I think we'd do well to remember that probably 60-70% of Mays decision to sign for us was because it was going to bring him closer to his friends and family. Don't let this ownership fool you into thinking we pipped other clubs because of their grand master plan for this football club
Plenty of sticks to beat Holden with - set pieces being front and centre but I’m not sure I buy that we’re not playing to May’s strengths, as I’ve seen repeated on here a few times now.
By not playing to his strengths, I assume people are talking about playing long…
Go back and look at the goals he scored for Cheltenham. A significant number were scored from May playing off the shoulder and receiving a long ball over the top of the opposing defence.
More than anything, this is one of May’s key strengths rather than the opposite.
It would obviously be more successful with a target man like Leaburn (or Cosgrove?) alongside but we’re not playing the ball into May’s feet and asking him to play hold up, every ball is intended to get him in behind the back line and do what he does best from those positions.
Plenty of sticks to beat Holden with - set pieces being front and centre but I’m not sure I buy that we’re not playing to May’s strengths, as I’ve seen repeated on here a few times now.
By not playing to his strengths, I assume people are talking about playing long…
Go back and look at the goals he scored for Cheltenham. A significant number were scored from May playing off the shoulder and receiving a long ball over the top of the opposing defence.
More than anything, this is one of May’s key strengths rather than the opposite.
It would obviously be more successful with a target man like Leaburn (or Cosgrove?) alongside but we’re not playing the ball into May’s feet and asking him to play hold up, every ball is intended to get him in behind the back line and do what he does best from those positions.
I think one difference he may be struggling with is that Cheltenhams possession stats are low and people played a high line Vs them, they've averaged 34% possession this season so far and I think it was around the high 30s/early 40s last season and they play it long. So the long ball isn't necessarily a weakness for Alfie as he does have intelligent runs and he has the pace, it's just more so he had more space as his team were under it.
Compared to us where we are averaging 54% and teams are more prepared for his runs and our long ball attempts. It's why it's so important he has a strike partner to give him that extra second he's gonna need to run beyond his man.
It's frustrating cause it's definitely not a player issue, May is no Ajose, the effort and skill is there, he is just a victim of poor tactics. If we had an intelligent striker with him who could fend off players we will really see him shine imo
We have to have a squad that can all play together in different systems and set ups. Alfie is very good in what he does but is pretty limited in only able to play as part of a 2 up top and in particular patterns of play.
The days of everyone playing 2 up top are long gone, football has moved on from it. Pretty rare a side can be successful at any level playing a traditional 442 because you just get completely overrun in midfield.
So if our star striker and big signing of the summer is only able to play in a 2 up top that basically weds us to the 352 that Holden wanted. The modern striker needs to be able to lead the line alone or needs to be capable of adapting to playing wide in a 433 or as a 10 in a 4231/ diamond.
If you are looking to get out of this division then building your team and setup around one player in not a good approach. Its a long season, you need to be adaptable and to switch things up as teams wise up to your patterns of play.
You can maybe carry a couple of players in the squad who can only play one formation one way but they cannot be expected to be your main source of goals or you big signing of a window as you lock yourself into having to play them every game and therefore you either lock yourself into a formation or limit your star mans effectiveness.
He is not the problem but I believe it shows a lack of joined up thinking and strategy when it comes to decisions on signings and building a squad. If we were really going to go down this route then you have to do it 1000% and make sure every position in that system is well stocked with enough quality that you wont have to change over the course of the season. We were never gonna do that so need to be adaptable.
We need to have found the Alfie Mays of the league approx 3/4 seasons back, but have now "invested" in him at the age of 30, with the hope he gets us 30 goals. Wishful thinking rather than good planning.
BUT, he is a sound lad and puts his all in so deserves nothing but support from us.
Can almost guarantee that when May has Leaburn up with him (or a striker in the target man mould) we will suddenly see May banging them in. He is a player that plays on the shoulder and needs someone next to him that can bring him into the game with little lay offs, through balls and flick ons.
Can almost guarantee that when May has Leaburn up with him (or a striker in the target man mould) we will suddenly see May banging them in. He is a player that plays on the shoulder and needs someone next to him that can bring him into the game with little lay offs, through balls and flick ons.
Thats my point. Unless you are gonna have a massive squad of superstars ready to completely blow the league out the water you cannot have a player capable of one system to be effective. Even less so if that player is a striker, is expected to be your main goal threat or is your big summer signing.
