Sign Tommy Smith 09:11 - Jan 2 with 2499 views | itfcjoe | If we are going to play 3 at the back then we need to improve our CB options, yesterday they all struggled to an extent Woolfenden having to play on the left as the only one comfortable on the ball really negates the quality he does have on it, so he isn't able to affect the game like he has been Wilson just nowhere near good enough on the ball, Wycombe let Woolfie and Chambers keep it and as soon as it went to Wilson applied a bit of pressure as he went long with a straight ball when pressed Chambers lacks the pace for the wide roles of a back 3 so has to play centrally, but really is more of a sweeper than a ball winner as lacks the height to really be the big man back there like Berra was when he was with us. A note for their striker, Samuel, who really did a good job occupying our centre halves, looked lively and used the ball well. I'd personally go 4 at the back, if we are to persist with 3 there needs to be an improvement on the ball | |
| | |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:16 - Jan 2 with 2187 views | Garv | Is Smith really a sustainable solution to us playing a back three? | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:21 - Jan 2 with 2150 views | Herbivore |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:16 - Jan 2 by Garv | Is Smith really a sustainable solution to us playing a back three? |
I'm not sure to be honest. Being a left sider he gives us more balance if he plays there but he is slow and not especially good on the ball so not ideal for that system. Like Joe, I'd rather we just go with a back 4 and preferably stick with it consistently. I wouldn't be dead against signing Smith on that basis either though as he would still give us more balance partnering Woolfy or Chambers. We could then offload Nsiala who I'm not sure has a future here. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:21 - Jan 2 with 2157 views | SomethingBlue | I do see the sense in playing three against teams like Wycombe — and we looked very comfortable for all of the game yesterday bar that early miss and the goal, plus it allows Garbutt to play the WB role that I suspect is his best one and facilitates three in midfield — but agree re personnel. We'd have to lose a player to get Smith in though, presumably. He'd be a clear upgrade on Nsiala but probably difficult to get the right loan move for Toto. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:24 - Jan 2 with 2123 views | Swansea_Blue |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:21 - Jan 2 by SomethingBlue | I do see the sense in playing three against teams like Wycombe — and we looked very comfortable for all of the game yesterday bar that early miss and the goal, plus it allows Garbutt to play the WB role that I suspect is his best one and facilitates three in midfield — but agree re personnel. We'd have to lose a player to get Smith in though, presumably. He'd be a clear upgrade on Nsiala but probably difficult to get the right loan move for Toto. |
I thought the defence looked all over the place. I'm all for Toto leaving, but surely there are other options out there rather than another clogger (I loved Smith for his time here and dedication, but he's hardly the answer to a CB line up that is already fairly slow and not too comfortable on the ball). | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:26 - Jan 2 with 2110 views | Radlett_blue |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:21 - Jan 2 by SomethingBlue | I do see the sense in playing three against teams like Wycombe — and we looked very comfortable for all of the game yesterday bar that early miss and the goal, plus it allows Garbutt to play the WB role that I suspect is his best one and facilitates three in midfield — but agree re personnel. We'd have to lose a player to get Smith in though, presumably. He'd be a clear upgrade on Nsiala but probably difficult to get the right loan move for Toto. |
Toto will be on high wages by the standards of this league & he looks a clumsy lower league stopper. The only options are to give him a pay-off & a free transfer or loan him out on about 50% of his wage. Might as well keep him as back-up. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:29 - Jan 2 with 2087 views | SomethingBlue |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:24 - Jan 2 by Swansea_Blue | I thought the defence looked all over the place. I'm all for Toto leaving, but surely there are other options out there rather than another clogger (I loved Smith for his time here and dedication, but he's hardly the answer to a CB line up that is already fairly slow and not too comfortable on the ball). |
The line was bad (as they kept pointing out on telly) but we were rarely under any real pressure and I never felt concerned until Akinfenwa came on, from when it was inevitable he'd unsettle us. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:33 - Jan 2 with 2065 views | r2d2 |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:16 - Jan 2 by Garv | Is Smith really a sustainable solution to us playing a back three? |
Tommy is a left footed centre half. Which we need. But if its a back 3 lm not sure thats a role he will excel at. | | | |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:42 - Jan 2 with 2027 views | Chrisd | Tommy Smith won't improve us with the ball at his feet, but he'll certainly enhance us by offering a physical presence defensively and offensively. Each time we've come up against a big striker our centre backs have struggled, yesterday being another case in point. Thought their fella Stewart at CB looked decent, big and strong and had pace to sweep up any danger, something we sorely lack. Got to agree Joe, if we have any ambitions to get out of this league and then cement our place in the Championship our CB options need to be significantly improved and sentiment needs to go out the window. | |
| | Login to get fewer ads
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:42 - Jan 2 with 2028 views | Swansea_Blue |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:29 - Jan 2 by SomethingBlue | The line was bad (as they kept pointing out on telly) but we were rarely under any real pressure and I never felt concerned until Akinfenwa came on, from when it was inevitable he'd unsettle us. |
I'm not so sure; we got away with a few yesterday when the CBs were disorganised and nobody challenged. There wasn't a lot of threat due as much to Wycombe's shortcomings as much as our defense. You can't let balls come into the box unchallenged. And our 3 CBs weren't that much better when we had the ball. I wasn't particularly impressed. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:45 - Jan 2 with 2009 views | WD19 |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:26 - Jan 2 by Radlett_blue | Toto will be on high wages by the standards of this league & he looks a clumsy lower league stopper. The only options are to give him a pay-off & a free transfer or loan him out on about 50% of his wage. Might as well keep him as back-up. |
