High press, front-footed, control the game

[Sutekh]

So then, in your opinion do we have the players for this sort of game?

Think Marriott offers something in this area and Ritchie should have the nous and think Doyle could be annoying for defenders too but guess what we probably really need in January are a couple of "Kevin Bremner" types to throw into the mix as I struggle to see much offered from midfield in this mould currently esp. with Liam Fraser out.

[Hound]

Dunno really. We certainly don’t have a Harvey Knibbs who was great at it. We didn’t press particularly well under Hunt but maybe a few tweaks can help things. All the forwards and wingers are capable enough I’d say without being brilliant at it

[Linden Jones' Tash]

To my uneducated eye, the key thing about the press is making sure its properly coordinated and implemented in the right zones/at the right time...

Under NH, this appeared to be missing and we sometimes pressed in such a haphazard way that energy was wasted and we were cut open by simple triangles because of lack of coordination...

I think its less about the players and more about the tactical implementation...

[Snowflake Royal]

It's similar to what Selles and Hunt were trying to do.

I think our forwards are a bit lightweight / slow / laconic to do it brilliantly currently. Lane the most potential.

And the AMs, like Doyle and Elliott aren't exactly going to emulate Knibbs and snap in stealing the ball high regularly.

But we can certainly do it ok.

[Vision]

To my uneducated eye, the key thing about the press is making sure its properly coordinated and implemented in the right zones/at the right time...

Under NH, this appeared to be missing and we sometimes pressed in such a haphazard way that energy was wasted and we were cut open by simple triangles because of lack of coordination...

I think its less about the players and more about the tactical implementation...

Tbf, I thought we'd started to find a solution to that with the two wide forwards pressing high and Marriott dropping to cut out the central passing lane. Then we changed to 4-2-3-1 (presumably to accommodate Doyle) and kind've had to start again.

[Hound]

The nadir was Bolton when we had up to 5 pressers running round like headless chickens but it did improve from that point

Tbf don’t think we were miles away from getting it working reasonably well - Cardiff we pressed successfully a few times (but maybe that was just Osho having a mare)

Always found it odd that Doyle was the ‘plan b’ for Knibbs when he is absolutely nothing like him. Didn’t show great planning.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

It’s all interview, LinkedIn style mumbo jumbo.

I like his first appearance as Reading manager, and I feel strangely confident he is going to turn things around and look forward to his tenure, but how many managers would say anything different?

My style as a manager is low press, back footed and looking not to control the game.

[Snowflake Royal]

It’s all interview, LinkedIn style mumbo jumbo.

I like his first appearance as Reading manager, and I feel strangely confident he is going to turn things around and look forward to his tenure, but how many managers would say anything different?

My style as a manager is low press, back footed and looking not to control the game.

To a certain extent, yes.

But...

My approach is to build from the back with a strong defence, and fast counter attack to catch defences before they're set.

[stealthpapes]

My style as a manager is low press, back footed and looking not to control the game.

A tactical approach that has won the Champions league. Right?

[traff]

So then, in your opinion do we have the players for this sort of game?

Think Marriott offers something in this area and Ritchie should have the nous and think Doyle could be annoying for defenders too but guess what we probably really need in January are a couple of "Kevin Bremner" types to throw into the mix as I struggle to see much offered from midfield in this mould currently esp. with Liam Fraser out.

There's only one Kevin Bremner!

[Sutekh]

So then, in your opinion do we have the players for this sort of game?

Think Marriott offers something in this area and Ritchie should have the nous and think Doyle could be annoying for defenders too but guess what we probably really need in January are a couple of "Kevin Bremner" types to throw into the mix as I struggle to see much offered from midfield in this mould currently esp. with Liam Fraser out.

There's only one Kevin Bremner!

Leam also made the point he likes a lot of goalmouth action and crosses into the box - I am therefore presuming the next Jimmy Quinn will be scouted & duly signed.

[Armadillo Roadkill]

To my uneducated eye, the key thing about the press is making sure its properly coordinated and implemented in the right zones/at the right time...

Under NH, this appeared to be missing and we sometimes pressed in such a haphazard way that energy was wasted and we were cut open by simple triangles because of lack of coordination...

I think its less about the players and more about the tactical implementation...

I agree with this. I too think it's more about how the players coordinate, and what was missing (until the last few games) was any sense that the players knew where their teammates were and what they were doing.

[Extended-Phenotype]

Not massively keen on managers presuming a system before they’ve analysed the players and their capabilities. I’d be looking at our best players and building a system around them, but hopefully this is what Leam will be doing and the buzzword bingo was just for the press.

[WestYorksRoyal]

Not massively keen on managers presuming a system before they’ve analysed the players and their capabilities. I’d be looking at our best players and building a system around them, but hopefully this is what Leam will be doing and the buzzword bingo was just for the press.

I listened to EPR's podcast with a Wigan fan this week and it sounds like he's adaptable. In his first season there, he inherited a team bottom of the league, in administration and with a limited squad, and kept them up playing "pub football". In his second season, they had new owners and a stronger squad, and he played a high intensity direct game as he has described in his interview.

So he's proven he can meet the squad he inherits in the middle.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

Not massively keen on managers presuming a system before they’ve analysed the players and their capabilities. I’d be looking at our best players and building a system around them, but hopefully this is what Leam will be doing and the buzzword bingo was just for the press.

[Sutekh]

From the Wigan end - Leam likes 4 at the back with 1 in front (I call that the old fashioned sweeper) and 1 up front.

[The Royal Forester]

From the Wigan end - Leam likes 4 at the back with 1 in front (I call that the old fashioned sweeper) and 1 up front.

Only six outfield players? no wonder he didn't win many games at R'ham!

[Sutekh]

From the Wigan end - Leam likes 4 at the back with 1 in front (I call that the old fashioned sweeper) and 1 up front.

Only six outfield players? no wonder he didn't win many games at R'ham!

Think that’s probably why he took time out after leaving Rotherham to work on his development as a manager.

[SouthDownsRoyal]

From the Wigan end - Leam likes 4 at the back with 1 in front (I call that the old fashioned sweeper) and 1 up front.

Only six outfield players? no wonder he didn't win many games at R'ham!

His plan to use just 6 players didn’t work well today