3-4-3

[kingantti1874]

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

[The Gorgie]

We were shit today, it happens.

[PhoenixHearts]

343, but yes I agree completely. We were penned in and too threadbare and small in midfield.

[GinRummy]

2 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

Good post. Smith, Gnando and Beni were all poor. 

[kingantti1874]

1 minute ago, PhoenixHearts said:

343, but yes I agree completely. We were penned in and too threadbare and small in midfield.

😂 we prob needed an extra man today 

[davemclaren]

Just now, kingantti1874 said:

😂 we prob needed an extra man today 

Saved yer blushes. 

[lost in space]

4 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

We were too slow to change in second half and when we did we chose wrong options.

No plan B.

Awful tactics - 1 shot on target (a penalty).

[Rocky jamboa]

Neilson is lacking in the tactical nous required to make changes that turn a game. The same team and formation every week, the same subs every week, sticking with Smith despite it being obvious to pretty much everyone that he doesn't have the attacking side to his game to play the right wing back role. Why can't Robbie see it? Despite needing goals at the end v Dundee, St j and again today, no urgency to get forward and our crappy, tippy tappy passing across the back. So frustrating. 

[BigAlim]

____________Gordon

 

Smith__Moore__Souttar__Kingsley

 

________Devlin__Baningime

 

__McKay__McEneff__Ginnelly

 

____________Boyce

 

This is the team that I want to see next week, stop playing a formation just to suit Halkett when it doesn't suit our full backs or our attacking players at all

[Kidd’s Boots]

3 minutes ago, BigAlim said:

____________Gordon

 

Smith__Moore__Souttar__Kingsley

 

________Devlin__Baningime

 

__McKay__McEneff__Ginnelly

 

____________Boyce

 

This is the team that I want to see next week, stop playing a formation just to suit Halkett when it doesn't suit our full backs or our attacking players at all

Wouldn’t be disappointed to see this, but more likely to see Santa first!

[MattyK82]

22 minutes ago, Paulp74 said:

Neilson is lacking in the tactical nous required to make changes that turn a game. The same team and formation every week, the same subs every week, sticking with Smith despite it being obvious to pretty much everyone that he doesn't have the attacking side to his game to play the right wing back role. Why can't Robbie see it? Despite needing goals at the end v Dundee, St j and again today, no urgency to get forward and our crappy, tippy tappy passing across the back. So frustrating. 

Today- yes. He made the wrong changes. Haring should have come on for GMS to counter Brown. Probably Woodburn for Nando. 

 

In a number of other games this season, he’s made changes that have positively impacted the game.

 

TBH though, the whole team just weren’t at it at all today. Looked tired and sloppy, right across the 11. 
 

Need a big reaction against DU next weekend 

 

 

[Bull's-eye]

Doesn't matter who plays or who plays where.

If your not putting in a shift and making basic errors you get punished.

It's been coming.

 

Finger out in training and the manager earns his corn this week.

[Jambof3tornado]

6 minutes ago, Bull's-eye said:

Doesn't matter who plays or who plays where.

If your not putting in a shift and making basic errors you get punished.

It's been coming.

 

Finger out in training and the manager earns his corn this week.

That's where its disappointing. I hoped the rangers game would have taken its toll on aberdeen but we looked 3 yards off the pace.

 

Outgunned in midfield.

 

Poor performance.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

This was not the week to change it up with three games in eight days but we need to try out a 3-5-2, a 3-4-1-2, or some other variant.

 

We go wobbly when we go to a back 4 but we're getting overrun in the 3-4-3.

[NB GIN]

42 minutes ago, kingantti1874 said:

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

No we do need to stick with it 

The biggest issue over last few years was getting no consistency in our game 

Wd are third one defeat suggests to me it’s working. 
What we do need is a better striker up top 

[Cruyff]

I don't think there's a need to rip it up. It has worked well for us in the main but we have issues defending set pieces and creating/scoring goals. 

 

V Dundee and St Johnstone individual errors cost us and a lack of finishing. I don't believe we played badly in those games despite the fact they were poor results. 

 

Today I thought Robbie lost the tactical battle 2nd half, as soon as they put Brown to CM they began to dominate. They had two Centerhalfs on Gnando, Brown in front off him meaning we couldn't get anything into him and when Aberdeen had possession, they had a 3v2 in midfield with Brown able to dictate. 

