I think a lot of us are coming round to the point of view that we need a defensive midfield player. With Faurlin injured we only have Henry and he just looks awful. To play with 2 up front it is essential to have a sitting midfielder to offer some protection. It will be interesting to see who we have signed by the end of the month.
To play with 2 up front it is essential to have a sitting midfielder to offer some protection. It will be interesting to see who we have signed by the end of the month.[/QUOTE] Col, I've being saying this for months. I'm genuinely not having a pop at anybody in particular or don't want to sound like a total p••ck but I just can't see how anybody who's ever played the game of football would pick or setup a team without a recognised DCM. It's lunacy IMO. I was reasonably happy when we signed Henry, not because of his footballing talents but because we had no other out and out DCM. IMO, neither Barton nor Carroll can play this position either. Faurlin can play this position because of his footballing brain and his honesty but he is a little lightweight.
Col, I've being saying this for months. I'm genuinely not having a pop at anybody in particular or don't want to sound like a total p••ck but I just can't see how anybody who's ever played the game of football would pick or setup a team without a recognised DCM. It's lunacy IMO. I was reasonably happy when we signed Henry, not because of his footballing talents but because we had no other out and out DCM. IMO, neither Barton nor Carroll can play this position either. Faurlin can play this position because of his footballing brain and his honesty but he is a little lightweight.[/QUOTE] We get away with it to a certain extent because we usually play with 3 central midfield players which gives enough cover. Trouble is, we aren't playing the 1 one front system very well with our full backs hardly getting forward. Faurlin was also a great tackler mate and good in the air.
Barton is plenty good enough a DCM for me, I think he is far better in this position than out wide. With Jenas and Carrol as well, I don't see this position as a priority.
Fair enough Oslo. It would be a sad world if we all agreed on everything. I'll readily admit I can be old fashioned with some of my views. Having played as a CB for years and then as a DCM when the pace had gone, I have my own views on the necessity of having a dedicated DCM in the team and the attributes he should have. It's only my opinion of course but none of Barton, Carroll, O'Neill or Jenas fit the bill. It would be second priority for me after another forward.
Yea, he was superb. Kills me to say this but Keane was at another level to most I've seen, his positional awareness was unbelievable. Really like Khedira at Real Madrid. Has a great engine and fearless in the tackle.
Isn't this the crux of the problem? it seems to me we are are too worried about what the opposition might do to us, rather than imposing ourselves on them. Redknapp came to us with a reputation for playing attacking football, but we have been terribly negative.
Isn't this the crux of the problem? it seems to me we are are too worried about what the opposition might do to us, rather than imposing ourselves on them. Redknapp came to us with a reputation for playing attacking football, but we have been terribly negative.[/QUOTE] Playing with two sitting midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation is negative for me. Personally, I think it's killing international and domestic football. Only the very best teams can get away with playing this system attractively IMO. All we have managed to do is swamp the midfield, get loads of possession and pass the ball sideways. The gap between our midfield five and Austin is enormous. I much prefer the old 4-4-2 system where you had one DCM to protect the back four and then you told the other three midfielders and your two front men to go out, attack the opposition and win you the match. I love seeing two forwards on the pitch. While I think Austin is a good buy and a decent player, he's not big or strong enough to play as a lone front man. I think he would score far more goals in a front two with a bit more support.
Playing with two sitting midfielders in a 4-2-3-1 formation is negative for me. Personally, I think it's killing international and domestic football. Only the very best teams can get away with playing this system attractively IMO. All we have managed to do is swamp the midfield, get loads of possession and pass the ball sideways. The gap between our midfield five and Austin is enormous. I much prefer the old 4-4-2 system where you had one DCM to protect the back four and then you told the other three midfielders and your two front men to go out, attack the opposition and win you the match. I love seeing two forwards on the pitch. While I think Austin is a good buy and a decent player, he's not big or strong enough to play as a lone front man. I think he would score far more goals in a front two with a bit more support.[/QUOTE] Yes, I agree. I used to go along with the new-found accepted opinion that 4-4-2 was outdated, but Christ, the alternatives are dull. We don't need to have have two DCMs if they don't have the ball.
