Way of playing

[LouReedwalkonthewildside]

We seemed to just hoof it long today like.

Then watch it sail out for a goal kick, or land where there isn't an Everton player in sight.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Not the way we played today

 

[Frang]

as good as spurs were, we made it ever so easy for them to look good.

it was on par with the Southampton away result last season for me.

and we were at home.

its ok tho, its transition

 

[Osamabindiesel]

This side is significantly more direct. If anything, we are pretty poor in possession but we work hard to get it back. This side would be lethal with a speedy goalscorer

 

[Frang]

This side is significantly more direct. If anything, we are pretty poor in possession but we work hard to get it back. This side would be lethal with a speedy goalscorer

lethal you say... im all for abit of lethality

 

[Ihaters]

For what it's worth, I am considering this season a nothing season, but an important one for Silva, where he can assess the weaknesses in the team for the way he wants to play, to do that he needs to play his style, and those that cannot adapt will move on and the system will grow with the players we bring in.
Hard to assess that in his first transfer window, and pointless changing formations, we need to work out what will work in the system we are going to play and who can and cannot fit into it.

That being said, the defending is abysmal.

 

[Frang]

For what it's worth, I am considering this season a nothing season, but an important one for Silva, where he can assess the weaknesses in the team for the way he wants to play, to do that he needs to play his style, and those that cannot adapt will move on and the system will grow with the players we bring in.
Hard to assess that in his first transfer window, and pointless changing formations, we need to work out what will work in the system we are going to play and who can and cannot fit into it.

That being said, the defending is abysmal.

he has to learn to adapt his style then. being a one trick pony gets you nothing in this league

 

[Ihaters]

he has to learn to adapt his style then. being a one trick pony gets you nothing in this league

Once he knows what personnel work with the main system, then you can start adapting, but what good is it knowing that Kean is great in a back 3 when you play a back 4, or that Richarlison isn't a great as a second striker if your not using a second striker.

He needs to work out his formation, work out who is effective, then use the next window to build on it. Once he has what he wants, use the squad to adapt at will, the main formation will be as strong as possible.

 

[WA Toffee]

He wasn’t my preferred choice, but I did say that he would need at least a season to start building a team in his image and that his second season is where we can start to judge him.
I see no reason to change my mind at this stage.

 

[CRIMHEAD]

Agreed with either Gana or back 3. Also agree with our issues with ball retention.

I think Silva would prefer two defensive mids that can still push forward a bit but most importantly allow for fullbacks to push upwards. Davies was out of position way too often. We also are way too unathletic in the midfield.

But our ball retention is horrid. Today was as bad as it gets. There is ZERO recognition when we are vulnerable to the counter and no corresponding decision making.

 

[gonetomorrow]

Our players aren't good enough or quick enough to play like top six.
We don't high press, we hoof it and it comes back and if we play from the back we tend to lose it. We can only hope to be the best of the rest with the squad we have.

 

[Albro]

Worth noting if we revert to a back 3, there really is no room for Sigurdsson. Meaning - again we need another good CM to partner Gomes. Its a good formation against the sky 6, and if we had slotted our chances against City we may have even got a result.

 

[Zatara]

When we hired Silva, we hired him for a multitude of reasons not least because of the style of play and systems he has used.

On Monday Night Football there was a discussion near the start of the season with Carragher and Neville about a team (I think Arsenal?) where the manager had stuck to his chosen style but some of the players werent able to adapt.

Carragher argued that the manager should adapt the system to suit the players while Neville said the players need to adapt to the system or be sold.

I agree 100% with Neville, after all you dont expect to hire Allardyce and watch his teams play free flowing football...the same applies with Silva.

This team is turning into a carbon copy of Martinez,s side. I posted on here when we where first linked with Silva that I was worried he was very Martinez like. If he wants to continue to play with his defence stretched so wide and the full backs pushed so high at times he's got to either play with 3 centre backs or a deep lying midfielder sitting just in front of 2. Is it a coincidence our poor form has coincided with Gana being out, I include the fact that before he was missing from the side I think he's been carrying an injury. Also, it's been quite apparent for a while now that we do not win the 2nd ball consistently enough. All the top teams make sure they pick up the loose. It's what the RS,s whole game plan is based on, City have been doing it for a few years now that's one of the reasons they're so good. Yes they have great players but they're also coached to do the basics right. If a teams in possession it's players take up attacking positions or have a mind set to do so and if you can get a foot in as an opposition player then pick up the loose, once you've turned possession over you've got a great chance of putting the other team in trouble because the chances are they're on the front foot or out of position. We don't do that often enough. Spurs did it all game against us today. Thoughts?

Gana being out (in my opinion) is 100% irrelevant. The fact is that we simply dont currently have the correct personnel to play in Silvas preferred style yet. Not least the fact that most of our players are worse than Spurs' or others.

In fact I think he has adapted his style of play a bit to cover for how poor some of our players actually fit into it.

As for being Similar to a Martinez team I strongly disagree in the sense that Silva has always set up his teams to counter attack whereas Martinez preferrs the slow build up.

Richarlison for example is his ideal counter attacking player as hes fast, can go past players and score but also able to press and wants to win. The same goes for all his permanent signings.

Where I think we fall down is in a few areas:

1 -- Coleman, Keane and Zouma are not comfortable passing the ball. Compare their ability here with Spurs defence.

