Our Midfield

No hiding from the fact that Saturday was shite, genuinely one of the worst performances I can remember in a long time.
But before we starting ripping up the team and the formation, that's the same side that picked up maximum points in the last two games with the wingback system and 10 from 12 in the previous four games overall.

We could play any formation, any tactic and with as many new faces as we like, but if the individual performances dip to that standard it won't make a jot of difference.

In terms of tactics I thought we really lacked a driving force from the centre of midfield.  Instead we had three guys trying to do it but failing badly and then also putting in sub-standard performances too.  A midfielder driving forward would have provided the support needed for the front two and completely changed the game.

Quoted from diehardmariner

No hiding from the fact that Saturday was shite, genuinely one of the worst performances I can remember in a long time.
But before we starting ripping up the team and the formation, that's the same side that picked up maximum points in the last two games with the wingback system and 10 from 12 in the previous four games overall.

We could play any formation, any tactic and with as many new faces as we like, but if the individual performances dip to that standard it won't make a jot of difference.

In terms of tactics I thought we really lacked a driving force from the centre of midfield.  Instead we had three guys trying to do it but failing badly and then also putting in sub-standard performances too.  A midfielder driving forward would have provided the support needed for the front two and completely changed the game.

I agree with you there. We were just poor and second best all over the field, but it happens like that sometimes.Decent players don't become bad overnight.

I don't understand why there isn't much more bite and enthusiasm in the team from the kick off. Two great away wins, good home crowd, positive manager and yet we don't start with any aggression or bite and let the opposition get into their stride, at least in the home games.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I agree with you there. We were just poor and second best all over the field, but it happens like that sometimes.Decent players don't become bad overnight.

I don't understand why there isn't much more bite and enthusiasm in the team from the kick off. Two great away wins, good home crowd, positive manager and yet we don't start with any aggression or bite and let the opposition get into their stride, at least in the home games.

lack of tempo worries me, but that's not something new. I don't mind shape changes etc.. in fact 3 - 5 - 2 can produce some great football but we need a mad dog in mid field who can win and get it passed quickly and then press the opposition when required. To sit next to this mad dog (or just in front of him) we need an artisan who can go forward, pick a pass, switch play and score goals. Lets see what we can bring in over the next 3 weeks if nothing happens there we need to utilise Vose & McAllister starting games in the side I reckon.    

without sounding too flippant....we havnt had a "midfield" for a very long time now, something Hurst never quite managed to fathom out neither did the previous two or maybe three managers before that.  We have had some shocking centre midfielders over the last 10 plus years with only a couple of decent individuals that i think there would be some sort of majority acceptance of being decent.
With regards to a decent centre mid partnership then anyone under 20 would probably struggle to name one.

Quoted from diehardmariner

No hiding from the fact that Saturday was shite, genuinely one of the worst performances I can remember in a long time.
But before we starting ripping up the team and the formation, that's the same side that picked up maximum points in the last two games with the wingback system and 10 from 12 in the previous four games overall.

We could play any formation, any tactic and with as many new faces as we like, but if the individual performances dip to that standard it won't make a jot of difference.

In terms of tactics I thought we really lacked a driving force from the centre of midfield.  Instead we had three guys trying to do it but failing badly and then also putting in sub-standard performances too.  A midfielder driving forward would have provided the support needed for the front two and completely changed the game.

Saturday was definitely a " poor day at the office " but from my point of view there were certainly one or two things that contributed to this. I think Boyce was very poor and seemed very reluctant to attempt to bring the ball out of defence or even to make a quick pass. If you play three across the back than IMO those players need to be comfortable on the ball and Boyce certainly wasn't. It was ok playing Comley as a screen/playmaker in front of the back three but the combination of Mills and Disley alongside him is all wrong. To complement Comley you need  a " yard dog " and a good playmaker ( eg Vose ) alongside him. To me, it seemed like one of the tactics advocated by Bignot on Saturday was to have Andrews and Davies break as wide as possible when we had possession coming out of defense but very rarely was this utilised. I lost count of the number of times Andrews was wide and no opposition within 30 yards of him but Comley didn't play out wide. The whole point of 5 across midfield is to utilise the full width of the pitch when attacking but this rarely happened.
I like Disley and still feel he has a lot to offer but not in the role he was given on Saturday. He could play the role that Comley was given but where do you then play Comley? I also think that Mills can play the wingback role better than Davies and I think I'm right in remembering that Davies has played a lot of games in midfield for his previous clubs.
Bignot certainly has a lot to do to find the right blend of players to make us effective but I'm sure he knows this. He has inherited a squad not of his own making and with many on 2 year deals he doesn't have a lot of room for manoeuvre unless he can off-load some of them.

