Just back

That fans forum came at the right time for fenty and hoofhead..

Let's remember guys he is trying to build us something.

intercourse off.

Quoted from Tommy

This is a fair point and often at the top level you'll see centre halves with very high passing completion when opposition drop off and the CB's can roll the ball back and forth to each other for minutes on end. (See Otamendi at Man City currently with mad high numbers of passes).

That's what the maps are for though in that you can generally see he's either passing forwards or to get it out wide.

I'd add that I think he does have a bit of vision and an ability to play a killer pass (See assist for Dembele goal at Port Vale), but for that to happen he needs movement ahead of the ball. Not just a player making a run to receive it, but also other players moving to drag markers with them and create space for others too.

Your analysis shows good completion figures granted and demonstrates his improvement this season. I've said it before and I'll say it again about him though, and it won't be very popular, he flatters to deceive. He is very neat and tidy but look where he's passing from. He's passing from really deep, nothing from in the final third and virtually nothing into the final third or box. I don't think he's brave enough with the ball. You're probably right about lack of movement ahead but central midfielders also have to drive at the defence to create uncertainty and actually get beyond the forward line once in a while and this is his achilles heel and why we need someone different to him to get us out of this league. He would be perfect as the deep lying midfielder in a three acting like a quarterback with more advanced partners but Slade is a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 manager who likes his defenders to clear their lines rather than play, which is another factor which reduces Summerfield's effectiveness. Twenty odd passes in 90 minutes underlines that fact. Summers is perfectly effective at this mid-table level but we will need more if we're looking to compete at the top end of the table. Pleased he's won over a lot of people but I still don't think he's the answer. You've had to go as far back as the Port Vale game for a defence splitting ball, he should be making at least one or two of them a game if he's our playmaker..

Quoted from Bigdog

Your analysis shows good completion figures granted and demonstrates his improvement this season. I've said it before and I'll say it again about him though, and it won't be very popular, he flatters to deceive. He is very neat and tidy but look where he's passing from. He's passing from really deep, nothing from in the final third and virtually nothing into the final third or box. I don't think he's brave enough with the ball. You're probably right about lack of movement ahead but central midfielders also have to drive at the defence to create uncertainty and actually get beyond the forward line once in a while and this is his achilles heel and why we need someone different to him to get us out of this league. He would be perfect as the deep lying midfielder in a three acting like a quarterback with more advanced partners but Slade is a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 manager who likes his defenders to clear their lines rather than play, which is another factor which reduces Summerfield's effectiveness. Twenty odd passes in 90 minutes underlines that fact. Summers is perfectly effective at this mid-table level but we will need more if we're looking to compete at the top end of the table. Pleased he's won over a lot of people but I still don't think he's the answer. You've had to go as far back as the Port Vale game for a defence splitting ball, he should be making at least one or two of them a game if he's our playmaker..

Most of the effective teams at this level use three central midfielders and use their wide players in a front three. This creates more space and allows you to have midfield runners (which we need!) - when you play 4-4-2, one of your central 2 tends to sit in front of your centre backs and when Collins starts falling on his bottom (as he did yesterday) then your centre mids lose their effectiveness.

Quoted from lew chaterleys lover

I agree with a lot in your post, but the Wembley mention in your last season got me thinking.

The football that season wasn't great; we were in non league and until the second leg against Braintree looked like staying like that. Wembley was one of our best ever days, but very much a one off.

We are now back with the "elite" so to speak, and in a much stronger position to progress, if we put our backs into it - the owner I mean in giving the manager funding to strengthen the team. We would have been severely restricted in the amount of players as a Conference club, but now we are in the league we should surely be able to attract better players if the wages are right.

I am not sure exactly how I feel at the moment. League football means everything to me - the shame of falling into non league still haunts me - so in that sense I am happier than some, but now is the time for the owner to start investing in the playing side before more and more people feel like you.

I see what you are say LCL and don't disagree but I have highlighted 2 very different things which apologies may have just been a play on words but thought where worth noting,

Re "giving" the manager funds well it's clear that JF does not really "give" anything and the other 2 Muppets Marley & Day have nothing to give. Re "investing" if JF invested more money he would want a return, do we really want to be further indebted to this man? Sorry again I know I'm playing on your words to a degree.

I don't like all personal stuff aimed at Fenty but as the weeks go by this season it is evident he knows very little about football and even less about running a club. When I mention club I don't just mean a P&L and balance sheet I mean something people feel part of. However unless someone with 2 million plus a big stack on top appears to take us forward nothing will drastically change for a couple of seasons and maybe that's how you ultimately move up out of this league look at Luton this is their 4th season back.

