Critch on team selection for Saturday

Allmodcons

Allmodcons

Well-known member
He said: “You know me well enough to know that just because we won 4-0 last week doesn’t mean I’m automatically going to roll out the same team the following week.

We pick a team that we think is the right one to take to the field to counteract Portsmouth’s strengths and weaknesses".

Just a suggestionNeil, why not pick the same team and let Pompey worry about us for a change?
 
Allmodcons said:
He said: “You know me well enough to know that just because we won 4-0 last week doesn’t mean I’m automatically going to roll out the same team the following week.

We pick a team that we think is the right one to take to the field to counteract Portsmouth’s strengths and weaknesses".

Just a suggestionNeil, why not pick the same team and let Pompey worry about us for a change?
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In fairness, being vague and about his team selections and mixing things up, will make the other side worry about us. If the opposition know what to expect, then that’s part of the battle won.

It’s a good thing that our manager is always well prepared and looks to exploit the opposition’s weaknesses, where possible.

In recent times, he has delivered where others have failed and so (for me at least) I think you have to accept he does things his way and that generally (over the course of a season) he comes up with the goods.
 
Why not just play the same way every time and if during the game it needs tweeking do so
Although for someone defensively minded I'm surprised he doesn't play Lyons and Thompson away
And Hamilton and Dale at home,
 
With top teams you can always name their starting 11, barring injuries and loss of form etc. With Liverpool when they were flying you knew they would play 4-3-3 and exactly who would play, it was a case of try and stop us. Rhythm is a massive part of the game and you get that by fielding a settled side, but if we win who cares.
 
Allmodcons said:
He said: “You know me well enough to know that just because we won 4-0 last week doesn’t mean I’m automatically going to roll out the same team the following week.

We pick a team that we think is the right one to take to the field to counteract Portsmouth’s strengths and weaknesses".

Just a suggestionNeil, why not pick the same team and let Pompey worry about us for a change?
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That's his problem...he thinks he can overcome a supposedly superior team with his tactical mind. So instead of playing to our strengths, instead he tries to contain the opposition. I would rather lose 5-3 after having a go, than to lose to 1-0 after a 65th minute wonder strike.

If you win 4-0 you should keep the same team. Unbelievable really.
 
BFC_BFC_BFC said:
a good thing that our manager is always well prepared and looks to exploit the opposition’s weaknesses, where possible.
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The "just play the strongest team" advocates would be the first to call him tactically naive for failing to make a distinction between Pompey's strengths and Shrewsbury's. That's quite aside from the fact that "the best team" ebbs and flows as the season progresses.

Play the best team for the opposition in front of you. And as the head coach, that's what you are paid to decide.
 
Allmodcons said:
He said: “You know me well enough to know that just because we won 4-0 last week doesn’t mean I’m automatically going to roll out the same team the following week.

We pick a team that we think is the right one to take to the field to counteract Portsmouth’s strengths and weaknesses".

Just a suggestionNeil, why not pick the same team and let Pompey worry about us for a change?
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Many of us have been saying that on here for a while. However, @BFC_BFC_BFC is also right - keep 'em guessing.
 
Micky Walsh said:
With top teams you can always name their starting 11, barring injuries and loss of form etc.
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It’s a bit naive to think that you can simply put the same 11 out week in week out. There’s a whole series of positive reasons to rotate the squad, especially early on in the season.

One of the major plus points of Critchley’s time at Blackpool has been his ability to cope with injuries and suspensions by ensuring every squad member is ready to slot in and do a job.

In my view it creates a much better dressing room, a sense of togetherness within the squad, inspires players to train hard / work hard to get or retain a place and it makes us far more resilient over the course of a season.

It’s all well and good advocating the concept of simply ‘letting the opposition worry about you’ but in reality it’s just another lazy cliche. We’ve reaped the rewards of Critchley’s methods (especially in the Championship)… It might not always come off and it might take time for things to bed in, but ultimately the proof in in the budding and as far as his time at Blackpool is concerned he’s been an overwhelming success.
 
I left the game on Saturday very happy with the 4-0 win but not thinking that the team was the strongest and most accomplished selection that was available from the whole squad, or that I have seen play together this season. I think there's room to manoeuvre and I can understand why the Coach wants to keep his options open for change on a match by match basis.
I can also accept that some may see the last game score as a good indicator that a perfect team shape had been found; but it's only a few weeks ago that many on here were calling for Critchley's head and thought his wing back arrangement was a given failure; so what's changed?
I enjoy the fact that many in the squad are getting to play to their own strengths, and sometimes admittedly their weaknesses, but I do believe that there's a method and technique behind this that perhaps only the inner circle are priviledge too.
Maybe that's why we're not all football coaches eh?
UTMP.
 
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BFC_BFC_BFC said:
It’s a bit naive to think that you can simply put the same 11 out week in week out. There’s a whole series of positive reasons to rotate the squad, especially early on in the season.

One of the major plus points of Critchley’s time at Blackpool has been his ability to cope with injuries and suspensions by ensuring every squad member is ready to slot in and do a job.

In my view it creates a much better dressing room, a sense of togetherness within the squad, inspires players to train hard / work hard to get or retain a place and it makes us far more resilient over the course of a season.

