Tactics

[MRG]

This isn’t a dig at Dyche or the back room staff, it’s a genuine question.

Do our tactics change to meet the strengths of our opposition? Do we set up any differently for Norwich than we do for Liverpool?

If not, is that because the group of players that we have only allows us to play one way? Do we bother scouting opposition prior to playing them and if so what’s the point if we are unable to alter our tactics?

[gawthorpe_view]

We changed our formation against City and still got stuffed.

[tim_noone]

I'd by pass the mid field 8 up front and two at back pumping a few long balls up the field n a bit of tippy tappy ...if were gonna play anti football let's play it right!

[Hibsclaret]

No. We pay someone 70k per week to do the same thing every week...to ensure that we don’t progress and improve every year in the premier league. We must be absolutely mad.....

[alboclaret]

This is a dig at dyche and his backroom staff..

I'm tired of this "we go with what we have got" approach and this "take on the challange" spiel.

The tactic, system, framework, call it what you like are the same for westham at home and the same at spurs away and everything inbetween.
Granted it's been successful beyond our dreams really but it shows every week how limited we are. More and more teams are finding (dont have to look so hard) ways to nullify us and cause us problems. If a side we are opposing has a top player they rip us. We have no individual plans to play someone out of a game.
Correct me if I'm wrong but we have not beaten anyone currently above us in the table. For me we played Watford,norwich and west ham at good times and got results. Good job.
Yes it's a dig at dyche but hes a big man and can take a dig or two and maybe come out and prove me/us wrong that he is tactically aware

[bfcjg]

When we had a fit Defour Brady Ward all playing we played some decent stuff however they all seemed to get injured at once and we cannot seem to get the formula back. A creative midfielder is essential no excuses this time to link midfield and attack.

[Bin Ont Turf]

Do we set up any differently for Norwich than we do for Liverpool?

Well yes, obviously, as we have seen this season.

You must have seen our two forwards and two wide players pressing the life out of Norwich because they like to fanny about with the ball at the back (poor Man City version).

[BOYSIE31]

Tonight's tactics they are all out on the **** around temple bar - you couldn't make that up after the last 7 days

[TheFamilyCat]

Tonight's tactics they are all out on the **** around temple bar - you couldn't make that up after the last 7 days

That's another bed sheet Mrs BOYSIE will have to wash.

[Woodleyclaret]

Stop passing across the back 4 allowing the opposition go set up defensively as we prat about
Put Dwight wide left and bxxxck him if he comes inside ditto Lennon

[MACCA]

The problem is we are a reactive side rather than a pro active one.
It's generally the same personnel week in week out in the same formation, a shift in any of those and we struggle to know exactly who should be doing what or where.

Also I don't think there is a leader out there who will decide on field if things need a quick re jig, or will go and grab the game by the scruff of the neck.
Not sure if that's a Dyche instruction or not, but he often mentions we didn't play, didn't start, or couldn't cope

Playing this way will always get us points as it's a tried and trusted method, but usually over time things go a little stale, and/or teams start to get used to how you play and change their style to counter you. Newcastle and Palace have been good at doing this at our place in recent years.

We should be fine again this year, but we never seem to get to a stage where we allow time for a shift in approach or style due to being safe.
It's a fine balance as not many would be happy if we shift formation and style, yet found ourselves struggling a dozen games in.

[ClaretAL]

I feel because we are so rigid in the starting 11 and Dyche is loyal to a point with the starting 11, there is next to no chance for those on the fringes, so they will never be"match fit" and be able to step in and perform 100%.

[MACCA]

There is that aspect, it would certainly back up why we don't seem able to swap a few players and get results and why we don't do too well in the cups.

Dyche often speaks about earning the shirt, however if a player comes in for 1 game and does do well, he rarely keeps his place, and it often takes multiple poor performances before the change happen, and by multiple I don't mean 1 or 2.

It's his biggest strength and biggest weakness

[jrgbfc]

There is that aspect, it would certainly back up why we don't seem able to swap a few players and get results and why we don't do too well in the cups.

Dyche often speaks about earning the shirt, however if a player comes in for 1 game and does do well, he rarely keeps his place, and it often takes multiple poor performances before the change happen, and by multiple I don't mean 1 or 2.

It's his biggest strength and biggest weakness

There's a difference between earning the shirt, and being guaranteed to play no matter what, which the likes of Ben Mee and Jack Cork seem to be.

[MACCA]

There's a difference between earning the shirt, and being guaranteed to play no matter what, which the likes of Ben Mee and Jack Cork seem to be.

Easy answer

1 of them is the captain
The other has zero competition for the shirt, itd mean playing a player out of position, an un fit one, or a kid, so Cork it is.

[houseboy]

While I would say it's not panic time yet (we could steady the ship against Newcastle) there does seem to be a sort of 'wheels are coming off' situation at the moment. We had two great wins against West ham and Watford but other than that it's been pretty bleak over the last few games. The defence seems to have gone walkies again and the midfield couldn't even get the ball against City especially in the second half. The problem in part seems to be our abysmal record in the last couple of years against the so-called big six. Whilst other teams around us and aspiring to be where we do (mid-table) are taking the odd points and even the occasional win against the big six we are actually moving backwards in that department. We had a half decent record against the top sides up till a couple of years ago, having beaten all but Arsenal at one point or another, but now we aren't just losing we are getting battered. Okay we played well at Arsenal but in the end we still lost but we haven't had a sniff in any of the other games. 5 games so far this season against them, 5 defeats, 18 goals conceded and 4 scored (3 of those so late it was never going to affect the result). If we get a couple of these games close together (as we have recently) and these results continue then it is going to affect morale, it has to. What are we doing so wrong against the big teams that is frankly starting to make us look more than a little silly? There aren't even any 'honourable defeats', it's just getting completely stuffed virtually every time we take to the field against them. City looked like world beaters against us and indeed they were great that day but in general they have been poor and have just lost to the poorest United side we've seen in years.

We will be okay I think, I have said so all along, but we must start at least looking like we are going to give the big teams a game (and start beating the teams above us also, not just the big six). How we do that I don't know, I'm not a football coach and do not pretend to be (unlike some on here), but Dyche surely has the knowledge to change the way we play, especially against the better teams. I'm not swallowing this whole 'look at how much their team cost' excuse any more, other teams can give them a game and even beat them, why can't we?

[warksclaret]

We are prepared to play certain players despite very poor form week after week, as if we are frightened of the repurcusions if it upsets them. Saturday was calling out for Drinkwater to get more game time-even 30 minutes in the second half.He commanded a fee of around £30m when Chelsea bought him. He must therefore have more in his locker than Cork or Hendrick.Would help us make our decision early January. Seem to recall the same with Chalobah a few years ago-went on to get in the England team

Gibson is the same. Mee is not invincible. One thing struck me Saturday- it was the word erratic, particularly about our defence. Mee and Tarks can be brilliant at times then shocking the next week. Its calling out for a leader on the pitch, particularly now we have lost Heaton's vocal presence at the back