SHA Small Heath Alliance

Another loss but a far more positive performance to write about.

- Report
- Shape
- Fight
- Panzohno
- Neumann
- Ipswich
- Next up

Not perfect but nice to see some intent.

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Not sure about Gray starting. He hasn’t hit the by-line since before Christmas. We miss Wagner.

Thanks, good to read. Wonder what you think about Solis and Iwata together - I’d have thought we’d struggle in terms of passing but in this game it seemed to work for us?

(It’s gilt-edged btw).

newblue

Not sure about Gray starting. He hasn’t hit the by-line since before Christmas. We miss Wagner.

Thanks, good to read. Wonder what you think about Solis and Iwata together - I’d have thought we’d struggle in terms of passing but in this game it seemed to work for us?

(It’s gilt-edged btw).

Gray for me for two reasons: 1) More likely to support the midfield & 2) More likely to retain the ball. Hasn't hit the same heights but we lack reliability when it comes to the forward pass and Gray does get hold of it.

Solis & Iwata has worked on a couple of occasions and generally when we need battlers rather than players in defensive areas. But if the game is tighter, they have a tendency to struggle and that's where Paik usually becomes more important.

newblue

Not sure about Gray starting. He hasn’t hit the by-line since before Christmas. We miss Wagner.

Thanks, good to read. Wonder what you think about Solis and Iwata together - I’d have thought we’d struggle in terms of passing but in this game it seemed to work for us?

(It’s gilt-edged btw).

We did look to pass it out much less than normal - which helped in the second half when we had only right footers in the GK and back 4.
Much more sending it long at Priske and pressing up behind it, when Ipswich pressed us. Not really an option with out Priske which is when we often get penned in and Paik is our only midfielder comfortable taking the ball under pressure with his back to play.

Not much talk on Priske and Stanno. Clearly the long term plan.

Most teams play 4231 with a Priske type 9. So why didnt we buy one last Summer? We signed Kyogo as the May replacement, hasnt come off. We also signed Ducksch to play in a 10 / second striker role? But we didnt sign the target man type you need in the Championship.

Seemed to be square pegs in round holes recruitment and a big reason why we were so inconsistent and where we are in the league.