Match Day Thread Blackburn v Hull City

Agree. Would like to see 3 5 2 given a go. Doesn't necessarily mean no place for KLP and Wilkes - perm any 2 from 4 (maybe even 5 with Eaves). 3 5 2 also gives way more options to adapt during a game - full backs pushing on or holding back, different options in midfield set up, 2 up top or 1 dropping back more. We have the players to do it .... if only McCann (and Ehab) weren't so stubborn.

 

To be fair, I’d be happy for him to be one of the 2 strikers.. just think we need to shake things up and try it different for a bit .

 

Rumours are John Terry waiting in the wings

 

The definition of insanity, in the quote you're referring to, is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results. I think the key here is that I'd take the same result. Another away point would be great. This is mostly what's bothering me about the reaction to Saturday - we got a good result but the fallout on here is as if we're on a big losing run.

RE the armchair managers bit, I'm happy for people to talk about whatever they want on a forum, but I think so often the discussion of tactics by football fans is just really stupid. It's becoming a real pet hate of mine. None of us know much about the specific things they're working on in training or the detailed instructions the team are given but one ever pays any heed to that or acknowledges that there's more going on than they can see. I'm interested to read people's tactical insight on patterns they've picked up on in games or whatever, but 9 times out of 10 it's just painfully basic stuff about formations.

 

He might just have bought complete Southampton kits as they played in blue shorts until 1950.

 

"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing again and again and expecting different results"

You don't have to be an Einstein to know that.

 

It’s not about the actual results all the time , this is frustrating thing . People just going round in circles . The same result is the opposition not really needing a keeper in the championship since Bowen and Grosicki left ( except Preston before some smart arse says ) . Forget last season against Accrington Stanley .I’m talking at this level . I genuinely find it baffling why the thought of at least changing a formation when a team hasn’t scored in 5 games is so shocking , and you talk about what they are working on , well whatever it is they need to work on something else. Truth is McCann inherited 2 of the best wide players this division has seen in a long time , relied on them and has no clue how to navigate this league without them , but it’s boring now cos it’s all too predictable , same people sticking up for McCann same people slating him , people constantly argueing the same points and ignoring the actual point of others, I’m bored of it , I’m sure everyone else is, so I’m just leaving it there

 

Just to be clear, I'm not particularly a big McCann fan, I'm somewhere in the middle on him at the moment. I certainly think he was disastrous in 19/20. It's just the obsession with tactics/formation that irritates me. It's not even just a City issue; every time England drop a point or lose a major tournament final on penalties it gets blamed on the formation.

At one point over the weekend my arguing of that point ended up with me on the same side of the argument as Urika Peece which is an extremely rare thing. And it's pretty rare I don't agree with you to be honest dj!

 

I do think on this occasion our formation doesn’t help or more accurately the application of it . Our centre forward is too isolated . You need the opposite winger or 1 or ideally 2 of your 3 centre midfielders getting up alongside and beyond . It doesn’t happen , how many times a cross goes in towards Magennis and he is only target . I know it was 4-4-2 but always remember price and Elliot always arriving to get the end of the others crosses , That’s what we need from KLP/ whoever is right wing , it doesn’t happen , always on their heels . Maybe it’s the players, are they natural wingers? But it happens game after game, cross goes in to 1 target . Very rarely see a central midfielder running to get on to a flick on, all stand behind for it to be knocked backwards , That’s why I’d like to see 2 strikers not leaving the penalty box

 

We've certainly been putting a lot of crosses in to little effect this season. I think half the time the problem is that Magennis or someone else is offside. That happened a crazy amount of times against QPR in particular. Other times the runs aren't right or the ball is poor. It's just doing it right more often. Good teams get those right more often and score more goals. It's McCann's job to get us doing better at stuff like that, no doubting it.

I think we're at a point where McCann has obviously decided to go back to basics a bit and focus on not conceding/losing, because we were on a bad run, and it was reminiscent of last time in the Championship when we were so easy to beat.

I think just now he's starting to see the value in being hard to beat first and foremost, which sounds boring but it's what all our successful managers have done. Obviously that's come at a cost in that we now aren't creating anything. That's not uncommon when a team is in this sort of position. We created loads against QPR but got hammered. We can't play like that again but hopefully there's a balance. Maybe he can find a way to get us scoring as well as maintaining this new solidity at the back, but given that our squad was built on cheapness first and foremost, I think it's a big ask.

 

I don’t particularly care what formation we play as long as we have the courage to at least try and attack the opposition and not look like we’re just grateful to be in this division as if we’re some Make-A-Wish Championship team. I know this is a step-up in quality but anybody can beat anybody in this division. People keep making excuses like “oh well, Fulham just came down from the Prem”, “QPR will be pushing for play-offs this season”, “Swansea were in the play-offs last season” etc. And? So what? Doesn’t make them unbeatable. No goals in 5 games is ****e, regardless of excuses.

 

I normally give you a 'Like' for this sort of background information but on this occasion, through no fault of yours, I can't. I worked over there a few times many years ago and your report reinforces my view, it always was and still is a boring xxxxhole.

 

Plus a manager knows if a player is carrying a niggle or a strain, not match fit, sulking, not a team player, not v bright, not disciplined etc etc .

He will also have have been given a scouts report on the opposition's strenth and weaknesses.

All factors to consider when he chooses his best team and formation on any given day

 

4,000 ****holes, or one twenty-sixth of a hole per person to be precise.

 

Don't think you mentioned that although only a town it has a cathedral. Saw that bit of knowledge winnsomeone a prize on TV when they had to name places withna cathedral as no one else said it.

 

Let's just hope the holes are in their defence.

 

For our younger readers - 'Lennon wrote an article about the results of a survey by Blackburn's Council which concluded there were over 4,000 potholes on the streets.'

4,000 arseholes.must have supported their team back then I remember going there a trillion years ago and I said to my mate, I wish we had him. They got him soon after - Ken Knighton (if I've got that right). No doubt someone will correct me if I'm wrong.

 

My prediction
0-0

 

Idle cut and paste job, same old Scottish Blackburn mentioned yet again.

 

If we can get a draw it’ll be a good result. I think our defence is very good, despite conceding a few goals, I think the players are individually good. If we can get a goal, it’ll be a miracle, unless we have our better players back.
The problem I have with the tactics is the constant, get it to Ingram. We can have a corner, yet it’s more likely to end up with Ingram than having a shot.