Sure, I'm just suggesting if we go 5 at the back, accommodating Ritchie (or Atsu, or Murphy) kind of goes out the window and just doesn't/hasn't worked. We end up with two right backs most of the match, but that might be quality of opposition. Purely a discussion, as I've repeatedly said I know the square root of **** all compared to Rafa. Just saying what I see.
I think I'd go: Dubravka Yedlin Lascelles Fernandez/Schar Dummett Shelvey Diame Ritchie Perez/Muto Kenedy Rondon i.e. lets get back to what we were doing well last season. If Fernandez isn't fit play Schar or visa versa. If Shelvey isn't fit play Ki. If Ritchie isn't fit play Murphy. Pretty simply really. Lets stop with the negative overly defensive stuff and just play our usual defensive counter attack that served us well last season. I don't know why we're trying to be so cute with it. We just need to get some rhythm to our play. If we are going to play 3 central defenders, then play 343. Dubravka Schar/Fernandez Lascelles Dummett Yedlin Shelvey Diame Kenedy Ritchie Rondon Perez/Muto
He looked poor when we signed him and he played a few games at the start of the Championship season. He looked nervous as **** to be honest and I don't know if he's skilled or not but a nervous goalie is a liability so I can see why he was dropped.
Got the complete opposite impression, are you able to tell me what games he made these erratic mistakes that gave you that impression? Did we have a terrible win rate with him in the team? I'm just at a bit of a loss where everyone else seems to think he's ****, because I regularly attended games then and he looked decent with the ball at his feet and seemed to be a lot more comfortable with the modern style of goalkeeping than Darlow or Dubravka. I think there were a few idiots in the crowd who didn't get that and lost their **** when Sels actually had it all under control, which tends to make other people's mind up for them, but I just don't remember huge clangers or exasperating disasters. Maybe I have dementia. His shot stopping seemed fine, probably needed to get the pace of the league and hold onto a bit more, but certainly premier league level, and I thought he gave the defence way more confidence than Darlow. Difficult for me to rate him vs Dubravka in terms of all round goalkeeping, and it shouldn't be forgotten we have a good one, but Sels is certainly a few classes above Darlow. He showed enough to be given time, because goalkeepers need that, just look at De Gea.
AR... Been some time. Sorry to hear about Billy. Not a huge fan of him as a poster on here, but everyone of us has family and friends, and for what It's worth I wish them and you lot the best because I know he had some firm friends on that board. Hope you're all ok. If there's a derby next year, so be it. Be more interesting than watching us hold football to ransom in the premier league because we can't compete.
I don't think he's necessarily **** but he didn't have a good start for us, mostly from being quite hesitant and not commanding his area. That's what I remember of the start of the Championship season, and, yes I saw plenty of him - I had a season ticket in the Strawberry corner that season and went to all the games he played in. Didn't work out for him here, but I hope he goes on to better things, no hard feelings. Sometimes signings just don't work out, players don't settle, feel home sick, manager thinks another player is a better option, etc, etc.
