OK a lot has been said about how great we were yesterday and rightly so - excellent performances front to back. One particular shout-out from me for an unsung hero - I though Amat dealt with everything yesterday from high balls to through-balls. Made one mistake that I can remember but recovered quickly to make the tackle. Imo he has to be our most improved player. But where does this leave the most expensive defender in our history? I don't thnk you can drop Amat at the moment simply based on value. It has to be on performances and the lad has hardly put a foot wrong. Fernandez will have to bide his time imo and it looks like Monk agrees. Thoughts?
It's certainly a conundrum. I think Amat has created a problem that no-one anticipated. But it certainly gives us options as well as problems. In some matches we could play 3-5-2, with a back three of Amat - Williams and Fernandez (and Bony and Gomis up front), or in some matches Fernandez could partner Williams with Amat sitting in front of them, as he did against Man Utd last season. We could do this against Chelsea on Saturday. It's a nice problem to have, but long term it can become an issue keeping people happy - and then there is Kyle Bartley to fit in a well.
The good thing is Fernandez has come and here knows he has to play out of his skin to be a regular now, what has shocked me so much is how great Williams and Amat are as a combo. They at times seem to mind read and reminds of the Williams and Caulker partnership. Maybe it is because like Caulker our little dynamo Amat is young and eager to learn from someone so experienced, he doesn't need to impose his stamp on the partnership and accepts his captain will always look out for him there on the pitch. Is Williams a father type figure to Amat and is that why they appear to be a dream combo for us in defence? Will Fernandez be able oust a young defender who appears desperate to work well and please his fellow more experienced colleague? Amat is doing great, Fernandez is an amazing player but he must now see he has an uphill struggle to be a regular alongside Ash.
Why would we want to start choping and changing a successful formation just to accomodate certain players, that is crazy. LVG has tried to change UTD to 3-5-2 and it clearly hasnt worked and they had all pre season to work on it, i just dont think you can change a formation overnight and it will work sucessfully. The only time we tried that formation we conceded 4 goals against a Wolves side that got relegated. For me Amat has the shirt and has been superb all season. He should remain there until either he is in need of a break or his performances drop. I dont care what we paid for fernandez. He waits for his chance.
Just bought my six year old boy a new kit (as the old one had CHICO on the back). He is insisting that the name on the back will be Fernandez (he loves argentina ). I am desperately trying to use the 'the printers not working at the club shop' delaying tactic at least until he starts to be a regular starter (and that may never come, if Amat continues playing like this)....who'd have thought a world cup player wouldn't get in our side. Oh the joys of being a Jack at this moment in time.. Whatever squad rotation problems Monk has, they are a damn site better than not having quality players to pick from.
Interesting topic. Dragon you're right on Amat's improvement. He looks more disciplined also, less misplaced passes. It's a good problem to have as long as there are no prima donnas. I think we're seeing less of this these days though as most seem to understand it's a squad game at the top level. Hopefully Gomis and Bony are happy to share. The winger situation is also interesting for me as Routs and Dyer are first choice but Monty appears to deliver a better ball into the box. A good problem as long as everyone's happy and if the team keep winning everyone should be. A good cup run (or two!) would certainly help.
Amat has been outstanding , and for me more solid and reliable than Chico was last season alongside Ash, and long may it continue
While Amat has been good but he's not been tested by quality opposition so far. While I have always thought highly of him (unlike some who were willing to slag him off before the season started), I din't think he's close to the quality of Chico ... yet. The Rotherham game was a good indicator of Amat and Fernandez. Amat was assured playing in Ash's position in a very solid back 4 and helped Fernandez with calls and directions (in Spanish!!!) throughout the game. Also, Jazz, Montero and Carroll, when he came on, worked well with the centre back. Fernandez, who by all acounts has had very little pre-season fitness or game time did virtually everything right; it was obvious he was looking to play passes that the second string midfield weren't seeing. When he is up to speed, and provided he has quality players around him, I think we will see an amazing centre back. The one thing neither were really impressing with was their ability to win challenges in the air. They were OK at challenging but won very little against an admittedly taller but limited attack. Both Ash and Chico win those battles either by out jumping or by better timing than either Amat or Fernandez. I don't think Fernandez is Amat's competition, Bartley is .. as first reserve. Bartley's winning qualities - size and speed.
Given Taylor's positional play yesterday I thought we were playing 3 - 6 - 1! We need a left back or play Jazz Richards there.
I think that's a little unfair Bob. Taylor was clearly told to get forward to link up with Routledge and he did. But I agree we need a backup specialist LB.
Routledge was hardly in the game, as Siggy said almost all our play was down the right. In the second half Montero was screaming for straight forward passes but Taylor either went back or sideways. I agree he might have been playing to instructions as Monk didn't seem concerned we didn't have a left back for most of the game with Taylor spending much of it alongside Ashley Williams. How bad was it? The crowd were shouting at him to get across to WBA players making ground. We all see things differently but the consensus of opinion on the lower south east was summed up by an old gent next to me, 'That Taylor is s***.'
I'd say those people you sat with are a bit clueless about football, Taylor had a great game and as soon as you said Routs was hardly in the game I believe I correctly formed the opinion that you are probably too stubborn to admit you were wrong since last February.
Can't really see that Taylor was sh*t at all!! Thought he played well.. He's a good player, hopefully he'll soon be back as per pre-injury... There are a lot of sh*t 'anal-yists' at the Liberty though...
Taylor had a good game yesterday Bob in both attack and defence. He also looked a yard quicker than the Utd game too.
Taylor was only undone in the United game due to Januzaj being better class. Sometimes there is just nothing you can do. Look at montero yesterday....they just couldnt handle him. I thought Taylor had a half decent game, and even covered for Ash when Ash was found out of position a couple of times. Opinions are like wrinkles, we will all have them and they get bigger as you get older, and they rarely look the same on two people.
That winds me up, he 'struggled' against Januzaj. There's not many who feckin wouldn't !! Prior to that, had Lindgard no bother..
