Yes. Ok?
I mean, that’s not what will happen. People who didn’t even watch the performance will slate it, rightly or wrongly. But I’d rather just shrug it off than get into that debate.
Roberts
Norman Scarr Johnson Leahy
Edwards Kinsella Osbourne Jarvis
Cook Oteh
We are away from home, so 4-4-2
I’d go:
Roberts
Norman, Scarr, Fitzwater, Leahy
Devlin, Osbourne (in front of back 4), Dobson (if fit else Kinsella), Jarvis
Ismail, Cook
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Roberts
Devlin Johnson Fitzwater Laird (a whole new back four - madness but who cares 
)
B-Taylor Edwards Kinsella Jarvis
Oteh Cook
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Roberts
Devlin, Fitzwater, Scarr, Laird
Zeli, Kinsella, Edwards, Jarvis,
Cook, Oteh.
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Roberts
10 others
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My idea comes from a more advanced thinking than your Cook Head, Cook Score Goal, Cook Smash mentality.
I’m looking to flood the midfield with energy, I would be looking for (if Dobson was playing) any 1 of 3 to hold the midfield and any 1 of 3 to get beyond the lone striker. 3 in midfield allow us to play 2 out and out wingers without being exposed down the wings. In order to play this the lone striker will need to run channels and occupy the entire front line across the width of the pitch. I’m willing to sacrifice individual goals in the search for more team goals.
My thinking comes more from “he’s the only player in our squad that looks like scoring” mentality actually
Fair play with the rest of your Football Manager synopsis though.
Funny because in the last few games Oteh has looked more like scoring against Blackpool and Guthrie and Jarvis had the best chances against Wimbledon.
And if you look at the football manager thread you’ll see I smash that game so thanks.
Cook literally had the best and closest chance against Wimbledon (Header 1st half), but nearly scoring =/= scoring. Bakayoko used to nearly score a lot. Simeon Jackson used to nearly score a lot. Andy Cook actually has scored a few this season.
And I’m a fan of Oteh. I think they both should start. That way you don’t need to hope midfielders bomb on and leave gaps behind as your only source for goals. See, I can do the football manager thing too 
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Well done you. Give yourself a star.
I’ll take midfield runners making late bursts into the box over strikers standing still any day.
Oh and the Guthrie, Jarvis and Oteh chances counted as shots on target and forced saves from their respective goalkeepers.
I think when it comes to Cook you have a bit of a halo effect.
What a strange conclusion to come to. That you can only score one way or the other.
It helps in a discussion if you respond rather than simply editing your earlier response but I digress.
So? They didn’t go in, they were as close as the Cook chance. i.e. not goals.
So first I was a neanderthol because I disagreed with you, now I’m just a fan boy?
Nah you’re right. Drop our out and out top scorer and pack the team with midfielders in the hope they might score. That’s definitely the more sensible option. What do I know, I’m just a Stan 
Thanks for the tip. Maybe you were just that quick to jump at your own defence that you didn’t allow me to edit my own post.
Halo effect was more to point out that you can’t see any wrong in his games. It also leads to my Cook Head, Cook Score Goal, Cook Smash point. You seem very happy with that.
My point is more that I would sacrifice Cooks individual goals. The tally of which is 16 in order to develop a style that gets more bodies in the box on the move that can maybe each contribute 6-8 goals a season themselves. Because at the moment our game plan works solely on the basis that the ball is fired at 2 blokes who may battle their way through with the second ball. It’s a bit percentage based and despite one of the blokes being successful at it, it isn’t working and our results and testament to that.
Whilst I understand the want to replicate the style/system we played under Smith, I really don’t think we have the players to do so.
We should absolutely be looking to play to our strengths, which is utilising our wide players - who are our most technically gifted - and using them to supply Cook. I really can’t see the goal threat or creativity coming from the centre of the park, given the personnel. Dobson, Kinsella and Edwards are all industrious and I’d love to see those three playing in the same midfield to break up play and feed the ball to Jarvis, Zeli, Taylor etc.
I actually think Cook is the best option as a lone striker in a 4-3-3. This tactic in the last couple of games of just lumping the ball into him is very strange considering the ability he has with the ball at his feet, the goals against Charlton, Coventry (cup) and Plymouth highlight that perfectly. I think that would give us the best chance of remaining solid, whilst also retaining our only proven goal threat.
Forgive me for thinking you were done when you posted.
So a fan boy?
So a neanderthal?
I know what your point is mate. You’ve already said all that.
How about, and I know this is controversial, we DON’T sacrifice our top scorer in a search for more goals BUT we don’t over rely on him as we have been doing by just flinging the ball to him and expecting him to “do summat”? Nah drop him. Play 11 midfielders if we can!
Yes mate it is wanting to replicate a system played under smith. It’s a successful system and it’s also a system replicated by a lot of teams in the league and although we’ve not got players as direct forwards. It allows for more bodies defensively and the same amount of bodies for the attacking phase. It also allows the 2 out and out wingers.
It’s well known in football that midfield runners are difficult to pick up. They have the advantage of seeing the cross and editing their run to suit angle and trajectory.
We can play Cook there but it’s a thankless task playing as a lone striker and one that requires a higher work rate as you have to work the entire line for the full width of the pitch.
Completely agree, I would love nothing more than for us to return to that fluid 4-2-3-1, but I think the key to that system is the ability of the central midfield players - one stopper, one box to box and one creator. In 15/16 for a period of time we got that trio completely right with Adam Chambers, George Evans and Romaine Sawyers, and we saw some of the best football I’ve seen as a Walsall fan.
Compare those three to Dobson, Kinsella and Edwards. Whilst they’re not bad players, I don’t think they’ve got the skillset to be effective in that style/formation…
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Yes a fan boy
Yes a Neanderthal
And I’m glad you know my point. I’ve made it clear and my work here is done.
My system will work the fact is I’ve put my head above the parapet and suggest moving away from something that’s not working. I’ve even backed my answer up with theory.
You carry on following the crowd but it’s not working. We don’t attack teams with any threat or purpose.