 

In that situation, we need to change it. It doesn't necessarily mean we need to switch to a back 4. Everytime we have switched to a back 4, we have looked worse off for it. 

 

I think if we had tweaked our 3-4-3 to a

3-4-1-2 then we retain our structure in defence and midfield but have a man on Brown and their two Centerhalfs meaning Aberdeen probably need to bring a FB narrower to deal with that or they go back to a 3 to deal with two strikers. 

 

I don't think 3-4-3 has been bad, we just need an effective plan B that works well. 

[gregzy2k7]

Would like to see a 3-4-1-2 or 4-2-3-1

 

Gordon

Souttar Moore Kingsley 

McKay Beni Devlin Cochrane 

Mceneff

Boyce Gino

 

Bench 

Stewart

Smith 

Halkett

Walker 

Haring

GMS

Woodburn 

 

I know people will question dropping Smith but I feel we need more attacking threat in the team at the minute, McKay would get up and support boyce and gino and is quick enough to track back. Also want to see either Mceneff or Walker get a chance in behind the strikeforce as I feel they have more goal threat than GMS.

P.s can we please launch gnando and politely ask Halliday to take up his open goal thing full time.

 

In a 4-2-3-1 I would go 

 

Gordon

Smith Souttar Moore Kingsley

Beni Devlin

McKay Walker Gino

Boyce

 

Bench

Stewart

Halkett

Cochrane 

Haring

Mceneff

GMS

Woodburn

 

Another both solid and attack minded team that carries more goal threat than out current set up imo, feel bad for dropping Cochrane but something has to give in order for us to have more of a go imo.

 

Prediction = I think RN will stick with out  3-4-3 system though, so hopefully we keep getting penalties 😅 and boyce stays fit.

 

 

 

 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

Just now, NB GIN said:

No we do need to stick with it 

The biggest issue over last few years was getting no consistency in our game 

Wd are third one defeat suggests to me it’s working. 
What we do need is a better striker up top 

 

Which of our attacking players would you say has looked a constant danger to score recently?

 

Did they all turn to shite at the same time? Or have other clubs made an adjustment on our shape that's confounding us?

[Ex member of the SaS]

Said before Smith gets bad press for others short comings. He played the obvious pass up the wing only for Gnando to stand and watch it roll out for a goal kick. IF the forward/s don't make runs or move off the ball just who is he meant to pass it to?

[Rick Sanchez]

I remember us switching to a 4-2-3-1 against Aberdeen last time in the second half and it was totally alien to us. We could barely get out of our half.

 

I think all our work and pre season went into the 3-4-3.

[Bull's-eye]

13 minutes ago, Jambof3tornado said:

That's where its disappointing. I hoped the rangers game would have taken its toll on aberdeen but we looked 3 yards off the pace.

 

Outgunned in midfield.

 

Poor performance.

 

Agree.

 

They're not a bad side tbf and they did look very comfortable defending.

Again shows what Boyce brings to the team, his work ethic and the way he unsettles centrehalfs has been sorely missed. No excuse for a lazy team performance though.

 

Time for Robbie to prove he's a decent manager now, the team have proved they can play, its now up to Robbie to get them back on track.

 

Don't think there's much need for panic just yet.

[kingantti1874]

15 minutes ago, Rick Sanchez said:

I remember us switching to a 4-2-3-1 against Aberdeen last time in the second half and it was totally alien to us. We could barely get out of our half.

 

I think all our work and pre season went into the 3-4-3.

Im sure it did but there are 2 teams on the pitch. There is a way to counter every single formation in football and teams have figured out how to stop us playing this way. 
 

Good teams adapt. 

[Halliphax]

This is why I don't understand the absolute slating Neilson is getting in the weekly match thread.

 

Since the start of the season he's made positive subs that have impacted and often won us the game. He makes a bad decision one game from the stands and suddenly he's getting crucified.

 

The 343 works for us, as proven by an (albeit unexciting and non-goal-filled) unbeaten run, right now our midfield is carrying our lack of goal scoring talent upfront (in terms of keeping possession and creating chances). If we had some more weight or talent up top (better strikers) then we wouldn't be in the position we're in, it's as simple as that in my opinion.

