Not much to add to the specifics of last night's performance - would just say (and these things are all comparative) I came away feeling much more positive about last night than I did the Leicester debacle.
So where do we go from here? I think Grayson needs to reassess where he is going tactically. We are a just up from league 1 team and we need to cut our cloth accordingly in terms of how we seek to take matches on. If that means being a bit more negative at times and loooking to play on the counter, then so be it. I think we have to go 4-5-1 to optimise the resources we have available and minimise the effects of our weaknesses. Taking it from the back: Schmeichel - shocker last night but fundamentally good keeper. Connolly - I just really don't rate him. He's just so thick as a footballer. But needs must and until we can get rid of Crowe and Hughes (out of contract at end of season) I think we can muddle through with him. Bruce / Collins / Bromby / Naylor - we can't really make any plans assuming a return of Kisnorbo. Naylor is shot and out of contract at end of season, so let's forget him now. Whilst I'd be loathed to expand our squad still further, we may just have to go out and get another centre back to play alongside Bruce. For now I'd give Bruce and Collins a run of games together. If he was back at the club and not out of favour, would Lubo really be at the back of the queue now? McCartney / Bessone / Parker / White - send McCartney back, he's adding nothing. Give White a run against Scunny. Then let's see how far off Parker is. Midfield Faye's legs are gone - but if Grayson believes he brings somethnig to the team in terms of experience (I have my doubts) he has to realise he needs to be part of a 5 man midfield. We just have to play Kilkenny. He is a footballer. We keep conceding goals because we keep conceding possession and conceding it in stupid areas. That only changes if you play people who are comfortable on the ball and make good decisions. We've paid money for Clayton but all he ever seems to get are 10 minute bursts when matches are already over. Let's find out more about him by starting him. To me the last few matches have shown that much though we all love Howson, and Johnson tries so hard, these are League 1 players trying to fight above their weight and getting shown up now. I don't write Howson off, but he needs championship heads around him and a match or two rest would do him good - he looked better last season when he had chances to recharge. Snoddy looks desperate currently - he needs to go off for a fortnight's intensive conditioning to get into better shape. He is clearly a Grayson favourite. But Grayson needs to be a bit more brtual here. He wouldn't keep Watt or Sam in if they were playing like Snoddy is. Other players know this and itr can't be good for squad belief in their manager if they see two tier selection approaches. Sam seems to have fallen off the planet - is he fit? Gradel remains an enigma, and has dropped back into super sub status. Watt's confidence levels look low and he never looks like he fully understands what his role is when he is going onto the pitch, which is worrying. Nunez showed interesting glimpses last night - could be good but could be a typical fan's favourite ineffective blue-arsed fly. Too early to say. Overall in that morass of so-so midfielders, what Grayson has to do is reassert amongst the squad that he has a tactical plan and system, get the players believing in it and in him, wipe the slate clean and stick to that plan. At the moment it all feels rudderless - players look lost and unsure of themselves and the system. I would go 4-5-1. Make it clear to the players that until January this is the system. I would have Kilkenny at the heat of that. At Scunny I would probably go: Nunez - Kilkenny - Hughes - Howson or Clayton - Gradel (main concern - bit of a dwarf-fest). I would bring Hughes into central midfielder to play that destructive role that Faye just seems to lack the legs for - he would relish the chance and I remember Kelly stepping in and doing that job quite well a few times (under Reid?) - I could see Hughes being similar there. but in some ways the precise personnel are less important in midfield than a clear sense that we have a plan. Up front, after last night's shocker from Somma, I have to say I think for now I would start with Becchio. Not with any great excitement or thrill, and I would like to see a fit Paytner soon. But I don't think Somma has the experience or all-round game at this level yet to cope with the sole striker spot, and we're not in a position or form to have a player learning that role as we go. In Somma's defence you can see the fella learning as he makes mistakes - he was mortified at his bad error giving the ball away that led to the second goal. It's a good sign that he realises the mistakes he's making. Becchio by contrast feels like a stuck record at present. But needs must, and if you get Gradel and Nunez bombing down wings, you need someone who can head the ball in the box. Somma is the long term solution, Becchio the necessary short term expedient. I remain a firm Grayson fan. He's young, he's learning and I do feel he is realising his errors as he makes them - after Preston he admitted eh should have made a half time switch to shore up the midfield and after Leicester he seemed to admit he should have changed the team to refresh it (albeit he then stuck the same midfield out last night). Let's hope he gets all the errors all out of the way in a mid-table season and next season we have a refreshed squad and wiser manager. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman-new.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email leedslist-unsubscr...@gn.apc.org MARCHING ON TOGETHER
