Should Washington be dropped?

[topperharley]

Topper I'd like to see us playing 4_4_2 but as I said I wonder if Ollie feels we still won't offer any more goal chances and after the early start the opposition will realise we have nothing to offer up front and have nothing to fear just kick on attacking the mid field and defend

I think that's exactly what he thinks. He could be correct. However i think between Pav, Freeman and Luongo, supported by Scowen, supplying Smith and Sylla, there's enough there to scare defences and not be found out too quickly.

[FurtiveFox]

Topper I'd like to see us playing 4_4_2 but as I said I wonder if Ollie feels we still won't offer any more goal chances and after the early start the opposition will realise we have nothing to offer up front and have nothing to fear just kick on attacking the mid field and defend

Problem is look at the last year. What Ollie is doing clearly doesn't work.

We don't have wingbacks so he plays a system with people playing out of position. We have wingers but don't play in a system that allows for wingers. Both Pawel and others such as Yeni have gone backwards. None of the three man midfield are goal scorers regardless of other qualities. The system does not work for any of our strikers.

We are left with a disjointed side with no goal threat. Granted our strikers aren't great but with what we have should be 4-4-2, lump in crosses for likes of Sylla and Smith and possibly Washington or Wheeler alongside or just behind one of those. The constant twin 'threat' of Washington and Mackie with very little service is ridiculous.

I just get the impression that Ollie is very much yesterday's man and is way out of his depth. You can point to previous promotions but could just as easily say get George Graham out of retirement as he won the league etc. Happens to majority of managers. He should have stayed as a pundit. Nobody has yet been able to answer who else in the top two divisions would have given him a job. I strongly suspect the answer is nobody. Totally daft appointment.

[dogsrrs]

Topper I'd like to see us playing 4_4_2 but as I said I wonder if Ollie feels we still won't offer any more goal chances and after the early start the opposition will realise we have nothing to offer up front and have nothing to fear just kick on attacking the mid field and defend

[topperharley]

At other times I'd agree with that Topper but come on hand on heart can you see this lot of dross we have up front out scoring any other side in this division , Smith can't start and last a game Washington is never a striker snaps and rushes chances Syla is the best of a bad bunch wheeler is an unknown quantity that obviously hasn't impressed the manager

All the above is true the way Ollie is setting up shop.

He should just do it differently, more 'traditionally' I really think that's what most of this board and fan base want. It would certainly make alot of minds up as to wether or not he or the squad is the issue here.

Though on point, I think even with Zidane, Bobby Charlton and David Beckham setting up Washington he'd struggle to find the net as regular as we need.

[dogsrrs]

Kinda.

The best way to win games is to score more goals than other team. If you do not play with that as your primary concern, with the best possible players and system to achieve that. You cannot win games.

Too much over thinking from a manager that should be man managing and encouraging as that's his key strength i think.

At other times I'd agree with that Topper but come on hand on heart can you see this lot of dross we have up front out scoring any other side in this division , Smith can't start and last a game Washington is never a striker snaps and rushes chances Syla is the best of a bad bunch wheeler is an unknown quantity that obviously hasn't impressed the manager

[Brian Wilson]

Couldn’t get his wages done under ffp rules I’m afraid https://t.co/PIop1yJ2bq

— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) December 18, 2017

No thanks https://t.co/7uZxlCHg5A

— Darragh MacAnthony (@DMAC102) December 18, 2017

[Nick]

Agree that he's had chances and all that but I wouldn't say he (or any other striker TBF) has had many on a plate as that would suggest we have midfielders who can create clear cut goalscoring chances.

Sorry mush, but when I say "on a plate", I didint necessarily mean through our midfield. Whether it be free kick/goal kick/corner/deflection resuling in ball falling to him/or just a simple pass to him. Ive seen plenty of times where the ball has fallen to his feet, he has time and even just an easy goal scoring chance, and still somehow miss.

[lymehoop]

I'd send him out on loan to the end of the season. I think there is a player there but his confidence seems shot

[topperharley]

It's prity easy to blame this awful system Ollie seems to prefer but I can see why he sticks to it even tho he hasn't got the players to play it , I'll give him credit if he sees it that he gets an extra man in mid field to compensate for our totally inadequate attack offering no threat , to combat leaving us to get over run in m/f and that would put our defence under constant pressure , probably wrong but just a thought

Kinda.

The best way to win games is to score more goals than other team. If you do not play with that as your primary concern, with the best possible players and system to achieve that. You cannot win games.

Too much over thinking from a manager that should be man managing and encouraging as that's his key strength i think.

[Stanley]

inadequate attack

The attack is inadequate because he plays with no wingers. Granted we're not blessed with the most talented bunch of strikers but at least give them a fighting chance by servicing them with crosses from a winger or two, especially when Sylla, Smith and Wheeler are all strong in the air.

[dogsrrs]

It's prity easy to blame this awful system Ollie seems to prefer but I can see why he sticks to it even tho he hasn't got the players to play it , I'll give him credit if he sees it that he gets an extra man in mid field to compensate for our totally inadequate attack offering no threat , to combat leaving us to get over run in m/f and that would put our defence under constant pressure , probably wrong but just a thought

[Stanley]

Totally agree. Am not trying to pass the blame as ALL the strikers should be scoring more than they do. Just highlighting an issue I've had for a long time in that we just simply don't create enough chances and, for me, the midfield are just clueless going forward - particularly Luongo who seems to be incapable of choosing a pass when he eventually breaks forward.

As said before IH playing 3 CMs is a waste of positions, eliminates natural width and doesn't play to our squad's strengths.

I believe we'd be higher up the table if he'd played the (obvious) system to suit the squad.

[Shepherds Mush]

Granted. Though i think with the time Conor has had at the club, we should consider not passing the blame game down through the midfield. He has not impressed in his primary role, scoring goals, at all. Apart from one small spell this season.

I like the guy, just don't think we have the time for him to come good, he shouldv'e done that by now. We don't expect the world, but he doesn't produce enough. IMO.

Totally agree. Am not trying to pass the blame as ALL the strikers should be scoring more than they do. Just highlighting an issue I've had for a long time in that we just simply don't create enough chances and, for me, the midfield are just clueless going forward - particularly Luongo who seems to be incapable of choosing a pass when he eventually breaks forward.

[topperharley]

From corners and free-kicks. Not what I would call on a plate.

Granted. Though i think with the time Conor has had at the club, we should consider not passing the blame game down through the midfield. He has not impressed in his primary role, scoring goals, at all. Apart from one small spell this season.

I like the guy, just don't think we have the time for him to come good, he shouldv'e done that by now. We don't expect the world, but he doesn't produce enough. IMO.

[Shepherds Mush]

Freeman has supplied more assists than any other championship player this season, no?

From corners and free-kicks. Not what I would call on a plate.