Without a doubt we could have had a better start to the season and the omens are not looking good. Before Saturday's game most on here would probably have settled for an away draw. Myself, even though I predicted a 2-0 Bluebirds win, I would have been happy with the single point, had I not seen the game. The striker situation isn't that bad as we have enough guys who can put the ball in the net. More support for the lone front man is needed, Zohore has been feeding off scraps and he isn't a premier league striker, but neither are our other strikers. Zohore cannot play an isolated role, he needs a partner up front. In the championship we prospered by letting the other team have the ball. We must retain possession and stop hoofing it upfield, it got us nowhere fast. Of the three games thus far, the Newcastle game was our best performance. Bournemouth and Huddersfield were more a championship game played in the premier league.
Looks like we're more or less all singing from the same hymnsheet here. It's not a question of criticising Warnock for the sake of it, but something has got to change to our approach up front. For a lone striker to be effective in the Prem, he has to have all the attributes for that role - we don't appear to have that guy on the books. There has to be another way to do this and I'm pretty sure Warnock will switch players around to find it with what he's got. Zohore or Madine for that matter will be inneffective without support around them. With the likes of Murphy, Reid, Ward and Hoilett available, keep the ball on the floor and play the channels.
There’s no point in playing a striker alone up top with no other city player within 20 yards of him. Reid surely has to play the no 10 role off Zahore or Ward but that means dropping a winger which NW is loathed to do.
4231 would be my preferred formation with Reid or Murphy the most advanced of the mid 3. Leaves us two of camarasa, ralls and arter as the two. I think that formation gives us the best shot at getting one of the 3 close to zohore without leaving us overly exposed.
Noticed Etheridge throwing the ball to our defenders a lot against Huddersfield instead of just lumping it up and giving it to theirs. Maybe it's the start of a realisation that we now have an effective midfield option to play through, rather than lumping it over them. Looking at Zohore's strengths (weaknesess?) the only time we should launch into the box is from set pieces when Morro and Bamba go up there. Zohore is big and quick over the ground but is proving hopeless contesting in the air. Whether route one or playing on the floor through the channels, this midfield of Ralls, Arter and Camarasa gives us options. They can play the likes of Zohore, Murphy and Reid in on goal rather than just hit and hope.
