Like the Chem signing , would still like another out and out striker , a RB and a creative midfielder. If I'm being really greedy and we manage to get a few out then a left sided CB would be a bonus.
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Agree
Pretty clear that DH's preferred style is 3-5-2 with wingers/wing backs and two forwards and the whole team closing down quickly to win the ball back high up the pitch.
But injuries and slow recruitment has denied him the opportunity to play that very often, in particular the lack of a second forward.
The experiments with 4 1 4 1 and 442 have been forced on him, not him not knowing what his favoured formation is IMHO.
But maybe it is easier for some to blame the manager than the owners
T Campbell , Fraser and Leaburn as well as Chuks are big losses to Holden at this part of the season. there would be 3 starters at least - as well as hard to replace JRS from last season as well. - Deji will be back from suspension now as well . Its shows what he thinks of Kirk , DJ and McGrandles with how little he uses them off the bench the past 2 games.
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Can you tell me how he wants to play? From what I have seen, it is to lump it then try and win the 2nd ball?? If that’s the case, then we have been recruiting the wrong players
If wolves rate him enough to have played him 5 times in the Prem last season and by all accounts was good at Wycombe on loan then he sounds like a decent signing.
I agree with others that I am unsure how some of these players fit into our starting 11.
If we play a 5-3-2 then we are playing a winger up front, if we play a 4-3-3 we are asking May to play as a lone striker which is clearly not his game. I am all for having options to mix things up and change formation where required but the gaping hole is still a bigger striker to play alongside may, unless the club are confident in getting Leaburn back asap and keeping him fit which seems a risky ploy to me.
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Agree
Pretty clear that DH's preferred style is 3-5-2 with wingers/wing backs and two forwards and the whole team closing down quickly to win the ball back high up the pitch.
But injuries and slow recruitment has denied him the opportunity to play that very often, in particular the lack of a second forward.
The experiments with 4 1 4 1 and 442 have been forced on him, not him not knowing what his favoured formation is IMHO.
But maybe it is easier for some to blame the manager than the owners
I don’t think he knows how he wants to play, arguably we had the right type of players to play 3-5-2 last season, but hardly played it.
For me, it looks like he is trying to play 2 different styles at 1 go, which won’t work!
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Can you tell me how he wants to play? From what I have seen, it is to lump it then try and win the 2nd ball?? If that’s the case, then we have been recruiting the wrong players
Think that's harsh. I'm fairly sure he does/did have a specific style in mind but losing Campbell, Leaburn and Fraser to injury means that particular style is not viable.
So now he IS trying different formations and tactics but out of chance not a lack of planning on his part.
Was hoping for at least 4 more in, 2 of the May/ Cámara quality and 2 in the Jones/Taylor/Edun mold. Chem ticks off one of the latter.
Dabo + Forward and preferably a real quality CB but don't think we'll be seeing another of those in.
I think we actually have decent CB’ but at the moment we have winger’s trying to cover RWB and they’re not that player. Get a decent player like Dabo (assuming he’s fit enough for a season) and our defence should look a whole lot more settled.
Be extremely surprised if we bring a Centre Back in before the window. Deji Eleware is very rated at the club and fully expect he will emerge back into the first team scene at some point this season.
Be extremely surprised if we bring a Centre Back in before the window. Deji Eleware is very rated at the club and fully expect he will emerge back into the first team scene at some point this season.
Its not a numbers thing at CB though is it, its a lack of leadership and organising. I like Deji and I can see why he's rated but I would rather have an older more experienced head.
I think Holden wants his wing backs to basically be wingers with the idea of winning the ball back in the opposition half and then overloading the opposition defence with in effect 4 attackers and then a body from midfield. The issue is that we don’t have particularly pacey CB’s to cover that back line. In an ideal world your CDM/6 would drop back to create a back 4 but that isn’t Dobson’s game and he’s clearly being asked to get higher up the pitch anyway
Be extremely surprised if we bring a Centre Back in before the window. Deji Eleware is very rated at the club and fully expect he will emerge back into the first team scene at some point this season.
Its not a numbers thing at CB though is it, its a lack of leadership and organising. I like Deji and I can see why he's rated but I would rather have an older more experienced head.
That's Hector's job surely? Jones is reasonably experienced too.
Why Hector has been so poor since pre season is a mystery.
We may end up seing something like this against Oxford:
AMB
Assimwe Jones Ness Edun
Anderson Dobson Camara
CBT
C.Campbell May
With CBT switching wings almost in a free role behind Campbell and May rather than as a classic 10.
I REALLY like the idea of having CB-T in a free role like this, allowing him to move to either side or simply run at defenders down the middle. I think that switching wings during the game would give teams more to think about and mix up his cutting inside on the left with getting to the by-line and drilling in low crosses from the right.
I think it could work, but I sadly don't think we'll try it and he'll permanently stay on the left. Line-up feels pretty likely, coinflips on Taylor/Camará , Ness/Hector and maybe one of the injured players returning to the bench (Leaburn?).
