What does Morison need to do?

[Tuerto]

From what i have seen of us this season, and correct me if i'm wrong, it looks like Morison is lacking in ambition when we are attacking. I know that we have defensive problems, but i always feel that it is easier to sort those problems out that it is the creative aspect of the game. Much of the defensive work at this level is about stopping the opposition, which in my opinion is an easier task than being creative.

Morison has three central midfield players who aren't really prepared to push up into the attacking space and create that little over load that is needed in order to make defenders uncomfortable or pull them out of position in order to create space. It's so easy for the opposition to defend as they don't have to change their shape. His reliance on wide players to act as the creative hub is old fashioned in my opinion and not in keeping with playing 5 across the midfield, in short, the way morison lines up the midfield is the equvalent to a more advanced defensive line. What does he need to do-change formation-push one of the central players in to a more advance role? we know that our strikers aren't up to it, but what chance do they have when the game is played with their backs to the opposition goal and there is nobody from the centre of midfield creating space, making late runs or attempting to create attacking opportunities with either movement or the ability to carry the ball in to dangerous areas.

[Ninja]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

He needs to play a 2nd striker. At least for the moment, given what we have available.
We don't have a Kieffer Moore so the lone striker system is not going to work.

[Tuerto]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

He needs to play a 2nd striker. At least for the moment, given what we have available.
We don't have a Kieffer Moore so the lone striker system is not going to work.

You might be right. 442 will see us without wingers of any sort, although i don't think that they have been effective or creative anyway. I like the formation he plays at the moment, but it is so defensive and sterile. We need a creative midfield player and a bit more urgency in that position.

[NYCBlue]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

I think he's focused too much on possession, which is an easy trap to fall into. When you have possession it seems like you're controlling the game. But it also allows the opposition to set up. Possession = giving away time. We need to speed things up a bit.

[Ninja]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

You might be right. 442 will see us without wingers of any sort, although i don't think that they have been effective or creative anyway. I like the formation he plays at the moment, but it is so defensive and sterile. We need a creative midfield player and a bit more urgency in that position.

It just means playing wingers a bit more "tucked in" really. When you think of the DJ era and how Whitts would play from the left, it just means wingers cutting inside more and maybe having a crack from 20 yards as opposed to always running the touchlines and depending on crossed balls into the box.

I feel that if we use 2 of Wintle, Rino or Adams in the middle, we should hopefully have enough defensively to protect our back 4. Obviously one of the two needs to venture forward when we have possession. My choice would be Wintle sitting deeper with that being one of the other two.

We definitely need another player playing more centrally forward, wether that be an actual striker or someone like Sawyer's or Colwill tucked in behind.

I'm no manager but it makes sense on paper I think at least, and I don't see why it's not worth a go.

[Ninja]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

I think he's focused too much on possession, which is an easy trap to fall into. When you have possession it seems like you're controlling the game. But it also allows the opposition to set up. Possession = giving away time. We need to speed things up a bit.

Agreed, it's all become about the press, but Warnock proved you can win games with 30% possession!

[Trigger]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

Improve the quality, difficult to do.

Improve the attacking ambition of the players, perhaps easier.

So often we have no one getting forward to support the striker. The wingers often stay wide, the midfield 3 happy to stay back and recycle. More need to gamble and get forward into areas they can score.

It's a shame we couldn't get Hugill, he isn't particularly prolific either but his hold up play was very good, that would have at least maybe encouraged more to gamble and get beyond him.

It's the crosses from wide areas I'm baffled by though, even when behind we have one or two getting in the box. It has to be a perfect ball.

[Tuerto]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

I think he's focused too much on possession, which is an easy trap to fall into. When you have possession it seems like you're controlling the game. But it also allows the opposition to set up. Possession = giving away time. We need to speed things up a bit.

Yeah, i agree. Although most teams who play a possession based game are biding their time, waiting for the moment to strike in an attacking sense, players off the ball making small movements trying to pull the opposition out in order to create that little bit of space that can lead to a goal scoring opportunity. We aren't doing that at any point in a game. Is it the players, coaches or manager? That looks to me like a severe lack of belief and confidence in attempting to win the game through calculated risk. I'm of the opinion that any one of our central midfield players could fit into the role of becoming more advanced in attacking situations. They may not be the best in the division at it, but it has to be and option?

[Tuerto]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

Agreed, it's all become about the press, but Warnock proved you can win games with 30% possession!

Yes, although Warnock had good wide players who caused problems for the majority of a game, and he knew how to stretch the opposition. I don't want us to go down that route and i don't like 442 because it is so flat and predictable in my opinion, although it may be an option in the short term.