[Watt-Zeefuik]

18 minutes ago, Halliphax said:

This is why I don't understand the absolute slating Neilson is getting in the weekly match thread.

 

Since the start of the season he's made positive subs that have impacted and often won us the game. He makes a bad decision one game from the stands and suddenly he's getting crucified.

 

The 343 works for us, as proven by an (albeit unexciting and non-goal-filled) unbeaten run, right now our midfield is carrying our lack of goal scoring talent upfront (in terms of keeping possession and creating chances). If we had some more weight or talent up top (better strikers) then we wouldn't be in the position we're in, it's as simple as that in my opinion.

Fair point here -- Beni and Devlin are often among our best players but neither is much of a goal threat. If one of them were good at having a pop at goal every now and again it would take some of the pressure off. But both are outstanding at running the midfield and breaking up play, so it's hard to imagine dropping them.

 

I would like to see us swap one winger for a central attacking midfielder and just play unbalanced, or let the winger switch sides at his discretion. 

[Scott Leitch]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

He doesn't have the brains to change it. 

[jr ewing]

2 minutes ago, Scott Leitch said:

He doesn't have the brains to change it. 

Tactically naive on Bob's part. 

[Halliphax]

5 minutes ago, Led Tasso said:

Fair point here -- Beni and Devlin are often among our best players but neither is much of a goal threat. If one of them were good at having a pop at goal every now and again it would take some of the pressure off. But both are outstanding at running the midfield and breaking up play, so it's hard to imagine dropping them.

 

I would like to see us swap one winger for a central attacking midfielder and just play unbalanced, or let the winger switch sides at his discretion. 

Agree with what you've said here, gotta wonder if Beni and Devlin would have more goal scoring opportunity if they weren't so caught up in trying to provide service for a striker with no pace (Boyce) and a striker with seemingly no goal scoring ability (Gnando) - if I sound harsh it's because I'm trying to sum them up in one word (possibly unfairly).

 

Take the Livingston game for example where it all seemed to click, Beni and Devlin were in the Livi penalty box for half the game. Surely they should be doing that most games? I don't know if the answer to that is a better striker or wingers keeping more possession but I feel like we've seen the type of game we should be playing when we beat Livi and everything after that has been skewed because there's a piece of the puzzle missing (again, striker, I don't know) for the level we're at.

[hearts00]

1 hour ago, kingantti1874 said:

You don’t need to play it all the time, when teams flood midfield like rangers and Aberdeen you are all lowed to change it.. 

 

haring should have been on for GMS as soon as Aberdeen moved brown inside. Gnando should have been off for Woodburn.  
 

really poor in game management.. 

 

And Smith again.  Remember when he got all angry when called out on his performances earlier in the season.. poor again..

 

 

 

 

If we want to play the 3-4-3 consistently well I don’t think Smith can be RWB. 

[Watt-Zeefuik]

1 minute ago, Halliphax said:

Agree with what you've said here, gotta wonder if Beni and Devlin would have more goal scoring opportunity if they weren't so caught up in trying to provide service for a striker with no pace (Boyce) and a striker with seemingly no goal scoring ability (Gnando) - if I sound harsh it's because I'm trying to sum them up in one word (possibly unfairly).

 

Take the Livingston game for example where it all seemed to click, Beni and Devlin were in the Livi penalty box for half the game. Surely they should be doing that most games? I don't know if the answer to that is a better striker or wingers keeping more possession but I feel like we've seen the type of game we should be playing when we beat Livi and everything after that has been skewed because there's a piece of the puzzle missing (again, striker, I don't know) for the level we're at.

 

I'm not a football manager but I wonder what would happen if, rather than playing the wide-splayed back 3 that we usually play, if we shaped in more like a 4-1 with Souttar as almost a deep holding mid and let Beni and let Beni and Devlin play just a bit higher up. We're not getting a huge amount of attack out of Smith or Cochrane so it's not losing much to tuck them back more as fullbacks. I don't want to go back into a classic back 4 though—we never look comfortable in that.

[stotty]

We are asking too much of Beni and Devlin by playing this formation away from home IMO, particularly against stronger sides like Aberdeen and Rangers. They're both great players, but are getting swamped a bit at times. 

[BigAlim]

Just now, hearts00 said:

If we want to play the 3-4-3 consistently well I don’t think Smith can be RWB. 