Be extremely surprised if we bring a Centre Back in before the window. Deji Eleware is very rated at the club and fully expect he will emerge back into the first team scene at some point this season.
Its not a numbers thing at CB though is it, its a lack of leadership and organising. I like Deji and I can see why he's rated but I would rather have an older more experienced head.
That's Hector's job surely? Jones is reasonably experienced too.
Why Hector has been so poor since pre season is a mystery.
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Can you tell me how he wants to play? From what I have seen, it is to lump it then try and win the 2nd ball?? If that’s the case, then we have been recruiting the wrong players
That’s a very simplistic way of looking at it, and a team playing that way probably wouldn’t have had more of the ball in every game we’ve played so far. Pressing and winning the ball high up is definitely a huge part of it, and players we’ve recruited like Camara and May fit that perfectly. We’ve been the best team in the league so far at winning the ball and creating chances from pressing and winning the ball high up. A striker might have helped us convert more of these chances
We have seen a lot more longer passes over the top to May, which is another strength of his. When we have Leaburn we might see more direct passes going into him too, which will help free up May as defenders will be attracted to Leaburn’s presence. May has had to lead the line and stay central, but if you look at a lot of his Cheltenham goals he is running the channels, picking the ball up in pockets of space, cutting inside and shooting. A new striker can be that central focal point and allow May to find the spaces either side of him.
But that’s not the only way we’ve attacked, in fact Holden seems to prefer quite a varied/practical approach rather than sticking with one way of building attacks like a Ben Garner would for example. We’re high in the league numbers for slower build up attacks (would probably be higher if we hadnt lost Fraser) and also longer passes. Holden wants attacking football which we are seeing but it’s difficult when we don’t have the striker we can all see we need.
Losing Fraser’s ball-playing abilities and Leaburn’s presence up top have definitely not helped and probably made it look more like we are just looking for long balls for May to chase and trying to win the ball high up the pitch, along with trying to isolate CBT into a 1v1 situation. But isn’t that Holden just trying to get the best out of what he has been left with?
It is interesting to see the voices of the new regime start trying to shift the blame towards Holden when to the rest of us it’s obvious he hasn’t been given the tools yet
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Can you tell me how he wants to play? From what I have seen, it is to lump it then try and win the 2nd ball?? If that’s the case, then we have been recruiting the wrong players
That’s a very simplistic way of looking at it, and a team playing that way probably wouldn’t have had more of the ball in every game we’ve played so far. Pressing and winning the ball high up is definitely a huge part of it, and players we’ve recruited like Camara and May fit that perfectly. We’ve been the best team in the league so far at winning the ball and creating chances from pressing and winning the ball high up. A striker might have helped us convert more of these chances
We have seen a lot more longer passes over the top to May, which is another strength of his. When we have Leaburn we might see more direct passes going into him too, which will help free up May as defenders will be attracted to Leaburn’s presence. May has had to lead the line and stay central, but if you look at a lot of his Cheltenham goals he is running the channels, picking the ball up in pockets of space, cutting inside and shooting. A new striker can be that central focal point and allow May to find the spaces either side of him.
But that’s not the only way we’ve attacked, in fact Holden seems to prefer quite a varied/practical approach rather than sticking with one way of building attacks like a Ben Garner would for example. We’re high in the league numbers for slower build up attacks (would probably be higher if we hadnt lost Fraser) and also longer passes. Holden wants attacking football which we are seeing but it’s difficult when we don’t have the striker we can all see we need.
Losing Fraser’s ball-playing abilities and Leaburn’s presence up top have definitely not helped and probably made it look more like we are just looking for long balls for May to chase and trying to win the ball high up the pitch, along with trying to isolate CBT into a 1v1 situation. But isn’t that Holden just trying to get the best out of what he has been left with?
It is interesting to see the voices of the new regime start trying to shift the blame towards Holden when to the rest of us it’s obvious he hasn’t been given the tools yet
Not totally shifting blame on Holden, but we have still had enough quality on the pitch to have got better results that’s for sure. What’s the saying, bad workman blame the tools.
And no blame from the ownership, Holden is their man.
I don’t think tactically we have been right last few games, and to many errors!
Never pleasing people… we sign a someone who is decent, highly rated.
Played in the premier league, had a decent loan at the end of the season in League One, but it isn’t enough..
Holden has already proven this year we are not going to stick to the same formation, it is a signing that gives us options, from the start or from the bench to change the game.
I expect 1 free in (Dabo) 2 or 3 loans and maybe one more fee being paid if the right deal can be agreed.
For me, our biggest issue is, we don’t really have an identity of the style of play, and that falls on the manager!
Let’s see where we are at the end of October, before we start to turn!
