Dan Gear European Journeyman – First Transfer Window

I mentioned in my previous posts how until my reputation improves I’ll be solely a head coach leaving the recruitment to the Director of Football.

After just two games played the season broke for the World Cup. After that finished with a …. Win the transfer window opened. 

If I was in charge I’d be looking at 3 positions just based on a lack of options,

 

1. Defensive Midfield 
2. Striker 
3. Left back 

The DOF has full control and I’m interested in seeing which direction he goes in and who he brings in.

Departure 

The first transfer activity is a player leaving, the DOF failed to agree a new contract with Simonsen and he now leaves at the end of his deal. Labelled as the best player in the club this comes as a shock and disappointment.

First signing 

The DOF tied up his first incoming and surprisingly it’s not a Simonsen replacement but a Goalkeeper on loan. He will now be our 4th option to choose from. He joins from higher division Nykobing FC, maybe the DOF hasn’t liked what he’s seen with our current options. There’s nothing in the way of stats because he hasn’t made an appearance yet this season.

Next through the door the DOF possibly considered the lack of pace of Hogh as a reason to bring in another centre back in Bodholdt-Larsen.


Our final signing this window and probably the most crucial is Jeppe, he gives us a 3rd option in centre midfield so at least we can rotate between the three options.

After the first two games and studying the data three things stood out. 

1. The IWB-d at left back isn’t working, he’s isolated and whilst we want to be defensive if we don’t attack we won’t score
2. We lack a link between defence and attack, causing us to play too direct 

The CFs role isn’t working in the front two and the front two are too isolated.

I have first switched the left back to a Full back on attack and brought in defensive winger Antonsen. I then switched Jonssen from a DM-s to a DLP-s to try and focus the play from the back to funnel through the middle before going forward. This would allow Rimmen, Kaiser and Clausen time to get forward and join the front two. Toftdahls role was then switched to DLF-s with the idea that he drops in to link up with the advancing midfield.


Their line up looks like an old school 442 which I was confident our new look tactic tweak would suit.

well I never expected to win by 4 goals, in my previous post I mentioned Jorgensen having a high xG and not scoring, his coach report made me pick him as the man to lead the line as a poacher and over the two games he had been getting in position but today he put the chances away grabbing the first hat trick of the save. The image on the right highlighting the fox in the box positioning he took up for his goals which is where we wanted him to be. It was a close game until the 52nd minute and over the next 15 minutes we blew them away. The game itself was still close, we just were clinical.

Another 442 but they are flying in the league and Kulego had been highlighted at the threat. I’ve chosen to man mark him to try and reduce the threat he possesses.

The first defeat of the save and in fairness it was deserved. They attacked us for 90 minutes we tried our best to counter but as you can see by the comparison of the shot maps we rarely got inside their box whereas they spent most of the game in ours. We move up another place to 10th, 6 points off the playoffs but more importantly two points off the bottom.

we had our intake preview, on paper it looks good throughout the spine of the squad.

Next we will return at the end of the main season games and see where we are with regards to the playoffs. In this league it splits into two A promotion and relegation playoff and 3 teams go down.