What have we learnt (or what has Neil learnt)?

[mrs miggins 0]

So the diamond doesn''t really work with the players we have

Redmond can''t play upfront (although we already knew that)

Martin shouldn''t be our main CB but RB

The championship is probably harder than some of us thought.

anything else

[militantcanary 0]

Redmond can''t play full stop

Whittaker is not that good

Olsson is also over rated but was treated disgracefully by the bald bastard in charge

Grabban is not that great

Ruddy is a very good keeper

Lafferty shows promise

[iron_stan 0]

weve learned that we have no idea how to defend, no idea how to attack, and 100% no idea how to put the ball in the back of the net

weve also discovered that we should go back to basics with 442, we looked instantly better with lafferty and grabban both up top even with 10 men

wingers and two strikers please, this is the championship not the champions league

[mrs miggins 0]

Although I thought our defence in the first half was alright (not our midfield but defence), i''d agree with all that stan

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

The championship is a very tough league.

We need a strong, experienced head leading a squad of newly relegated PL players. Can''t expect to walk the league.

Bennett is ineffective in a diamond.

Johnson is ineffective in a diamond.

Grabban needs better service.

Lafferty should have started.

Redmond is NOT a striker.

Martin can be decent at CB (but don''t let me get in the way of bashing one of the new scapegoats).

Olsson is unfit.

Whittaker hasn''t found his level yet (but we''re heading in the right direction).

We''re very lucky Ruddy loves the area.

We need a leader on the pitch.

[Phillip J Fry 0]

The one thing Adams needs to learn is not to play that diamond again unless in exceptional circumstances.

The players looked more comfortable playing that vaguely 4-4-2ish formation when even down to 10 men that they did in the diamond (apart from a brief 5 minute spell)

4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1 seem the way to go for me. Players look more organised and seem to have a better understanding of what they have to do.

[mrs miggins 0]

in his interview he said that they''ve learnt a lot....we''ll see

[Phillip J Fry 0]

Michael Turner is an excellent defender and we''re very lucky to have him

[Phillip J Fry 0]

Grabban and Lafferty might have potential as a partnership.

[mrs miggins 0]

Neil said Lafferty wasn''t fully fit, so you might be right phillip with the partnership

[mrdi 373]

Depressingly, I learned very little, if anything that last season hadn''t already taught me.

About the only thing I really learned is that Olsson clearly wants to be elsewhere.

[Madison 0]

Rafferty should have started

Martin should play right back if Bennett is available

Ryan Bennett to play Centreback

Tettey before or Johnson but don''t play both

Redmond needs to start on right after impressing enough to challenge Bennett for that position

We need to start playing in the oppositions half

[Downloads 35]

That Martin and Johnson are clearly cack and R Bennett and Tettey should be on in their places. Tettey looked better than Johnson did with 5 minutes on the pitch.

[Bury Yellow 2]

Olson looked unfit and not surprising given his lack of action pre season.

We were outfought.

I think we have the players but I think Adams has got to prove he''s got what it takes and pretty damn quick.

I actually thought Martin had a good game.

Only real positive was Lafferty. I watched that game thinking we still miss Holty and then on came Lafferty.

Other than that it was a typical lack lustre embarrassing NCFC away game.

I laughed at the commentators continual observations implying that as an ex Prem team we should be dominating more. Don''t they realise we never played like a Prem last season and most of the season before.

[Highland Canary 76]

That we always needed an outside perspective who would challenge both the players and the board. A laughable appointment and in that sense we got exactly what we deserved.

[Kangaroo Court 0]

Everyone except Adams can see that Redmond isn''t a striker. Lafferty should have started.

[gabba 0]

You need a decent target man or hold up player in this division. We don''t have one, and Hughton sold the best one in the division.

[Talk Show Host 0]

I''m really not a fan of this diamond formation, seems incredibly easy to break down/dominate in general, and a poor team such as Wolves showed us that today.

In order for a diamond to work you need a very strong, very big CDM type; we have Bradley Johnson. The two wingers/left+right mids need to be able to track back and help the two full backs, as well as being able to go in for the tackle; we have Redmond and Bennett. Can''t really fault Hoolahan in terms of suiting the diamond formation because that''s the only formation he works in (although he was sh!te today)

Change of tactics Neil maybe?

PS It''s not all bad, 1st game of the season and all that init

[4th floor 4]

[quote user="Adnams Out"]You need a decent target man or hold up player in this division. We don''t have one, and Hughton sold the best one in the division.[/quote]Not sure who you mean, if it''s Chris Martin then he left on a free iirc. We''d have done a lot better with someone like him just off the front instead of Redmond.We missed Fer badly, someone solid in the middle to keep hold of the ball and feed the attackers.We missed a worker like Howson to link up play, chase the opposition and carry the ball.We could also do with a defensive playmaker, as neither Tettey nor Johnson are able to pass the ball more than a few yards. I''d try Whittaker there and buy/loan at least one more right back.We really should have played 4-4-2 or 4-5-1/4-1-4-1 today, and considering the absences I wouldn''t hit the panic button just yet. But we need to find the right balance quickly, especially away from home.

[percy varco 196]

We should play 4-4-2. Stop pi$$ing about with poncy formations. Play ayers in their strongest positions and drop the billy big boots attitude that we have the class to cruise this league. We don''t.