Sincilbanks
Vital Football Hero
I have a slightly different take on the *not playing well* comment.
I think it's difficult for us to *look* as if we're playing well, even when we are.
The reason for this is quite simple: we now set up to play defensively with just one up top, sit back and form two banks of 4 fairly deep in our own half. We concede possession - even in our own half - and are happy to do so. We don't do a "high press" anymore. The mantra is clearly "First: don't lose".
What that means is that we simply cannot play long passages of attacking, flowing football. For long stretches of games, we *look* a bit rubbish, but actually we're keeping our shape and not losing. Occasionally, we even win
The problem for me is not this philosophy, particularly, but more that it isn't working as well as it should - not enough clean sheets is evidence of that.
I think we're missing a key player in the midfield who can spring attacks more effectively and also clear up in front of the defence. That box-to-box player which definitely isn't Bozzie, Freck or O'Connor, as good as they are in what they do.
Is it O'Hara? We don't know yet.
More clean sheets required and everything else will fall into place..