I think Dis and Clay were a good combination in midfield, Nolan was a good midfielder but would need to be in a three as he tended to go awol and leave us exposed, he would be perfect to play in our current formation, as would Toto on the right of the three.

Quoted from Mariner_09

I think Dis and Clay were a good combination in midfield, Nolan was a good midfielder but would need to be in a three as he tended to go awol and leave us exposed, he would be perfect to play in our current formation, as would Toto on the right of the three.

Yeah but three of those don't play for us anymore and we have a different manager too and let's not forget, we're in a different league. The past is the past.

Marcus has at least tried all the players we have and in some cases in different roles. Possibly why we have been a bit inconsistent. He has been thorough in seeing what he has inherited. Clearly likes Comley in the middle otherwise he would just let him go back to QPR. It will be Mcallister's turn soon to show what he can do in there too. Seems to me there is a lot of evaluating going on just now. Andrew looks a good wing back and can cross better than any of the other so called wingers. Davies too hits a good cross and Mills gets up and down very well.

Quoted from rancido

I also think that Mills can play the wingback role better than Davies and I think I'm right in remembering that Davies has played a lot of games in midfield for his previous clubs.  

I thought Davies was awful when he went into midfield.  Fair enough he hasn't played that role for a fair few years but he looked lost to me.  Mills at least tried to run with the ball on a few occasions in the first half.  

I thought the thinking behind the Davies/Mills switch was down to the fact Mills has younger legs to stretch Exeter in wide areas.  Dunno though.

Quoted from rancido

Saturday was definitely a " poor day at the office " but from my point of view there were certainly one or two things that contributed to this. I think Boyce was very poor and seemed very reluctant to attempt to bring the ball out of defence or even to make a quick pass. If you play three across the back than IMO those players need to be comfortable on the ball and Boyce certainly wasn't. It was ok playing Comley as a screen/playmaker in front of the back three but the combination of Mills and Disley alongside him is all wrong. To complement Comley you need  a " yard dog " and a good playmaker ( eg Vose ) alongside him. To me, it seemed like one of the tactics advocated by Bignot on Saturday was to have Andrews and Davies break as wide as possible when we had possession coming out of defense but very rarely was this utilised. I lost count of the number of times Andrews was wide and no opposition within 30 yards of him but Comley didn't play out wide. The whole point of 5 across midfield is to utilise the full width of the pitch when attacking but this rarely happened.
I like Disley and still feel he has a lot to offer but not in the role he was given on Saturday. He could play the role that Comley was given but where do you then play Comley? I also think that Mills can play the wingback role better than Davies and I think I'm right in remembering that Davies has played a lot of games in midfield for his previous clubs.
Bignot certainly has a lot to do to find the right blend of players to make us effective but I'm sure he knows this. He has inherited a squad not of his own making and with many on 2 year deals he doesn't have a lot of room for manoeuvre unless he can off-load some of them.

From a defensive point of view I thought Boyce did o.k. but was massively out of his comfort zone having to advance with the ball in his possession, you can see why we have brought Gunning into the squad. It was made even harder for him as the mid field where so static.

I like the intention to play out from the back as it strongly suggests that we are going to get the ball down and pass it but we need mid fielders who are moving into space and demanding the ball to give the CBs and other  mid field players options. I think Andrew and Davies get it but and are comfortable with their roles but getting the right mix of the central 3 is the key and I sense we are a few games away from it yet but it will come.

Once we have that sorted the next challenge will be getting the front two into positions where they can benefit from the formation and pose a dangerous threat which again looks like another fairly "big work in progress" it will happen but we need to be fortunate with injuries for a bit and bring some balance & enthusiasm into the middle either by signings, getting McAllister back and/or giving Venney a go.