| Noticeable differences in “style”…. 23:02 - Aug 4 with 3769 views | Bloots |
….from KM to GON?
For me the initial noticeable difference is the speed at which he obviously wants us to win the ball back.
We obviously pressed high and efficiently under KM, but GON seems to want us to press more physically and engage with the opposition much quicker.
It could result in more free kicks/bookings coming our way, but it’s a positive sign. |  |
| "....get on, get on, get on, my groovy train” - Peter Joseph Hooton (Aug 1990) |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:06 - Aug 4 with 3621 views | FrimleyBlue |
Its kinda like returning to our first champ promotiom under km. Didnt we have the most overturns of the ball in the opponents half that season. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:20 - Aug 4 with 3396 views | DavoIPB |
I know it was only a friendly but we seemed to actually play quicker and more direct than last season already. We get the ball forward really quickly more often under GON. Plus it's far more entertaining |  | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:21 - Aug 4 with 3395 views | portmanking |
The thing I noticed most was the sheer number of underlapping runs. I can see why they are a nightmare for defenders to deal with. | | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:23 - Aug 4 with 3333 views | FrimleyBlue |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:21 - Aug 4 by portmanking |
The thing I noticed most was the sheer number of underlapping runs. I can see why they are a nightmare for defenders to deal with. |
And something very much needed in the prem | |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:36 - Aug 4 with 3184 views | jasondozzell |
Under KM in league one and first champ we were pressing monsters. The 'wolfpack'. Sometime find who said that for me - think it was Harry Clarke or Burns.
Understandably had to dial it down a bit in PL and then KM realised we were going to be the ones with the ball last season and it was more controlled.
I like GON attitude to winning the ball back and being aggressive in bursts. Think it will suit us. |  | | |
| Greaves talked post match about adapting to the new patterns??? on 23:44 - Aug 4 with 3073 views | unstableblue |
What are they exactly?
What are we seeing differently?
For me we seem to be moving forward as a group better. And we’re not using the midfield two as a pivot, we’re exploiting the space in front of deep midfield better. And are we tucking the touclines a bit more with Clarke and Fatawu?!
I just don’t know, but it feels subtly different and perhaps more effective - albeit weak opposition to date. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 23:45 - Aug 4 with 3064 views | buoyant |
We also looked to move the ball out from the back far quicker but with equal if notbbetter reward for the risk. Appreciate it was against an average team in a tame friendly but it was a good to see. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 00:09 - Aug 5 with 2916 views | Swansea_Blue |
I’m not seeing an obvious style yet |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 00:39 - Aug 5 with 2773 views | Illinoisblue |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 00:09 - Aug 5 by Swansea_Blue |
I’m not seeing an obvious style yet |
The ‘style’ will be survival. By any means necessary. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:09 - Aug 5 with 2254 views | RIPbobby |
The best thing so far is not the endless sideways, sideways, sideways. We are finding a new fb role for furlong. He seems to have much more fitness than we ever knew and presses for ball retrieval. Does that hint towards 3 centre halves in the really tough away matches. We already seem less predictable.
KM had the more behaviourism approach 'do something over and over and you become better at it' the bad thing with that was the opposition became better at stopping it. I am quietly confident in the new manager. I think he has the chance to do something special with us. Good luck to him. |  | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:21 - Aug 5 with 2191 views | Gary_Knows |
Yup, 2 things that stood out was our pressing and how quick we tried to win the ball back and then the speed at which we wanted to get the ball forward. As someone else mentioned, love McKenna and everything he did, but felt we didn’t look to play 438 passes between the centre backs last night.
That said, it was Le Havre who weren’t much cop, so I’ll be more interested to see what the game plan is come City away. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:52 - Aug 5 with 1898 views | BrockleyBlue78 |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:09 - Aug 5 by RIPbobby |
The best thing so far is not the endless sideways, sideways, sideways. We are finding a new fb role for furlong. He seems to have much more fitness than we ever knew and presses for ball retrieval. Does that hint towards 3 centre halves in the really tough away matches. We already seem less predictable.
