I always wonder game to game if the long ball is a specific tactic. Does TB at teamtalks say "right lads, this week it's on the deck". When we had Rooney as the target man then yes, I could see it being the default strategy as he held it up and committed a couple of defenders to closing him down. And with Hayes on fire for a good part of the last season it was good to watch. But now...
Foran is not Rooney. His strengths are elsewhere - bringing players into the attack around him, not behind him - rather than being the target man. Certainly if Tade is meant to be the player getting the lay-off then I'd ditch this system now before we get to 2012 with only 10 points in the bag. And Hayes is struggling to get the cutting edge he had last year as defences wise up to his style.
I saw enough on Saturday - although the glasses were ruby-tinted and I'm talking 2nd 45 only - to think we have a decent midfield. But it's a work in progress.
You could tell they were trying to find feet, even if half the time it was a Dunf player! There's some quality there. Terry really needs a long term plan for the defence though. I rate Hogg (ok shoot me) but there's not the guile in our back 4 to do much else other than hoof it.
But as I said, that might actually be their pre-match instruction.