I'm less bothered about the players than the style of play. Bruce, Phelan and the coaching staff need to send the team out with a plan and tactics rather than just picking the players and expecting them to produce the magic. We need to press the opposition We need to value the ball and retain possession We need to play attacking football at pace We need to keep the ball on the deck and we need to learn how take corners, free-kicks, penalties and throw-ins.
McGregor (reluctantly) Elmo Dawson Davies Robertson Odubajo Huddlestone Diame Maloney Snodgrass Akpom Subs: Jakupovic, Maguire, Meyler, Clucas, Aluko, Diomande, Hernandez I still think Odubajo should be playing in front of Elmo, purely because he's a more dynamic winger and isn't afraid to cut inside on his left foot; Elmo's good at overlapping people and whipping in crosses. I'd like to start Aluko but I wouldn't play him as a striker and Clucas really hasn't done anything of worth except score a tap-in against Huddersfield. Snodgrass could very well be the playmaker/attacking midfielder we've been crying out for since Koren left, either him or Maloney. I'm not 100% sure on the strikers and it was difficult to pick between Akpom, Hernandez and Diomande.
Yeah for me I would always start diame. Then have Aluko one side of him, and While Snodgrass isn't fit I would have Maloney the other. Depending on form/fitness we have 4 players who can play the 3 supporting roles behind the striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation. For me Aluko is the paciest and most skilful of the 4 and would be better suited to one of the wide supporting roles but can also do a job in the middle. The only one who can't really interchange in the 3 positions is Diame, but since he's probably the most gifted out of the 4 then he gets the central spot (form and fitness permitting)
Last season at Newcastle he (Ryan Taylor) came back on the 29th October 2014 against Manchester City after 26 months out injured, aye 26 months ffs - he played a bloody blinder as well. He lasted until the 22nd November when he had to leave the field with further injury. He was then out until 25th February 2015. In that season, in between serious spells out he managed just 14 PL games with 1 CP game. He managed some full 90 mins games in April onwards otherwise he was either out or a recovering sub. I would agree he has lost pace, but he has quality if he is allowed to find it with us. So last season is a really good judge of the man is it? He had the games last season and then pre-season to shape up and he, as you say, has made mistake after mistake in all of his 2 appearances this season, which included a cup game - 65mins and 68 mins - does this indicate something might be getting eased in? There was never anything supposed about the quality of his set-pieces, he was excellent at them before the injuries - some things take time to get back. He was brought in as a back-up utility player and I know he can defend better than Elmo, Odubajo and Robertson when he is on his game. It is early season and your assessment is as harsh as it gets.
Hope you're right Fez. He has certainly been unlucky with injuries. But I have yet to see evidence that he has fully recovered from them, and can recapture his pre-injury form. As for his set pieces I think we have better alternatives when he is on the field, which I don't think will be very often with Elmo and Odubajo available at RB.
After the Charlton game I would never consider playing Aluko out wide - he was never there and we lacked any width until Clucas came on. This time round we have better players than Aluko in the squad and he is too selfish and undisciplined as a player to deserve a starting position. His best role is as an impact substitute when the opposition are starting to tire.
I think the injuries are done as much as they ever are, but age and time out has lost his zip, some of which will come back because he is a grafter. If he was to recapture his pre-injury form we would have a bloody good PL larker on our hands. If you are telling me that one of the new lads is the dogs-bollocks at set-pieces then fine, but if not then I would love to know who was hiding their light under a bushel last season? The best RB we have had on our team-sheet for a long time will play against us at Brighton; Elmo or Odu at RB, combined Robbie at LB and with McGregor keeping goal is a defensive concern. Let's see what SB pulls off in the transfer window. (picture that if you dare )
I agree Odu (is that the accepted abbreviation? ) is a RW or RWB, I am certainly unsure on whether or not he is more dynamic than Elmo, especially after what Elmo did for us in the PL against quality. This season I think Elmo has willingly followed instructions in the shop window; I think we'll see the old Elmo now. With the new midfield partnerships cutting inside is no longer a must have from him, long lunging runs to cross to pacey forwards with their heads up are what we need , with midfield quality punishing the loose balls. We must run hard at these defences and exploit our new found pace up front. Aluko should be wide, in fact so wide he can sit on the bench keeping Hudds company watching what it is they need to get right. I agree that all of a sudden strikers are a tough call, but it would have to be Hernandez and Diomande for me. I will never discount Bruce getting into a position where he needs to play all three!
I don't agree with any of that. I think this is the level Aluko should shine at. He's just as good as Tom Ince in my opinion. But it's all about opinions and it would be boring if we all thought the same. My opinion is worth slightly less though as I live on the other side of the world and have only seen 2 live games in the past 2 years.
At least the bag gets lighter as you go! off to pub now, just had a mare on another thread - ****ing scary!
