We constantly linked to left sided defenders. Maybe EH wants to go 5 at the back. Schar can be the RCB for one more season with Krafth as back up. Bruno and Tonali in middle. Isak and Gordon up top with Mbeumo.
Personally think we should consider switching it up. Need to get players closer to Isak, gets very isolated on his own up top.
Think he has been missing Gordon a bit. Isak's dip in form has come at the same time Gordon has been suspended or benched. Barnes may get more direct goal involvements, but I wonder if Gordon on the pitch helps the team more...
Could we use Gordon instead of Willock in Midfield? He won't win as many aerial duels as Joelinton or probably Miley, but always works hard helping out Hall in defence, carries the ball better, with more control, than Willock and I would trust Gordon to actually create instead of overrunning the ball for a goal kick...
Whenever anyone thinks outside the box or suggests something different on here they'll be laughed at, so I actually applaud you instead. I remember when I suggested using Joelinton in midfield based on my observations of him as a footballer! I was laughed at and now we're trying to find his replacement there. I suggested Schar Yesterday. It might be worth trying 4 2 3 1? It's a way to get all our best players on the pitch and something different? Although now probably isn't the time for gambling.
For me it’s a question of round pegs in round holes. It may be something to look at in the future but not at this stage of the season. For me, I’d play Miley. He’s not a Big Joe but is a more solid midfielder then Willock plus, if I was the manager, I would drop Willock for his attempted cheating which is something I genuinely hate to see.
For me, I think we probably go with what's got us here with this 4-3-3. I do think we need to consider evolution in the Summer, but for now I would want Miley to play if we're trying to control a game and I'd bring in Gordon as the ball carrier on the left, but consider Barnes over Murphy. We could consider going 5-4-1 as well, worked vs Arsenal and Man U this season.
4-2-3-1 is exactly what I was thinking tbh. We've got Willock who can go into the CAM role, think Joelinton could play up there then you've got Tonali and Bruno behind them and if either are injured you've got Miley and Joelinton to fill in for them. It's only a slight tweak to the current set up but get's a body around Isak to play off.
Completely disagree as we don’t have anyone remotely capable of playing the 10 role. Besides which we won’t change.
WELL I COMPELTELY DISAGREE WITH YOU! Only joking mate, welcome to you opinion! For me I think Willocks strengths are on the attacking (regain possession) transitions and driving with the ball going forward instead of defending the box. He could easily play that role with a little training and it's probably more suited to his skill set (in my humble opinion). He could float wide and support/overlap/underlap with the wingers down the flanks and can link well with Isak. Him, Isak and Gordon tearing towards a back 3/4 would be mouthwatering to watch but currently he's having to drop to the edge of our box out of possession and then get himself forwards to support when we do win the ball back - I also don't think he's great at the press (or "is lazy out of possession"). Whereas if he was in between the lines of the opposition defence and midfield, screening the recycle ball to pin teams in on one side of the pitch, he could provide an outlet instead of just lumping the ball forward to Isak and hoping he can make it stick, then have our midfield 5 trying to make up 40 yards to support. Especially if we have work horses like Gordon and Murphy on the wings who get back in to make two banks of 4 when defending.
Agree with all of this. I think Willock gets a hard time from the fans as he's spent so long on the sidelines and getting bit part roles then people expect him to just perform when he's chucked in. Players clearly benefit from runs in the team (look at Barnes, Gordon, Murphy, Trippier, etc who all look worse until they are relied on for a number of games in a row) and Willock has shown us plenty of times that he's a good player who can get his head up and create as well as track back and get stuck in. There is a difference between the elite players who just make it work even when they're not playing well (KbD and Salah for instance) and he's a long way from that level and the rest of the players in the prem who take a few games to get back up to what the team needs of them. For some reason a lot of our fans have watched Willock in the bit-part roles he gets and decided he's not good enough. I'd say he's the type of player that can take the role of Bruno/Tonali/Joelinton and adapt to any of them at an "ok" level and that makes him invaluable to us. I think his best role is a bit further up the pitch though, creating opportunities, but he wont get the chance with us as he's not going to break into that midfield 3. I suspect if we sold him for £30m to a midtable club he'd be worth £50m in a year or two off the back of regular gametime.