KM had the more behaviourism approach 'do something over and over and you become better at it' the bad thing with that was the opposition became better at stopping it. I am quietly confident in the new manager. I think he has the chance to do something special with us. Good luck to him. |
5-3-2 hopefully |  | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:57 - Aug 5 with 1831 views | TownieRob |
As others have mentioned too, we're moving the ball much quicker at the back. It feels like we're taking one pass instead of the two or three we often did before across the back. Seems to be less 'baiting' the press.
The full-backs also seem to have a slightly different role when in possession. They're coming much narrower in the build-up, to create an extra man in midfield, which is then giving the opposition full-back and winger a bit of a headache, do they follow them inside or leave them? If they leave them, they're free as an option. If they go with them, it creates more space for our wingers, who seem to be staying much higher and wider, ending up one-on-one and available for the ball to attack the box.
A couple of other things I've noticed, although it's only a small sample size so far, so I'm not sure if it's a deliberate tactic or just how the games have played out. One of the two in the midfield pivot keeps dropping really deep to collect the ball off the centre-backs, almost quarterback-like, both Humphreys and Egeli did it well last night. There also seems to be a real emphasis on looking forward first, rather than immediately taking the safe sideways or backwards option like we did so often before, this is definitely welcomed.
Out of possession, the intensity to win the ball back higher up the pitch and hunt in packs looks like another change. It'll be a much tougher ask to keep that up in the PL, but it'll be interesting to see if it continues. | | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:01 - Aug 5 with 1764 views | Bluemike31 |
I am liking what I am seeing already, the press is very good and the closing down is very intense, of course it was only "Le Havre" some will say, but the intention is clear, add to that we play One pass where last season Ten would do. [Post edited 5 Aug 7:01]
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:14 - Aug 5 with 1667 views | RetroBlue |
Reading fans comments on this thread, and listening to the players comments, it seems tnings under the new management are basically, " fun" and a coming across as quicker, and there's breath of fresh air about the place generally. I doubt we can do.any worse with this new group once its settled in. And us fans may feel more entertained with faster, build up play. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:24 - Aug 5 with 1556 views | Dubtractor |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:21 - Aug 5 by Gary_Knows |
Yup, 2 things that stood out was our pressing and how quick we tried to win the ball back and then the speed at which we wanted to get the ball forward. As someone else mentioned, love McKenna and everything he did, but felt we didn’t look to play 438 passes between the centre backs last night.
That said, it was Le Havre who weren’t much cop, so I’ll be more interested to see what the game plan is come City away. |
Yep, tricky to read too much into a friendly against a poor team, but some signs of a bit of football identity starting to show. |  |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:41 - Aug 5 with 1403 views | ZapatasMoustache |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 06:57 - Aug 5 by TownieRob |
As others have mentioned too, we're moving the ball much quicker at the back. It feels like we're taking one pass instead of the two or three we often did before across the back. Seems to be less 'baiting' the press.
The full-backs also seem to have a slightly different role when in possession. They're coming much narrower in the build-up, to create an extra man in midfield, which is then giving the opposition full-back and winger a bit of a headache, do they follow them inside or leave them? If they leave them, they're free as an option. If they go with them, it creates more space for our wingers, who seem to be staying much higher and wider, ending up one-on-one and available for the ball to attack the box.
A couple of other things I've noticed, although it's only a small sample size so far, so I'm not sure if it's a deliberate tactic or just how the games have played out. One of the two in the midfield pivot keeps dropping really deep to collect the ball off the centre-backs, almost quarterback-like, both Humphreys and Egeli did it well last night. There also seems to be a real emphasis on looking forward first, rather than immediately taking the safe sideways or backwards option like we did so often before, this is definitely welcomed.
