Goals coming down our left hand side

[Four four two]

Surprise, surprise both goals at Cheltenham were conceded down our left hand side. Isn't this becoming a little like Groundhog day. Didn't the same happen last game and the game before. Doesn't Embleton learn from his mistakes or at least look over the footage ?

Firstly, Brophy is and never will be a left back. Hes a player who's major strength is running at people from advanced positions . As a defender he simply hasn't got the positional sense. He gets the wrong side of players and doesn't cut off danger Sometimes he can make up for that with pace but there will be one moment in the game when he's found out. Embleton makes a very decent player on the wing look like a poor player at full back. Can't he see this ? Did we ever see Alan Comfort play at left back? Did Klopp persist with Milner at left back when Robertson came through ? With Widdowson back fit who has lived and breathed the left back position his entire career, isn't Embleton s decision laughable ? We are simply throwing away points from simple decisions that are baffling.

Secondly , haven't we learnt that when we revert from simple back four to three/ five at the back this leaves wide gaps on the wings for teams to exploit. Its happened time and time again conceding goals of this nature yet Embleton turned to this yet again.

On paper , with players in their right positions. and proper 442 formation, I feel this squad is good enough to be top ten. . I believe we all would like Ross to succeed but these decisions unfortunately cost us time and time again so you can see why supporters get frustrated as we are handing the opposition victories. My concern is that Embleton just can't see players strengths and weakness and that accounts for bizarre decisions and formations.

[Long slender neck]

Brophy wasnt at full back when we conceded at Cheltenham as we had switched to 3 at the back. Think he has done well there recently.

[LeytonstoneRed07]

Agree 100%, although the second on Saturday came after Brophy pushed forward and was replaced by Happe at left back?!?!? Not sure why when Widdowson came on he played right sided Centre back and Happe pushed out to left back.
Also why was Wilkinson with Dayton taking free kicks near the corner flag on Saturday ? Isn't his job to head the crosses in.
Team selection over the last few weeks has been strange to say the least.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

First came through the middle, Coulson not tight enough to his man and Happe letting his bloke peel off the back of him. (Although accept a genuinely be LB would have been more likely to cover round).

Goal 2 came when we had gone to 3 at the back and Brophy was pushed on into a wing back role.

Ropy had a role to play in both goals, I guess, but he wasn’t primarily at fault for either and I like his contribution at LB.

[Four four two]

Yes Brophy was not at left back for Cheltenhams second and that's why i mentioned the bizarre decision to go three at the back in my second point. Both points lead to goals. This has consistently failed and yet it was employed again. Furthermore, because Embleton doesn't think that Coulson has the mobility to play anywhere but the middle, he played both happe and widdowson out of position. He admitted this himself. Therefore you have to ask the question why did he do this in the first place !

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Although technically Brophy wasn't 'fullback', from my understanding, he was still left wing back. 3 centre backs doesn't mean they play as full backs.

We literally had a solid left back on the pitch, and were trying to cling onto a point and he over thought it. These things happen, lets hope he learns.

Hopefully we are looking, in general, at how we see out games. It feels like our mentality is to defender the lead, or a draw, but our formation, positioning and general attitude is not.

Taking away who's to blame, or out of position, in the Macc game and Cheltenham game, how have we changed formation, or time wasted to close shop and at the same time, got half our players in the other teams half? How has a winger got 20 yards to run into and then get an unchallenged cross in when you are trying to hold on to a draw? How have they got 3 strikers in the box, to our 2 defender? It's all a bit strange.

Either the players aren't taking advice from the coaches, or they haven't got a clue what they are supposed to be doing.

[faith1234]

I argee with the 442 formattion but will ross play it no

[George M]

Anyone who thinks Brophy is better used as a winger can’t have seen the games when he was. He can’t beat his man , can’t cross , won’t track back , passes players on to others , drifts out of the game after 20 minutes.
Our results of late prove that Marsh and Brophy at full back , Cisse in midfield, Ruel up front have changed our fortunes.
We also know that Coulson is no longer mobile enough . I suspect when Turley is for we will be even stronger

[Four four two]

I think that Ross does overthink it ! Its a simple game. Flat back four with players in their natural positions so that they do know what they are doing. Two hard working central midfielders. Two wingers putting in crosses and two goal poachers working closely together Its not rocket science but its a system that maybe Ross thinks is too old fashioned. This system didn't do too badly for us when were one kick away from the championship ...

