Agree, be interesting to see if he feature's next season ,if he don't I think a lot of questions might be asked as why we got him in the first place and spent all that money.
Ince prefers cutting in from the right, Aluko prefers the free role just behind a striker and we have the potential for a lethal partnership on the left in Brady and Robertson. Next season is screaming out for 4231, which makes the release of Rosie even more ******ed (with Elmo being too much of a liability in a back 4).
It's a nice thought but the immediate problem that I can see with that formation is that Steve Bruce, when formulating his starting line up, writes down three central defenders names, and possibly Tom Huddlestone's, and then builds everything else around that.
I agree this is what we should play. With Brady left, Ince right and Aluko in behind a new striker we should create enough chances and that's without Snodgrass. Controversial i know but i wouldn't even bother with Elmo purely because we're the most predictable team i've ever watched when he plays, which is virtually every week.
I've been calling for this type of formation since the start of this season, but what are the chances of Bruce doing it? He'll never drop Elmo even though he is poor defensively and predictable in attack. He's just released a top Championship RB so obviously isn't looking to consistently play a back 4. If Bruce stays we're in for another season of ****, predictable football.
He hasn't proved he's too good for the Championship at all, he's proved he's good enough at that level. Surely got to be a regular if he stays, going to do the hindsight thing the Bruce bashers do and say he should have had a good run in the team just like Maguire, seeing as we went down anyway
We actually played 4-2-3-1 against Tottenham at home back in October and looked really good for about 50 minutes, but Ramirez got sent off, we went ultra-defensive and lost from 1-0 up. If Ben Arfa had been able to score an open goal we'd have been 2-0 up. God knows why Bruce never tried it again. It was around that time that he seemed to give up on playing any sort of attacking football for the rest of the season. I don't think Elmo is as bad at RB as people make out. He's played there a bit for us and sometimes been caught out by top attackers, yes, but he's no liability. I actually think we'd be better off with him further back. His skill going forward is the early cross, and he does that just as well from fullback. We can play him as well as a proper winger who'll run at his man and take them on. Ince or Snodgrass would be ideal for that role. If we're able to field something like: McGregor Elmo Chester Dawson Robertson Meyler Quinn Snodgrass Ince Brady Jelavic That'd be a bloody strong XI at this levek. The entire back four are decent PL players, same with Jelavic, while the midfielders have all excelled at this level before. But we all know it'll be 5-3-1-1 don't we?
McGregor Elmo Chester Dawson Robo Huddlestone Snodgrass Ince Brady Aluko Jelavic 4-1-3-2 with Huddlestone dropping back in a Gary Medel type role (picking a rolled ball up from the keeper). He got slower and slower as the season went on so I'd play him deeper and give Bruce the option of a 3-5-2 that he loves so much and leave the rest to attack!
Are you all forgetting Diame? He won't be going anywhere if he's injured and he'll be the best player in the league if he comes back to full fitness. Think back to his goal scoring threat in the Premier League, he'll take the piss out of Championship defences.
I'd include him but I've got **** all confidence in him returning before the season starts! Hence I picked the team that I think we could start with....if Jela doesn't get his move away of course and Villa don't buy half our squad!
In the end it will all come down to daddy's delusions of grandeur. The Manchester United old pals' act got junior into the KC but I think that has worn thin now and Ince senior will have reset his sights. He's probably trying to get the lad into Barca.
Does no one think Diames run immediately after signing was a bit of a purple patch? He never did it for anyone else at any point in his career..
Perhaps the goalscoring element, but West Ham season ticket holders I know said he always looked brilliant through the middle and crap on the wing and wanted Allardyce to play him centrally in favour of Nolan/Morrison.
