We have the right players: we just need to find the right formation that meets our strengths. I think we're just a striker short at present.
What do we need and what do we need to get rid of?
- Thread starter Spinach
- Start date
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I watched MOTD last night and we were the most negative and dull side to watch. I believe we have the players capable to see us mid-table, but our set up and style of play is ultra defensive.I had the pleasure of watching our mid-sixties side where attack was the best form of defence, now it's defence is the best form of attack and really boring to watch.
If we went too attacking we would get ripped apart every week, we got promoted despite having not scoring goals because of our defence. We need to defend first and foremost. We don't have the players to go gung-ho
I'm not saying go gung-ho, but a bit of flair and attacking intent would be welcome.
I guess that i'm naive, but personally, I don't think having midfielders that move forward is gung-ho.
I'm not asking for 5 strikers. I'm quite literally asking that our central midfielders don't sit in the defensive line and pass to the full back (as the only thing they ever do with the ball).
The best players we have at the club are Robertson, Diame, Jelavic, Huddlestone, Chester and Dawson
Each of the above needs to play in their position which (I believe) sits best as a 352 unless we want to play one up front with Diame off him
Factor in the third centre back Davies/McShane/Bruce to complete the three
For the Right Wing Back I'd give Rosie a shot but Elmo has never been dropped by Bruce in 3 years so fining it hard to believe it will stop now
In the middle we need a sitter, a passer and an attacker. We have the passer in Thudd and the attacker in Diame so unless Livermore can show defensive capabilities which he has not shown in 15 months we're stuck here. Meyler is not the option here nor is Quinn.
Up front with Jelavic we need to play Hernandez. We're not spending £10m and not playing him are we?
That leaves Brady, Quinn, Meyler, Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Sagbo as our bench with Snoddy out injured.
On paper the squad is very good but something is missing. The first half at Everton was dire as was most of the game at Man U but were playing two very strong Premier League teams here who would expect to beat us 90 times out of 100 if not more.
Brady is my biggest frustration. I cannot recall a run down the left all season beating a man, something Robertson does 5-6 times every game.
Elmo similarly on the right, does not bomb on as much as he used to do yet Rosie has a great cross on the run and beats the man quite often with that drag back move he does.
January needs to see a stopper signed. Who? No idea really.
Each of the above needs to play in their position which (I believe) sits best as a 352 unless we want to play one up front with Diame off him
Factor in the third centre back Davies/McShane/Bruce to complete the three
For the Right Wing Back I'd give Rosie a shot but Elmo has never been dropped by Bruce in 3 years so fining it hard to believe it will stop now
In the middle we need a sitter, a passer and an attacker. We have the passer in Thudd and the attacker in Diame so unless Livermore can show defensive capabilities which he has not shown in 15 months we're stuck here. Meyler is not the option here nor is Quinn.
Up front with Jelavic we need to play Hernandez. We're not spending £10m and not playing him are we?
That leaves Brady, Quinn, Meyler, Ben Arfa, Gaston Ramirez and Sagbo as our bench with Snoddy out injured.
On paper the squad is very good but something is missing. The first half at Everton was dire as was most of the game at Man U but were playing two very strong Premier League teams here who would expect to beat us 90 times out of 100 if not more.
Brady is my biggest frustration. I cannot recall a run down the left all season beating a man, something Robertson does 5-6 times every game.
Elmo similarly on the right, does not bomb on as much as he used to do yet Rosie has a great cross on the run and beats the man quite often with that drag back move he does.
January needs to see a stopper signed. Who? No idea really.
You obviously don't even know what the term refers to. It has nothing to do with how long someone has supported the team and everything to do with the propensity to start pissing, moaning and criticising when results don't go our way.
No need to thank us for clearing this up.
And here's the perfect example; been watching 50 years - presumably experienced all the **** times - and still moaning.
You guys are playing poker with the 2 of Clubs, 3 of Diamonds, 5 of Spades, 7 of Clubs and the 9 of Hearts and you think that by switching the cards around you will come up with a winning hand?
You won't!
You won't!
I honestly dont think we need to sign anyone other than a first choice centre midfielder to play alongside Diame. I havent got any names cos I dont watch enough football these days but you'd hope our scouting network would identify some.
We have a huge squad and I'd be surprised if we couldnt find a buyer for the likes of Tom, Meyler and Davies which should give us more than enough money to buy someone of sufficient quality. If we could add on to that Sagbo, Ince and Jake (unlikely I know) we'd be laughing.
