So what has KR done?

[Foley]

It has been pretty obvious that our weakness all season has been giving away 'stupid' goals. Until KR came in every time the opposition had a corner I for one was worried.

So looking at the stats:

Under Pep we conceded 44 goals in 29 games (1.51 goals per game)
Under DF 10 goals in 7 games (1.43 goals per game)

Under KR 10 goals in 9 games (including 3 at Pompey) (1.1 goal per game)

So it has been a huge improvement under KR. The usual comments would be that he has 'made us more organised' but how has he managed to change everything so quickly? Some on here suggested that our defenders were rubbish. I always assumed that the coaching was partly to blame.

What has he done to change things so significantly?

 

[Ovaltoyou]

Given them confidence and passion, as well as spoken to them in a language they understand and respect.

 

[Common Villager]

I think he identified a formation that suited our best players and stuck with it. It has not always been pretty (far from it!), but it was what was needed.

I also think that, especially in recent matches, Dickie and Brannagan have really showed their worth. With Dickie, we’ve finally been able to build a bit more of a solid, consistent defence, and Brannagan has put in a lot of disciplined performances that have also enabled Ledson to charge about more.

 

[Morris Oxford]

I think he identified a formation that suited our best players and stuck with it. It has not always been pretty (far from it!), but it was what needed.

I also think that, especially in recent matches, Dickie and Brannagan have really showed their worth. With Dickie, we’ve finally been able to build a bit more of a solid, consistent defence, and Brannagan has put in a lot of disciplined performances that have also enabled Ledson to charge about more.

In fairness it was Faz who first implemented the diamond midfield formation in the 2-1 home victory against Peterborough. Fat boy Evans even admitted at the time, it took Peterborough completely by surprise.

It took a couple more games for the players to be comfortable with it, KR has tweaked things slightly by asking Thomas and Obika to play much wider as the diamond system is very narrow. No surprise that as soon as Hall & Napa came on yesterday with width and pace the team & Obika looked a lot better.

 

[Notaswindonfan]

And Stopped playing the Man City loaned players.

 

[Oldham]

Given them confidence and passion, as well as spoken to them in a language they understand and respect.

Scouse?

 

[Hackney Jack]

And Stopped playing the Man City loaned players.

Yes. They were both awful and uncommitted.

 

[Jerome'SAle]

442 diamond is more defensively sound any way, but he also got into the players heads and gave them motivation and belief. They were on their knees when he came in, forgotten how to win. He cajoled and forced the cliched 110% out of them, including that early game when they phoned their first half performance in and he gave them full bore in the changing room at half time. It's incredible really, he has polished a turd.

 

[yellowbow]

I think he identified a formation that suited our best players and stuck with it. It has not always been pretty (far from it!), but it was what needed.

I also think that, especially in recent matches, Dickie and Brannagan have really showed their worth. With Dickie, we’ve finally been able to build a bit more of a solid, consistent defence, and Brannagan has put in a lot of disciplined performances that have also enabled Ledson to charge about more.

I reckon you could also add Kane to that list

 

[Cass63]

Rob dickie has made a massive difference to our defence, fair play to tiger for that one.

 

[MJB]

Rob dickie has made a massive difference to our defence, fair play to tiger for that one.

Indeed. Was watching his playmaking closely yesterday and he’s pretty good at passing to runners along the deck. Is also useful when making runs forward. Him and Nelson are going to be great if they play together.

 

[holdsteady]

I think a big difference is he knows the division and knows the players at this level, neither underrates the challenge nor overrates what the players are going to be capable of no matter the coaching. The previous manager didn’t have a lot of respect for the division and seemed to believe he could bring in better from just about anywhere.

KR decided on his best players and built a team/formation from that, got them organised and committed, then seems to have been able to give them the belief/confidence that they had been stripped off.

He did all the basics very well, bodes well in my book as you can talk all the crap in the world about having spent a billion hours watching football and studying the games but if you can’t transfer the above other to your team you will eventually crash and burn, Clotets early run was built on sand, we have a proper manager in now who will hopefully put the proper foundations in for a successful season, one which doesn’t fall apart in the winter.