If he did sulk (which I don't think he did) it would more likely have been down to the fact that his defensive midfielder wasn't doing his job very well and he felt isolated in the centre, doing things he doesn't do particularly (like tackling).
Well I'd struggle to do a defensive midfielders job if I was been made to do ALL of the running and tackling because my useless central midfield partner doesn't get back and won't put a foot in. Leave Koren out wide. That IS where he's best.
In your opinion...capitalising a word doesn't make it a fact! People criticised him last season when playing out wide for drifting out of games, it was more the fact as a winger if the ball isn't coming down your side, there's not an awful lot you can do to influence play. I agree he's more than capable out wide and if we get the ball to him enough and allow him to drift in then that's a start but but would allow him to see more of the ball.
Koren is down as a central midfielder on FIFA or whatever but if you go by what happens in the real matches, he clearly isn't best there. Everything good he has done for us has been on the wing and he's only had one good game at CM which was the Palace home game when the season was already over. Somebody on here said the other day that he could perhaps play in the middle as part of a 3 or 5 and I think that could work. But he is far too much of a passenger to play centrally in a 4 man midfield. Evans, Cairney, whoever they all want the ball and get involved (that's what makes them CMs) but Koren only joins in a few times a game, but it's genius when he does,. that's why he's best on the wing.
When Stewart returns, then I think we'll see Brady and Stewart on the wings and as NP will still try to accommodate Koren, I think he may well be played in the middle.
I agree Cairney put in a good performance but it is worth remembering that he is supposed to be available for loan. May be this was a 'shop window' performance or more hopefully may be at last he is realising that he has to perform to stay at the club and the threat of loan has done him good. I hope for everyone's sake that it is the latter which is true.
Anyone think this 5 subs business is going to wreck our chances a bit in some games? NP seems to keep picking Mclean to prove he was worth signing, and I think he'll always have Adebola as an option on the bench - just because of his size as a plan B. So if he picks 2 midfielders, that would leave Simpson out of the squad!
Can't see Simpson being out of the squad tbh, apart from the 1st half of last season he has looked good and getting better as time progresses
Interesting point that, I can't see him dropping either of the midfielders (assuming they start well) to accomodate Koren. But something will have to give somewhere. This is what we want.
-----------Gulasci------------ Rosenior Hobbs Chester Dudgeon -----McKenna - Cairney ------- -Koren ------------------Brady- -----------Simpson------------ ------------Fryatt------------ Stewart takes the place of Koren when fit. Front two can change depending on opposition and form, I think you have to start Fryatt for now, all partners have pretty much equal merits. Will need to mix and match for a while to find the best partnership. Also, Evans didn't really impress me yesterday, but could easily take the place of Cairney.
This sounds about right to me, I'm undecided on the midfield pair too. If I'm being picky I don't get why you have Simpson behind Fryatt rather than alongside him.
I think that Simpson works quite well in that role, sitting just behind the striker (or alongside, but further back). He seems to be pretty good with the ball at his feet. But otherwise, just see it as a front two.
I agree he has started to use the ball well, and yet he still manages to be in the middle waiting for the tap-in where many strikers would be off somewhere else. That's what I like about him, he knows where to be and when.
On the subs business NP will probably go for a GK, Dawson, a central mid and 2 strikers Reason I say Dawson because if a centre back gets injured, Dudgeon moves in the middle. If Dudgeon gets injured, Dawson straight swap. If Rosenior is injured, Chester moves to right back, Dudgeon to the middle, Dawson left back. Reason I said a central midfielder, if one of the wingers gets injured Simpson can easily drop back to the wing, Evans can move their if needed. And 2 strikers for options.
Agree but McShane instead of Dawson. McShane can comfortably cover right and centre of defence, and if LB gets injured Rosenior can move across. CM (whichever one of Evans, McKenna and Cairney doesn't start) and then Mcean and Adebola for options. Can anyone actually confirm that we have to use 5 subs from this season.
