If we don’t get an amad replacement (position wise) then I think we could do well with a new cdm with 2 of Ekwah/Neil/jobe ahead. I don’t think any of them are true cdm yet, Neil and Ekwah seem to get the urge to push forward and they’re both really tidy on the ball and effective high up the pitch, both press really well too. Hard to only start two, but that’s what you want good competition for places
I’d like to see Huggins come in right back to help roberts further up the pitch, love Hume but don’t like this free role he seems to have he’s just all over the place atm.
Thought Hume played well yesterday - agree he's more of a defensive full back, but thought he supported Roberts well in the 2nd half
Caught this game on a stream in an airport yesterday. Thought we were pretty good all over the pitch. Not at the level of the Ipswich performance, but a great level of control to win the game. Jobe will gain confidence from his goals. Should have had more really, but he took his second lovely. Great position for the first two, and that nod back from Neil was spot on. Ballard and ONien looked really good together to me. Not a massively tough game, but there is real value of ONien in there against the so called lesser teams as be sees the best forward pass. Not convinced by Hume stepping in, like the Stones Man City thing. He doesnt have the eyes in the back of the head yet, but he is a hell of a good defender. That tackle second half was immense. I still fancy him for a centre back role personally, in a 3 if we want to switch it round. Ekwah is a monster of a player, mostly. Speaking as a coach I bet he is frustrating because he does all the difficult stuff effortlessly, makes everything look easy, then switches off and gives the oppposition an in. When Neil first came in to centre mid he was the same but he has massively improved his concentration levels. Centre mid, particulalry the deeper lying on, is the toughest position to play becauss it is 90 plus minutes of 100% concentration and a game going on in 360 degrees. I am certain by the second half of the season Ekwah will have learned to do this and then the sky is the limit. Roberts and Clarke are a bit like Mike Tyson in that they have their full backs beat before the kick off. They are terrified of the, and are being doubled up on. The space is wide open in the middle and we are starting to see Neil, Dack, Jobe, Ekwah finding it. Lastly for me, me favourite Neil was brilliant yesterday I thought. My MOM. Was everywhere and his fitness levels are superb. Very clever assist I though, great run off the full back and really aware to nod back for Jobe. His play off the ball is second to none in our team I think. Makes the opposition play back or sideways so many times it is huge. His forward running is really coming on as well. Last season he was locked into the CDM role, this season they are more fluid. He is choosing some really good times to run ahead of the ball and that sort of things really rattle defences. All in all a good performance. Add a striker who stretches the game by running in behind and we could be a terrifying team to play against.
Spot on marra,only thing missing yesterday,hence their defensive high line which they were comfortable with in the first half
More then likely, I’m not slagging Hume off as like I say I like him just don’t like the way he’s been used this season so far. I’d rather he was working the lines like cirkin.
I think he is. I think he’s being told to drop into CDM to allow Ekwah and Neil to push on up the pitch equally, I was critical of Ekwah playing deeper but he (clearly) being told to improve that part of his game so he and Neil can alternate on pushing forward as well as mopping up. Far more difficult to defend against if one, or both, our midfielders are pushing on with the ability to assist and score from range or in the box.
Watching the highlights five things stand out. The referee was so 'away biased' he should be suspended pending a betting investigation. Ballard roasted Ekwah for watching Rotherham score. Dack is miles from match fitness but looks a real player at this level. The header for our first goal was poor. The finish for the second was exquisite.
I believe Danny is 33 very soon and am guessing he is being ushered toward the exit door to accommodate Seelt and Triantis.
We've persevered with quite a few 33yo players in the past who've been fan favourites ... ... it's quite often gone wrong and spoiled the memories a little. Kevin Ball went from hero to zero and even hated by some, shame.
100% agree. Hume is definitely under instruction from Mowbray. It is a new coaching thought process. I would have thought Cirkin more suitable to it, but Mowbray knows a hell of a lot more than me. I have a feeling we will see it stopped in favour of wider full backs with our squad, but might be wrong. The logic of freeing Ekwah and Neil is sound, those two would frighten some premier league midfields if they both push at the same time. Just takes a hell of a player to play the role and Stones has been moulded for years at City and makes it look easy. Hume is a real talent, but a bit of learning yet to be able to understand the role when he steps into it. Something just sprung to mind. With this tactic, and asking Ekwah to hold at times, suggests to me Mowbray is coaching for the long term. He is developing our talent through games, which I am all for. This is at odds with the rumours he is under pressure for his spot to me. He seems very relaxed with his own know how, and so he should be. Spoke to a mate last week who has involvement in agency side of football and he shared some stuff about us, which I will share when I get chance (not transfer goodies) but one thing he felt for sure was Mowbray was going nowhere anytime soon, barring a disastrous drop off in performances.
Cirkin pops up in the opposition box very often. More than Hume, who still makes it a few times. I wonder if each full back is tasked similarly when attacking on the opposite flank. Mowbray has turned Hume into a cracking player. Makes you feel fit Huggins who, in his first couple of outings before serious injury, looked like he was going to be a good addition. We sign a young lad from a nothing league in the same position, Mowbray works magic!
Lads a lot better than anyone expected and got up to speed very very quickly coming from where he did. I can't remember did he play much under AN?
I know who didn't play much under AN an that's Dan Neil. And I never bought any of that burnt out blx. AN didn't trust youth and couldn't see the talent before his eyes.