[Writtlered]

I think that Ross does overthink it ! Its a simple game. Flat back four with players in their natural positions so that they do know what they are doing. Two hard working central midfielders. Two wingers putting in crosses and two goal poachers working closely together Its not rocket science but its a system that maybe Ross thinks is too old fashioned. This system didn't do too badly for us when were one kick away from the championship ...

Although we did have Scotty Cuthbert that year at RB who was probably one of the best defenders we’ve ever had in that position!

[OyinbO]

Embleton closes his eyes, rolls the dice, and hopes for the best.

That's it. That's all he's got.

[Writtlered]

Embleton closes his eyes, rolls the dice, and hopes for the best.

That's it. That's all he's got.

Couldn’t of put it better myself

[Adz]

If we're gonna play Brophy at left back we need a Joe Keith Style player in front of him. We concede down the flanks due to the lack of cover.

[Redcard]

We have a genuine powerhouse of a left back already, it’s a shame that instead of playing him we loaned him out to Dover and haven’t renewed his contract yet.

[Ornchurch]

If Guardiola or Klopp started playing 4-4-2 then that formation would be back en masse before too many months. Look at how many teams are looking to play 4-3-3 at the moment without players that are good enough to play that way.

A good coach will use his players available in a system that suits them as opposed picking a formation first.

Even kids coaches are playing a 4-3-3 on a Sunday morning when the kids are not big enough to play that way on a big pitch.

[Lucky7]

First goal took a wicked deflection away from everyone
Second goal wind assisted

But yeah let’s blame Embleton

Jeez some people

[Howling Mad Murdock]

First goal took a wicked deflection away from everyone
Second goal wind assisted

But yeah let’s blame Embleton

Jeez some people

Armchair managers on here.

[Lucky7]

The inverse must apply when we win due to the opposition failure or bad luck - but you and tuff support the manager beyond normal words of adulation or his record

It's a joke

If you want to use logic it has to be balanced for all parties

Difference is Uppy I was there and saw it with my own eyes it’s not rocket science

[Orient till I die M]

We have a genuine powerhouse of a left back already, it’s a shame that instead of playing him we loaned him out to Dover and haven’t renewed his contract yet.

How many times have you seen him play a competitive game ?

If you are a fringe player at orient who sits on bench your classed as a powerhouse who should be in the team yet if your in the team and top scorer your classed as a sideways man who shouldn’t even be in the squad.

[Redcard]

I’ve seen him quite a few times, more than enough to recognize he is the real deal.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Not seen him so can’t comment. How is he getting on at Dover?

[Orient till I die M]

I’ve seen him quite a few times, more than enough to recognize he is the real deal.

So the management team who spend everyday with him realised hes not ready yet hence the loan.

but redcard who has watched him maybe three times has recognised he is the real deal.

We need to look no further our next manager is a member of the message board.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

I’ve seen him quite a few times, more than enough to recognize he is the real deal.

So the management team who spend everyday with him realised hes not ready yet hence the loan.

but redcard who has watched him maybe three times has recognised he is the real deal.

We need to look no further our next manager is a member of the message board.

The management have been proven to be overly cautious with youngsters time and time again.

Ruel wasn't considered good enough to even warrant a seat on the bench. But Fletch comes in, recognises he's got something and gets him game time in the division below and guess what, he is up to it.

I've not seen Ogie play so can't comment on his case but yes, it is possible that the club have made incorrect, overly cautious decisions around him to date.

[Orient till I die M]

"ive not seen Ogie play"

Your opinion means nothing then.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Which is why I deliberately haven't given an opinion on him. But thanks for explaining.