Pre Season Friendlies 2021

[king_dezeeuw06]

Hopefully the tactics. Sick to death of the many variations of hanging strikers out to dry since the introduction of Jason Scotland all those years ago now. Only one has truly adapted and that was Sir William Grigg.

To be fair it's how you play a formation rather than the formation itself. Some our our most exciting attacking football came with a lone striker over the years and some of our most dour and negative stuff came with 2 up front.

With most teams playing some variation of 5 in midfield and the increasing use of wing backs it's difficult to go for a traditional 4-4-2 with out and out wingers as you will get out numbered in the middle of the park and lose control of the game. It can be done as Liecester showed under Ranieri but I don't think that is on the cards for us. I think Keane, Lang, Assgaard are all better suited to the system we currently play and wouldn't really do as well as traditional wingers or strikers in a 4-4-2.

 

[king_dezeeuw06]

Really wondering if it'd be viable to play all 4 of them together, actually. Went back and checked lineups and couldn't find a single one that used a mid of Aassgaard-Keane-Lang.

These four provide the best football we can play but I reckon width could be an issue. Worth testing imo.

As you say based on preseason I think you have to go Humphrys up front, Keane would have to be no10 and Lang would be on the right. Aasgaard has been probably our next best performer to deserve to start in the attacking mid trio but i don't think he ever has been used on the left.

I think if there were any plans to use him on the left side next week he would've played there after coming on against Preston but we moved Massey to the left to keep Theo on the right.

I think we are all in on Wyke so cant see us not starting him against his old side, meaning Humphrys probably starts on the left or maybe even Edwards on the left and Humphrys on the bench but I dont think that would be our best option.

 

[jeffs right]

To be fair it's how you play a formation rather than the formation itself. Some our our most exciting attacking football came with a lone striker over the years and some of our most dour and negative stuff came with 2 up front.

With most teams playing some variation of 5 in midfield and the increasing use of wing backs it's difficult to go for a traditional 4-4-2 with out and out wingers as you will get out numbered in the middle of the park and lose control of the game. It can be done as Liecester showed under Ranieri but I don't think that is on the cards for us. I think Keane, Lang, Assgaard are all better suited to the system we currently play and wouldn't really do as well as traditional wingers or strikers in a 4-4-2.

In that case Charlie Wyke is the most senseless signing we have probably made ever.

 

[moonay]

In that case Charlie Wyke is the most senseless signing we have probably made ever.

On the contrary ........ considering our other attacking players (Keane, Lang, Humphrys) all scored whilst Wyke was on the pitch, I'm more than happy to give Charlie some credit for making space for the others to do their bit.

A goal scorer doesn't just have to score goals to be effective.

 

[jeffs right]

On the contrary ........ considering our other attacking players (Keane, Lang, Humphrys) all scored whilst Wyke was on the pitch, I'm more than happy to give Charlie some credit for making space for the others to do their bit.

A goal scorer doesn't just have to score goals to be effective.

I agree Ant but we said that about others who created space for others and worked hard but didn't score many goals and they soon became the fall guys for the fans.

 

[moonay]

I agree Ant but we said that about others who created space for others and worked hard but didn't score many goals and they soon became the fall guys for the fans.

.... but only in the eyes of those who can't see the value those players added beyond the number of goals they scored.

Most fans who could see that contribution didn't give them any stick.

 

[Hampton]

I agree Ant but we said that about others who created space for others and worked hard but didn't score many goals and they soon became the fall guys for the fans.

A shit Bomber Roberts if you will

 

[jeffs right]

.... but only in the eyes of those who can't see the value those players added beyond the number of goals they scored.

Most fans who could see that contribution didn't give them any stick.

I remember quite recently a certain Mr Grigg was in for plenty criticism when his goals dried up. Even closer to now Keifer Moore got some stick.
Thing is most fans don't recognise the contribution, they judge on the goals scored.

 

[moonay]

I remember quite recently a certain Mr Grigg was in for plenty criticism when his goals dried up. Even closer to now Keifer Moore got some stick.
Thing is most fans don't recognise the contribution, they judge on the goals scored.

Maybe we can agree then that those fans know less about football and footballers than they believe they do.

A Manager knows why he puts players in the team, what he expects of them, and what he expects from the team as a whole.

Fans get hung up about stuff like formations ....... Managers are (probably) more focused on a a team playing as a unit, and individual players doing their own jobs as part of that team performance.

God knows what formation you'd call it when (as on friday) you have Wyke, Humphrys, Keane and Lang all on the pitch together (and 3 of them scored let's remember) but to be honest, I (and I suspect most) don't give a shit. (Note, it was probably 4-2-3-1, a supposed single man up front, but I wasn't there, so don't know how they lined up).

There'll always be scapegoats .....sometimes players, sometimes the manager ..... folk have to moan at summat !

