maxg
I agree with you and have said it myself on here that the control is made worse by the fact no one is there to pick up any pieces, if Cisse is there or thereabouts it means they are really playing too close to eachother and are far too easy to mark.
I do not go into other players because of the lack of interest but I will give it a shot for you, I must stress this is how I see it and everybody looks sees different things, I don't tend to get favourites and have a bias and understand players can't play the same level week in week out.
The 3 main areas of the team all have problems to varying degrees although we have better players this season, we don't have that much stronger of a team because the balance/mix is just wrong.
The 1st issue isn't with the team but the coaching, we have a poor attitude to games especially against teams near the top, we are beaten before we take the field imho with a defensive attitude which would be OK if we could really defend. I mentioned poor coaching while Keane was manager and that was part of the reason I didn't want Sbragia. The only thing he has done differently was what I was suggesting Keane should do is play higher up the pitch and stop chopping and changing teh team so much. This worked for a while but he has slowly went back into the defence falling back into the penalty area and the midfield about 5/10 yards in front. None of this helps the forwards. On top of that he is now back to make changes, silly subs and looks exactly what he is which is a coach that is told what to do not a manager who does the telling.
The defence has been a problem, again coaching backing off, playing narrow and just not good enough. Far too many soft goals especially from set pieces and no one dominates in the air. Collins and McCartney in particular are error prone. Ferninand has tbf been steady and better than I thought he would be, Bardsley is an old fashioned FB but lacks pace and is no good going forward.
The midfield is just far too lightweight, we don't have the players to play 442 unless against a poor side or the pace to play 451. It is constantly changed to try a find a balance that is simply not there with teh players available. We have been crying out for a couple of CM's but no joy. There isn't really a proper tackler amongst them so they offer little protection to a suspect back 4.
Whitehead is what he is a 100% tryer, lacks real pace, can't really tackle and can't really pass more than 5 yards. He has been one of the better performers this season which says it all, he is a bottom 6 / top CCC player and thats it. Runs about a lot doesn't offer a great deal defensively little offensively. If to progress with him would need a strong CM beside him and more talent elsewhere in midfield.
Tiaino hasn't been fit enough times to really see, he is a neat and tidy player but would need a strong CM beside him, he doesn't really have any real pace, but can tackle.
Reid can be very creative trys hard, has no pace, can't really tackle can be very hot and cold.
Richardson a good player but he again is not a true CM to play him there you really need a strong CM partner for him. He has pace, tries and a bit of skill but is wasted where he is played should be on the left but leaves the centre woefully short of any skill or pace if moved.
Malbranque without doubt is a good footballer, but again can't tackle and doesn't have any real pace, his preferred position is behind a striker. To really get the best out of him on the right you need a pacey attacking fullback to play with him, we don't have one. He is hard to really fit into a system we can play.
Leadbetter is a nearly player, he can nearly tackle, pass but has no pace. Again would need a very strong CM with him to play middle, can't play wide. (not prem standard really)
Murphy is really a forward without the necessary bottle, can't tackle can pass people but once every 5/6 games. (not prem standard really)
In the front we have Kenwyne and Cisse
Cisse is a speed merchant who will score goals if you provide him the right service, we don't often enough. He isn't a hold up player or target man and it is difficult seeing him work in a partnership.
Kenwyne I have said above, in addition we don't get down the sides of teams often enough to supply any crosses into the penalty area for him. Because of his control again I struggle to see Kenwyne working in a partnership, rather a midfield getting quickly up to him to pick up teh pieces, as said above and explained in the players we simply don't have that.
In short we have 2 strikers that have scored but not a strike partnership.
Sbragia is now finding the same problem as Keane which should of been cured at laest in part in January and wasn't, by getting 1 good CM in. We are trying to protect a weak defence with a weak midfield by sheer numbers and leave everything else exposed, we simply don't get enough players forward enough, fast enough any number of times in a game.
All of this doesn't help Kenwyne but by the same token doesn't excuse him either. The reality is he is not as good as some on here want / care to believe YET, whether he can be remains to be seen.
No doubt I have bored the arse off you but you asked, so sorry. Despite what some people think I don't pick on Kenwyne I just tell it how I see it, I do the same with the other players but not on here as there is no interest from the majority. You don't need a coaching badge to see what has been wrong at the club all season, so I struggle to see why those whose job it is can't.