 

Robbie was saying in the summer that he was expecting Cammy Logan to step up into the first team this season. Unfortunately Logan had a back problem for a while but it appears that he's now fit, just lacking match practise.

 

https://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/sport/football/hearts/hearts-face-difficulties-as-cammy-logan-bids-to-return-from-injury-3429467

[hearts00]

Just coming home from the Chelsea Newcastle match. 

Saw the masters of the 3-4-3 execute it to perfection. 
 

To pull this formation off you need four things from what I can see. And of course Chelsea have it all. 
 

1) the two wide CHs to be excellent on the ball and able to play high up the pitch. We have this in Souttar and Kinglsley. 
 

2) two excellent midfielders who can get the ball back and keep it. We definitely have this in Beni and Devlin. 
 

3) The wide players in the front three who can play in the channels and on the wings. We have this but we do not have these players high enough up the park, they are often isolated from the front man, or we have one up but one too deep. 
 

4) Crucially, two absolute ballers / athletes at wing back. Who are solid in defence but a real threat in attack.  We clearly don’t have this in Smith, we might have in Cochrane but I can’t help feeling we’d be better with Kingsley at LWB. 
 

Some might say you also need a proper striker. I would say every formation needs that. What you need is someone with clever movement. We definitely have that in Boyce he just needs to stay high up the pitch. 

[Rods]

1 hour ago, BigAlim said:

____________Gordon

 

Smith__Moore__Souttar__Kingsley

 

________Devlin__Baningime

 

__McKay__McEneff__Ginnelly

 

____________Boyce

 

This is the team that I want to see next week, stop playing a formation just to suit Halkett when it doesn't suit our full backs or our attacking players at all

This is the team I want for next week.

[thecarnbeejambo]

it seems that any criticism of r.n. is met with the standard.... first defeat... look where we were last year...just out if the championship...

its no use throwing on subs and hoping something will happen... you have to have a plan B... would love if we had a plan A...yes we have a better squad now. but its looking more and more likely that robbie has reached the limit of his tactical ability.HOWEVER. we are still 3rd with a huge game at home on sat. against st. liedown. huge in the sense of three points that is... we are stuck with robbie for this season..so lets put today behind us. and stuff that lot next week.HHGH.

 

 

[Unknown user]

Just now, thecarnbeejambo said:

it seems that any criticism of r.n. is met with the standard.... first defeat... look where we were last year...just out if the championship...

its no use throwing on subs and hoping something will happen... you have to have a plan B... would love if we had a plan A...yes we have a better squad now. but its looking more and more likely that robbie has reached the limit of his tactical ability.HOWEVER. we are still 3rd with a huge game at home on sat. against st. liedown. huge in the sense of three points that is... we are stuck with robbie for this season..so lets put today behind us. and stuff that lot next week.HHGH.

 

"Stuck with"?

 

46 minutes ago, Led Tasso said:

 

I'm not a football manager but I wonder what would happen if, rather than playing the wide-splayed back 3 that we usually play, if we shaped in more like a 4-1 with Souttar as almost a deep holding mid and let Beni and let Beni and Devlin play just a bit higher up. We're not getting a huge amount of attack out of Smith or Cochrane so it's not losing much to tuck them back more as fullbacks. I don't want to go back into a classic back 4 though—we never look comfortable in that.

 

I was saying this the other day, give JS the freedom to quarterback. Now that he's older I think he has the potential to be a fantastic pivot with the ball and deep lying defensive mid without.

[Burford Jamtart]

Absolutely the right system for the players we have.  Hopefully, somebody close to him reads these threads.

[Burford Jamtart]

Spoiler

 

4-2-3-1  

[ramrod]

Man U changed to a back 3 tonight and played 3 4 1 2 which would suit us far better imo as our current formation isn't producing goals from open play 

                 Gordon 

    Souttar  Halkett Kingsley 

Smith Beni Devlin Cochrane

                  McKay 

           Boyce   Gnando

Obv the front 3 could Inc GMS Gino Walker Woodburn

This would give us far more penitration and would allow us put Haring/McEneff in there for McKay is we were being over run in midfield,  just an opinion. 

[Jambof3tornado]

3 hours ago, Bull's-eye said:

 

Agree.

