby. 
 

it was naivety of the highest order from a supposed experienced championship manager 

give over...these are professional footballers who play/train with each other every day. Effort, desire and fight come from within each player!! The rest follows.

[McRightSide]

30 minutes ago, SiJ said:

He doesn't have a clue what his best team is right now.

 

The injuries and exclusions haven't helped him, but it is all very much throw sh*t at the wall and see what sticks imo.

 

Yesterdays starting XI, though warmly received by many, smacked of desperation to me.

 

I wouldn't want to completely write the bloke off, but the signs are not good right now. 

I think you identify the major issue without actually saying it.

 

Monk doesn’t know what his best side is...but it’s actually glaringly obvious to everyone else.

[FreshOwl]

3 minutes ago, Wednesday_Jack said:

give over...these are professional footballers who play/train with each other every day. Effort, desire and fight come from within each player!! The rest follows.

3 of the lads were new, do you really think they’ve had enough time in training to learn how each other click? Yes I get your point about them being professional but you’re missing the point here

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, FreshOwl said:

3 of the lads were new, do you really think they’ve had enough time in training to learn how each other click? Yes I get your point about them being professional but you’re missing the point here

 

It's a fair point but nothing has clicked attack wise since Fletcher got injured regardless of how long they have in training. What concerns me more is that he stuck technical players like Da Cruz, Forestieri and to a lesser extent Windass in but didn't play to their strengths, instead continuing to persist with the direct football that by and large hasn't worked without Fletcher.