I think there's something in that. I would extend it to say that at times we seem to have a fairly laissez-faire approach to the way we play. Although it's a very different set up, it feels at times a little bit like it did in the latter days of Martinez, as though the plan to win the game is literally 'just go out there and be better at football at them'. There's often little evidence that we've worked on specific plans to deal with opposition players, or worked on passages of play to help us break teams down; it can feel as though we're just sort of knocking the ball around waiting for an opportunity to give it to James or to get a cross into the box, if that makes sense? It's the type of thing that works with the best teams because more often than not they will just overwhelm the opposition eventually due to superior quality, but we're just not good enough to do it. I always think back to the Anfield cup debacle last season when there was talk of the players blaming the tactics, I remember saying at the time that I wouldn't be surprised if they weren't saying the tactics were wrong as such, just that they weren't actually capable of executing them. I think we work best when everybody is given a clear role in the team and they stick to it, which is why I think the identities of the back 4 was less important than the instructions the team were given.
None of that is meant to be a suggestion that he's not doing a good job or isn't the right manager for us (although of course i'm aware some people will claim it is), it's just one of the areas that I think is causing us a problem in these home games.
In teaching they used to talk a lot about the concept of a "scaffold" mate, to help learning and performance. Essentially a set of measures, ideas, concepts that would help the child in their learning. The cleverest rarely need it, but the rest will, and the less academically able often the more they need.
Ancelotti has really worked with the best, and to a degree I do think he's re-adjusting as best he can, but you can see it's a bit alien to him and in honesty it's not really his natural skillset, so on occasions he's shown up. There are also probably games whereby he just wants to go back to what he does best, which is developing very intricate tactical systems but they fall down because the players aren't ready. I do think with this set of players too, it's mentally more than technically or even physically they struggle.
You think back to those Moyes teams, and physically they were smaller and slower than this team, and technically not really as good. Someone like Gomes in both of those areas is very strong. But mentally they were brilliant, and consistent and got the msot from themselves. So back to the scaffold analogy, the players need more help.
As for the back 4 question, I do partially agree. I do think mindset helps. The players quite like simple instructions and I think quite like revelling in being the underdog. I don't really have a big issue with Digne, but Coleman now, I'll be frank, I don't think physically he is able to be defensively big and strong enough. Last night, players just waltzed past him. I mean don't get me wrong, given Coleman and Digne the instructions they had in those games would help, but he's not 6ft, he's no longer than quick or that strong.
But to a point, if his view is Coleman and Digne play- thats fine too, but we need some consistency now.
