Inside Out Wingers

[Shack Attack 0]

Firtly let me say that I don''t think today''s result was bad at all and a point was a lot better for us than it was QPR but I did think that today showed up mny of the problems which exist when playing inside out wingers. Now I understand the reasons why it has become fashionable to play this way and I think that the fact that Robert Snodgrass will be up there when it comes to the POTS vote shows that it has it merits. However if you look at the whole picture I''m not sure that the fact that playing Snodgrass on the right allows him to cut inside and shoot with his left is enough to negate the impact this has overall.At least three or four times in the second half Elliot Bennett gave the ball away cheaply when clearing with his weaker left foot and on a couple more occasions he was unable to provide the quick cross needed because he had had to cut back onto his right. This also happened a few times with Snodgrass who was shown the outside by QPR defenders when he was given the ball and attacked from a standing start.I can understand the desire to play this way and what it allows Snodgrass to do but I do wonder if this is enough to make up for the negatives. Especially when our main striker who would thrive on crosses being delivered into the box appears to be increasingly marginalised.

[CanaryNath 30]

My gut feeling is that if you play a big target-man up front on his own, your wingers MUST be able to get outside their markers and cross early.

If you play inside-out, there''s an argument to play a smaller, nippier striker to pick up loose balls more effectively following shots/attempts by the wingers cutting in.

[Sing Up The South Stand 0]

To be fair, Bennett only came on on the left due to Pilkington''s injury and Snodgrass making the right midfield spot his own. I don''t think Hughton wanted to do that.

[CanaryNath 30]

Thought Pilks was right-footed too?

[Sing Up The South Stand 0]

He seems to me to be comfortable with both feet.

[chicken 0]

I thought it was clear on several occasions that E.Bennett did not look comfortable on the left. He won the ball decisively in some situations but was unable to get out of them easily due to being on his left foot.

Equally he didn''t seem to want to really run at the by-line - something he is good at, because he knew he couldn''t cross with his left if he did.

When Becchio finally came on I would have switched it for those last ten or so minutes and just asked them to put as many balls into the box as possible for Holt/Becchio to get on the end of.

That said, a lot to be pleased with today. Just need to get the net bulging and I am sure we''ll see a few decent results to see us safe.

We''ll probably deliver another upset to someone at some point as well. It''s a very tight league this year. 6points from safety, 7 points from 7th.

There is also a group of teams all within two points of each other including us. 28points to 30points.