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Thomas Frank - Head Coach

Muttley said:
I think this observation is so important. Working hard is so different than working smart. I also think when you play with a double pivot in midfield all the other cogs fit around it easier in the way they work. At times, we didn't have a single number 6 in the normal zone under Ange.

I'm hoping Frank has a way better idea than Ange how to play a defensive line, even a high one, but rely on players positioning and intelligence rather than kamikaze offside lines that were often penetrated. All eyes will be on how Frank sets us up defensively for me and that includes all outfield players. If he gets that platform right quickly then we may not lose a season to transition.
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Yeah defensive shape is important but so is an attacking plan and shape. You listen to most members of top teams interviewed and they often talk about playing an early ball to where "they knew X would be". E.g. Beckham and Scholes talk about whipping balls out to the left knowing Giggs will be making that run. You should work on this in training to the point its instinctive so in the fast paced chaos of a PL fixture you dont have to hesitate and think about what you're doing.

By contrast we had a situation where Bentancur and someone else ran into each other going for the same loose ball? I mean as much as our defensive shape needs to be better you also shouldn't have two of your attacking players on top of each other in the same zone not knowing what the other is likely going to be doing - that moment completely encapsulated two years witnessing frankly incompetence at work....
 
glasgowspur said:
He has pace of thought, problem is most players are behind his pace.
This "he hangs on to ball too long" is because no one makes anything happen for him.
How many times has kulu broke forward with the ball, looked up to put a ball in and there's either no one there or if they they're vastly out numbered.
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It doesn’t help he is left footed playing on the right.
 
johnola said:
It doesn’t help he is left footed playing on the right.
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Isn't that pretty normal? Seems like if you're left footed default position is right these days.....thats why I loved us so much under Redknapp - Bale and Lennon destroying their full backs on the OUTSIDE at full pelt rather than wading into central traffic......call me old school but it was glorious
 
Muttley said:
I think this observation is so important. Working hard is so different than working smart. I also think when you play with a double pivot in midfield all the other cogs fit around it easier in the way they work. At times, we didn't have a single number 6 in the normal zone under Ange.

I'm hoping Frank has a way better idea than Ange how to play a defensive line, even a high one, but rely on players positioning and intelligence rather than kamikaze offside lines that were often penetrated. All eyes will be on how Frank sets us up defensively for me and that includes all outfield players. If he gets that platform right quickly then we may not lose a season to transition.
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You don't need to hope, go look at Brentford games

- They press high, on triggers (i.e. intelligently, not just all the time), FB's are allowed to get into to attack (but not at cost of leaving huge space or both being stranded high), the defense is helped out by both the pivot and wide players depending on action.
 
Silly McSilly Face said:
Isn't that pretty normal? Seems like if you're left footed default position is right these days.....thats why I loved us so much under Redknapp - Bale and Lennon destroying their full backs on the OUTSIDE at full pelt rather than wading into central traffic......call me old school but it was glorious
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Wingers have been inverted for over a decade now. Lennon was about the last of a dying breed of orthodox wingers (Bale got better when he inverted).

The logic is that crosses are generally ineffective, so cutting in to score of thread a pass should be the objective
 
Not a glamorous appointment but hopefully it'll prove to be a sensible one.

Happy we've got it sorted out nice and quick whilst bringing in his team (especially the set piece coach but it'll be awkward if things get worse on that front).

My concern is that his achievements laid out aren't really what we're aiming for, taking a club up and making them decent (like Crystal Palace without the FA cup) isn't easy but it's a different skillset.

Plus getting plucky wins against big teams is great, but it's not maintaining league form alongside CL / EL football and competing in the cups too. I don't think he'll take us lower than 15th but I don't see him winning a pot either. Goes without saying we all hope he can make the step up, it was a good time to leave if Mbuemo and other talents were going to head off, they didn't "struggle" without Toney i guess.

If Frank happens to be besotted with our midfield options that's a bit worrying, but maybe he can carve out a better system with what we've got if he doesn't get a 1st team signing in defensive midfield.
 
spurspinter1 said:
Not a glamorous appointment but hopefully it'll prove to be a sensible one.

Happy we've got it sorted out nice and quick whilst bringing in his team (especially the set piece coach but it'll be awkward if things get worse on that front).

My concern is that his achievements laid out aren't really what we're aiming for, taking a club up and making them decent (like Crystal Palace without the FA cup) isn't easy but it's a different skillset.

