By Nathan Jackcson
March 9 2005

Keith has defended his tactics for the game against Wycombe Wanderers last weekend. After getting 7 points out of 12 under the 4-3-3 system, Keith went back to 5-2-3 due to Morgan getting injured and the rest is history.

The change in tactics could have been avoided despite Morgan's injury but Keith reverted to his favourite formation but the old problems araised as Wycombe took a quick 3-0 lead. The tactics is flawed because it leaves only 2 midfielders out there against up to 5 midfielders from the other side and even if we had Ronaldinho and Lampard, they could cope with 5 other midfielders just running and passing the ball around between them. However, Keith defended his tactics in the Echo.

"I went back to a 5-2-3 because that's what we play and it's what I like to play," It has stood us in good stead for the past two seasons and we have only gone with four at the back recently because we didn't have bodies available."

"The formation was nothing to do with Saturday's result, it was down to basic errors. All Matt had to do was head the ball clear a couple of times and Wycombe wouldn't have scored. He made two dreadful mistakes. But if you don't win the game, you've not picked the right side - it's as simple as that. We're still in the play-off positions, but everyone knows they will have to do better at Southend on Saturday than they did at the weekend. Anyone would think we were second from bottom the way they react at times. That's because of the success we've had in the past two seasons - we've created our own expectations."

Midfield Richard Butcher has also defended Keith's tactics despite being given the run around as it was just him and Peter Gain against the 5 Wycombe midfidlers.

"With just myself and Peter Gain in there it is hard, and I hope people watching can appreciate how difficult it is when you are outnumbered like that, It has worked when we've played with a three-man midfield, but in the end it was individual mistakes which cost us on Saturday. We have good players who can adapt to any way we're asked to play. There are still 10 games to go and we are capable of putting a run together, starting at Southend on Saturday. It's not the best time to lose a couple of games and, with the position we're in, we have to go there and win."