He will do better (a lot better) with Leaburn alongside but that will still keep us locked in to a specific system.
Can almost guarantee that when May has Leaburn up with him (or a striker in the target man mould) we will suddenly see May banging them in. He is a player that plays on the shoulder and needs someone next to him that can bring him into the game with little lay offs, through balls and flick ons.
Agree, which was definitely Holdens plan when signing him. But it is baffling that we’ve sacked Holden before we even got to see it, and also baffling that a left footed centre back wasn’t one of the first priorities this summer if 3-5-2 was the plan
Even in the games where he has been isolated up front, sure he's offside 4/5 times a game, but he pressures, he chases, he wins the ball and even holds it up. He's put in crosses and got off shots.
I think we're unjustly criticising him here, I can see him in a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, I might even have him in 4-4-1-1.
Can almost guarantee that when May has Leaburn up with him (or a striker in the target man mould) we will suddenly see May banging them in. He is a player that plays on the shoulder and needs someone next to him that can bring him into the game with little lay offs, through balls and flick ons.
Thats my point. Unless you are gonna have a massive squad of superstars ready to completely blow the league out the water you cannot have a player capable of one system to be effective. Even less so if that player is a striker, is expected to be your main goal threat or is your big summer signing.
He will do better (a lot better) with Leaburn alongside but that will still keep us locked in to a specific system.
There are still plenty of formations that can be played with Leaburn and May up front together.
3/5/2, 4/4/2, 4/1/2/1/2 etc you just can't play May in a 4-3-3 with him as the lone striker, very few strikers work well on their own - similar issue Stockley had when we move from playing him upfront with Washington to up front on his own.
Even in the games where he has been isolated up front, sure he's offside 4/5 times a game, but he pressures, he chases, he wins the ball and even holds it up. He's put in crosses and got off shots.
I think we're unjustly criticising him here, I can see him in a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, I might even have him in 4-4-1-1.
You’ve forgotten about his incredible throw in skills!
Even in the games where he has been isolated up front, sure he's offside 4/5 times a game, but he pressures, he chases, he wins the ball and even holds it up. He's put in crosses and got off shots.
I think we're unjustly criticising him here, I can see him in a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, I might even have him in 4-4-1-1.
You’ve forgotten about his incredible throw in skills!
Ha! For some reason, I can't have seen Alfie knocking on the Manager's door on Monday morning demanding to take the throw ins.
May has said himself he goes on scoring runs and then doesn't score for a few games so I wasn't surprised it took him a few games. Definitely think he'll score more with a more experienced partner. Frustratingly think Aneke would be perfect but seems like he's never going to be fit. That said, if he can get on the pitch he'd have May to do his running so that might protect his muscles a bit
I don't think the 352 has to be a problem, but it's a difficult one to make work. Teams have to be extremely disciplined and well-drilled in order to avoid gaps appearing all over. Converting to a new way of playing is a process for players and I was a bit concerned that Holden was throwing a lot into it after we looked pretty rancid at it when he first took over, but I'd hoped pre-season would resolve that. He wasn't given the players but the basics are still lacking all over. A new manager could come in and drill a good 3 at the back situation, it worked fine for Plymouth, Sheff Weds and Ipswich last season when they played it. I wonder if Scott is going to be looking for someone who can specifically fit Leaburn and May in up front while getting proper shape coached or if he'll just go for the manager he thinks is best and not worry about May being shaded out already once Leaburn is back if a new manager wants 433 with a big man up front
May is a hard working, natural creator and proven goalscorer at this level who can score all kinds of goals, a brilliant signing especially for such a small fee.
Not his fault that the decision makers at our club are unwilling to fund a decent partner for him, fingers crossed Leaburn is soon back ready to play and stays fit.
I don't see why we can't make a 352 work. It's a good formation for beating the press which is something we have struggled with in recent years. And with our weakness at CB, having three CBs instead of two can be a bonus (ala Southgate's England).
If we sign a manager who now plays 433, leaving May astray, it will show this SMT has the same lack of joined-up thinking as the last.
I honestly think May is the least of our problems. Over an extremely small sample period 2 in 5 is a reasonable return for a team that has lost four of those fives and looked absolutely dreadful at times.
I appreciate that he needs support, and that dictates how we play, but the upside is worth building a system around him.
Can almost guarantee that when May has Leaburn up with him (or a striker in the target man mould) we will suddenly see May banging them in. He is a player that plays on the shoulder and needs someone next to him that can bring him into the game with little lay offs, through balls and flick ons.