Plus getting plucky wins against big teams is great, but it's not maintaining league form alongside CL / EL football and competing in the cups too. I don't think he'll take us lower than 15th but I don't see him winning a pot either. Goes without saying we all hope he can make the step up, it was a good time to leave if Mbuemo and other talents were going to head off, they didn't "struggle" without Toney i guess.

If Frank happens to be besotted with our midfield options that's a bit worrying, but maybe he can carve out a better system with what we've got if he doesn't get a 1st team signing in defensive midfield.
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It's a smart, safe appointment with an unknown upside (his team's set pieces are very good, so not worried there). Watkins, Raya, Toney, Mbeumo, Wissa, Damsgaard, lots of player development there.

Not worried about the 6 (we need one, just not the WC/Elite one that would be need for any chance of Ange's system working), he will pay two in front of a disciplined back 4.

I think people will be really surprised at what decent coaching, system adapted to player strengths, and not leaving yourself exposed every game can do. I don't see us ever finishing below 7th with this guy. The real questions is the additional games (he did have two seasons in Championship, more games there) and sub use, Brentford would not have had the bench we do/can have.
 
Gutter Boy said:
Wingers have been inverted for over a decade now. Lennon was about the last of a dying breed of orthodox wingers (Bale got better when he inverted).

The logic is that crosses are generally ineffective, so cutting in to score of thread a pass should be the objective
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One of the clips of Frank that have been doing the rounds included him speaking of his preference to have crosses/balls across hit from the corner of the penalty area rather than closer to the touchline as there was a greater likelihood of end-product from them
 
JerusalemMan said:
One of the clips of Frank that have been doing the rounds included him speaking of his preference to have crosses/balls across hit from the corner of the penalty area rather than closer to the touchline as there was a greater likelihood of end-product from them
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Most of what I've seen is

- He likes crosses into box, from either wide player or FB (they swap who goes inside/outside)
- The target is center of box to far post
- It is a little more penalty spot distance than to touchline as you said
- They typically get 2-3 attackers into that space
 
Raziel said:
Most of what I've seen is

- He likes crosses into box, from either wide player or FB (they swap who goes inside/outside)
- The target is center of box to far post
- It is a little more penalty spot distance than to touchline as you said
- They typically get 2-3 attackers into that space
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Sounds ideal for Richy
 
Gutter Boy said:
Wingers have been inverted for over a decade now. Lennon was about the last of a dying breed of orthodox wingers (Bale got better when he inverted).

The logic is that crosses are generally ineffective, so cutting in to score of thread a pass should be the objective
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I wouldn't say crosses are generally ineffective. There's probably not a higher % route to a goal than a properly whipped cross into the box in my book. Even teams that deploy inverted wingers or inside forwards or whatever you want to call them partly do so in the hope of dragging full backs inside leaving space for an overlapping FB to wang a cross in
 
My biggest curiosity with Frank is centre midfield. Ours has been nothing write home about even though we have good players on paper. When I look around I see players like Ramsey at Villa, Gomes at Wolves and other unsung heroes across the PL. The 2 lads I mention have had great games against us over the last 2 seasons.
 
Muttley said:
My biggest curiosity with Frank is centre midfield. Ours has been nothing write home about even though we have good players on paper. When I look around I see players like Ramsey at Villa, Gomes at Wolves and other unsung heroes across the PL. The 2 lads I mention have had great games against us over the last 2 seasons.
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Bentancur at Juventus and after he first joined (prior to his bad injury) was better or at least as good as both those mentioned. As was Bissouma at Brighton. Sarr also has a lot of potential. They wanted Gray at Brentford too. It's reset time for everyone and there's always surprise success stories and failures when a new head coach takes over. Jose Mourinho was the one head coach to get a tune out of Tanguy N'Dombele for a while, which, when you think about it, is nuts.
 
Silly McSilly Face said:
Bentancur at Juventus and after he first joined (prior to his bad injury) was better or at least as good as both those mentioned. As was Bissouma at Brighton. Sarr also has a lot of potential. They wanted Gray at Brentford too. It's reset time for everyone and there's always surprise success stories and failures when a new head coach takes over. Jose Mourinho was the one head coach to get a tune out of Tanguy N'Dombele for a while, which, when you think about it, is nuts.
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Im not sure that we will see many square pegs in round holes with Frank. His well documented adaptability means he fits systems to players. With that in mind I doubt we will see Bentancur in the true "Kante" position - we either need to play a different way, sign someone in that mould or hope that he can get a tune out of Archie Gray. Who excelled filling in at centrehalf (albeit in a team that lost a lot!) but hasn't yet really shown he can do DM at this level yet.
 
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