Eagle at left back, Doc and Spillane in midfield - WHAT??

[Unlucky Fried Kitten 0]

I know Exeter was only the 1st warm-up game before the season proper begins and so it is still very early days but, come on, did Mr G have a touch of the Worthys on Saturday? I mean to say, the only time you would see a duff configuration like that is in the direst of emergencies. What exactly was Mr G hoping to discover from such bizarre experimentation - that we can leak goals and create nothing?

[Ginja 26]

Have you ever played Football Manager? The whole point of friendlys is to experiment, they are meaningless games otherwise. This is Grants first chance to really play around with team players/formation/tactics. How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.

[Duffman 0]

I''d read the post match interviews by PG and maybe that will answer your questions.   He picked what he had available to him.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

[quote user="UEA Graduate Canary"]

How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.

[/quote]

Doherty in midfield.....  You know what...  I just know.

[Canary of Manchester (barlodona) 0]

[quote user="UEA Graduate Canary"]Have you ever played Football Manager? The whole point of friendlys is to experiment, they are meaningless games otherwise. This is Grants first chance to really play around with team players/formation/tactics. How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.
[/quote]

 

 

training??

[Norwich R Us 59]

apparently doc was played in midfield so that he covered more ground for the purposes of fitness.

apparently...

[Unlucky Fried Kitten 0]

[quote user="UEA Graduate Canary"]Have you ever played Football Manager? The whole point of friendlys is to experiment, they are meaningless games otherwise. This is Grants first chance to really play around with team players/formation/tactics. How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.
[/quote]

There''s something in what you say, UEA, but as the good citizen says - Doc in midfield? Don''t make me laugh. Most of us realise that Doc is a basic hoofing defender, so it''s a tall order to expect him to make the transition to a ball-winning midfielder with silky passing skills overnight. Similarly, to me it''s quite obvious that Eagle could never be a full back - he''s too lightweight and puny for that role. What''s next? - Marshall at centre forward, Dublin in goal and Huckerby at centre back? Why not! - I''m all for a little bit of improvisation.

[Old Boy 0]

The reason he played Doc and Spillane in midfield, Eagle at FB and Chadwick on the left is quite obviously to show the Board how scary it will be when/if Etuhu and Safri leave. A look down that abyss should loosen up the purse strings.

[Pyro Pete 1,886]

[quote user="Norwich"]apparently doc was played in midfield so that he covered more ground for the purposes of fitness.

apparently...

[/quote]

Yes, it''s the "headless chicken" training method. Where you select

a player for a position they have no clue how to play in, so end up

running everywhere. Thereby improving their physical condition.This goes to explain why Hughes fitness is so good.

[Ginja 26]

[quote user="barlodona"]

[quote user="UEA Graduate Canary"]Have you ever played Football Manager? The whole point of friendlys is to experiment, they are meaningless games otherwise. This is Grants first chance to really play around with team players/formation/tactics. How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.[/quote]

 

 

training??

[/quote]Training would never show a manager what a friendly can.

[can u sit down please 0]

[quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"]

[quote user="UEA Graduate Canary"]

How do you know those different combinations wouldn''t work unless you try them.

[/quote]

Doherty in midfield.....  You know what...  I just know.

[/quote]

I think its quite obvious Re: The Doc in midfield. As i said in another post, the guy has not played since March, he probably missed a part of the off season fitness plan, so why not put him in there for fitness purposes?

Anyone with a bit of sense knows that pre season (more so the early games) is all about FITNESS!! results are not important at all.

[djc 0]

So big wow, Granty tries a few things out in an experimental formation, The Doc plays in midfield in a pointless friendly, with the prime reason as giving him a fitness work out.

Well, so we tried things out, we lost, but surely it is better to do this now, in preseason rather than during important matches in the season?

Does anyone test drive cars before buying them these days? Oh so losing to Exeter away, is it really time to hit the panic button??

[NCFC_Shaun 0]

what on earth is wrong with spillane in midfield ... if u were at leicester last season u wud have seen he had an awesome game in centre mid...