Controversial change of tactics?

[londongull63]

Before everyone jumps on me by saying Lingy's formula has worked - yes I realise it has - this is just an idea for debate. I'm not even sure if I believe it would work changing our system. But 2 things have made me ponder our tactic of just Rene up front tonight. I thought we were a couple of debatable offside decisions away from clinching a 2-0 lead and victory today (disallowed goals) and deserved at least a draw, which should be pretty satisfying. However, firstly, I was surprised to then see the match stats still showed Oxford had many more shots at goal and more shots on target even though at the ground I never felt they deserved to win. This is quite a familiar story especially away, where we have been pulling off results despite losing out territorially, on corners and on shots.
Even though Oxford until their flukey goal had great difficulty picking a way through our excellent defence to make clearcut chances, the law of averages says that if we keep facing long range shots, corners, crosses we're going to concede. Similarly we're always counting on getting that one goal - hopefully first - from less attacking play, plus that tends to restrict us to looking for a 1-0 win. Overall this makes us hard to beat - admittedly I can rarely see us losing - and I go into any game thinking we COULD win it. However, I rarely think we'll PROBABLY win a game - which a top 3 side would usually expect to be thinking. This would all be fine if a nice run of draw/win/draw/win was enough, but Crawley and Shrews I reckon go into games expecting they will win. And currently we need to win every game which makes going for this 1-0 policy a high risk strategy.
Then came the second bit of food for thought. When we had to go for it today, even down to just ten men, Oxford were on the rack hanging on for the last 15 minutes when we committed to attack. It was a similar story when we had to have a go at Bristol Rovers while two down. Suddenly from an even game, Rovers barely got out their half. Same again after Port Vale were 1-0 up at half-time. It seems when we commit to attack - rather than just Rene up front - we start dominating teams. Perhaps the opposition are forced to pull men back who otherwise can roam forward.
Anway, LIngy knows more about football than I ever will, so I may be talking bollocks suggesting we go for teams rather than looking to pick them off

[AustrianAndyGull]

I was thinking the same thing to be honest london even though with 4 games of the season left and we are in 2nd spot some folk may call me a mentalist. I don't think it will happen as Martin knows what formation and tactics has carried us this far but i just want to see some umph for want of a better word. Our last four or five matches we have looked leggy and played really poorly while riding our luck big time. At Rotherham we won 1-0 but were battered second half but held on through luck. Even at Burton where we won 4-1, when they pulled it back to 2-1 we rocked abit and they could have easliy have had an equaliser. I just want to see the team play with more aggression and more positivity instead of soaking up pressure, nicking a lead and trying to hang on for the win. The game against Crewe away still sticks in my memory as the best i have seen this season away anyway where we took the game to Crewe from the outset and absolutely ripped them apart with wave after wave of attack, we also kept the ball when needed nd they hardly had a sniff. Just an idea but if we ARE getting tired and carrying knocks and feeling the pressure then continuing to play in the lethargic manner we do is going to cost us over these next 4 games i fear.

[royalgull]

I suppose the thinking is it's better off starting the way we are and if things don't go well we can bring Atieno and or Jarvis on and go more attacking.

The problem with starting the pair is we'd have to probably leave Lathrope out which at the moment would be ok as he's carrying a knock but if we are losing we have nothing on the bench to then change the game. This was the problem in the playoff final. For the last 5 or 6 games of the season Buckle went with all 4 strikers. We had Zebroski and Kee with Tomlin and Robinson as a front 4 which was great when it worked for those 5 games. We scored goals and looked threatening, but in the playoff final we didn't play well stevenage stifled us and Buckle looked at his bench and saw 4 defenders + Stevens. Whatever he did then would make us less attacking and less likely to score a goal than what he had on the pitch.

Ling is in the same situation now. If he starts Tai and Rene and Jarvis as Morris is suspended, then whose on the bench? Rice, MacDonald, LRT, Lathrope and McPhee probably. It's a gamble ultimately, you either put your cards on the table early and say right we're having a right go from the start, or you go slightly more cautiously like we've done for 90% of the season and either pinch games or stay in games to then maybe make a change and get the win.

There's no right or wrong way ultimately it's how a manager feels about what is his best team and what is the best way of going about it. Buckle went with option (a) which worked until it really mattered, Ling has gone option (b) which so far has worked but now we are in the business end. We'll see what works. I'd imagine he'll stay the same with Jarvis replacing Morris for Southend.

[Regiment]

i know Macklin has blown far more cold than hot in his time here, but i thought we lacked pace against oxford, particularly out wide. Danny has a had a good season, but offered little on Monday, and we didn't have a replacement. we just need an injection of pace/urgency/energy, and i think Lloyd is worth a run out, even if it's just from the bench in the last 20-25mins. after going 'x' number of games without a win, Ling found a formula that works, but it is a 1-0 type formula. i'm not going to criticise him or his tactics, its been a fantastic season, but the players looked a bit leggy at oxford, we're carrying one or two injuries, and really need the squad members to step up and help us over the finish line.

[cambgull]

Unfortunately Brady, its not the right wing that's the problem. Infact, with Jarvis, its probably the only position on the field that isn't a problem.

[Gazzableedsgull]

I think Ling's been playing mind games this week so teams underestimate us, I noticed on the FLS and SSN that they said that according to ling we are "running purely on adrenaline" and we're struggling with injuries .. This may be the case but I think ML is trying to get the message out that we're running out of steam. Anyone else having similar thoughts? Reading and listening to some of his comments over the past week I think its just a ploy to try and get other teams to think we're fading?

[ferrarilover]

After with your sentiments (in part) Camb, I like Jarvis and, despite his grotesque running style and consequent abject lack of pace, I'd have him in my starting XI in place of Morris.

Matt.

[Regiment]

Unfortunately Brady, its not the right wing that's the problem. Infact, with Jarvis, its probably the only position on the field that isn't a problem.

agreed mate. i thought morris did well at Oxford, so would probably have him left, Jarvis right. i'd like to see Lloyd available as backup to inject a bit of pace late on in the game though.

[cambgull]

I actually meant in terms of fitness. The rest of the team have played 30+ games sat on the back foot for at least half the game. Chasing the ball is far more tiring than attacking.

[bixieupnorth]

i first mentioned this after going to the rotherham game and seeing us battered for the whole second half and apparently not having the ability to stop the opposing team carrying out wave after wave of attacks. this may be down to utter confidence in the defence, but to me sitting back and letting it happen is always gonna end in misery eventually when you come up against a team with forwards who know where the goal is.

a change in tactics would be simple, every single member of our squad, and indeed every squad in the UK has been brought up playing 442, they could switch just like that (tommy cooper voice optional!), yeah so rene up front has served us really well, but hes not fit and we have four games left, 12 points to gain automatic promotion, we need to be going for the jugular in every match for as long as our little legs will carry us forward