Subject: [NT] vs Nederland

I think the booting away part is much more for poorly skilled defenders (low PM).

I find even my normal defenders don't boot it away when i wouldn't want them to often. They can make great passes at time, even when there are opponents around...

So i don't think this is a huge issue.

I think it was a valid tactical decision.

I don't. The team gave up 26 shots. That's not exactly 'defensive'.

More like a turtle.

at least when Lakay faced these guys last term, he tried to take the fight to them instead of bending over.

I'll watch the match shortly, and reserve the right to change this opinion above :)
(edited)

I can't understand how you guys can comment about a formation or tactic without watching the game.

We have easier opponents coming up and I'm sure we'll do better.

easy really.

I prefaced my original comment with the term 'philosophical debate'. My most important point was the amazement that we even had to resort to a turtle tactic like this to begin with.

You don't always need to see a tactic to understand how it'll work in application.

The only reason I can think of is that Gibby wiped out so much of the database (in the effort to start over from scratch) that he simply didn't have enough players with known attributes to play.

I could totally understand that if this is the primary reason he used a formation like this. I experience the same thing over in hockey arena running the U20 team. The first half of all friendlies I have subpar lineups in, while I figure out who the best 35 players actually are.

but I hope if the last paragraph is true, then that's the only reason for it.
(edited)

There's no sense in using two high wingers and no normal centre mid Gibby!

HOLLAND!!! HOLLAND!!!!
we won!!!!

I've thought that it was Nederland?

:p

Considering the last matchup had a 13-2 shot differential, I wouldn't say that the Lakay necessarily dominated Nederland tactically, either.

You can say it was bad defensive play, but let's be honest. Defensive templates are passive. That doesn't necessarily lend itself to playing an NT match against a far superior team. As the 26 shots against demonstrates.

Well it was! If I'd set the defence up like my last league game, it would have easily halved the amount of chances they had. Most of them came from having far too much time on the ball.

hell on my own third tier team I experimented with a true defensive formation, and found similar results. Even at that low level of play (we're talking teams with ratings of mid to upper 30's) the defensive emphasis typically hurts more then it helps.

I did the most extreme defence tactic you can imagine once against a better side - only lost 1-0.

Defensive templates can help against teams weak in the midfield. Thats about it, in my experience so far.

The idea with that tactic is to skirt around the midfield of the opponent. Midfield is really the weak spot in the USA side, especially as far as depth goes.

Moreover, what are players with 'garbage' tech, if thats the case, doing on the team in the midfield?

I can't remember saying anything about garbage tech!

There is if you have two high passers in front of the defence!

Ooooh...late checking up on gibbages progress - bit of a disaster, however frankly the dutch are a pretty good team.

Just need to beat all the others...

Seriously, give gibbage time to sort out the tactics & learn the players - he did much better with the England NT than anyone else has managed....

NT Coach for a few days, and he's already talking about himself in the 3rd person. That's very American of you!!!

;-)

uhm. forestman != gibby.

all english people look alike

Kill me.