2 -- The centre midfield with Gana, Gomes and Sigurdsson is top heavy. Meaning, the DM should be a playmaker able to drop back and bring the ball forward off the defence, instead we have an ultra defensive player here leaving Gomes to be the one to drop deep.

Once Gomes has the ball the player in front of him is Gana who isnt a centre midfielder. In a counter attacking situation this doesnt matter so much because we would look to get the ball forward quickly, but to build play its certainly a weak area.

However in a counter, as Gana would be the one mostly winning the ball hes also expected to get it to our attacking players and he doesnt have the ability.

3 -- The left side of Digne and Richarlison is what Silva wanted. I dont think anyone could find better signings than them for just over £50mil. They are the epitome of the players he wants. Compare this with the right side of Coleman and Walcott -- because they are so limited we cant build play from the right frequently (aside from lumping in a cross) and the opposition targets that side.

LB Digne
CB - Mina
CM - Gomes
LF - Richarlison / Bernard

Those are the players who Silva clearly wants in the team. The jury is totally out on everyone else.

Once he has players suited to his style and system then things will be clear.

We currently do not have the players to support our style as of yet. I agree with the OP about a deep lying midfielder and having 2 more in the centre. Our midfield is weak off the ball but also (barring Gomes) not great with the ball. I feel the style is not working because as much as I like to us attacking too many of our players are over committed because of poor execution of the ball. Lose it with our slack play and we are in trouble which Spurs exploited tonight. We need Gana as a deep laying midfielder behind Gomes and another decent ball player so teams do not walk through us and dominate the centre of the park. Coleman needs to hold his horses attacking wise. Ball retention is our big problem. Spurs and Man City play longish balls to players very accurately and apart from Gomes I do not think we have that accuracy. Plug that midfield and we will be much better but equal priority is a good forward that knows how to split CBs and is on the move constantly with finishing ability. We still need about 4 very good players and a strong word in Pickfords ear.

Silva wants to win every game but until he gets the midfield dominating and a good CF and ball retention improved 10 fold then we will continue to get picked off. January and summer will be his and Brands chance to get the players to suit. Give Silva his time before knee jerking. He will already know who he doesn't want and who he wants in to continue his building then once that happens true judgement can be passed

I agree with this in the main, however i cant see the value of Gana in systems Silva has used before.

I think what would work is having a deep lying playmaker and 2 CMs in front of him who are box-to-box with good ability on the ball and the desire to press.

 

[Zatara]

I am surprosed he hasn't tried more of a flat three in midfield or dropped our defence back a bit especially without Gana. At Watford he constantly played with three in midfield.

He doesnt have the players, i think he wants to but has had to adapt a fair bit to the unsuited players. Dont think he wants to sit deep though as that would be against his ethos.

For what it's worth, I am considering this season a nothing season, but an important one for Silva, where he can assess the weaknesses in the team for the way he wants to play, to do that he needs to play his style, and those that cannot adapt will move on and the system will grow with the players we bring in.
Hard to assess that in his first transfer window, and pointless changing formations, we need to work out what will work in the system we are going to play and who can and cannot fit into it.

That being said, the defending is abysmal.

Totally agree

For me this season and last summer are simply for Silva to assess the players

From then its a numbers game, we have 11 starting positions to fill and need to add to the handful of players in the squad who Silva can work with.

Im thinking 7th for this season is decent + a push on the top 6 next season -- as long as we keep adding top notch players over the next 4 windows we will be flying.

he has to learn to adapt his style then. being a one trick pony gets you nothing in this league

Thats like asking Allardyce to setup like Barca.

You hire a manager based upon their background and ethos...if you want someone to wholly adapt to the players then i cant think of a single manager at the top level who does this.

Once he knows what personnel work with the main system, then you can start adapting, but what good is it knowing that Kean is great in a back 3 when you play a back 4, or that Richarlison isn't a great as a second striker if your not using a second striker.

He needs to work out his formation, work out who is effective, then use the next window to build on it. Once he has what he wants, use the squad to adapt at will, the main formation will be as strong as possible.

Precisely

Our players aren't good enough or quick enough to play like top six.
We don't high press, we hoof it and it comes back and if we play from the back we tend to lose it. We can only hope to be the best of the rest with the squad we have.

Indeed

Worth noting if we revert to a back 3, there really is no room for Sigurdsson. Meaning - again we need another good CM to partner Gomes. Its a good formation against the sky 6, and if we had slotted our chances against City we may have even got a result.

What we 'need' are:

A ball playing Centre back like Stones
A deep lying playmaker like Neves could be
A right back clone of Digne
2 centre midfielders who are box-to-box
1 right forward clone of Richarlison
1 unstoppable centre forward

At the moment the outfield only looks sorted at Left back and Left forward with Digne and Richarlison.

 

[Albro]

H

What we 'need' are:

A ball playing Centre back like Stones
A deep lying playmaker like Neves could be
A right back clone of Digne
2 centre midfielders who are box-to-box
1 right forward clone of Richarlison
1 unstoppable centre forward

At the moment the outfield only looks sorted at Left back and Left forward with Digne and Richarlison.

By the time half your list of "needs" are sought out, a new list of needs will have begun. I wouldn't have a right forward, centre forward or centre back as essentials, nor 3 midfielders...