Why not either Owers or someone else?
I watch a lot of football as you know, and I can tell you that three at the back has become the tactical trend in the Isthmian League two levels below that of the National League and only one of course from National South........
After watching numerous games this season, it’s been interesting looking at the different tactical set-ups on display. Dulwich Hamlet, and Met Police ~ two of the best sides I have seen set up by their managers this season set up with three at the back, Billericay Town are more versatile often switching formations during games while others like Tonbridge Angels, Margate and Wingate & Finchley predominantly play with a back four. They are consistently the best sides in that league and their standard of player, coaching and technique (I would say) is far superior to that of Torquay United under both Nicholson and Owers.
The most entertaining games I’ve seen this season are games when teams both play with contrasting formations. Matches where both play 4-4-2 or 3-5-2 can become boring as they tend to cancel each other out. This is especially true for games with two 3-5-2 formations as wing-backs tend to mark each other and the midfield is left with 3v3 in the middle with no overloads. That is then the next conundrum; how to create or avoid those overloads which will eventually tilt the game one way or the other. That is what happened yesterday when Young developed his usual habit of dropping too deep and thus surrendered the upper hand to the opposition. Unlike at Maidenhead where Barnes excelled in the sitting midfield anchor role; no-one appeared to be doing that with any authority yesterday.
Where both teams play in a 4-4-2 formation, wingers tend to struggle as they often find the opposition doubles up on them with the full-back and opposing winger both defending and that is why a lot of coaches are favouring going with 3-5-2 at the moment.......United don't have any wingers capable of maximising that sort of pace anyway ~ there is still a lack of genuine pace throughout the squad.
As a brutal example and comparison of the poor recruitement of both Nicholson and Owers; I would point to Luke Garrard at Boreham Wood who has acquired pace to burn in Angelo Balante and Bruno Andrade backed up with fast moving Kain Smith at full back/wing-back......they absolutely mullered the Gulls over two games this season and last . They knew they would take us to the cleaners and take us to the cleaners they did!
That has come about through poor recuitment and a lack of a coherant scouting strategy to acquire just that sort of player.....it is obvious because they are about, and most certainly so amongst the many youthful and super fit players I see playing in and around the delopment football as well as the levels immediately below the National League on a weekly basis. Sometmes these lads demonstrate horrendous decision making; but the raw material is there to instill that into them ~ that's what coaching and development is all about! It's easier to teach an athlete to play football than turn a footballer into an athlete and United's squad is abysmally short of athleticism; it just doesn't possess the pace to trouble well drilled opposition.
Would you call Young an athlete? No; would you call Gosling an athlete certainly not! Would you call Reid a competent footballer? Not in my view but I would call him an athlete who needs to have good decision making instilled into him. Then we have players who are neither athlete or footballer ~ far too many!
I noted the almost lack of a warm down routine after the game yesterday; more interested in going over and waving to the fans than properly calming the body and limbs down in preparation for more long distance travelling after the game and then back up for Orient on Tuesday to say nothing of Solihull next weekend. Compare that with the regular and diligent warm downs of part-time Dulwich Hamlet after EVERY match and it is shocking; simply shocking. This club is living in the dark ages!
