Talking Tactics - Pass Map: Stoke City 3-1 Swansea City

[VitalFootballAdmin]

The pass maps from Swansea's defeat at Stoke, and it's our most worrying pass map yet...


<br><br><a href ="http://www.vitalfootball.co.uk/router.asp?466520">Click here to read the article</a><br><br>

 

[BrianMannebach]

I said this on Twitter, but I need more words to explain my point. The only solution to the current predicament that I see is an entire shakeup of the team, meaning it's time to start introducing Under-23 players to the side. Play boys that actually care, are hungry, and have confidence. The pass maps show the effect of the root cause, which is lazy half-hearted play, with zero confidence, the exact opposite of how the kids are playing right now. At the very least bringing in youngsters should serve as motivation for the regular senior players.

 

[KevinE]

The likes of Rangel, Fer, Barrow are nowhere near good enough. Rangel is the one out of those 3 that tries but the likes of Stoke and Liverpool shows why he's well past it.

I agree to some extent about looking to bring through some of the under-23 players, but in my opinion, Kingsley and Fulton should already be involved. Then you can look at the right back from Manchester United to replace Rangel. Naughton has been ordinary this season, but at Stoke he was lacklustre.

Considering the wide play just isn't working, I'd be included to go back to the diamond. It wasn't pretty under Guidolin or Curtis, but we were more solid defensively and it'll give Llorente and Borja a chance to link up front. Play Leon at the base, then Cork with Fulton or Ki. Sigurdsson behind the two strikers.

But whatever the system, Bradley just has to find his best system and team. We said the same when Guidolin was here, and it seemed like he finally did when he put Sigurdsson wide left, and it was doing ok against some of the better teams in the PL.

 

[BrianMannebach]

I agree with the diamond. It served us well last year in getting us to play disciplined, compact football when we needed to break the winless spell. And this year we actually have strikers to employ to it's full potential. Kingsley, Mawson, VDH, Reid; Leon, Fulton, Cork/Ki, Sigurdsson; Llorente, Borja. Bench for me would have Dan James, Keston Davies, Amat, McBurnie, Nordfeldt, anyone else.

 

[KevinE]

Playing an open 4231 with wingers Montero and Barrow that will never track back is asking for trouble, unless they can both be on top of their game, and therefore help us to create chances and keep opposition teams on the back foot. If not, they can lose the ball far too often leaving us vulnerable at the back.

The diamond wasn't pretty but we're not going to play pretty football anymore, that's long gone. The diamond could give us a bit more stability and ease our defensive woes. But for god's sake, find a solid system that has the right balance and stick with it. Stop changing the defence and midfield every game!