Talking tactics with...Simon Charlton!

[Campbell 0]

“I think there is perhaps too much space between the back four and the front three. I go back to my previous manager Sam Allardyce who always worked hard on that. Sam always used to say that there should never be more than 30 metres between the two.

“We didn''t do that today, and we didn''t do it on a number of occasions last season, and that was one of the reasons that we conceded so many goals. We need to make it more compact so teams can''t find those little gaps to exploit.”

Absolutely, 100% spot on...This is exactly why we were so poor defensively last season. Those two paragraphs tell you all that is wrong with how we defend as a team...

Therefore:

Bring back Simon Charlton; the man knows how to defend.

[Northern Canary 0]

totally agree. I think he deserves flemings place and maybe captain armband

[DumbleDelia is Magic 0]

Good point Campbell.  I have to admit at times this summer I have completely forgotten we even have Charlie on our books!  He seems to have been a bit overlooked, by the fans anyway.  He does have a lot of experience and could prove very useful for us next season

[ZLF 271]

[quote]Good point Campbell. I have to admit at times this summer I have completely forgotten we even have Charlie on our books! He seems to have been a bit overlooked, by the fans anyway. He does have a l...[/quote]

The bloke is THE most talented defender at the club and the reason we conceeded far fewer goals in the first half of the season - when he was dropped the goals flooded in... 

However I understand it was him having an opinion that caused him to be dropped in the first place?  How will worthy take another ''my old boss did it this way'' comment?

However I want us to look forwards  for our central defenders which is why I would go with youth first this season calling on charlie when needed.

What he says those is entirely right - but I think the blame is with the defenders/coaches and not the forwards.  Far too quickly our back four retreat to the 18 yrd line then drift deeper rather than defending further up the pitch.  Our midfield then do the same while the forwards are on the half way line or beyond - cereating and space where there are no city players.   The back line must be further up the pitch (which shackell was starting to get in place last season) and the midfielders must give them some breathing space by defending 5-10 meters in from of them instead of being on their toes.   This would mean everyone moves closer to the front line making the defending as a unit easier to accomplish...  Come on worthy - make it happen.

 

OTBC

[Tufnell Park Canary 0]

I too, am a big fan of simon charlton. he is somthing of an unfashioanle player, but he has experience and quality.

He certainly has been overlooked, but he is a valuable member of the squad and will be very comfortable at championship level.

I hope Worthy uses him from the start of the season.

[Old Boy 0]

Overlooked by the fans, DD? Not by me - he is one of NW''s best buys, along with Safri, Ashton and Huckerby. A thinking footballer as well, it seems. It shows in his play - mental effort is as crucial as physical effort in football.

Compare and contrast with Francis...

[First Wizard 0]

[quote]Good point Campbell. I have to admit at times this summer I have completely forgotten we even have Charlie on our books! He seems to have been a bit overlooked, by the fans anyway. He does have a l...[/quote]

If we all seem to know this DD, why the hell doesn''t Worthy?.

[Mook 0]

He was excellent last season until "The Big Fallout". Get him in the team, sharpish.

[Yellow Rider 0]

Great post about Charlie''s comments.

Unfortunately, unless Worthy has had a complete U turn in his man management technique, that is probably the end of Charlie''s career here! It was no surprise that (with Worthy under a lot of pressure at the time), Charlie disappeared from the first team after his comments following the Blackburn away game. If you remember, he admitted to being played when he ''was injured'' because ''there were no other options''. At that game, if I remember correctly, Shacks either sat on the bench or was not even in the squad. Fleming could have played right back and Shacks in the middle that day but that would have meant Worthy playing a ''youngster'' and that would never do! Interestingly enough after the Blackburn hammering (and fiasco with Worthy''s ill judged pre matach slagging off of the opponents), Shacks came from nowhere straight into the side and played every game until end of the season.

I have always thought that Worthy was ''bounced'' into the decision to play Shacks, I honestly don''t think he really wanted to.

Charlie is 100% right so why have we had this problem for something like 3 or 4 years now!!!!!! It weas not just last season that we sat deep or had massive gaps between the front line and the back. It was very apparent in the play off season when the whole defence seemed to retreat to the 18 yard line at the first sign of trouble. Either the manager / coaches can''t see this or they are unwilling to change tactics. I have always been dubious about the quality of livermore and foley but I may be completely wrong and it could be that fans much closer to the club than me can justify why these two are in place? Perhaps they are ''good tacticians'', or ''great motivators''? Then again........................

Finally, what has Keith Webb ever done to be Reserve Team Manager. Several years ago was he not the Box Office guy? Having seen the reserves several times last season, the standard of play was dreadful. A typical long ball game was the sole tactic. No wonder Jarvis''s career has gone nowhere in the last 2 years! With all the ex players, managers and coaches out of work you can''t tell me that someone like Webb is BETTER than all those?         

  

[Mook 0]

Yellow Rider - spot on, I agree entirely with your points about the reserve team.

Why do all our "hot prospects" and our players that don''t make the first team for a while just drift off into obscurity?? There IS something wrong there, I don''t care what the eternal optimists think.

Also, you are correct, it has always been a case of "back off to the penalty box". Why do you think that we are always conceeding these "wonder goals"? It''s because we easily allow players to shoot from distance, and at the top levels of English football, they can do serious damage.

[breaker 0]

I wondered when someone else would mention the number of ''wonder goals'' that have been scored against us over the past two or three seasons - well done Mook!

When I coached football there was a mantra that the boys learnt (sorry about the language but it is American*) that went; No Get, No Turn, No Move, No Shoot which basically meant the players had to get tight very quickly and then get physical. Last year the City defence at times appeared to have a different mantra - ''Would you like a ball to play with mate - here you are'', ''Need a little more room, certainly sir let me just get out of your way'', Want to have a clear view of our goal, just step a little bit closer and I''ll Help you locate the right spot'' etc etc

* Did you know that all American coaching manuals talk of boys having to shag the balls, ''shag'' meaning collect in Americanese. My boys loved that one!

[Trent Canary 0]

"I wondered when someone else would mention the number of ''wonder goals'' that have been scored against us over the past two or three seasons - well done Mook!"

Its true, especially in our title winning season it seemed as though most of the goals were 25 yard screamers!

[Trent Canary 0]

"I wondered when someone else would mention the number of ''wonder goals'' that have been scored against us over the past two or three seasons - well done Mook!"

Its true, especially in our title winning season it seemed as though most of the goals were 25 yard screamers!

[Ulf Ottosson 0]

Although Charton is talking sense Worthy must take the blame last season at no point was any attempt made to sure up the defense - look at Blackburn they started by leaking goals all over the place - Hughes came in and got back to basics and the defence was no longer a problem.

Once Worthington abandoned 4-5-1 to play 4-4-2 with Huckerby and Bentley on the flanks in what turned into a 4-2-4 we were doomed to concede goal after goal. I have a bit of sympathy for the defence because although they made some individual errors lots of times in was what or was happening in front of them that was our undoing - players like Fleming and Drury solid good defenders looked all at sea due to a total lack of shape to the team unless this is sorted we may have a shock this year too.