 

[jeffs right]

Maybe we can agree then that those fans know less about football and footballers than they believe they do.

A Manager knows why he puts players in the team, what he expects of them, and what he expects from the team as a whole.

Fans get hung up about stuff like formations ....... Managers are (probably) more focused on a a team playing as a unit, and individual players doing their own jobs as part of that team performance.

God knows what formation you'd call it when (as on friday) you have Wyke, Humphrys, Keane and Lang all on the pitch together (and 3 of them scored let's remember) but to be honest, I (and I suspect most) don't give a shit. (Note, it was probably 4-2-3-1, a supposed single man up front, but I wasn't there, so don't know how they lined up).

There'll always be scapegoats .....sometimes players, sometimes the manager ..... folk have to moan at summat !

Also, formations and style can go through the window if the team is winning and nobody gives a toss even the most critical fan.
Classic examples Knob End under Beck.
Lots of Tics when we won the cup and during the Great escape the previous season.

 

[moonay]

Lots of Tics when we won the cup .......

Surely you're not trying to say that no-one moaned during that cup-run ......... and in the league games too.

Some folk are fine while things are going well, but then always have their formation whinge to fall back on when/if the wheels start to come off.

 

[Hampton]

Wyke's been signed to score goals, that's what he's there for not to create for others.
He's an out and out striker so if he's not banging them in both he and Leam will undoubtedly be in the firing line.
Wouldn't be surprised if he's on the bench Saturday after how Humphreys, Lang and Keane have performed pre season. Also wouldn't be surprised if he came on and notched the winner - returning ex players and all that

 

[moonay]

Wyke's been signed to score goals, that's what he's there for not to create for others.
He's an out and out striker so if he's not banging them in both he and Leam will undoubtedly be in the firing line.

Wouldn't be surprised if he's on the bench Saturday after how Humphreys, Lang and Keane have performed pre season. Also wouldn't be surprised if he came on and notched the winner - returning ex players and all that

 

[jeffs right]

Surely you're not trying to say that no-one moaned during that cup-run ......... and in the league games too.

Some folk are fine while things are going well, but then always have their formation whinge to fall back on when/if the wheels start to come off.

Well Bobby did change the way we played in that cup run and went more direct rather than the monotonous bilge he played the majority of the time. Personally I wouldn't fall back on a formation whinge, I much prefer 4-4-2 and would play that way all the time and stick with it. Winning just dulls the pain of the horrible football Cook, Martinez and Caldwell churned out.

 

[Hampton]

Very unfair face palm sir
If a 30 goal last season striker has been brought in to allow others to score I would be v.surprised. Similarly if Leam sets up the team not to wazz balls into the box in Wykes general direction when he's on the pitch he will fairly get stick for it

 

[jeffs right]

Very unfair face palm sir
If a 30 goal last season striker has been brought in to allow others to score I would be v.surprised. Similarly if Leam sets up the team not to wazz balls into the box in Wykes general direction when he's on the pitch he will fairly get stick for it

Hopefully there will be some balls wazzed into the box for him but Leam will get stick from me and a few others if he plays walking football with a winger in the three having no impact like the hapless Jamal Lowe. Hopefully it doesn't come to that.

 

[moonay]

Very unfair face palm sir
If a 30 goal last season striker has been brought in to allow others to score I would be v.surprised. Similarly if Leam sets up the team not to wazz balls into the box in Wykes general direction when he's on the pitch he will fairly get stick for it

I don't think it was unfair. He's been brought in to help the team score goals, whether they're by him or someone else. If we win our first ten games 3-0 and he hasn't scored any, I doubt if he'll be dropped.

 

[Hampton]

I don't think it was unfair. He's been brought in to help the team score goals, whether they're by him or someone else. If we win our first ten games 3-0 and he hasn't scored any, I doubt if he'll be dropped.

No, he's been brought in to score goals himself
I don't care who scores tbh and if we win our first 10 games happy days - but that wasn't the point

 

[Kenny Morris]

Well Bobby did change the way we played in that cup run and went more direct rather than the monotonous bilge he played the majority of the time. Personally I wouldn't fall back on a formation whinge, I much prefer 4-4-2 and would play that way all the time and stick with it. Winning just dulls the pain of the horrible football Cook, Martinez and Caldwell churned out.

I really do think that some fans went to different games sometimes!!
To call it "horrible football" is way OTT, horrible football is the Allardyce and Pullis type, think yourself lucky you had the chance to see some of the best ever football from a Latics team under the stewardship of those 3 Managers.
Yes there were some very poor performances, but that goes for every team, we can't always win and play well

 

[jeffs right]

Well Kenneth my statement was maybe a tad OTT but yours just bust the scales.
The best ever football under those three FFS!
Blinkered spectacles there. Boring, turgid,negative tippy tappy, passing for the sake of it football.
Paul Jewels promotion years were like nothing else. The best football by a million miles.