Out of possession, the intensity to win the ball back higher up the pitch and hunt in packs looks like another change. It'll be a much tougher ask to keep that up in the PL, but it'll be interesting to see if it continues. |
The ‘quarterback’ thing was very obvious last night. Humphreys, then Barbrook after CH went off, played in what would be the LCB position (in a three) for a lot of the transitions. He was waaay deeper than Davis and often behind the RCB, with the actual LCB playing just deepest in the middle. This ‘quarterback’ (though I don’t like the term) was playing on a diagonal line which went from LCB all the way up to R10, which was pretty interesting. As the LWB moved up (often changing position with LW), the other CM was coming out laterally to fill the space. Pretty neat and effective. Certainly suited CH’s passing which is really good!
Two other main tactical observations:
1) far fewer passing triangles with GK/CB/CM
2) far more long passes to runners in the final third
I think we are going to be pretty direct at times this season. |  | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:45 - Aug 5 with 1335 views | Gary_Knows |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:41 - Aug 5 by ZapatasMoustache |
The ‘quarterback’ thing was very obvious last night. Humphreys, then Barbrook after CH went off, played in what would be the LCB position (in a three) for a lot of the transitions. He was waaay deeper than Davis and often behind the RCB, with the actual LCB playing just deepest in the middle. This ‘quarterback’ (though I don’t like the term) was playing on a diagonal line which went from LCB all the way up to R10, which was pretty interesting. As the LWB moved up (often changing position with LW), the other CM was coming out laterally to fill the space. Pretty neat and effective. Certainly suited CH’s passing which is really good!
Two other main tactical observations:
1) far fewer passing triangles with GK/CB/CM
2) far more long passes to runners in the final third
I think we are going to be pretty direct at times this season. |
‘I think we are going to be pretty direct at times this season’.
Thing is, I think most teams are these days, even the top sides. City play up to Haaland, Arsenal play up to Gyokores, Newcastle with Woltemade …. I think there’s something quite pure that football has gone full circle from playing out from the back, to realising the best football is always that which is played in the oppositions half and as far away from your own goal as possible - maybe Allardyce and Pulis had it right all along. | |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:57 - Aug 5 with 1158 views | Dubtractor |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:45 - Aug 5 by Gary_Knows |
‘I think we are going to be pretty direct at times this season’.
Thing is, I think most teams are these days, even the top sides. City play up to Haaland, Arsenal play up to Gyokores, Newcastle with Woltemade …. I think there’s something quite pure that football has gone full circle from playing out from the back, to realising the best football is always that which is played in the oppositions half and as far away from your own goal as possible - maybe Allardyce and Pulis had it right all along. |
It will be interesting to see how we play on the counter against teams that pin us in a bit, never felt we really nailed that last time round in the premier league. To do that you need real pace plus really tidy footballers, to punish teams who leave the door open a bit. | |
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| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 08:50 - Aug 5 with 825 views | RIPbobby |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:45 - Aug 5 by Gary_Knows |
‘I think we are going to be pretty direct at times this season’.
Thing is, I think most teams are these days, even the top sides. City play up to Haaland, Arsenal play up to Gyokores, Newcastle with Woltemade …. I think there’s something quite pure that football has gone full circle from playing out from the back, to realising the best football is always that which is played in the oppositions half and as far away from your own goal as possible - maybe Allardyce and Pulis had it right all along. |
I think it kind of goes in cycles. When KM came in and we went up lots of the league one teams copied our model. The same happened when we went up in the championship and when we came back down we had to change again as opponents knew what to expect from us. Opponents bored the crap out of us last season, but well done to players and manager for getting us out if that.
I really like the look out of what GON is building. It is really innovative and unpredictable. He has some great ideas that are a little different from the norm. This is going to be the horses for courses team you need in the top flight and i think the subs will be much less set in stone. Quite excited by this. | | | |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 09:21 - Aug 5 with 680 views | xrayspecs |
| Noticeable differences in “style”…. on 07:24 - Aug 5 by Dubtractor |
Yep, tricky to read too much into a friendly against a poor team, but some signs of a bit of football identity starting to show. |
Were Le Havre poor, they were technically better than us in most positions - or did we stop them playing? | | | |
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