Not sure it does. He’s not been given the tools yet so it’s hard to show an identity/style of play when you haven’t got the players you want yet. I think he’s got a clear idea of how he wants us to play but we can only see small bits of it at the moment because we don’t have enough players
Can you tell me how he wants to play? From what I have seen, it is to lump it then try and win the 2nd ball?? If that’s the case, then we have been recruiting the wrong players
That’s a very simplistic way of looking at it, and a team playing that way probably wouldn’t have had more of the ball in every game we’ve played so far. Pressing and winning the ball high up is definitely a huge part of it, and players we’ve recruited like Camara and May fit that perfectly. We’ve been the best team in the league so far at winning the ball and creating chances from pressing and winning the ball high up. A striker might have helped us convert more of these chances
We have seen a lot more longer passes over the top to May, which is another strength of his. When we have Leaburn we might see more direct passes going into him too, which will help free up May as defenders will be attracted to Leaburn’s presence. May has had to lead the line and stay central, but if you look at a lot of his Cheltenham goals he is running the channels, picking the ball up in pockets of space, cutting inside and shooting. A new striker can be that central focal point and allow May to find the spaces either side of him.
But that’s not the only way we’ve attacked, in fact Holden seems to prefer quite a varied/practical approach rather than sticking with one way of building attacks like a Ben Garner would for example. We’re high in the league numbers for slower build up attacks (would probably be higher if we hadnt lost Fraser) and also longer passes. Holden wants attacking football which we are seeing but it’s difficult when we don’t have the striker we can all see we need.
Losing Fraser’s ball-playing abilities and Leaburn’s presence up top have definitely not helped and probably made it look more like we are just looking for long balls for May to chase and trying to win the ball high up the pitch, along with trying to isolate CBT into a 1v1 situation. But isn’t that Holden just trying to get the best out of what he has been left with?
It is interesting to see the voices of the new regime start trying to shift the blame towards Holden when to the rest of us it’s obvious he hasn’t been given the tools yet
Not totally shifting blame on Holden, but we have still had enough quality on the pitch to have got better results that’s for sure. What’s the saying, bad workman blame the tools.
And no blame from the ownership, Holden is their man.
I don’t think tactically we have been right last few games, and to many errors!
For clarity I am not saying for 1 minute get rid of Holden, but can’t put all the blame on recruitment and the ownership, he has to take some responsibility. As we have had enough on the pitch to get results
Comments
Pretty clear that DH's preferred style is 3-5-2 with wingers/wing backs and two forwards and the whole team closing down quickly to win the ball back high up the pitch.
But injuries and slow recruitment has denied him the opportunity to play that very often, in particular the lack of a second forward.
The experiments with 4 1 4 1 and 442 have been forced on him, not him not knowing what his favoured formation is IMHO.
But maybe it is easier for some to blame the manager than the owners
Its shows what he thinks of Kirk , DJ and McGrandles with how little he uses them off the bench the past 2 games.
I agree with others that I am unsure how some of these players fit into our starting 11.
If we play a 5-3-2 then we are playing a winger up front, if we play a 4-3-3 we are asking May to play as a lone striker which is clearly not his game. I am all for having options to mix things up and change formation where required but the gaping hole is still a bigger striker to play alongside may, unless the club are confident in getting Leaburn back asap and keeping him fit which seems a risky ploy to me.
For me, it looks like he is trying to play 2 different styles at 1 go, which won’t work!
With CBT switching wings almost in a free role behind Campbell and May rather than as a classic 10.
So now he IS trying different formations and tactics but out of chance not a lack of planning on his part.
I think we actually have decent CB’ but at the moment we have winger’s trying to cover RWB and they’re not that player.
Get a decent player like Dabo (assuming he’s fit enough for a season) and our defence should look a whole lot more settled.
Could be Deji who played for the U21s but I suspect not so who does that leave?
Leaburn?
Fraser?
Campbell T?
Aneke?
Why Hector has been so poor since pre season is a mystery.
I think it could work, but I sadly don't think we'll try it and he'll permanently stay on the left. Line-up feels pretty likely, coinflips on Taylor/Camará , Ness/Hector and maybe one of the injured players returning to the bench (Leaburn?).
https://www.castrust.org/2023/07/who-is-lloyd-jones/#:~:text=He%20played%2027%20League%20games,over%20the%20last%20two%20years.
We have seen a lot more longer passes over the top to May, which is another strength of his. When we have Leaburn we might see more direct passes going into him too, which will help free up May as defenders will be attracted to Leaburn’s presence. May has had to lead the line and stay central, but if you look at a lot of his Cheltenham goals he is running the channels, picking the ball up in pockets of space, cutting inside and shooting. A new striker can be that central focal point and allow May to find the spaces either side of him.
But that’s not the only way we’ve attacked, in fact Holden seems to prefer quite a varied/practical approach rather than sticking with one way of building attacks like a Ben Garner would for example. We’re high in the league numbers for slower build up attacks (would probably be higher if we hadnt lost Fraser) and also longer passes. Holden wants attacking football which we are seeing but it’s difficult when we don’t have the striker we can all see we need.
And no blame from the ownership, Holden is their man.