We were flabbergasted when we saw so many changes waiting in the Fanzone before yesterday’s match. But mulling over it last night and this morning, on the long journey back from Suffolk, I've made peace with Hurst's selection yesterday. I'm comforting myself with the decision that there was a clear logic to what he was trying to do.
It was a very offensive line-up, with some very specific aims behind it.
Firstly, the formation. Watching from the SBRL (behind the goal), it is often difficult to see the precise structure of the team. But it seemed that you could read it as a 4-1-3-1-1, or 4-1-3-2 (the difference being whether Walters/Jackson were up front together, or lone striker, or more likely rotating in the lone striker role).Â
Gerks
Spence Chambers Pennington Knudsen
Skuse
Edwards Nolan Graham
Jackson
Walters
I’m going to ignore the Bart/Gerks switch. Personally, I think it could be justified, given the number of errors from Bart this season — especially by a manager who is basing his decisions on what he is seeing *NOW* not form over the past 2/3 seasons. But I can understand why it left a few people discombobulated...
But ahead of the keeper we had 4 solid, defence-first defenders. plus 1 deep midfield protector. This solid back 5 in place to allow the rest to push forward - Edwards & Graham wide, to use their pace and trickery against Pinto (who was dropped) & Lewis and push them backwards, prevent them from coming forward to attack and support Hernandez & Marshall (also dropped). We shouldn’t forget that Graham has always been viewed by Hurst as his second speedy winger, to balance Edwards. I wasn't surprised he started. Hurst had also said he was looking sharp in training, as I recall.
In the middle, Nolan’s role (slightly deeper than a 10) was to play in Jackson to use his pace against Klose and Hanley (neither of them fast), Walters to bully them.
The successes for me were: Edwards, who got loads of the ball and terrorised them at times; Walters, back with a bang and set to be a massive part of our next four months; Pennington, excellent in his first game, with barely a session training with Chambers; back 4 generally, looked generally solid.
I’d possibly put Jackson in here too — quiet in the first half, he was much more involved and effective second half. He seemed to be learning from Walters as the game wore on and they looked more and more comfortable working together. I can see this combination working over the coming months.Â
The failures: Graham, seemed off the pace and was a gamble which didn’t pay off; Edun, I’d have preferred to see him on the pitch when Graham came off.
Personally, I'm concerned that there were too many changes, especially as we're trying to bed in a new line-up and develop understanding and partnerships between a group of new players. After five matches, I thought we knew what Hurst’s first XI was. But I’m not sure now. And I really am not sure what team we will see at Hull.
But Hurst did have a plan. Maybe it was a plan specific for yesterday's match. Normal service may well be resumed after the International break. Maybe? [Post edited 3 Sep 2018 16:47]
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