Maybe we just need to accept it takes time to move forward and for us even longer as we are going to have to process trough some dead wood who have possibly through no fault of their own not added any value on the pitch, it won't be easy to stomach but it's better than Coalville away in the FA trophy or Braintree on a foggy Tuesday night..

      

Quoted from MuddyWaters

Most of the effective teams at this level use three central midfielders and use their wide players in a front three. This creates more space and allows you to have midfield runners (which we need!) - when you play 4-4-2, one of your central 2 tends to sit in front of your centre backs and when Collins starts falling on his bottom (as he did yesterday) then your centre mids lose their effectiveness.

Totally agree OC, not many teams play with a central midfield two anymore except ones with a coach stuck in the last century..

And.. Collins could do with a rest at the minute. Looks like he's running through treacle the past few weeks..

Quoted from Bigdog

Your analysis shows good completion figures granted and demonstrates his improvement this season. I've said it before and I'll say it again about him though, and it won't be very popular, he flatters to deceive. He is very neat and tidy but look where he's passing from. He's passing from really deep, nothing from in the final third and virtually nothing into the final third or box. I don't think he's brave enough with the ball. You're probably right about lack of movement ahead but central midfielders also have to drive at the defence to create uncertainty and actually get beyond the forward line once in a while and this is his achilles heel and why we need someone different to him to get us out of this league. He would be perfect as the deep lying midfielder in a three acting like a quarterback with more advanced partners but Slade is a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1 manager who likes his defenders to clear their lines rather than play, which is another factor which reduces Summerfield's effectiveness. Twenty odd passes in 90 minutes underlines that fact. Summers is perfectly effective at this mid-table level but we will need more if we're looking to compete at the top end of the table. Pleased he's won over a lot of people but I still don't think he's the answer. You've had to go as far back as the Port Vale game for a defence splitting ball, he should be making at least one or two of them a game if he's our playmaker..

You can only pass to those who are available.
If they happen to be sideways or backwards then that’s due to the negative, boring, defensive set up formation.  
Why play a defence splitting pass that just rolls to their keeper ?

Quoted from Civvy at last

You can only pass to those who are available.
If they happen to be sideways or backwards then that’s due to the negative, boring, defensive set up formation.  
Why play a defence splitting pass that just rolls to their keeper ?

There were players not making themselves available yesterday. I really thought that Wilko could coach this into players but, of our five forwards, the only one I've seen look to make space is Cardwell in pre-season. Matt is a target, Vernon looks knackered and the other two are either bone idle or not interested.

If you want to know what an effective midfielder looks like, watch McConville from yesterday. Brought down for a penalty and scored a great goal, among other good things he did. Also, the performance of their right winger was way above what anyone has done on the wing for us in a while. He skinned Davies more than once and put in some great crosses. There is an argument that Accy are in a great area for picking up players but it has to be said that they must surely be working on a much smaller budget than most, given their attendances. They have been around the top end of League 2 for a while now and if they can do it, why can't we?

I also have to temper my argument by saying that Slade hasn't been here that long and maybe needs longer to turn the squad around before we get too critical of him. I'm not a fan of his style of play, but if he can get us winning more regularly and improve the playing staff, then i can accept that. Trouble is, players like Hooper, Kelly and Dixon etc, can't even get a regular start, so one has to seriously question his player recruitment at this stage.

Quoted from Civvy at last

You can only pass to those who are available.
If they happen to be sideways or backwards then that’s due to the negative, boring, defensive set up formation.  
Why play a defence splitting pass that just rolls to their keeper ?

Can't disagree with any of that Civvy.

But if we can play Summers with Rose and Jamie O as a three, DJ and Dembele more advanced in a three with a fired up Sam Jones and maybe K Osbourne at the back so we don't have to be too deep, it could help Summers improve even further by providing more killer passes. But then again, I haven't got RS's performance data or flip charts to hand to know any better..

Quoted from Bigdog

Can't disagree with any of that Civvy.

But if we can play Summers with Rose and Jamie O as a three, DJ and Dembele more advanced in a three with a fired up Sam Jones and maybe K Osbourne at the back so we don't have to be too deep, it could help Summers improve even further by providing more killer passes. But then again, I haven't got RS's performance data or flip charts to hand to know any better..

Hence why, in the absence of Osborne, I put Berrett in the 'Team for Crewe' thread - not everyone's cup of tea but would play the sitting role to free up the other two.