...why Stephens started right midfield?
I'm a massive CP fan and I'll defend his decisions or at least understand them but I'm really struggling to understand this one.
Was calling out for a bit of on the ball quality in midfield, especially later in the game when it opened up and CP then put him left mid.
Answers on a postcard.
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Unfortunately, that wasn't to be - and Wilson was back at RB which opened up a slot in the midfield. As far as options we had Green - and I'd rather not have him start as he's pretty poor defensively. (Although, to give him his dues, he was actually pretty good when he came on IMO) I didn't even see Pritchard on the bench.
Wilson played a blinder there on Boxing Day and I think will be back there against Ipswich when Solly plays at RB
And Danny Green ...... PFTTTTTTTTTTTT back to MK i say
You find it, and then they work to make it successful.
Then, for absolutely no reason can discern you break it up.
If central midfield is the "engine room", it's like turning off one of the turbines, and making it into a lifeboat.
To make it worse, we then watch Jacko arriving about 10 seconds late to every ball.
Then, after Stephens is ineffective on the right wing, you make him even more ineffective, by moving him to the left wing.
Sometimes, you can only despair...
He may be a lovely man, nice bloke and a Charlton Legend, but he has a lot to learn about team selection.
This
Alternatively you could play Jackson left midfield tucked in with Stewart on the right, but then you have Evina's defensive frailties that Jackson won't have the pace to cover. Or bring in Pritchard on the right, but he's showing terrible form at the moment.
This is a squad issue, not helped by Jackson putting in a poor performance. We lost both full backs and our options are limited. You can't expect us to go in against that Wednesday team with one man short in the middle and carrying 2 lightweights there as well.
"J j scored in his last appearance and I would suggest SCP plays him for that ability , even though he hasn't been as good this season as in previous ones
It may have gone unnoticed but dale scored from the right wing possy that SCP had put him in not that that justifies the tampering of the middle two "
SCP would have been thinking Stewart is more effective playing on the left and clearly didn't expect jj to be as pony as he was and yes he should have changed it round earlier and he didn't wanna risk two wingers cos that would have left us exposed on the flanks with two lesser fullbacks
Not forgetting dale has the ability to put in a decent enough cross , sometimes !
Plus Stephens goal came from a throw in where he was more central.
don't over analysis it imo, I am sure lessons will be learned, we never lost we drew, they scored a goal that was hugely offside,
roll on Ipswich and see what happens
read Powells comments about the players the lack of investment and then look at the table, I would rather be us than 5 other clubs and if that's the case at the end of the season thank god
I just hope lessons are learned because he can't be makin errors like that towards the end of the season, where the difference between 1 point and 3 points could be Champ football or league one.
If I was coach, I wouldn't have swapped Cousins and Stephens for anyone in that league as they are complimenting eachother very well, but we may well have lost that game yesterday if we hadn't have swapped them over, just as we may have won it if we never swapped them over
I think it was a decision that too a degree paid off, with Wiggo and Solly hopefully back intime for Ipswich the decision will be made for Powell as to his starting 11
From where I was sitting it looked as though Stephens was being asked to play narrow and keep coming inside to support the middle two, which makes sense given their overloading of central midfield, whereas Stewart was being asked to stay much wider and act as an outlet. (There is no way Stephens was playing "on the wing" - I hate it when people assume that a right midfielder is supposed to be playing as a winger).
If Stewart is supposed to be your outlet/supply to the forwards then you play him where he is most effective, which seems to be on the left so he can cut in onto his right. If thats the case then the other three have to slot in wherever, so if it's a choice of playing Stephens, Jackson or Cousins on the right then there is only one option out of the three.
When Green came on he was supposed to be the outlet/supply to the forwards, so Stephens switched sides.
Not an ideal situation by any means. But I don't know who else could've come in to make a difference.
It also looked like Dervite came on to do a specific job - to stand in front of that massive lump they brought on. Not the most thrilling tactical switch you'll ever see, granted, but it was better than Jackson having the ball passed around him.
Anyway, at least it livened up a bit in the second half. That first half was one of the biggest non-events I can recall.
Funny to see that Wednesday thought they "dominated" the half though - when nothing at all happened!