Sunday 27 November 2011

Allardyce Blames 4-4-2!

So, we were crap in the first half because we played 4-4-2 and were dreaming of edging closer to the top, and much better in the second because we went 4-3-3 according to Doctor Evil. Nothing to do with missing out the midfield and lumping long balls forward then! And nothing to do with Derby's fragile confidence being shattered by the goal right on half time! Nope, Allardyce explained it all thus:

"We weren't very good today, there's no doubt about that. I think the players saw the Southampton result and that plus the 4-4-2 formation I picked affected them. We changed to a 4-3-3 after the break and everyone saw the best of our players after that."

The trouble is, I didn't see a formation change at half time. I expected us to set up 4-4-2 but it looked pretty much like 4-3-3 throughout. Where was Baldock playing whilst he was on the pitch? Wasn't he operating the left flank? Time and again, the ball was thumped up the left touchline for him to chase. And Faubert? Wasn't he very advanced on the right? Wasn't it Faubert who was repeatedly getting into the box ahead of Cole as Baldock crossed from the left? And if we were setting up 4-4-2, why was Collison over on the right when Derby broke with the ball to score?

The truth is, this was a shit Derby team very, very low on confidence. Once they conceded, they folded. It was nothing to do with Allardyce's team talk or formation changes - had we not scored on the stroke of half time, we would have seen a very different game, with the fans booing off the team at half time and on their backs from the very start of the second.

The one thing that Allardyce got spot on was "We weren't very good" although I think the word "today" was surplus to requirements - we weren't very good at Coventry, at home to Bristol City, away to Brighton, for 70 minutes at Hull, second half against Leicester...

But, as the Allardyce Apostates will rightly say, we keep winning!

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Best defence in this league and third best attack! COYI

Hammersfan said...

LOL in a shit league!

Anonymous said...

A shit league that we played shit to get relegated in. It's not like we're exiled here for reasons out of our control. So stop being negative and realise that we're doing exactly as we should be, going forward and winning matches and making foundation for this fine football club to have a sustained history in the Premier League.

Sav said...

He also said that fans are so wrong to accuse him that he encourages long ball play. The guy practically invented this type of game. To say this is not his way is a little of an insult to most people with intelligence.

Deane said...

Get Allardyce out (we're together on that one but I'm sure you'll disagree with the call to) get DiCanio in

RexHammer said...

Hammersfan. It is not a shit league mate...the is the league that sits under the most competitive football league in the world.

A lot of the goals we have let in is due to individual errors and we still have not found our main 2 centre backs. For me Faye has to be one of them!

Hammersfan said...

Rex, it is a shit league. Name me a player in this division worthy of being in the Prem outside of Cole, Green, Tomkins, Noble and Nolan. Did any Prem club want Taylor? McCartney isn't good enough for Sunderland and look where they are in the table! Southampton were in the 3rd Division last season and are top of the table - says it all!

As for the quality of the Prem, have you noticed how our teams struggle to progress in the Europa League and noted the struggles this season of Chelsea, Man Utd and Man City in the Champions League?

RexHammer said...

I obviously use the word 'shit' differently to you. I would classify a shit league as some sort of sunday league thing...not the championship. The premiership is on a completely different level and that is why we are not in it...because we are not good enough...but I don't classify our team as shit. We have a good team....the teams in the premiership have fantastic teams.

Hammersfan said...

Come off it Rex! QPR, Swansea, Norwich, Bolton, Sunderland, Wolves, Wigan, Blackburn ...fantastic? It is a very average Premiership. Yes the Championship is better than Sunday League pub football - just!

RexHammer said...

I mean apart from those teams. I am so tired and couldn't be bothered to type too much to be honest. At the end of the day, we are where we are. Lets just concentrate on the league we are in at the moment and leave next season to next season.

Things are looking good for us at the moment, so lets all just be happy :)