"It feels like we're trying to be too clever at times."

I agree. Remember the Tinkerman Ranieri at Chelsea 2003/04 season? He had the best squad in the league but confused the players constantly switching tactics and formations. Dennis Wise and Graeme Le saux later said as much in interviews after Ranieri left. The following season Mourinho came in with virtually the same group of players picked 4-3-3 stuck to this style and system and run away with the league title. Don't want to criticise DC as he had had a fantastic couple of years but expectations are rightly high at Lincoln. Lincoln have a good playing budget for the division and will probably be close to having the highest average attendances. Lincoln have used their get out of jail free cards against Northampton Grimsby and Bury so performances need to improve as the luck will run out. Find a plan A Danny so that all the players are singing from the same hymn sheet. After all football is a simple game and footballers are creatures of habit. Keep it simple no need to over complicate tactics and formations!
 
Three things:

1) We signed quite a few players late-on in the transfer window so DC didn't have much time to experiment with the full squad and different formations/combinations of players, etc. Basically, he's doing that now.

2) We've had a high player turnover which means starting from scratch with formations/combinations of players and that takes longer to sort than when a squad has been largely settled for 2/3 years.

3) I think DC thinks the players can cope with it and that the pay-off in the medium term is worth the short-term risk of being Tinkerman.

Having said all that, you'd want it to settle down at some point.
 
I recognise the "got out of jail" feeling. It certainly seemed that way last Saturday. However, I'm not sure that the other sides not being good enough to take advantage is luck on our part. It's probably more an indication of the quality of the sides in the league.
 
Not sure anyone expecting DC to stick with one team and one formation is going to be happy this season. He has been very clear that all the squad are there to play their part, and there is no "best eleven".
Besides I think people can get too hung up on formations and personnel, it's about results and I don't think there is a better management team out there regarding wins. We have a knack of winning and that will do for me. Indeed many of us will remember just how hard wins were to come by, let alone good performances, before the Cowleys arrived. I only mention this because on Tuesday evening, despite the vast majority of the crowd staying with the team, I was sat in front of two "fans" who did nothing but moan and criticise the players every time a pass went astray or someone mis controlled the ball. It was pretty ugly and started to really grate on me by the second half. My point is that all those concerned with LCFC have surely earned our undivided support during the last 2 and a bit seasons. Progress has been constant and I have no doubt that this will carry on, provided will all continue to pull in the same direction...
 
Wasn't a small critisism of the Cowley's that last year there didn't seem to be a plan B. Now it is he isn't sticking to the same team and formation.

Now whilst I agree that some of the performances could have been improved upon I would refer all to the current League 2 table which doesn't make bad reading at present. Having players who can switch tactics and/or positions during a game is a massive bonus at our level
 
I would also make a comparison with what Guardiola is doing at Man City. He is in my mind the best coach in this country ( arguably the world ) and part of this is his planning. He is already picking his teams now in preparation for matches in December and beyond and will rest players in early season to make sure those important matches come March/April are catered for. From reports of the Cowley's they are of similar vein in tracking out the season in advance and we will see the benefits of this come the spring
 
The good teams do sometimes struggle in games but more often than not come out of those games with points just like City have done 3 bad games 7 out of 9 pts.
We will see how we are doing on Sept 1st away at Exeter that'll probably be our sternest test.
 
As I have said before taking 10 points out of 12 when you know there is so much more to come from the team is an excellent sign. We know some teams can have a false start and be in an unrealistic position at the start of a season but we all know that Danny and Nicky will slowly get more and more out of the team as the season progresses and we can all clearly see the quality of players that we have signed. Their record in the last two years shows you that and their previous managerial record also demonstrates that. I don't see any reason why this season should be any different.
 
NottyImp said:
Three things:

1) We signed quite a few players late-on in the transfer window so DC didn't have much time to experiment with the full squad and different formations/combinations of players, etc. Basically, he's doing that now.

2) We've had a high player turnover which means starting from scratch with formations/combinations of players and that takes longer to sort than when a squad has been largely settled for 2/3 years.

3) I think DC thinks the players can cope with it and that the pay-off in the medium term is worth the short-term risk of being Tinkerman.

Having said all that, you'd want it to settle down at some point.
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I agree with all the points Notty made and also concur with other comments that the overall squad needs to be managed carefully, giving all game time on a regular basis, otherwise those called upon to play periodically will find it difficult to be up to speed when called upon. At times this will mean team cohesion will be affected, but, having match fit players on the bench raring to go can turn games round when things haven't been going so well. I acknowledge though that the chopping and changing of systems does seem to cause confusion and as a result we are not seeing the best of some very good players. I'd like to see us playing a more settled formation so that the style of play is well known to all and any players coming into the team fit into that pattern as well as bringing their own set of individual skills to the fore. I sense that sometimes players feel inhibited by being asked to play a role that doesn't best suit their capabilities, the system of three centre halves at the back immediately springs to mind and for the greater good of the team Ifeel that Bostwick needs to be reinstated as the midfielder destroyer in front of the back four. We shall see how things develop as the season goes on, it's still early days and as long as results are better than performances we should be happy!
 
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