How to play at home

[IMMORTAL HOWDEN ENDER]

TO START THE BALL ROLLING HERE ARE TWO EXCELLENT QUOTES FROM ICT CHRIS AND DAVIEB AND EVEN RENEGADE SUMS IT UP CONCISELY :

ICT Chris: "It concerns me that we haven't built on last weeks result - this is how we got relegated last time out. The season we went down we beat Hibs, Aberdeen and Rangers away but lost too many games against the other 'bottom six' teams. There's no point in beating Dundee Utd easily then losing to Hamilton at home - we need consistency. In terms of tactics, I was again disappointed with our central midfield pairing, they were crowded out of the game meaning that we couldn't get any decent passing going and rarely got the ball into our danger players in good areas. Duncan and Cox need to be bit more dynamic in the middle, they just seem to sit there sometimes and the match happens arond them. Cox is capable of more I think, I'd like to see him taking more control in there."

davieb: "If the whole crowd can see in the first 10 minutes that Rooney isnt going to win a thing in the air against Mensing, why can't the players see it too? There didn't seem to be any attempt to play a plan b."

Renegade: I think it says a lot about ICT's performance when some of us can't decide whether certain players were the best or the worst!

I evidently have clear views on what is going wrong and what can be done about it - It actually worries me a bit that Terry and Mo do not appear to know what Plan A is - never mind Plan B.

So - what would YOU do ?

[big man]

It would appear we carried on from midweek, although we won it was't impressive.

Hamilton passed and moved, we humped and hoped. I don't think anyone came out of that game with any credit. Rooney chased lost causes but cannot fault him for effort, Ross did his best but after that to many players went missing.

It would appear that the back four don't have the confidence in the mid field to be creative so they just pass it to Grant who then humps it up the field.

We need a play maker someone who can put his foot on the ball and pick a pass.

[caleyblue]

make changes after we play the next couple of games as hamilton have a record 2nd to none when playing ict as in we have never beat them as yet so dont panic mr mannering we will come good in the next game bring on the hibs

[ictchris]

Yesterday was a difficult situation - we conceded what was basically an unstoppable goal in the first minute and were faced with a very determined and organised side who were happy to harry us and sit on their lead. In the middle of the park they closed down our players very quickly and in numbers, not allowing our midfield to settle on the ball or to play the ball to our attacking players in dangerous areas. The way to counteract this would be to play our way round the opposition, for our midfielders to offer more movement and angles. Duncan and Cox both sat deep yesterday, what was needed for was them to show for each other and to demonstrate the vision needed to play our way round a pressing game. For example, if Duncan is being pressed by three Accies, Cox could fall five yards back, take the ball off of Duncan and switch it to a full back who could push forward or pick out an attacker further forward. What actually happened is we ended up pushed back by the pressure game played by Accies which meant that the ball ended up with our back line who hit long balls to Rooney. If there isn't a pass for the defenders or midfielders to make then hitting it long is really the only option. I was particularly disappointed with Cox, who I think is better equipped than Duncan to make a difference in the engine room in terms of passing and vision.

Another criticism is that both Duncan and Cox didn't put enough pressure on the opposition when they had the ball - at one point in teh first half Butcher was clearly audible shouting 'press the ******* ball'. It seems that our midfields took the 'holding role' rather literally as they simply occupried an area on the pitch rather than taking charge of the play.

The upshot of this is that it's not formations that make the difference it is how individuals perform within the system. We weren't undone yesterday because Accies cleverly undid how we were set up to play they just hustled us out of the game - if we'd been playing 4-4-2 or any other formation it would probably have been the same.

[starchief]

Billy Reid is excellent at the anti-football game, so conceding an early goal against Hamilton makes it tough. In that case then, probably little need for two sitting midfielders.

Cox should have been pushed forward, with Odi as a straight striker. If Cox couldn't work as a more attack-minded mid, then McBain is the man to bring on. Likewise, Sutherland for Odi if need be.

We were also unlucky in having Tokely and McCann probably playing with injuries but them's the breaks. Really, both the full-backs could do a lot of pressing duties to support the wingers. Maybe that's a bit tough though with Tokely only just back.

[robbylad]

Billy Reid is excellent at the anti-football game, so conceding an early goal against Hamilton makes it tough. In that case then, probably little need for two sitting midfielders.

Cox should have been pushed forward, with Odi as a straight striker. If Cox couldn't work as a more attack-minded mid, then McBain is the man to bring on. Likewise, Sutherland for Odi if need be.

We were also unlucky in having Tokely and McCann probably playing with injuries but them's the breaks. Really, both the full-backs could do a lot of pressing duties to support the wingers. Maybe that's a bit tough though with Tokely only just back.

have to agree. the spoiling tactics and what seemed like cerny taking 10 mins for every goal kick really p***ed me off. why he wasn't booked beats the s**t out of me.