time to have a back three of cbs

[liampie]

we have players who on their day can play as cbs but that does not make them their best positions. we are currently forcing people into roles where they are not as comfortable. teams in my opinion have figured this out and i am hoping luke williams and the club realise we need players who are centre backs to succeed. training will only get us so far.

[Piethagoram]

Need Macari to play with 2 others (new)

Trying to find a like for like Matty Palmer may be impossible

[menzinho]

Interestingly we actually switched to a back 4 in the second half of yesterdays game. I don't think there was much difference to be honest. People can read into the formations too much, we've played a variation of a 3-4-2-1, with an ever changing back 3, all season and our form has only recently started to dip. For me I'd say that's more to do with the application of the players more than the positions they are playing in.

Edited December 17, 2023 by menzinho

[Joshua]

I believe we should be fielding players who are trained as centre backs, rather than just slotting them into the position to give them playing time. Richard Brindley looked competent in the centre when he was first placed there, but we keep changing his position. I feel there needs to be some consistency.

[Chris]

Ideally, this would be how things could start to improve; however, I don't think our issues are as simple as just this. I think we need to establish who the best three are who should start and give them time to work things out. Training and a turn in results could help take the pressure off, but there's something that is causing us to be our own worst enemy.

Signing another strong CB could be part of the solution.

Adjust the tactics, play deeper in defence and make sure we aren't passing the ball back too much etc.

It can all go towards the final solution of improving.

[NottsTastic]

I believe we need to support our current players and trust they will improve through training and hard work. If we could secure a victory away from home, I think it would significantly alter the downturn we’re currently experiencing.

[JohnTheBost]

I don't know why we've become so predictable and easy to defeat. Most of the games we've lost, we could have won or drawn if we had defended better. It's disappointing, but trust Luke Williams.

[JackMagpie95]

It's not a lie when Luke Williams says it's a big step up. We have players who have competed at various levels, and that's all well and good. However, once you lose a few games, the tide of morale can turn, and that can be a difficult thing to overturn when you have a squad of players who blame themselves and want to achieve success more than anything. If we were losing due to incompetence or a lack of care, that would be visible. Yes, we are seeing some howlers, but for me, it's all about adapting back to the EFL.

[JIMBO]

Do we lack genuine experience and quality in our defence? Someone like Connell Rawlinson, but quicker in their thinking, stronger in their decisions, and overall a very reliable centre back.

[ExiledPie]

I believe a more straightforward approach could alleviate issues at the back. It would be beneficial to ensure we’re not left lacking or with few options to pass the ball when under pressure. However, I don’t think having three robust centre backs familiar with the position would make a significant difference.

[Fozzy]

Real weakness now without Matty Palmer is that our midfield cannot cope with being outnumbered and we’re having to play either aging players or players out of position so any press we have is ineffective as they don’t have the legs for it.

That, along with playing wingers instead of proper wingbacks in the position is leaving the defence vulnerable to attacks down the flanks and now through the middle. When we have the ball the lack of height in the side means that they can’t go long as it is going to come straight back and the opposition press means they are being forced back to the keeper, who then has to boot it long as he has no movement in front of him.

We need to shift to either a 433 or 4321, play two proper full backs bring in another centre half to play alongside Baldwin, and at least one central midfielder with legs. We also need a vocal keeper who is competent under the high ball and not superglued to his line. Stone may come good under a more solid defence but I have serious reservations and cannot see what made us sign him in the first place as he is no upgrade on Slocombe and is arguably worse in every department.

[CliftonMagpie]

In my eyes, defenders are defenders. The only difference is their positional awareness and I don’t think that is the issue. I think it’s largely about confidence and mental strength to handle pressure. But I don’t understand how we manage to put the most amount of pressure on ourselves. I suppose it would make more sense to play 3 solid centre backs, who can form an alliance and rely on each other. Instead of players forced into the position, but I do think defenders are defenders regardless of where they are primarily played.