Steve Cooper: The Tactics Thread

[Ian Nacho]

I really didn't understand our defensive shape today. We're playing a 3 at the back but we were playing it in a way as if we were playing a 4 but had a man sent off. The amount of times either one of Kristiansen or Justin were so narrow, the wingers were fullbacks was ridiculous. 

[Paninistickers]

I supported Cooper's appointment and was looking forward (still am) to some pragmatism. But that today was, well, anti spellbinding. It was extraordinary stuff. 

 

I actually thought Cooper may well use Souttar and Vesty as a pair, go ultra low block, invite in crosses

...the. hit long diagonals.to Fatawu and Stephy for counter attacks. 

 

What we saw today was nothing. Staggering stuff. 

 

 

[GingerrrFox]

5 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I supported Cooper's appointment and was looking forward (still am) to some pragmatism. But that today was, well, anti spellbinding. It was extraordinary stuff. 

 

I actually thought Cooper may well use Souttar and Vesty as a pair, go ultra low block, invite in crosses

...the. hit long diagonals.to Fatawu and Stephy for counter attacks. 

 

What we saw today was nothing. Staggering stuff. 

 

 

Genuinely, did you really expect a squad that’s just won the Championship and been exposed to a really progressive way of playing football to buy into anti-football tactics? 

[davieG]

7 minutes ago, Paninistickers said:

I supported Cooper's appointment and was looking forward (still am) to some pragmatism. But that today was, well, anti spellbinding. It was extraordinary stuff. 

 

I actually thought Cooper may well use Souttar and Vesty as a pair, go ultra low block, invite in crosses

...the. hit long diagonals.to Fatawu and Stephy for counter attacks. 

 

What we saw today was nothing. Staggering stuff. 

 

 

Woeful sprang to mind

[Paninistickers]

6 minutes ago, GingerrrFox said:

Genuinely, did you really expect a squad that’s just won the Championship and been exposed to a really progressive way of playing football to buy into anti-football tactics? 

I dont buy into anti football as a tag. Unless, you count professional fouls, handball on line etc. 

 

I think players, any player, thrives when playing to their strengths. 

 

Allowing Souttar and Vesty to head all day and then pass long and wide is a tried and tested and entertaining formula. We won the league doing more or less than. Morgan/Huth wins header,.lay off to schmeichel who launches into a channel. 

[It'sblueupnorth]

Mental how ndidi is playing as an attacking mid, what is that about 

[coolhandfox]

Cooper moaning about have to play players out of position.

 

Steve you the one who ignores to young ACM to pay Ndidi there and plays Mavididi upfront rather than playing Cannon.

[Cropwellfox]

Just now, coolhandfox said:

Cooper moaning about have to play players out of position.

 

Steve you the one who ignores to young ACM to pay Ndidi there and plays Mavididi upfront rather than playing Cannon.

That was brutal on Cannon today. Why even bother putting him on the bench. Was genuinely optimistic about Cooper but jeez that’s been proven wildly wrong 

[Richmondfox]

Just now, It'sblueupnorth said:

Mental how ndidi is playing as an attacking mid, what is that about 

And Hamza is playing where Ricardo has proven he can play.  Surely that is one less selection to be concerned about by carrying that partnership on. No, he plays Hamza who doesn’t appear to know what he wants to do for the ball even after calling for it. 

 

I’m not sure what the actual style of play and tactics were.

 

I think we need a Vardy meeting already. 

[Sly]

The thing is, he could have gone with a basic 4-4-2 and ground our results with the players he had when he arrived.
 

It’s a simple tactic but it would have likely worked better than whatever it is we are trying to do at the minute

We aren’t going to score many playing this way, so let’s at least try and keep the ball

out of the net by playing narrow and compact at least.  

 

[davieG]

Hamza Captain what does that say about the direction we’re heading

[Aleksz]

@Matt and the rest of you that bemoaned Enzo’s lack of Plan B…

 

Interested to hear your takes now we’ve got a manager with no plan A?

