‘ The wing conundrum ‘

The wing conundrum


Sunday 28th September 2020


By Glen Williams


Perhaps one of the more frustrating aspects of the Reading defeat was how the wingers operated in this 4-3-3 system.

With Sheyi Ojo, a left-footed winger predominantly playing on the right, and Junior Hoilett, a right-footed player on the left, Reading found City's attacks largely easy to defend.

The wide men opted to cut inside on to their favoured feet and it narrowed the whole attack, meaning they had to try to thread pinpoint balls through a congested defence to target-man Kieffer Moore.

Cardiff looked most dangerous when Jordi Osei-Tutu was overlapping or Leandro Bacuna had made a burst down the flank to send in crosses to Moore, who could use his height and physicality.

"The players know exactly how we want to play, we showed it a lot today, we showed it at Nottingham Forest and in spells against Sheffield Wednesday," Harris said after the match.

"Yes we want to use Kieffer Moore's strengths and Kieffer Moore's strengths are attacking balls in the box, so we have to get balls in the box for him.

"We have to get into good areas and once we do we can get the balls into the box."

However, it looks as though far more emphasis has been placed on the wingers to contribute goals this term, especially in the absence of Lee Tomlin.

So the wingers have to cut inside and work the goalkeeper, as well as provide the service for Moore up front.

At the minute they look a little bit caught in the middle.

It’s been a problem for a while. We are so inconsistent but hoilett every week is the biggest conundrum. He is not able to take anyone on, his crossing is poor and he rarely delivers a flash of brilliance.

Murphy is inconsistent, ojo can’t seem to run with a ball let alone take players on. Whyte doesn’t appear to be getting a chance to see what he can do. NML has gone and without crosses our big strikers are starved of service unless tomlin is on the pitch but we cannot rely solely on tomlin.

The wing conundrum


Sunday 28th September 2020


By Glen Williams


Perhaps one of the more frustrating aspects of the Reading defeat was how the wingers operated in this 4-3-3 system.

With Sheyi Ojo, a left-footed winger predominantly playing on the right, and Junior Hoilett, a right-footed player on the left, Reading found City's attacks largely easy to defend.

The wide men opted to cut inside on to their favoured feet and it narrowed the whole attack, meaning they had to try to thread pinpoint balls through a congested defence to target-man Kieffer Moore.

Cardiff looked most dangerous when Jordi Osei-Tutu was overlapping or Leandro Bacuna had made a burst down the flank to send in crosses to Moore, who could use his height and physicality.

"The players know exactly how we want to play, we showed it a lot today, we showed it at Nottingham Forest and in spells against Sheffield Wednesday," Harris said after the match.

"Yes we want to use Kieffer Moore's strengths and Kieffer Moore's strengths are attacking balls in the box, so we have to get balls in the box for him.

"We have to get into good areas and once we do we can get the balls into the box."

However, it looks as though far more emphasis has been placed on the wingers to contribute goals this term, especially in the absence of Lee Tomlin.

So the wingers have to cut inside and work the goalkeeper, as well as provide the service for Moore up front.

At the minute they look a little bit caught in the middle.

ditch the wingers play a 4312.

smithies gk
tutu rb
morrison cunningham cb
bennett lb when fit
Ralls pack bacuna cm.
tomlin CAM
glatzel moore strikers.

keep it compact in the middle. when we have possession pack to sit in front of morrsion and cunningham then let the fullbacks get forward with ralls and bacuna being you box to box cms. Pointless playing our wingers they offer nothing.

Ralls pack and bacuna are all to similar and teams will just kick tomlin out of the game. That leaves us with no creativity and the same lack of service to the strikers we’ve always had with ralls pack and bacuna playing.

We have 4 wingers and not one of them is capable of beating the fullback on the outside and provide the service Moore or Glatzel need.its no good playing balls up to them with there back to goal. Until we sign wingers with pace either striker won’t get the service they are crying out for.

Without sounding pedantic I only think we have one tradition winger and that is Whyte who would be best served in an old fashioned 442.

Ever since Slade left we have played 4231 or 433 but really defensive versions of it. Holiett three season ago could play that but if far more defensive than offensive nowadays.

NML could do it a bit but was more offensive but headed straight for goal as he was a forward in all but name, never a thought of a cross

Murphy is not at all defensive and under this and the last manager they don't want that. We know he is two footed and can put a decent ball in, but he is an out and out attacker and not suited to Harris' "philosophy"

Ojo will be in the conference next season as he just doesn't have it.

I guess we have been trying to move on Murphy but as a £10 million asset we need a decent return

Nearly a year in I have no idea what we are try to do or play.

conundrum.... ?

in possession we spend 5 minutes playing really slow father ted sideways football making sure that the opponents are all back in their defensive positions before attempting to go forward.. dont matter who is out wide the spaces are not there..

It’s a good way of hiding on the pitch.. an attempt to conceal a lack of pace. Football is all about the one on one and if you’ve no pace, sideways it is.