Shrewsbury comment: Sam Ricketts yet to show his attacking plan B

There is no doubt that the former top flight and international defender bases his team around being solid and stable at the back.

That means erring on the side of caution as opposed to an open and expansive brand of football.

Ricketts does not set out for a goalless draw. There have been a few of those this term, most came before he was able to get his desired centre-forwards through the door. Indeed, the Town boss admitted after the recent 4-3 Southend anomaly he would rather win a seven-goal thriller than win 1-0.

After all, especially at home, fans want to be entertained.

The boss has a plan. He has an idea about how he wants his 3-5-2 system to work.

It is based on Sheffield United’s ultra-successful model and takes pointers from Wolves. There is a blueprint.

And there are ways he wants his team to attack. Move the ball, hit the byline and cross low. Alternatively, a diagonal pass to the wing-backs.

That does not mean players are not allowed to do their own thing by showing freedom or imagination.

There is nothing wrong with erring on the side of caution if it brings you success. If you don’t concede, you won’t lose. Mid-table Shrews have begun League One with four clean sheets from 10 games, which isn’t a bad record.

More worryingly, Shrews’ 3-5-2, which is at times deemed defensive purely because there are more defenders on the pitch, has shipped goals at times. Three to Fleetwood, three to Southend, three to Ipswich and two to Accrington. There seems to be an all-or-nothing trend to conceding.

Paul Hurst’s Town squad were masters at edging tight games by the odd goal. Defending resolutely with top level organisation. It wasn’t unambitious. It was well executed.

It is untrue to say Ricketts does not have a plan B. It has been on show this season, as recently as at Rotherham a fortnight ago, where the 3-5-2 became 5-4-1 and a superb defensive point was nicked (on a day where Town had a go and could have won it). That very same 5-4-1 came a cropper at Ipswich after Town switched off and conceded inside 90 seconds and then had a poor penalty award go against them.

But it has done the job on big opposition. Sunderland could not find a way through last season, neither could Stoke and it took Wolves’ Premier League millions two attempts.

But it seems like we are yet to truly understand what Ricketts’ attacking B-game is.

The rollercoaster at Accrington had the visitors 2-0 down and staring at a chastening defeat before Town went gung-ho, flung attackers on and got out of jail. But that was very much throwing caution to the wind.

Ricketts reverted to 4-3-3 while losing to Fleetwood last week, but Shaun Whalley – whose role comes with more questions – and Daniel Udoh could not stem the tide.

It will be interesting to see how Ricketts finds the right balance.