Let's see what comes from these next two games at home. Two drab performances and results then questioning of Bruce's position is seriously justified. Hopefully we can get the results and performances we need to get back in the top 6. Either way, it seems like a big couple of weeks coming up and we need to make sure we can put ourselves into the best position possible heading into the busy November/December period.
Couldn't agree more regarding Akpom he looks like he can become a good player but often runs with his head down and loses it when a pass looks the simple option, he's decent but has a lot to learn but I suppose that's why Arsenal have sent him here
3-5-2 for me always think we look better with this formation so many of our players look comfortable in it and i dont understand Bruces reluctance to use it..
Unfortunately I don't expect that he'll learn it from Bruce, he doesn't really have a brilliant record of improving forwards.
Well, last time I looked, we had had a couple of defeats. Shall we wait until we're well and truly mid-table? We're massively underperforming, and every week it's yet another chance some give him to get the team, tactics, performance, approach....right. But every week it's same old story. Square pegs in round holes, negative, no cutting edge, all change when yet again it's not working, pedestrian, not sure what best formation is, etc etc etc. Don't let an odd win in the meantime paper over the cracks though.I guarantee we'll do nothing this season under Bruce. He's lost the plot ... just like Sunderland fans promised us he would.
I think to be a winger you have to create. Whether that's through pace, trickery or just excellent crossing like Elmo. Clucas doesn't have any particular stand out skill going forward so he's a waste of an attacking space on the wing. I'd like to see Aluko play that role. It's ideal for Snodgrass once he's fit too.
Agree that Elmo is better from deep but Odubajo looks crap going forward. Can't believe he was ever a winger. Him and Elmo shouldn't ever be on the same side. It's just playing with two right backs. Then we wonder why we don't create.
Regardless of Clucas' merits or lack thereof, that first name on the teamsheet quote was such a daft thing of Bruce to say.
Possibly the worst thing is that the cost of Dave, who as it's turned out wasn't really needed, plus the cost of Clucas would have bought Charlie Austin a few seasons ago, I think QPR got the better deal.
Where do you get that from? Neither are right backs. I can remember folk lambasting McShane when he played at RB and he was much better than either of these two, even though he was a CB.
Just because I think Odubajos a much better defender than attacker and while Elmo is good at both, I think he works better coming from deep.
Okay, I see what you mean, but I don't agree. Odubajo is a better defender than attacker by a small margin, but he is poor at both; he gets too far forward for an effective fullback who shows no threat or crossing ability, whereas he has no threat or crossing ability as a winger and if he comes inside he is more likely to pass wind than an opposition player. Elmo is not a RB, never has been, never will be, he is a winger or wing-back. I think this is close: I think he has lost a sense of purpose; his manager brought in players because he thought he would be off, he wasn't, it was an unsettling period and I think he is a player who takes his spark from the manager and that spark has gone. Playing Elmo as a RWB in 3-5-2 with two strikers is key to us becoming a dominant team who scores goals. Players form is hard to judge when the manager moves from one clusterfuck of a formation to another; 4-3-2-1 was an unmitigated embarrassment, 4-4-2 almost got there, it's a pity the game doesn't have three halves (sic) as we might actually win something convincingly.