Its also not surprising, but he has the look of someone who would rather be anywhere else other than here. Looked a real loner in the warm-up. | | | |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:47 - Jan 2 with 1989 views | Dyland | I'm not sure about all that re formations, but if Tommy's available and keen on the move we would be crazy not to try and make it happen. He would improve our back line options immeasurably. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:49 - Jan 2 with 1971 views | ElderGrizzly | Smith is one of the most uncomfortable players on the ball I’ve seen recently for us at CB. His go to ball was always long, or normally into touch. Agree we need better options, but there must be others out there in L1/L2 who can pass more than 5 yards? | | | |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:54 - Jan 2 with 1927 views | chicoazul | We don't have the centre backs or wide players to play 3 at the back effectively and it cripples our best players who work really well in a midfield 3, so no doubt we will continue to do it for the rest of the season | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 10:01 - Jan 2 with 1900 views | thatdamgood89 | While I agree with your points Joe, you know as well as I do, that unless one CB goes out even on loan then we won't be seeing a CB coming in. I didn't like re signing Wilson at the time and I absoutley hate it now. | |
| Hey :) Please check out my Ipswich Town F.C podcast 'Talk Of The Town'
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPhPy_79sSvPSugh32vN8qg?view_as=subscriber
Available every Wednesday on;
YouTube
Spotify
Buzzsrpout
Google Podcasts
Itune Podcasts |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 10:03 - Jan 2 with 1891 views | Pinewoodblue |
Sign Tommy Smith on 09:54 - Jan 2 by chicoazul | We don't have the centre backs or wide players to play 3 at the back effectively and it cripples our best players who work really well in a midfield 3, so no doubt we will continue to do it for the rest of the season |
Doesn’t a back three allow you to play three in central midfield? | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 10:22 - Jan 2 with 1831 views | homer_123 | We sold our ball playing centre back. Tommy, as much as I love him, isn't the answer. I've been saying this since the start of the season - you need at least two very good ball playing CBs (ideally all three) if you are going to play 3 at the back. Wollfy is that player - Chambers and Wilson are not up to it. Nsiala and Donacian aren't either. So, if we are going to play it - then we need the midfield to drop short and pick the ball up from the back three. But herein lies the problem - ideally, you need the CB to bring the ball out for a back three to be truly effective. We are a long way from this. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 10:36 - Jan 2 with 1776 views | chicoazul |
Sign Tommy Smith on 10:03 - Jan 2 by Pinewoodblue | Doesn’t a back three allow you to play three in central midfield? |
I've worded it badly, what I meant was we don;t have the personnel to play 3 at the back efectively *and* it works against us in our area of perceived advantage; our CM strength. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:34 - Jan 2 with 1640 views | itfcjoe | Just to respond to a few points on here.... Smith is decent on the ball, he struggled when playing on the right hand side of a 2 as is quite one footed but never really did on the left - at a higher level than this He's played in a 3 loads for NZ and since joining Colorado His mobility may be an issue but in league 1 can't see it being too much If we intend on playing 3 CBs (which I'm not in favour of personally) then you can't do it with only 4 senior CBs on the books as an injury can see the whole shape changing | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:36 - Jan 2 with 1630 views | linhdi | I thought Samuel was one of the best oppo players i have seen all season. | | | |
Added to that on 11:43 - Jan 2 with 1603 views | Dyland |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:34 - Jan 2 by itfcjoe | Just to respond to a few points on here.... Smith is decent on the ball, he struggled when playing on the right hand side of a 2 as is quite one footed but never really did on the left - at a higher level than this He's played in a 3 loads for NZ and since joining Colorado His mobility may be an issue but in league 1 can't see it being too much If we intend on playing 3 CBs (which I'm not in favour of personally) then you can't do it with only 4 senior CBs on the books as an injury can see the whole shape changing |
He provides a better option than we currently have in a back four. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:49 - Jan 2 with 1576 views | PrideOfTheEast |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:36 - Jan 2 by linhdi | I thought Samuel was one of the best oppo players i have seen all season. |
Agreed. He reminded me of Mackail Smith - always hassling and very clever with it. | | | |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:50 - Jan 2 with 1564 views | MrTown | I think Cole Skuse plays very well in the centre of a back 3, reads the game ever so well and has the ability to be a ball player. Skuse and Chambers as part of a backline would worry me for pace though. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:55 - Jan 2 with 1553 views | itfcjoe |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:49 - Jan 2 by PrideOfTheEast | Agreed. He reminded me of Mackail Smith - always hassling and very clever with it. |
Yep, somebody had noted CMS wasn't playing but he was a carbon copy - kept 3 CBs occupied when we struggle to find a striker who can occupy 2 | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 12:10 - Jan 2 with 1513 views | chicoazul |
Sign Tommy Smith on 11:50 - Jan 2 by MrTown | I think Cole Skuse plays very well in the centre of a back 3, reads the game ever so well and has the ability to be a ball player. Skuse and Chambers as part of a backline would worry me for pace though. |
You can't play Skuse and Chambers as part of a 3 it would be absolute murder. And Skuse is a much better bet in the middle of a 3 as you allude to, so if we do go with 3 at the back Chambers needs to be dropped. Think a 3 of Woolf Skuse and Wilson could work personally but it would be lightweight. | |
| |
Sign Tommy Smith on 12:19 - Jan 2 with 1473 views | unstableblue | I’m not sure we need another centre back, we need better defensive shape and coaching. Noticeable how often the Sky pundit referenced how poor our defensive line was. That’s a technical coaching issue, not a staff issue. Interesting that I’d now say The Wolf is our first choice over Chambo. Both Wilson and Chambo have become our no nonsense clear it first type. When Chambo dithers we concede. Nsiala shouldnt start. | |
| |
| |