"Hughton's half time subs were defensive". Sorry, no they weren't

Hughton's starting line-up was wrong. Howson, Hoolahan, Van Wolfswinkel and Elmander ALL in the same starting XI? For an away game? Well intentioned, sure - but very, very naive. And in the case of a team with very limited technical and possession ability against one of the best possession sides in the division, it was suicidal.

So at half time, he knew that for us to have any chance in the 2nd half would require us bolstering midfield. Because if you don't bolster midfield, you have no platform; no foothold in the game; no means of attacking.

More generally, that's where so many in English football are plain wrong about 4-4-2 v 4-5-1. They view the latter as more defensive, but fail to realise that if you're undermanned in midfield, or if you don't have enough ball winners in midfield, you won't get a hold of the ball and will be cut through like a knife does butter.

There was a system and personnel problem today. Hughton's half time changes sought to rectify at least half of that. What concerns me more in his case is the way he's allowed the fans' criticisms to affect his approach. He has to be much, much harder than that; he has to know his own mind, and implement his way of doing things. Not anyone else's. His weakness is a very, very strong argument for his dismissal in the summer IMO.

Posted By: thebigfeller on March 29th 2014 at 23:26:25

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