This isnt a Johnson out reaction, I dont like blaming managers, for what its worth I still rate Darren Ferguson highly as a manager rather than a human being, feel Mark Cooper had a baptism of fire and thought Jim Gannon, tactically, wasexcellent but Gary Johnson must shoulder some responsibility for todays disaster. Eddie Howe masterminded Bournemouths victorytoday and his system left Johnson bewildered it cancelled out any threat Posh offered to the game.Johnson initially started the game with a 4-4-2 formation and the same team that hammered Bristol Rovers at London Road. There is nothing wrong with that, it deserves another chance after such a great showing on the first Saturday of the season. However, from the stands, it was obvious after ten minutes that we were going to be in trouble. It was then it should have been changed, not at half-time when the damage was already inflicted. Bournemouths wingers Marc Pugh, scorer of the first goal, and Liam Feeney were immediately The Cherries outlet with Brett Pitman and Michael Symes staying central. Howe had obviouslyscouted Posh throughly andhe targeted Nana and Little, our two full-backs, brilliantly. Mendez-Laing and Boyd, in the nature of our system are expected to break forward quickly, this leaves a lot of room between right/left midfielder and right/left back with neither particularly strong on the defensive side of the game, the former doesnt look very competent whichever way he is facing. This left Bournemouths two wingers in space and Symes and Pitman, two aerial threats, to battle with two centre backs and meant that The Cherries could simply create chanceafter chance for themselves, the majority of which they took.It wasnt just on the attack that Howes side were clever though. Defensively their system was also very astute. Marvin Bartley is effectively Bournemouths midfield enforcer and was utilised Al Oliver Jersey as a centre back, a position where many Cherries fans feel he is most comfortable, when we were attacking. This meant Bournemouth were able to have three centre backs to deal with Mackail-Smith and McLean who, as the half-drew on and frustrations grew dropped back deeper and deeper, leaving Mackail-Smith exposed up-front on his own against a very physical defence. Mendez Laing, on the right wing, did not help matters, his continuous insistence to cut inside meant that any width we did have was lost with Boyd making central runs as normal. This meant Little and Nana had to make runs forward, in turn creating more space for Bournemouths wingers to utilise, and left this Bennett and Langmead completely exposed to the counter attack, especially as neither are particularly fast.In the second half Johnson changed things to limit the service to Bournemouths wingers, who were crucial to their succe s, in changing to a 5-3-2 formation (shown below). However, Little and Rowe were both very attacking and these runs forward from the wing-backs, who were supposed to act as a shield for Langmead, Lee and Bennett,still left the three central defenders exposed, this time one of the trio at centre back had to drop out into a wide position still leaving the problem of having two centre backs marking Bournemouths two potent attackers. This space was meaning Brett Pitman was having a field day and his hat-trick was very simple. The second-half system was clearly untested and although slightly more threatening going forward with the Mac Attack receiving more support it was unbelievably exposed defensively every time Bournemouth attacked.Kelvin Langmeads goal was the cue for an over ambitiously attacking formation to be deployed by Gary Johnson in his hope to get something out of the game. At times there were five Peterborough United players in the forward line McLean, Hibbert, Boyd, Mackail-Smith, Wesolowski and with only Grant McCann sitting in midfield the defence were horribly exposed
0