We have a huge squad and I'd be surprised if we couldnt find a buyer for the likes of Tom, Meyler and Davies which should give us more than enough money to buy someone of sufficient quality. If we could add on to that Sagbo, Ince and Jake (unlikely I know) we'd be laughing.
I'd like to see a Long type player back. Genuine hard worker with a bit of pace to help Jela out up top and help get our midfield up the pitch. I had thought that's what we bought Ince for, to get in behind defences but he looked surprisingly nervy up top. Doesn't have to play all the time, we just need that option back.
Ben Arfa is an experiment gone wrong and I'd cut that off. There maybe one inpsired performance in there, but you can't base a season on him.
One of our very good left backs actually playing left back and the other playing in front would be good.
Keep Chester and Dawson playing, drop Livermore for a bit when Diame's fit.
4-1-3-2 for me.
-----------------Gregory
Rosie Chester Dawson Robertson
------------------Thudd
---Elmo-------Diame-------Brady
-----------Jela-----Hernandez
Quinn and Remirez go to subs and if we did get someone with pace replace Hernandez at times with them.
Snodders competing with Brady when he's fit.
Ben Arfa is an experiment gone wrong and I'd cut that off. There maybe one inpsired performance in there, but you can't base a season on him.
One of our very good left backs actually playing left back and the other playing in front would be good.
Keep Chester and Dawson playing, drop Livermore for a bit when Diame's fit.
4-1-3-2 for me.
-----------------Gregory
Rosie Chester Dawson Robertson
------------------Thudd
---Elmo-------Diame-------Brady
-----------Jela-----Hernandez
Quinn and Remirez go to subs and if we did get someone with pace replace Hernandez at times with them.
Snodders competing with Brady when he's fit.
Either a proper holding midfielder, personally I would try and get Charlie Mulgrew.
Or an attacking midfielder to play in between the opposition's defence and midfield Alan Judge from Brentford currently top of the assist charts in the Championship.
Also a striker if budget allows, we are just short on numbers not quality IMO lack of service is the problem.
Or an attacking midfielder to play in between the opposition's defence and midfield Alan Judge from Brentford currently top of the assist charts in the Championship.
Also a striker if budget allows, we are just short on numbers not quality IMO lack of service is the problem.
Your continued use of the term 'poodle' and branding of other supporters in some sort of strange lust for acceptance amongst a certain group of posters is highly ironic.
I don't think anyone needs to go, it all depends on who he wants to sign. He will have to offload a few (Ben Arfa, Ramirez, Sagbo) if he wants to sign anyone. The hardest thing about it all is that we don't look weak in any particular area we look weak all over the pitch, so it would say to me its a blend problem rather than individual players.
We cannot sign a DMC midfielder when we have Livermore, Huddlestone and Meyler who are all meant to be good Premier League players. In a ideal world we need a striker to replace Jelavic if injured, although I don't think Sagbo is such a bad player he looked very good at the start of last season. To be honest it all seemed to go wrong in the last January transfer window when we bought Jelavic and Long our style changed, and ever since we seem to give the ball away to easily especially in front of our own box. Hernandez is a second striker and thats all he is, he needs to play off a big or someone who works hard.
I had my doubts about our goalkeeper but in the face of it hes gained us 4 points with penalty saves, his kicking frustrates me he has no power, everyone used to shout at the roof tops when Bo kicked it.
We cannot sign a DMC midfielder when we have Livermore, Huddlestone and Meyler who are all meant to be good Premier League players. In a ideal world we need a striker to replace Jelavic if injured, although I don't think Sagbo is such a bad player he looked very good at the start of last season. To be honest it all seemed to go wrong in the last January transfer window when we bought Jelavic and Long our style changed, and ever since we seem to give the ball away to easily especially in front of our own box. Hernandez is a second striker and thats all he is, he needs to play off a big or someone who works hard.
I had my doubts about our goalkeeper but in the face of it hes gained us 4 points with penalty saves, his kicking frustrates me he has no power, everyone used to shout at the roof tops when Bo kicked it.
I havent seen anyone list "80% of the playing staff". That would be 22+ players and nobody has said anywhere near that amount from what I've seen.
No additions required - I do wonder if we can return Ben Arfa and Ramirez though? If so then I would like a back-up for Jelavic and a young creative midfielder on loan.