 

They're not a bad side tbf and they did look very comfortable defending.

Again shows what Boyce brings to the team, his work ethic and the way he unsettles centrehalfs has been sorely missed. No excuse for a lazy team performance though.

 

Time for Robbie to prove he's a decent manager now, the team have proved they can play, its now up to Robbie to get them back on track.

 

Don't think there's much need for panic just yet.

Really needed a win today,puts pressure on for our next home game now. Failure to win will see a chorus of boos, its the hearts way.

 

Lets see how we react now we've got the undefeated pish out the way.

[OTT]

We’ve not been great for a while. Smith is probably in the top 3 RBS in the league but playing him as a Rwb is a waste. Drop Halkett because he cannot hack it as a CB in a back 4 defensively he’s not good enough.

 

Gordon

Smith Moore Souttar Kingsley 

Devlin Beni

Woodburn

Gino Boyce GMS

 

is our best 11 and the formation which best suits our team. Not surprised we lost and hopefully it’s a kick in the arse of our spoon like attack. 

[Chris#9]

We played 3-5-2 today. Our problem when we do play 3-4-3 is  our 2 ‘wide men’ get nowhere near the striker and our wing backs are never high enough. 
 

when is the last time we got behind a team and fired it across goal??  We basically play in front of teams. They moved scott brown up 10 yards today and it was bedlam. Easily fixable but the players couldn't do it.
 

No formation in the world can be blamed for the winner today, the goal in perth or cummings goal. Thats on players

[Holyrood_Hearts]

The problem with the 3-4-3 formation & line up is we’re far too predictable and the opposition can plan ahead. We have no plan B if plan A doesn’t work unless changing mid-game when we actually have too. 
 

We should’ve made that change after dropping points v Dundee. Yet went to Perth on Wed with the same shape & making like for like subs & again today. Having the unbeaten run has been great but unfortunately the recent draws have maybe justified RN with his choices. 
 

Now though, I’m looking for changes. Hopefully a back 4 & finding a way of getting Walker and McEneff in the team

[jr ewing]

1 hour ago, OTT said:

We’ve not been great for a while. Smith is probably in the top 3 RBS in the league but playing him as a Rwb is a waste. Drop Halkett because he cannot hack it as a CB in a back 4 defensively he’s not good enough.

 

Gordon

Smith Moore Souttar Kingsley 

Devlin Beni

Woodburn

Gino Boyce GMS

 

is our best 11 and the formation which best suits our team. Not surprised we lost and hopefully it’s a kick in the arse of our spoon like attack. 

And coach. 

[NB GIN]

6 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

 

Which of our attacking players would you say has looked a constant danger to score recently?

 

Did they all turn to shite at the same time? Or have other clubs made an adjustment on our shape that's confounding us?

We are near the top of the league 

1 defeat so far would you not take that at the start of the season ? 

[JimmyCant]

2 hours ago, Chris#9 said:

We played 3-5-2 today. Our problem when we do play 3-4-3 is  our 2 ‘wide men’ get nowhere near the striker and our wing backs are never high enough. 
 

when is the last time we got behind a team and fired it across goal??  We basically play in front of teams. They moved scott brown up 10 yards today and it was bedlam. Easily fixable but the players couldn't do it.
 

No formation in the world can be blamed for the winner today, the goal in perth or cummings goal. Thats on players

It’s a bit concerning, more than bit, that moving one player into midfield caused such a catastrophic second half. It’s more than bit concerning that I noticed it and noticed the overload in midfield 22 minutes before our manager tried to do something about it. I can’t be the only one who noticed it and expressed concern. Both commentators on Hearts TV noticed it and remarked upon it. It cost us the game. Neilson’s first real big mistake  of the season and it made us look less than ordinary. He has a week to fix it because that’s how easy we are to blow away. A clever old man with a bit of football left in his legs and our coaching team had no answer to it. I’d be surprised if we see that system again against anyone decent.