 

We’ve now got zero identity. Nothing. And players are getting totally misprofiled. Ricardo is being played in a back three (in possession) who is one of, if not our best player and totally nullifying what he was good at last year. We’ve got Justin flying up the left flank with no left foot to get a cross in. And Vestergaard, who was integral to our work in possession now looks out of favour.

[cityfanlee23]

3 minutes ago, Aleksz said:

@Matt and the rest of you that bemoaned Enzo’s lack of Plan B…

 

Interested to hear your takes now we’ve got a manager with no plan A?

 

We’ve now got zero identity. Nothing. And players are getting totally misprofiled. Ricardo is being played in a back three (in possession) who is one of, if not our best player and totally nullifying what he was good at last year. We’ve got Justin flying up the left flank with no left foot to get a cross in. And Vestergaard, who was integral to our work in possession now looks out of favour.

Enzo was bemoaned for completely legitimate reasons and Chelsea have been a bomb scare defensively in pre season, a large portion of Chelsea fans are massively worried, regardless of what Cooper does with us, we would very likely have gone down with a manager like Enzo who needed massive scale investment and would refuse to change if it wasn't going to work, plus the fact he got offered the job of one of the richest teams in world football. 

Cooper so far has been massively disappointing, but that has nothing to do with "gotcha" points about Enzo. Cooper needs to pull this team together or he will be gone within 5-10 games, we've been absolutely awful. 

[CloudFox]

I keep going over and over and over in my mind:

 

Why tear up the tactics and framework we had that won us the Championship last year?

 

Evolution not revolution, surely? I don't understand what Cooper is trying to do. Fine, change little things here and there to fit the Premier League and different role we'll have to play. But don't abandon it all together. Plus, it makes so little sense to not at least use players in the positions they proved they can play in the past, successful campaign.

 

To me, it screams that he and his team don't know how to coach the players to play like they did last season. So they're just starting again with what they do know how to coach. And it's not working.

[whoareyaaa]

2 hours ago, GingerrrFox said:

Genuinely, did you really expect a squad that’s just won the Championship and been exposed to a really progressive way of playing football to buy into anti-football tactics? 

Yea terrible appointment in that aspect no thought has gone into this.

[dylanlegend]

Should have pushed the boat out for Will Still. Lens looked decent and we barely touched the ball. Now let’s compare the wage bills….

[Finnegan]

4 hours ago, Ian Nacho said:

really didn't understand our defensive shape today

 

Don't think the players did either. 

[Finnegan]

2 hours ago, davieG said:

Hamza Captain what does that say about the direction we’re heading

 

It's a reflection of how awful our squad management has been over the last five years that he's even still at the club. 

 

[filbertway]

8 hours ago, Lambert09 said:

At what point do we accept that Enzo made an average group of players look too good for the championship?!

 you'd have to be on some strong medication

[Muzzy_no7]

4 hours ago, davieG said:

Hamza Captain what does that say about the direction we’re heading

A truly shocking decision.

[FoxFossil]

Has Cooper watched a single game from last season? Appears to have no clue as to which are our better players and best positions and tactics. Seems to be no insight. Shambles.

[Daggers]

8 hours ago, davieG said:

Hamza Captain what does that say about the direction we’re heading

It’s beyond a disgrace that he’s even at the club. 
 

It’s a daily slap for the families of every dead drink driving victim or those left with disabilities.

 

It’s not what it says about our direction, it’s what it says about our soul and sense of decency. It says KPFC is rotten black to the core.

[Oldblueyes]

Poorly played tactics at times, is just about acceptable. However my concern  is our lack of fitness. You would think that we go hammer and tounges at it when training, looking at our growing sick list.

[hejammy]

My only explanation for yesterday (with the whole square peg into round holes) was to make a point with the board. Clearly he is showing them that without further recruitment this is what will happen. 

[trooky]

7 hours ago, dylanlegend said:

Should have pushed the boat out for Will Still. Lens looked decent and we barely touched the ball. Now let’s compare the wage bills….

Comparing wage bills is a pointless statement, we play in the richest league in the world and will have a much higher bill because of it.