Barnes-----------Wilson------------Gordon ----Joelinton-----Bruno----Tonali------- Targett-----Botman----Schar------Trippier --------------------Pope------------------------- Please for ****s sake don't bring Anderson and Longstaff on late, all it does is leave a gaping hole in our defence. We're in big trouble in this game IMO. Brentford are difficult to breakdown at times and they will sit back and counter, the exact sort of set up that seems to cause is problems unfortunately. Newcastle 1-2 Brentford.
Isak's not the problem. Likewise, I doubt Barnes is the answer, but he's got to be better than Almiron. I'd actually go with this: Isak Joelinton - Gordon - Barnes Tonali - Bruno Hall - Botman - Schar - Trippier Karius Joelinton may be better coming off the left, give Gordon license in the middle and get Barnes just attacking the right instead of the dire predictability of Almiron. Switch to a double pivot to give Tonali and Bruno time to form a decent partnership. Get rid of any of the dross at left back - and, honestly, if Hall's not ready I'd put Trippier there and bring in Livramento. Pope's been shocking, give Karius a go. Used to be an exceptional keeper and can play with his feet, it's what Klopp originally bought him for. Brentford sit deep so we need better options up front - four attackers plus Bruno/Tonali in from deep will cause a lot more issues than whatever the current crappy set up is trying to achieve. If Joelinton still isn't training or fit, leave him out, move Isak left and play Wilson up top.
I don't think 4-3-3 is the issue, it got us to 4th last season, we have the players to make it work, and we were ok in the last two games until we decided to bring Longstaff and Anderson on and all of a sudden 4-3-3 becomes very open without the right players to make it work. There was nothing wrong with us vs Brighton and Liverpool for the first half and longer, we started getting very open after howe's questionable subs.
Mate, we must've been watching different games. We had about 5 minutes at the start vs Brighton that was ok, the rest was crap. Liverpool were down to 10 and with that formation didn't find a second goal. We had one shot vs City, even Sheff Utd did better than that. Teams MUST evolve. You cannot just keep playing the same way and expect it to work. We're still trying to do that Miggy/Bruno one-two, it's laughable. The players don't look like they know what the plan is either. Eddie's subs have been disgraceful as well, mind.
Dubravka Trippier-Schar-Botman-Hall Bruno-*Tonali*-Joelinton Barnes-Wilson-Gordon Don't think that will be the line up - think we will stick with the same but personally think we need to change. Tonali in the 6 role though I'm adamant about, give Bruno some more license to affect the game also. Tonali's one touch passing is exquisite so I'd like to see him in that role to drag players centrally and then pop it off out to the wider players. Bruno can thread the ball through for the frontline running ont oit behind the opp back line.
Yeah Bruno in that middle role isn't working, only thing is Tonali is class running with the ball and creating stuff, so it may be a bit of a waste.
Joelinton looks knackered and possibly carrying a knock; apparently hadn't trained last week before the game. I think he needs moving out of midfield onto bench and slotting Longstaff in Think we are badly missing Willock to be honest
The two together makes a lot more sense. One goes when the other drops. Double pivot. Failing that, I'd change it and make the middle a destroyer rather than a creator. I think Longstaff is the only one we have who could do it, but basically Longstaff sits to allow Bruno and Tonali to affect the game further up the pitch. The current set up isn't working.
Longstaff should be away from the team as much as possible. His abilities are limited, and he's played that central position before and he was questionable. Tonali or Joelinton have played in that role before, Tonali at Milan in a CDM role. I've seen Joelinton play in the CDM role at times. Barnes----------Isak------------Gordon -----Bruno----Joelinton-----Tonali--------- Targett------Burn----Schar------Trippier -------------------Pope-------------------------- You could switch Tonali/Joelinton around if you like. TBF I do kind of like your idea of a 4-2-3-1 formation and having Tonali and Bruno as the 2 CDM's to allow the attackers to press more.