Edited October 30, 2021 by JimmyCant

[Jambo Moose]

The worry for me is we’ve seen this defeat and performance coming for weeks but RN has blindly persisted. We don’t have the personnel for 3-4-3. It’s 6 defensive players and 3 strikers-and they’ve felt like a separate entity recently. we’ve cried out for a number 10 to link the two lines and support a striker centrally. For me our players suit a 4231 perfectly. It would mean a straight choice between cochrane and Kingsley unfortunately as both have been great. Woodburn isn’t a wide player and I feel had he been operating in a 10 with 2 wide men either side recently, we’d have carried a larger threat. 
people calling for maceneff amuse me- I’d like him to get chances but he didn’t shine against poor opponents last season so not sure now why he could morph into zidane- hope I’m wrong 

[Pasquale for King]

10 hours ago, Halliphax said:

This is why I don't understand the absolute slating Neilson is getting in the weekly match thread.

 

Since the start of the season he's made positive subs that have impacted and often won us the game. He makes a bad decision one game from the stands and suddenly he's getting crucified.

 

The 343 works for us, as proven by an (albeit unexciting and non-goal-filled) unbeaten run, right now our midfield is carrying our lack of goal scoring talent upfront (in terms of keeping possession and creating chances). If we had some more weight or talent up top (better strikers) then we wouldn't be in the position we're in, it's as simple as that in my opinion.

Get a grip, his substitutions more often than not weaken the team, did it against Aberdeen,Hibs, Motherwell and Dundee at home. Can only think of both games versus Celtic and Rangers away when his subs made a difference, and only because we were playing poorly. 
 

[Pasquale for King]

57 minutes ago, Jambo Moose said:

The worry for me is we’ve seen this defeat and performance coming for weeks but RN has blindly persisted. We don’t have the personnel for 3-4-3. It’s 6 defensive players and 3 strikers-and they’ve felt like a separate entity recently. we’ve cried out for a number 10 to link the two lines and support a striker centrally. For me our players suit a 4231 perfectly. It would mean a straight choice between cochrane and Kingsley unfortunately as both have been great. Woodburn isn’t a wide player and I feel had he been operating in a 10 with 2 wide men either side recently, we’d have carried a larger threat. 
people calling for maceneff amuse me- I’d like him to get chances but he didn’t shine against poor opponents last season so not sure now why he could morph into zidane- hope I’m wrong 

Agree with all of that, I think McEneff might prosper with better players behind him in midfield and wide. We’ve not really seen him to decide. 

[Pasquale for King]

4 hours ago, JimmyCant said:

It’s a bit concerning, more than bit, that moving one player into midfield caused such a catastrophic second half. It’s more than bit concerning that I noticed it and noticed the overload in midfield 22 minutes before our manager tried to do something about it. I can’t be the only one who noticed it and expressed concern. Both commentators on Hearts TV noticed it and remarked upon it. It cost us the game. Neilson’s first real big mistake  of the season and it made us look less than ordinary. He has a week to fix it because that’s how easy we are to blow away. A clever old man with a bit of football left in his legs and our coaching team had no answer to it. I’d be surprised if we see that system again against anyone decent.

It was so obvious to everyone, all he did was bring forward his usual 60 minute winger swap that 9 times out of ten weakens us anyway. 
Then brings on Halliday, when we were getting beat, instead of Haring when it was 1:1. 
If he can’t see that sitting in the stand how is he going to do it on the touch line. 

[David McCaig]

14 hours ago, Led Tasso said:

This was not the week to change it up with three games in eight days but we need to try out a 3-5-2, a 3-4-1-2, or some other variant.

 

We go wobbly when we go to a back 4 but we're getting overrun in the 3-4-3.

We need to decide if we are genuinely playing wing backs or not? If we are we can't possibly play two wingers as well.

 

We are one body short up front and a body short in midfield, we are asking Beni/Devlin and Boyce/Gnando to do the impossible.

 

Our 343 is a bizarre 5221.

 

If we want to stick to a back 3 it has to be 352 which means either Smith does the wing back role with the expectation that he fills the role of both full back and winger or we ask Ginnelly to play the role with the emphasis on attack rather than defence.

 

I'd probably move Kingsley to LWB in such a system.

 

Of course 352 means no genuine wingers which is a conundrum when we have 3 in Gino, BM and GMS.

 

Gino should be encouraged to switch to RWB, Barry McKay could potentially partner Boyce up front and GMS could warm the bench.

 

352 also gives an extra body alongside Beni/Devlin... Surely the role McAneff was signed to play.

 

The alternative is we switch to a back 4 and Halkett drops out the team.