I don’t often get involved in anything more than a theoretical (liquid) debate with fellow Addicks over team selection/formation, for the very good reasons that we have no idea what has been happening on the training ground, who is struggling/raring to go, or what Jones the Boss’ masterplan for the game might be. Also, those making the decisions are by a distance better qualified to do so than any of us. But there’s always the exception that proves the rule.
Ahead of the Coventry game we were taking comfort from the fact that Bell had been in the squad for Stoke and could be back, and that new signing Roussillon might go straight into the squad to help cover the left side of defence. Those hopes have been dashed by Bell’s early departure (whether or not he was brought back too soon is irrelevant) and assumed fresh absence for a while now, while Jones has been talking in terms of giving Roussillon a run-out with the U21s and allowed time to get up to speed. So for the purposes of Portsmouth on Saturday you have to assume neither will feature. Whether any of Burke, Kelman or Godden will be available is an open question, presumably the much-missed Edwards is still some way off.
I’m very much in the camp that there is no perfect formation in football, each comes with strengths and weaknesses. Sure, there’s an advantage in playing the same system regularly as the players become accustomed to it. But that can be overridden by ‘needs must’ and the desire to get the best out of the resources available to you at the time. Last season we only started to fire when Small was given a role as a wing-back on his ‘wrong side’ and Godden was given a regular start. We had started the season with Mitchell(A) as the lynchpin in defence and with expectations that expensive new signing Ahadme would lead the attack. Things change.
So what do we know ahead of Saturday? First, we have one natural wing-back available (Bree), nobody on the left other than square pegs. Second, we are short of defenders period, with only Jones, Ramsay and Gillesphey assumed to be available for three places in a back five, with Gough having been in the squad but not called upon yet. Third, we are short of outright forwards, with Leaburn and Olaofe alternating at present, Campbell played as a second forward but yet to score this season. Fourth, we have an abundance of options in midfield: Docherty, Coventry, Carey, Knibbs, Berry, Anderson, Fullah, Rankin-Costello, Apter and Hernandez. Whether any of Gough, Laqeretabua, Enslin, Rylah or other youngsters should be added to the options I don’t know. Fifth, using Apter, Campbell or Hernandez in wing-back roles has to go down as a failed experiment not to be repeated unless there really is no other option.
Then what do we know about what we are up against? Portsmouth’s recent record is poor, with just one win and a draw in the last six (actually the same as us in that respect, although we’ve rattled off four defeats in a row). They’ve only scored 15 goals in 18 games, Their formation and style of play I can only guess at from highlights and looking at line-ups, but they seem to opt for one up front supported by three behind – something that surely must ring some alarm bells after Southampton came to us with a similar set-up and ran us ragged with the centre-forward dropping deep and well-timed runs from those around him.
To me, it all points to us switching to a back four. If we started with Ramsay as left-back, Jones and Gillesphey in the centre, and Bree on the right, we are in my head at least utilising what we have. Up front, to me it looks like a good option to play a front three, with two either side of either Leaburn or Olaofe. We have the players in Campbell, Apter and Fullah. We employed the set-up with Rak-Sakyi and with Blackett-Taylor. And let’s face it, our forwards haven’t been hitting the net with any regularity when operating a front two (even if Campbell does his best work out wide).
If it’s a 4-3-3 that still leaves places for three central midfielders, most probably Coventry, Docherty and Carey, with Knibbs, Berry, Rankin-Costello and Anderson available. Their brief would surely be to protect the defence from midfield runners and to play the ball out when under pressure down the channels for the two widish forwards to get on the end of (rather than in the air down the centre, meat and drink for two centre-halves against one opponent).
Again, what do I know? But if someone has a better plan I’d like to hear it. A back five on Saturday would necessarily involve someone having to slot in at left-side wing-back (OK, a back four means Ramsay being asked to play on his wrong side, but he did that at Preston to counter Small). One of my red lines here is that if we want to get the best out of Apter he has to play in the opposition’s half and not worry about trying to compete in the air or on the ground against bigger and stronger opponents. Also, Hernandez as a left-side wing-back has to be a non-starter. We saw against Southampton what happens to the defence if there are weak links to be exploited.
It is of course far too early in the season for any games to be considered six-pointers. But for us it is essential to at least end the run of defeats, while a win to bolster the buffer we have with the relegation zone is at least highly desirable. The players will have had all week to prepare, they will be aware of the emotional side of Saturday’s game for we Addicks. No doubt the crowd will be well up for this one. More than ever, COYA.
