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Plan A and that's it 07:23 - Dec 27 with 624 viewsslade1

I have never criticised Kieron or questioned his decisions before but .....

The simple reason and the most obvious reason we are having a start stop and stuttering season is, as many have said before me, we only play one way and one way only, despite who's name is on the team sheet.

Even making substitutions, it is always like for like and keep the exact same system and tactics. There is never ever one deviation or a slight change of approach if things aren't going our way. We could be 5-0 up or 5-0 down but everything stays the same.
We have a plan A but no plan B, C or even D.

It worked bloody well when we got promoted from League One and it worked bloody well when we got promoted from The Championship, but it hasn't worked bloody well since.

We got promoted in May 2024, over a year and 7 months ago. Since then it hasn't been that good. OK, I know we got to the Premier league too quickly (debatable) and were out of our depth but our tactics, style of play never ever changed all season and we lost the majority of games.

We were brilliant League One and The Championship and played teams off the park but . . . . . . every other team and every other manager from then on knew how we played, they knew our style of play, they knew our tactics and they knew if we made substitutions, the player coming on would be exactly the same as the player going off.

Every single person reading this will know our Plan A for the next match, and the match after that, and the match after that etc etc.
Nothing changes. Different players but same style of play, same tactics, and same Plan A, with no other plan in sight.

I have attended games since 1971 and am still a season ticket holder and I have seen some excellent seasons believe me under Robson, Lyall, Burley etc and the two recent promotions have been up there with the best.

I know I shouldn't criticise us really as we are in third position in a hard league but I feel something isn't quite right and something is missing right now and maybe its to do with all that I have written about above about only one way of playing and being found out by every other manager?
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Plan A and that's it on 07:28 - Dec 27 with 593 viewsmuccletonjoe

I think the reason his plan A hasn't been working well, is the players he has brought in to operate it. Szmodics, Akpom, Azon ,McAteer , here is where the problems lay , not necessarily the system.
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Plan A and that's it on 08:52 - Dec 27 with 473 viewsPaul

There is certainly an argument to be made about the predictability of our line-up, system and tactics. I know the system is designed to have some degree of flexibility but I do think we need to have a few more options up our sleeve for when things aren't going as well as hoped for whatever reason. Nearly every other team knows how we set-up and knows our weaknesses - a bit of variability wouldn't go amiss and might help some of the players who aren't doing as well as hoped.
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Plan A and that's it on 08:59 - Dec 27 with 449 viewscressi

I've been saying it for 18 months regards the subs generally around the same time and like for like. Never ever seen two up front.
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Plan A and that's it on 09:10 - Dec 27 with 397 viewsLibero

Plan A and that's it on 08:59 - Dec 27 by cressi

I've been saying it for 18 months regards the subs generally around the same time and like for like. Never ever seen two up front.


Sorry, you’re bemoaning that we’re not playing ‘two up front’ when we have an attacking unit of four players?

It’s not 1997 - football has changed.
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Plan A and that's it on 09:38 - Dec 27 with 340 viewsslade1

Another thing, lets take a few more shots at goal rather than trying to play perfect football and walking the ball into the net.
Jack and Jayden have shots and often score so there is the proof!
[Post edited 27 Dec 9:39]
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Plan A and that's it on 09:42 - Dec 27 with 306 viewsSuperKieranMcKenna

Plan A and that's it on 08:59 - Dec 27 by cressi

I've been saying it for 18 months regards the subs generally around the same time and like for like. Never ever seen two up front.


What would be the point - we’d just have two players not receiving the ball instead of one. How many touches did Akpom get after coming on. Not necessarily his fault if the ball is just being pinged around backwards or sideways.
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Plan A and that's it on 09:58 - Dec 27 with 245 viewsPlums

Plan A and that's it on 09:38 - Dec 27 by slade1

Another thing, lets take a few more shots at goal rather than trying to play perfect football and walking the ball into the net.
Jack and Jayden have shots and often score so there is the proof!
[Post edited 27 Dec 9:39]


I think you'll find the answer to why that doesn't happen too often on the flip chart in the image below.

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Plan A and that's it on 10:04 - Dec 27 with 222 viewsbilllm

Plan A and that's it on 08:59 - Dec 27 by cressi

I've been saying it for 18 months regards the subs generally around the same time and like for like. Never ever seen two up front.


Agree, take yesterday, the subs are pre planned so this one game at a time dosent sit with me in that alone he's thinking of the next game,
So he takes philogene off as pre planned who was then our most dangerous out let
And left on may have scored should have left him on and started a fresh Clarke at Coventry,
Macateer also was then heavily starting to have moments would have had an assist if we had a good striker oh wait pre planned take him off, McKenna has no flexibility about him,
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Plan A and that's it on 10:06 - Dec 27 with 218 viewsPinewoodblue

Plan A and that's it on 09:58 - Dec 27 by Plums

I think you'll find the answer to why that doesn't happen too often on the flip chart in the image below.


The solution sits in front of the flip chart.

We seem to be stifling freedom of expression on the pitch. We might need to play the way we are if we gain promotion but it isn’t the best way to get out of this division.

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Plan A and that's it on 10:08 - Dec 27 with 217 viewsLibero

Plan A and that's it on 09:58 - Dec 27 by Plums

I think you'll find the answer to why that doesn't happen too often on the flip chart in the image below.


Also a valuable image for all those whinging on about Furlong ‘offering nothing going forwards’ - instructions in possession are clear here- form part of an asymmetric back three to give Leif the freedom to join the attack- width being provided on the right side by the right forward.
[Post edited 27 Dec 10:10]
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Plan A and that's it on 11:05 - Dec 27 with 121 viewscressi

Plan A and that's it on 09:10 - Dec 27 by Libero

Sorry, you’re bemoaning that we’re not playing ‘two up front’ when we have an attacking unit of four players?

It’s not 1997 - football has changed.


I don't mean start 2 up front but wolves at home last season losing with 15 to go what have u got to lose this season at Boro we was still playing tippy tippy with a minute to go. And you could play 3 5 2
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Plan A and that's it on 11:07 - Dec 27 with 117 viewsLibero

Plan A and that's it on 11:05 - Dec 27 by cressi

I don't mean start 2 up front but wolves at home last season losing with 15 to go what have u got to lose this season at Boro we was still playing tippy tippy with a minute to go. And you could play 3 5 2


you might want to take a look at the image shared in the thread above…
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