Thats my point. Unless you are gonna have a massive squad of superstars ready to completely blow the league out the water you cannot have a player capable of one system to be effective. Even less so if that player is a striker, is expected to be your main goal threat or is your big summer signing.
He will do better (a lot better) with Leaburn alongside but that will still keep us locked in to a specific system.
Are we asking for a squad of superstars or a simply a squad that has more than one fit senior striker?
Signing a forward who plays better with 2 up top shouldn't cause any professional club as big an issue as it has caused us.
That's 4 in 6 in a team that has been pretty awful. Give him a big lump to back him up and consistent good service and he'll easily be in the 20-goal area.
Hopefully this will be another benefit of having Leaburn/Tedic to back him up - he won't have to be fighting for the ball so much.
I think he's already got as many bookings for us as he did all of last season. I can only presume its because of the frustration from the current situation.
Comments
Don't let this ownership fool you into thinking we pipped other clubs because of their grand master plan for this football club
By not playing to his strengths, I assume people are talking about playing long…
Go back and look at the goals he scored for Cheltenham. A significant number were scored from May playing off the shoulder and receiving a long ball over the top of the opposing defence.
It would obviously be more successful with a target man like Leaburn (or Cosgrove?) alongside but we’re not playing the ball into May’s feet and asking him to play hold up, every ball is intended to get him in behind the back line and do what he does best from those positions.
I think one difference he may be struggling with is that Cheltenhams possession stats are low and people played a high line Vs them, they've averaged 34% possession this season so far and I think it was around the high 30s/early 40s last season and they play it long. So the long ball isn't necessarily a weakness for Alfie as he does have intelligent runs and he has the pace, it's just more so he had more space as his team were under it.
Compared to us where we are averaging 54% and teams are more prepared for his runs and our long ball attempts. It's why it's so important he has a strike partner to give him that extra second he's gonna need to run beyond his man.
It's frustrating cause it's definitely not a player issue, May is no Ajose, the effort and skill is there, he is just a victim of poor tactics. If we had an intelligent striker with him who could fend off players we will really see him shine imo
But...
I don't think he was a great signing for us.
We have to have a squad that can all play together in different systems and set ups. Alfie is very good in what he does but is pretty limited in only able to play as part of a 2 up top and in particular patterns of play.
The days of everyone playing 2 up top are long gone, football has moved on from it. Pretty rare a side can be successful at any level playing a traditional 442 because you just get completely overrun in midfield.
So if our star striker and big signing of the summer is only able to play in a 2 up top that basically weds us to the 352 that Holden wanted. The modern striker needs to be able to lead the line alone or needs to be capable of adapting to playing wide in a 433 or as a 10 in a 4231/ diamond.
If you are looking to get out of this division then building your team and setup around one player in not a good approach. Its a long season, you need to be adaptable and to switch things up as teams wise up to your patterns of play.
You can maybe carry a couple of players in the squad who can only play one formation one way but they cannot be expected to be your main source of goals or you big signing of a window as you lock yourself into having to play them every game and therefore you either lock yourself into a formation or limit your star mans effectiveness.
He is not the problem but I believe it shows a lack of joined up thinking and strategy when it comes to decisions on signings and building a squad. If we were really going to go down this route then you have to do it 1000% and make sure every position in that system is well stocked with enough quality that you wont have to change over the course of the season. We were never gonna do that so need to be adaptable.
BUT, he is a sound lad and puts his all in so deserves nothing but support from us.
He will do better (a lot better) with Leaburn alongside but that will still keep us locked in to a specific system.
I think we're unjustly criticising him here, I can see him in a 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, I might even have him in 4-4-1-1.
3/5/2, 4/4/2, 4/1/2/1/2 etc you just can't play May in a 4-3-3 with him as the lone striker, very few strikers work well on their own - similar issue Stockley had when we move from playing him upfront with Washington to up front on his own.
Not his fault that the decision makers at our club are unwilling to fund a decent partner for him, fingers crossed Leaburn is soon back ready to play and stays fit.
If we sign a manager who now plays 433, leaving May astray, it will show this SMT has the same lack of joined-up thinking as the last.
Signing a forward who plays better with 2 up top shouldn't cause any professional club as big an issue as it has caused us.
I think he's already got as many bookings for us as he did all of last season. I can only presume its because of the frustration from the current situation.