It’s all well and good advocating the concept of simply ‘letting the opposition worry about you’ but in reality it’s just another lazy cliche. We’ve reaped the rewards of Critchley’s methods (especially in the Championship)… It might not always come off and it might take time for things to bed in, but ultimately the proof in in the budding and as far as his time at Blackpool is concerned he’s been an overwhelming success.
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Well said that man; a much more erudite reply than I was hoping to pen...
 
For me, whether we are playing at home or away shouldn't make any difference. It's 11 against 11 on a football pitch. Yes, you always need to be tactically aware of the opposition's strengths and weaknesses but football is very much a psychological game and successful teams use that to their advantage. I don't know how much time Critchley and his assistants focus on the psychology side of things but we need to be winning significantly more away matches. We know that our players are not phased by big away crowds or hostile atmospheres, in fact we seem to thrive off those things. So no matter how we set up on Saturday, we really do need to make a. statement to others. Let's go there, knowing and believing we are more than good enough to win, will not be phased by hostility or big crowds, we will keep our discipline, we will be organised, confident but not cocky and we will play with a passion and determination that will gain us three points.
 
Pun_1 said:
Just let Critch do what he sees fit.

I don't think the team will be far off what it was last Saturday.

He will have Tuesday nights game against Northampton in mind too and players maybe carrying knocks that we are unaware of.
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Long as Dembele is in the team I can see us doing well.
He is almost impossible to mark out of the game as he says himself he plays on instinct, and to be fair Critchley is allowing him that flexibility.
JUST LEAVE HIM UP FOR OPPOSITION CORNERS
 
tangysider said:
Long as Dembele is in the team I can see us doing well.
He is almost impossible to mark out of the game as he says himself he plays on instinct, and to be fair Critchley is allowing him that flexibility.
JUST LEAVE HIM UP FOR OPPOSITION CORNERS
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Agreed. One of the first names on the team sheet.
 
Chesterbfc said:
Just read somewhere he might play Connelly? Pick him we lose !! ,don't tinker and play last week's starting 11.
Let's smash them UTMP!!
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Connolly has been involved in all of the seven games we've won this season, mainly as a starter but sometimes as a sub. Of the five games we've lost he wasn't on the pitch at all for two of them. Of the six draws he has come on twice as a sub, spending less than half an hour on the pitch in total.

The logical conclusion is that without Connolly on the field we don't win.

And you can't even spell his name right.
 
Meliora said:
Connolly has been involved in all of the seven games we've won this season, mainly as a starter but sometimes as a sub. Of the five games we've lost he wasn't on the pitch at all for two of them. Of the six draws he has come on twice as a sub, spending less than half an hour on the pitch in total.

The logical conclusion is that without Connolly on the field we don't win.

And you can't even spell his name right.
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Do not get the negativity to him, hardly ever injured, covers multiple positions and still relatively young
 
Unless of any injuries if starting 11 includes connolly then we know critch it's going for an epic defensive display 🙄

If no injuries then connolly on bench and let's go for it... please
 
maxnix said:
That's his problem...he thinks he can overcome a supposedly superior team with his tactical mind. So instead of playing to our strengths, instead he tries to contain the opposition. I would rather lose 5-3 after having a go, than to lose to 1-0 after a 65th minute wonder strike.

If you win 4-0 you should keep the same team. Unbelievable really.
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The Shrews were a pushover and away from home. Portsmouth are at home and unbeaten so he may have to change tack slightly for the first half. And it has not always worked keeping the same team.
 
He constantly overthinks the problem, and as a result makes us less organised & weaker. In the end it just gives the opposition a boost. We”re not playing City ffs. Timid as a mouse. Grow a pair man
 
tangerine_neil said:
He constantly overthinks the problem, and as a result makes us less organised & weaker. In the end it just gives the opposition a boost. We”re not playing City ffs. Timid as a mouse. Grow a pair man
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Actually I think you and plenty of others frequently underthink ‘the problem’ and that’s why he’s an elite coach and actual successful football manager, whilst you’re in the privileged position of sitting on the settee critiquing him.

If football management were as simple as you lot make out, then anyone could do it and there wouldn’t be such massive differences in performance from one individual to another.

There’s nothing remotely ‘timid’ about Critchley … Timid would have been to divert from his plan / process in the face of a bit of adversity… He’s self assured and confident in his own abilities and decisions…. And ultimately he delivers.
 
We should know by know to expect the unexpected with Critchley. Most on here seem resigned to the fact that he will tinker with the side tomorrow. It would not surprise me if he kept the team unchanged or very similar to last Saturday's.
 
Most weeks there would be toys out the Pram left right and centre if Bees name was mentioned in the starting line up and Marv in the back 3
 
Supersub said:
For me, whether we are playing at home or away shouldn't make any difference.......football is very much a psychological game and successful teams use that to their advantage.
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Do you understand how you've mitigated your own argument here?

The whole post is a casserole of clichés and contradictions.
 
Fair play Critch, you unleashed the dogs and it came up trumps. But irrespective of the result it was good to watch.

Let's hope this is the blueprint for away games going forward 👍🏻
 
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