Blues boss Paul Jewell says he is yet to decide whether to scrap Town’s diamond midfield when Town take on Nottingham Forest at the City Ground in a week’s time. The system, which saw his side to a run of results which took them into the play-off places, has come under scrutiny more recently after three successive defeats.

Jewell says Town have to take care not to overreact: “What we’ve got isn’t completely shattered, it’s not completely broken. What you’ve got to do in times like this is try and keep a cool head and keep believing that what you’re trying to do is right.

“We’re not doing too much differently to what we were doing three weeks ago, we’ve just started making basic errors and are getting punished for them.

“Perhaps people have got wise to our system. Maybe we’ll change the system, maybe we won’t.”

In the second half of Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Doncaster the Blues switched to a more traditional 4-4-2 with Josh Carson and Lee Martin out wide, while the Town manager could return to the five-man midfield employed earlier on in the season.

Photo: Action Images

tomisamos added 23:11 - Nov 10 Agree with Garv, to say we've lost 'several thousand fans' over this is probably an exaggeration. To say we know best is real idiocy. We've played our best football this season with the diamond and I don't remember any of us moaning when it work - and it worked for more games than the past three. This is frustrating, yes. But unless h32, jas0999, pmason (if he still exists) and all the rest could provide us with some better managers (who would actually come) some more substantial signings or players (bear in mind our youth players WILL mess up too, maybe worse like Smith and Ainsley, therefore we WILL lose more, carson didn't set the world alight the few games he played at the start of the season) to bring in and a match winning formation other than those they keep moaning about, how about just let the manager do his job? We're hardly in steve kean territory, give the man a break, if we go on a four game unbeaten run from here you'll all be singing his praises again.

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tomisamos added 23:14 - Nov 10 In any case, his words actually imply he's undecided because he's realised people may have sussed out his tactics, therefore he's thinking of changing his gameplan to surprise the opposition, but not confirming anything so as not to give the game away, I don't really think that's a negative...
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blueherts added 07:32 - Nov 11 As many of you say on here - If the players perform their role it can work - the key is having a manager ( and players) who can switch formation and system IN A GAME They spend hours on training ground each day working on errr something , so you would like to think they can make the changes . But it all comes back to it dont matter if its a Diamond - maybe we call it a RHOMBUS FORMATION - that ll fool em eh !!! Maybe we would should buy some Dutch midfielders - Alot of diamonds there .... Basics - if the players and manager cant adapt it dont matter Personally I am old school width , width , width - get ball down and use the flanks !!

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blrmy added 08:31 - Nov 11 Shankley, Ramsey and Robson had their players working as a team, for each other. Formations, blurgh. It's a patch of turf with 22 players, not chess. Hard work, flexibility and desire - that's a formation!
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blueherts added 08:57 - Nov 11 Get in there blrmy !! Lets revolt against the diamond - Helps if midfielders can use the ball first and find their own men
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Pettitt10 added 09:53 - Nov 11 Switch it up PJ, something has got to change!
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fanofblue added 10:19 - Nov 11 Fed up with reading about what system to play.Since the Brighton game we have played rubbish,It`s done to whoever PJ picks to put in a shift ,give 100% and the results will come.
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SouperJim added 10:23 - Nov 11 +1 Bergholt
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fanofblue added 10:29 - Nov 11 Fed up with reading about systems,since the Brighton game we have been rubbish.The players who are doing the business in training should give 100% on the pitch for 90mins plus and do their jobs.Basic rule defend from the front and attack with pace.
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HARRY10 added 11:16 - Nov 11 "how about just let the manager do his job? 2 Yes, silly old us and our comments stopping Jewell from doing his job. Perhaps if Phil could close down this forum/website we could see a push for the play off places. Maybe fans could further make no comment elsewhere in the pub, at work at home and even at the game and we could be top by Easter. That is, if you believe that what we say on here governs what goes on the pitch. If it does then we are in an even worse position that it would already appear.

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DanLyles added 12:04 - Nov 11 I went to the Donny game and with the diamond we looked bereft of ideas, were exposed down the flanks and as PJ keeps reiterating, very short on pace. As soon as the youthful exuberance of JET, Martin and Carson entered the fray and we switched to something resembling 4-2-3-1 (which incidentally got 2 of the 3 clubs promoted last season) we looked like we could score every time we went forward. We stretched Donny with our pace, we had players who could beat a man and fundamentally we had far more options across the pitch, making retention of the ball a much easier task. People have worked out the diamond and if Bullard isn't on song it has no chance of working effectively. Bullard, however, could play in one of the holding roles or the central role of the elusive trio in a 4-2-3-1.

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SomershamBlue added 12:13 - Nov 11 Have to agree with others who have made the point that the 'formation' is not really the issue - and whatever any football manager says to the press has to be taken with a pinch of salt. If the players have the desire, passion and energy, then the results will come - my reference point would be Donny last Saturday.
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IvorFeeling added 12:49 - Nov 11 Systems have there merits, but having game changers is the real nub of this. Until we have true pace and width we will be easier to play against, sure we will win some and lose some but we are going to get to the playoffs without pace and guille. Whilst I haven't totally lost faith, PJ with his starting 11 against Donny had lost the plot - this must have translated to the players. We can't change what we have got until Jan, with Collins going back mid December, Sonko (in/out with niggles) and Delaney injured the GD column, in my opinion is only going to get worse. I am not moaning, I am not asking for PJ to be sacked just reality in my opinion and as a betting man I will be looking to exploit this knowledge.

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LordMamu added 13:46 - Nov 11 I'm concerned about PJ's hair in that picture - it's embarrassing. For that reason alone, he must go.....
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Stu_Magoo added 15:03 - Nov 11 Jas = pessimistic kn*bhead, the kind of which we do not need.
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AlanMahon2011 added 16:42 - Nov 11 If I was PJ i'd play Barrett in goal, Smith & Kennedy in defence, Old man Bowyer in midfield and Priskin upfront.... Can't be any worse than 3-0 down at half time?
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Paulc added 16:54 - Nov 11 "Perhaps people have got wise to our system." - Guuurrrr, You think? A good manager needs to know how to change the way we play according to two things: 1. The strengths of the players available on the day 2. The weaknesses of the opposition on the day Enough said
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llewej_tuo added 18:07 - Nov 11 JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT JEWELL OUT
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tomisamos added 18:54 - Nov 11 ^ The return of pmason...?
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churchmans added 20:13 - Nov 11 4-4-2 please!!!!!!
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h32 added 22:07 - Nov 11 tomisamos - always if's, but's and maybe's with you lot - just continue to be contented with losing - LOSERS. It suits you fine - obviously.
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h32 added 22:10 - Nov 11 LordMamu - the hair's ok - it's what's under it that worries me.
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tomisamos added 11:47 - Nov 12 You might have been coming to Portman Road since 1966 or whenever it was, don't really care, but your comments have the maturity of a ten year old's. If you're not content with supporting the team through the bad go and move to Manchester.
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h32 added 14:02 - Nov 13 As if anyone really cares about you either - BO##OCKS juvenile. Put your head back in the sand.
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tomisamos added 15:32 - Nov 13 I don't pretend anyone does. I'm not the one writing and swearing in angry capital letters in order to be noticed...
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