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Gulliball wrote:For one week we could go with 4231, a formation we were told Knill likes when he came.

Mansell - Harding

Cameron - Bodin - Chappell

Benyon

It has width, a solid base in the middle, and gets three players close to Benyon to stop him getting isolated as happened with Howe last season. We couldn't hoof it up to him, but can play it into the channels for him to fight for. The sooner another striker arrives the better, though.

Yep, good idea, concerns would be for me we have no real height in attack with 2 good wide players. We would also need Cameron and Chappell to do there share of defending when needed.

Gulliball wrote:For one week we could go with 4231, a formation we were told Knill likes when he came.

Mansell - Harding

Cameron - Bodin - Chappell

Benyon

It has width, a solid base in the middle, and gets three players close to Benyon to stop him getting isolated as happened with Howe last season. We couldn't hoof it up to him, but can play it into the channels for him to fight for. The sooner another striker arrives the better, though.

The thing with this is we've nobody to hold the ball up and it would just come straight back bypassing our 4 attacking players. When we attacked it would need to be at pace and dinking inside or wingers rattling off low crosses. WE NEED A TALL STRONG STRIKER or we lose so many many options and advantages. I'd have to go with Yeoman and Benyon up together if our squad stayed as it is.

Agreed Andy, I think but of course could be wrong AK would probably do the same un-complicated, mind blowing simple thing he did against Rovers home when Rene was suspended and start Yoeman and Benyon.

Spain play without a centre forward don't they ?

.....instead of saying 'it's like watching Brazil', we'll just have to say, 'it's just like watching Spain'

AustrianAndyGull is right. WE absolutely need a strong tall striker - otherwise we're in trouble.

wivelgull wrote:AustrianAndyGull is right. WE absolutely need a strong tall striker - otherwise we're in trouble.

Wivel agrees with Andy, Brucie argees with Wivel, jeez with now have our very own forum love triangle, we will all end, stay tuned ..

4-6-0 B-T-I interesting, back to the other suggestion Lingy tried 2 deep lieing midfielders last season was flurking disaster these 4-2-3-1 tampon with extra lenght wings formations may be all well and good in the champions league, however we are in League 2 keep it simple win games.

Playing with a tall/big striker is fine as long as you firstly can get the ball to him, secondly he can get control of it, thirdly we get support.
I ve personally seen enough of this over the last couple of seasons with us. Its predictable and easy to defend against.

We have signed a couple of promising wide players, why cant we play football with high tempo, with width and movement, playing and passing through teams. We have some good footballers like Craig and Mansell who can pass and I am told Harding is good too.

I always feel like if we play with a target man and it doesnt work we dont know what else to do, we are unable to break teams down. If we play with width and tempo and create space its far harder to defend against.

Playing with a tallish striker doesn't mean you have to play 'direct', it's just a good option to have. Benyon is at his best when played as a 'fox-in-the-box' type. He is always keen to work hard, chasing lost causes, but if our attacking focus requires him to be constantly chasing into the channels, he'll not be where he needs to be - in and around the penalty box. He needs someone alongside him, to share the workload and allow him to do what he's best at. I'm actually amazed it's come to this. 'Patience' clearly hasn't worked for us, because for the second season in a row we're starting the season with one striker, worthy of the name. Apparently there isn't a striker, either 'available', or lower down the leagues, that could do a job for us? That's desperate.

With what we have in the squad, Bodin, Yeoman and who ever else plays up there can make space and do there share of the work. Passing and moving is down to the whole team not just Benners.

I always use to wonder why we use to do passing drills in our warm ups under Ling and never PASS AND MOVE.

As soon as AK took over the drills became faster.

Has Pearce actually signed then or not? - perhaps we should sign Billy Pearce - he is a comedian and should fit in well at Torquay.
Perhaps the new striker might turn up at half time in the Afc Wimbledon game. I have got visions of Thea Bristow running down the touchline to the dugout in the first half, fax in hand.
In fact does anybody know if there is a circus in town? - other than the one currently showing at Big Top Plainmoor.
This non signing of key players has turned into a first class fiasco.

That's unlike you to put a positive spin on things Brucie. From .com I think Pearce has agreed terms and just needs his medical on Monday.

I am hoping it is a smokescreen and we will sign a striker this week. Apart from the striker situation I think we have recruited well this season with players that are in demand by other clubs which is promising, unlike the players who have gone who cannot get a game. I guess rather than sign a striker that he doesn't want Knill would rather see how the first few games go and then commit before the deadline for a loanee.

Can't wait until Saturday!

Knill did talk very positively about Pearce, as someone he has been aware of for quite a while and that he has had to take a big pay cut to come here because he wants to play regularly. Apparently it was only fairly recently that Pearce found out that he wasn't going to be offered a new deal at Notts County (presumably down to having their budgets cut up there) and this opened the door for us to bring him in. I get the impression that everything is agreed but not yet signed, I think he has also got to complete his medical too. Knill did add the caveat that he is "hopefully" joining us as I suppose there is always the possibility that the player could get a better offer over the weekend from someone else , fingers crossed that doesn't happen though.

As has been stated elsewhere, Knill very much sees part of his job here to bring young players in, develop them and then sell them on for a substantial profit and suggested that Pearce was exactly the sort of player for whom this could apply. Like he said, hopefully, in a couple of years time ... he could be worth £500k to the club.

CP Gull wrote:Knill did talk very positively about Pearce, as someone he has been aware of for quite a while and that he has had to take a big pay cut to come here because he wants to play regularly. Apparently it was only fairly recently that Pearce found out that he wasn't going to be offered a new deal at Notts County (presumably down to having their budgets cut up there) and this opened the door for us to bring him in. I get the impression that everything is agreed but not yet signed, I think he has also got to complete his medical too. Knill did add the caveat that he is "hopefully" joining us as I suppose there is always the possibility that the player could get a better offer over the weekend from someone else , fingers crossed that doesn't happen though.

As has been stated elsewhere, Knill very much sees part of his job here to bring young players in, develop them and then sell them on for a substantial profit and suggested that Pearce was exactly the sort of player for whom this could apply. Like he said, hopefully, in a couple of years time ... he could be worth £500k to the club.

therefore we get 100k!

good post though CP.