[Ninja]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

Yes, although Warnock had good wide players who caused problems for the majority of a game, and he knew how to stretch the opposition. I don't want us to go down that route and i don't like 442 because it is so flat and predictable in my opinion, although it may be an option in the short term.

I quite like the 4-4-2 as a solid platform to build on. It worked for Fergie for many years, even against the top sides in Europe like Juventus and Bayern.
The quality of players we have of course will always be important. Given our lack of physical centre forwards, it's a bit puzzling that he's persisting with the 4-3-3. Square peg, round hole springs to mind!

[splott parker]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

It’s all a bit regimental, the players, especially the midfielders, try not to deviate too far from their ‘space’. It makes it easier for the functional footballer to find his man because he knows it’s been drilled into his team mates where to be. It all looks good as the ball is being pinged about player to player, “oooh look at our possession “, unfortunately it’s miles from the opposition goal.

A bit of spontaneity is required, a midfielder being prepared to move forward out of his comfort zone and a team mate with the ball being switched on to this. Tuerto, you’ve been involved a decent level on the training/coaching pitches, perhaps a few years back but is this spontaneity coached out of limited players for fear of being caught out? As it is it seems as though we’re playing as three different units all knowing ‘their place’. A player who’d had limited time settling in, who’d had few training sessions, Nkounkou, bucked the trend in his first game, turning up in the Preston penalty area at the death, nearly winning the game. Has this been coached out of him now he’s been here a bit longer. Bagan was doing it last season with dividends.

[Hilts]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

Im actually more concerned about our defence.

Id be looking to switching to 3 centre backs and giving Bagan a decent run at LWB.

Hopefully Robinson is going to be a major upgrade on Watters and Davies maybe back soon as well.

[Tuerto]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

It’s all a bit regimental, the players, especially the midfielders, try not to deviate too far from their ‘space’. It makes it easier for the functional footballer to find his man because he knows it’s been drilled into his team mates where to be. It all looks good as the ball is being pinged about player to player, “oooh look at our possession “, unfortunately it’s miles from the opposition goal.

A bit of spontaneity is required, a midfielder being prepared to move forward out of his comfort zone and a team mate with the ball being switched on to this. Tuerto, you’ve been involved a decent level on the training/coaching pitches, perhaps a few years back but is this spontaneity coached out of limited players for fear of being caught out? As it is it seems as though we’re playing as three different units all knowing ‘their place’. A player who’d had limited time settling in, who’d had few training sessions, Nkounkou, bucked the trend in his first game, turning up in the Preston penalty area at the death, nearly winning the game. Has this been coached out of him now he’s been here a bit longer. Bagan was doing it last season with dividends.

In my limited experience, which was a life time ago, i would say that it is the coaches and the managers tactics that limit players or stop them from expressing themselves. It was all about shape and doing your job when i was being coached. There were specific moments when you were allowed to take risks. That was my experience, although things have changed.

[Pedro de la Rosa]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

Im actually more concerned about our defence.

Id be looking to switching to 3 centre backs and giving Bagan a decent run at LWB.

Hopefully Robinson is going to be a major upgrade on Watters and Davies maybe back soon as well.

If you go 352, you can’t play wingers which isn’t ideal because our best player (O’Dowda) is one and we’ve got about 5 of them! I guess he could play as a wing back but unless he’s super attacking, I think we need him going forward. I don’t think 343 solves any problems going forward and we’ll be really open in the midfield. I can’t see him playing that.

I would like to see us play 4231. We’ve got 3 players that can play in the 2, in Ralls, Rino and Wintle (who has to play!). Then I would probably play Colwill in the hole, and then two wingers either side. If he really doesn’t think Colwill can do it, short term 442 might have to be the best thing. O’Dowda is switched on, you could play a more expansive winger on the other side and then Robinson plus Harris to run around. We really have a dearth of attacking options. Maybe Etete would come good with a partner. Other option, you play O’Dowda there.

Either way, I don’t really care how he does it but Morison has got to get numbers in the opposition box. Often both wingers are really wide, the fullbacks are overlapping them and it leaves us with one striker in the box, and currently 0 centre mids that have any interest in joining him.

[splott parker]

Re: What does Morison need to do?

In my limited experience, which was a life time ago, i would say that it is the coaches and the managers tactics that limit players or stop them from expressing themselves. It was all about shape and doing your job when i was being coached. There were specific moments when you were allowed to take risks. That was my experience, although things have changed.

A lot more regimental at our level, d’you reckon? Whereas the likes of Man City, Liverpool (and perhaps some of the better sides in our division) although coached to the nth degree do allow more individual expression and ‘on the spot’ decisions.