What team for Gateshead?

Quoted from Maringer

That formation is basically a 4-2-4 so the defence will have little in the way of any cover from the two midfielders.

Trying to recreate the 6-5 victory over Burnley which we have discussed on the board recently?  

No. disagree with that analysis completely, in what way is Neilson playing behind a front 3 playing 4 up front?
He would  be expected to do his fair share of midfield work when the opponents had the ball, as would Pittman
and LJL out wide, none of them would have a pass to stand there pickling their  respective noses  when
the opposition had the ball!

Meant to add that  IMO our wide midfielders/wingers are playing as little  more than auxillary full backs in Hurst's  ultra
cautious approach  and until they  start to offer some attacking threat  there is little point in them being there.

Quoted from petethemariner

Meant to add that  IMO our wide midfielders/wingers are playing as little  more than auxillary full backs in Hurst's  ultra
cautious approach  and until they  start to offer some attacking threat  there is little point in them being there.

If the above is true in that we have little attacking threat, then how have we had the most efforts on goal in the division( or very close to the most)?

Don't get me wrong I would like to see more runners from midfield, particularly the central areas, were someone could get beyond the strikers but for the last couple of weeks all I have read on here( not picking on you specifically) is that we never create any chances and are the most boring side in living memory, when the fact of efforts on goal seem to suggest creating opportunities isn't a major issue.

It seems to me that some have created a self fulfilling prophecy, in that the more times you post how bad we are the populous start to believe?

Football is about very fine margins

Quoted from petethemariner

No. disagree with that analysis completely, in what way is Neilson playing behind a front 3 playing 4 up front?
He would  be expected to do his fair share of midfield work when the opponents had the ball, as would Pittman
and LJL out wide, none of them would have a pass to stand there pickling their  respective noses  when
the opposition had the ball!

Neilson isn't really known for his defensive work. Understandably so, as he's an attacking player.

I've got no problem playing him behind a front two as that still leaves three midfielders to cover in behind but just two not particularly nippy midfielders behind him? Any team competent on the counter-attack would cause us no end of problems with that formation.

I remember back in the day that Lincoln (under Big Keith) used to play a sort of 4-2-4 formation, but this was because they had little use for midfield and spent most of the game punting the ball towards the corners with their big, agressive attackers pushing the opposition defence back as deep as possible.

Quoted from BIGChris

If the above is true in that we have little attacking threat, then how have we had the most efforts on goal in the division( or very close to the most)?

Don't get me wrong I would like to see more runners from midfield, particularly the central areas, were someone could get beyond the strikers but for the last couple of weeks all I have read on here( not picking on you specifically) is that we never create any chances and are the most boring side in living memory, when the fact of efforts on goal seem to suggest creating opportunities isn't a major issue.

It seems to me that some have created a self fulfilling prophecy, in that the more times you post how bad we are the populous start to believe?


Football is about very fine margins

I'm not sure on the attempts at goal stats Chris, you might well be right,but you cannot honestly be suggesting that our wide
players are effective? I believe you, like me are an ex player  and we both know that the best way to hurt an opponent is to get
behind their defence on the flanks and whip the ball across (as Lincoln did twice to us) but how often do we do that?  I am not particularly a long ball fan ,but there is a place for it in any game and as the manager seems to like to see the ball launched into the box, i was trying to suggest a formation that would suit this style more effectively.
I accept that this type of formation would require Pittman, LJL and Neilson to put a shift in when we didn't have the ball and
Maringers point about being caught on the break is a fair one and is  why Clay and Disley should play as holding. midfielders, which
basically is all they are doing now for the most part.
Its not a question of trying to make people believe how bad we are, obviously we must be doing somethings right cause we are
4th in the league, its about trying to suggest something and a formation that might take us that next step and back into the league,
i personally  feel this isn't likely as things stand.
Its all about opinions and we all have one, but in the end we all want the same thing - a successful GTFC not 'nearly men' which is
the present trend.
UTM

They haven't had a game for a while so pick our strongest side. If the game was sandwich between 3-4 games in the space of 7-10 days then i'd play the reserves.

I know Hurst has said he play a strong side in this cup competition but I still feel he should play a weakened side and give reserve, fringe players and some youths a chance. League has to be our priority and we cant afford any injury's

Quoted from Rick12

I know Hurst has said he play a strong side in this cup competition but I still feel he should play a weakened side and give reserve, fringe players and some youths a chance. League has to be our priority and we cant afford any injury's

Disagree. Injuries can happen to any player at any time and we don't have a heavy schedule at the moment, so keep the best players ticking over in my view.

Hurst takes this competition seriously and rightly or wrongly wants to win it. I expect the club can do with the extra revenue too, if we go far.

We need the win at home for confidence, so strongest team possible. Otherwise not bothered about FAT but we haven't had many games recently so the players need the game time.

He's got to play a pretty experienced team. Otherwise, by the time we have our next game, it will have been more than two weeks since they have played!