JFH: We will mix it up more when we’re comfortable
PLYMOUTH SECOND HALF A SIGN OF FUTURE PLANS?
Terry Griffiths (snooker): Wales’ 1979 world champion, born 1947.
David Unsworth (football): Former Everton defender and caretaker manager, who won one cap for England, born 1973.
Jacques Kallis (cricket): Former South Africa all-rounder who scored 13,289 run and took 292 wickets in 166 Tests, born 1975.
Jacques Kallis
Craig Pickering (athletics): British sprinter who turned to bobsleigh, born 1986.
Dan Biggar (rugby union): Wales and Northampton fly-half, born 1989.
Charles Leclerc (Formula One): Ferrari driver from Monaco, born 1997.
Naomi Osaka (tennis): Two-time winner of the Australian Open and US Open from Japan, born 1997.
BURTON Albion are working towards being able to play efficiently in a variety of formations, says manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.
The Dutchman made a big switch in last week’s defeat to Plymouth Argyle when he moved to three at the back and a 3-5-2 line-up at halftime, having played 4-2-3-1 almost exclusively since returning to Burton in January.
To an extent, it paid dividends, as the Brewers immediately troubled Plymouth more and halved their 2-0 deficit, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
It begged the question – had Plymouth’s tactics caught Burton out in the first half?
Hasselbaink says not
– but admitted to some frustration that the Brewers had not been able to impose their own game plan on the home side.
“That’s football. We’re dealing with human beings and sometimes things don’t go your way, as planned, and you have to come up with a different plan,” he said.
“They have been tremendous, really good, the boys, since day one of me coming through the door.
Their application has been magnificent, they give me everything in training.
“They were upset after that first half – I have that commitment. I know if I have that, I can work with them to get better.
“It is frustrating but there is no time to stand still with it. We have to get to a position where that doesn’t happen any more, that’s the only solution.
“Saturday (against Plymouth) is not forgotten, not even close. We had to change formation to get established. Their strikers were too dominant, we couldn’t handle that, and our turnovers were way too easy. “I do look at that first half as a bad day at the office, for everybody, but I do put a microscope over it and highlight it to the group. “In the second half, we did well but it’s too late. We were 2-0 behind. Nevertheless, we could still have nicked a 2-2 at the end but we can’t give teams a leg-up and have to chase.”
For all that Plymouth gave Burton a lot of problems, the manager still maintains that the crux of the issue was his own team not performing. “What we are trying is not to be
We’re dealing with human beings and sometimes things don’t go your way. Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink too dependent on the opposition,” said Hasselbaink.
“We want to be us and if we have to tweak that even a little, we do, but we can’t lose what we are and we have to play to our strengths, as we have done in the past.
“It’s not just about stopping the opposition, it’s about being better than them, taking the game to them and going over them.
“The majority (of teams), we know more or less what they are going to do, who is going to play and what formations.
“Sometimes, teams like Sunder