Lets kick the hornets nest

[The Blobster]

Another game under the lights sees Watford come to town on Tuesday evening.
This is a winnable game with Watford below us in the table, I would like a shuffle of the pack , give Cooper Myk and Walsh a start with maybe Ashby to rest Key , who picked up a knock last time out .Bench Patino , Yates and Paterson, they can be brought on later if the new additions aren't working out . We have a strong squad , it's time to utilise it for everyone's benefit.
COYJB let's bag 3 points from this one .

 

[CroJack]

After reviewing Duff's tactical approach during the Leicester game, I am not confident in our ability to win against Watford. While our team is strong, our manager's weaknesses are apparent.

 

[ivoralljack]

After reviewing Duff's tactical approach during the Leicester game, I am not confident in our ability to win against Watford. While our team is strong, our manager's weaknesses are apparent.

His inability to make correct, sensible substitutions really worries me. His reading of the game certainly differs from mine. If you are losing, you need your attackers to get a goal or two, not defenders as he sometimes brings on. This smacks of damage limitation rather than a desire to go for it in an attempt to win the game. If we are fighting to hold on to a draw for a point, that I can understand but, if we are losing anyway, we might just as well attack in an attempt to salvage something. He might argue that he's going for a change of shape to create more chances but, if we've got no one up top to convert those chances, it's a futile move. I don't have too much faith in him as must have become obvious.

 

[jackodiamonds]

Can't stand defensive football. It's meant to be entertainment after all. No guts no glory, etc. If you're losing, attack because you must. If you're tied, attack and take the initiative. If you're winning, attack and win big because it's good for morale and sends a message. Defending is betting the clock runs out before your concentration does, and the clock wins that bet more often than not.

 

[CroJack]

Can't stand defensive football.

Against Leicester Duff played Lowe and Cullen in the defensive midfield.



We played in a defensive formation, and yet allowed Leicester to create an overload both in attack and defence time and time again.

This happened in the 5th minute.



Worst of all, it was clear from the 5th minute what Leicester were up to, and Duff did not react until the 80th minute.

This happened in the 7th minute.





And again in the 10th minute



I could go on, and on...

 

[CroJack]

Look at this stupidity. How can a manager allow this to happen again and again and again?




And look here how Leicester pressed as a team:



And here is our 'pressing':



We gave them a lot of space to freely progress forward and put the pressure on us:

 

[CroJack]

And Leicester create overload in the attack again:





And again:

 

[CroJack]

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So, I don't want to hear exuses like "Leicester have a Premier League squad", "We played well, but they have pace and quality..." etc.

We lost the game because Duff was/is clueless. His tactics sucked. We didn't press Leicester enough and we didn't exploit their (too) risky style of play. We parked the bus in a suspect 4-2-2-2 formation, with Cullen and Lowe sitting too deep and not pressing, with the flanks wide open, and with Tymon and Key left unprotected.

Duff out.

 

[jackodiamonds]

Nice analysis. I noticed it was Cullen who was beaten on a cross that led to one of the goals. I think Duff had Key on Mavididi and Cullen on Dewsbury-Hall, but why is Cullen being asked to play that role? If you're going to play a striker as a winger only to have him act as an auxiliary fullback or defensive midfielder, why not just start Ashby or Fulton instead and be done with it? Not that I'm condoning such measures, that would be way too defensive. And just watching the highlights, there are so many Swansea players standing very close to one another but very far from Leicester's players, doing absolutely nothing of importance.

I don't get the tactics. It's like zonal marking in central areas - but everyone's marking the same zone and it's one Leicester aren't in - and "man marking" out wide, but with horrendous self-inflicted mismatches.

For me, this smacks of buying the narrative about Leicester being really good, and then setting up in a way that allows them to be really good, so that afterwards Duff gets to say "they were really good but that was a good effort". Like the result is a foregone conclusion. It's like what @ivoralljack was saying about "damage limitation" subs instead of trying to go for the throat with attacking subs. Yet even playing like this, Swansea could have come away with a result if Darling or Yates score those chances, or that penalty is given.

Why be so reactive to a threat which exists mostly in newspaper column inches? Take the fight to the opposition. Leicester are being given way too much respect because every opponent buys the hype and lets them have their way, but teams like that are always vulnerable when an opponent decides to give as good as they get. It was pretty clear their defense does not like it up 'em, so the gameplan should have been to push it as far up 'em as possible. Swansea have played the role of upsetters so well so often in the past - all those Prem-era victories against top six sides. It'd be nice to see the same again.

If I were the coach, I'd tell my players they only need to learn three words to play my system: attack, attack, attack.

 

[ivoralljack]

First class summation @CroJack which graphically exposes Duff's shortcomings in respect of his tactical appreciation. His mis-use of the players and the way he has them playing out of position and out of their comfort zones, smacks of Russell Martin at his worst. Foxes' manager totally schooled him in terms of tactics and game plan. Duff never came up against this level of expertise in the lower levels where he plied his trade, which is why he struggles now when he encounters it.

 

[Yankee_Jack]

If one of us we can see this crystal clear in post-game analysis, and we can all pick up pieces of it and opine in real time during the match, then WTF is Duffer and his "brains trust" doing on the bench. Clearly not fit for purpose.

 

[CroJack]

For me, this smacks of buying the narrative about Leicester being really good, and then setting up in a way that allows them to be really good,

Exactly my thoughts.

 

[CroJack]

The worst thing is that every time we pressed them high we created something and were dangerous. Their goalie was a liability and we didn't exploit their passing out from the back. Leicester are not as good as everybody says and the @jackodiamonds is spot on in his analysis.

 

[KVetch]

I have higher hopes for Duff and the team today, he had a good run before the break. His team selections and subs will take time. Foxes were always going to be a tough match. We are miles better offensively in my opinion. Compared to where we have been even without Piroe and Ayew. There's still time to grow. We can score 3 today it's just a matter of defending.

 

[The Blobster]

Can someone enlighten me as to who is Sam Parker ? he's named on the bench for tonight's game ,I've never heard of him !
Big Myk not in squad . Patino benched , Fulton in .

 

[The Blobster]

COYJB

 

[ivoralljack]

We should win this. Watford are below us in the table and not in particularly good form. If we hit our straps it could be 3-1 but I hope that Duff will take the initiative and play the lads in their favoured positions. If we lose then it's back to as you were before our good run.

 

[The Blobster]

Darling puts it wide from 6 yds

 

[The Blobster]

Why have they got space out wide when we are playing 4 at the back?

 

[ivoralljack]

Ashby not the player I watched playing for Toon pre-season in the States. He looked very promising but has regressed under Duff. Tell you anything? And Darling missed an absolute sitter that would have altered the tone of the game had he scored. And what the FCUK is Cullen doing on the wing again!!!!