Good post Matt, & its shown that some have only looked at the short term, not the bigger picture. Now , lets get this straight. Harry's mandate is to get us promoted by any means. That means go up or go home. He's not been tasked with having to play pretty football, winning by 5 or 6 goals..or playing with style & swagger.the QPR way. Its GO UP..thats it. Now from where i am sitting, I accept the games have been sh*te, we could have looked better...blah blah blah and all the other rubbish i have read this season..."I pay money to be entertained" crap. Our squad is not good enough for the Prem & evrybody with a hole in thier arse can see that. So it logically follows, that if we do go up, then Harry will have to buy a new team. From what I can see, Its half way through the season, we are in the top 3 and VERY close on automatic promotion. We've done it messy BUT we have done it. We have as good a chance of winning this league as the 2 teams above us do. Both will lose a few games between here and the seasons end, as will we. I think what will show now is that this is the most important transefer window we've had in 17 years. What & who we bring in now will define our season. For those wanting to watch Arsenal style play at Loftus Rd, I'd say you are delusional. When we go up we WILL have to buy a new squad but going up will take the types of players we currently have & playing the way we currently are...so deal with it. We dont have more than 2 players who could cope in the Premiership as proven by the fact that no-one has yet come knocking Long and short is..Harry has done whats been asked of him from the owner and fans. We are sitting pretty in 3rd place only a few points off & with cash to buy the final players we need to go up. How can anyone NOT be happy with that? Its now up to TF to decide how much he wants promotion. If he really does he can spend on 3-4 big players and get us there. We are much higher than i predicted at the season start. If we were in 12 place or so, they those who critcise would have some validity to thier complaints. We aint and they dont! As for losing to Everton, does anyone really care? I posted on another thread that we didnt have a hope in hell of winning that game. Maybe those who think we should be walking the league with out bunch of ex-prem players need to rethink and stop backing players living on thier past (sounds familiar eh?) The same argument goes for Harry as does Barton. Those that dislike him are judging him on what he has done in the past, rather than what he has done for us this season. Close your eyes and forget that Harry is our manager, Now open them & look at the league table and our position & tell me you are not happy with our position.....Thought so..!! Now is the time to get behind the team
That really is very well put Queens and word for word is exactly how I feel. Don't you think that it is strange the main moaners never get involved with a decent thread, not all doom and gloom enough for them
Good thread Matt. My only reflection is that many of us stated we would be ok with a few seasons in the Championship if it meant 'doing a Swansea' in due course. Obviously, and completely understandably from the financial perspective of the owners, that is an undesirable option so it looks like we are trying to expedite that process. I suppose we will able to second guess their intentions rather better at end of this transfer window. Some things cannot be hurried. It feels like a less manic and less flamboyant rehash of 2 years ago. I just hope it works!
I have read the majority of this thread, and excuse me if I am repeating. But, the odds on a relegated team going straight back up, are very slim. So if we were to achieve promotion, it actually would be a massive achievement. So all those bemoaning our performances, the fact that we sit third, and only 1 point and goal difference of an automatic place, at the half-way stage, is, in itself an impressive achievement.
Some very good posts on this thread. A lot are echoing exactly how I feel. Who would have thought we would be third in the league after the previous season? I have honestly seen no team that I am that impressed with in this league and that was also the case last season.
A few myths which plainly aren’t true: - We are lucky. Silly to say. Yes we haven’t been prolific but we have only conceded 12 goals in 24 games which is very impressive and over 24 games cant be down to luck. BUT yes Redknapp is being too negative. We need to start Onouha to add pace to our defence. That way we can push higher up the pitch. Play 2 up top more often and push the full backs on more often. Part of the lown scoring nature of our games is highlighted by Watford. They were playing for a 0-0 at home. Blackburn and Brighton also got what they came for. Is hard to play against when teams are so defensive but we should be less cautious - Biggest myth of them all- things were better while McClaren was here. Start of the season regular statement was they were the easier games/bottom half teams and in the 9 games McClaren was here we scored 10 goals so 1.1 a game in the 15 games since we scored 16 so again 1.1 a game - Kiwi’s comments about this team not being good enough to cope in the Prem- Silly and pointeless thing to say. This team is to get us there no more. Next years eam will have a number of additions and likely high quality ones witht hr extra tv money these days. - Faurlin is a massive loss- was a able to win the ball and pass the ball well, none of our other centre mid’s can do that as well as him We 100% need a new striker, one who can play lone frontman as only Austin can so stuffed if he gets injured. Preferably one who knows the league, would have liked Connor Wickham on loan, could have paid a fee with it to secure him. Current loan expires end of this month. Nakhi Wells as well if being greedy. We have too many centre mids being paid a good wage so cant justify asking TF to pay for another one. Sign a striker (or two) and Arry stop mimicking AVB and start mimicking Sherwood. Let the leash off and let players play with confidence and express themselves
Certainly Flan...I dont care uf its pretty or not. We have an objective to achieve.....who cares how we doo it? Leicester and Derby both look good but both very beatable. Leicester got out of jail at our place...they wont be that lucky all season. My only concernrn is derby. Leicester and Burnley will slip up soon as both are punching above thier weight...Not sure i can say the same about derby Quietly happy about our piosition right now. Not top to be shot down, but close enough to do the job. Happily take 2nd place now and those Leicester and Burnley fans have a huge awakening coming..mark my words. great just watching themset themselves up for it......bring on the bussiness end where we actually have to start playing the leaders realise they dont have enough.. i cannot wait for the return at LEICESTER...
Fair enough post, but facts are .. we are where we need to be right now...well in touchh and with the possibility of improvement. We aint 1oth or so and we are a point off. So its Job done for the first half of the season. Next half..who the F is going to goto Leicester or Burnley? We are a bigger "draw-card" and offer more. Both of them have peaked way too early and they are gonna tire. they have both played thier best games and are known to the rest now... For Ex. I remember watching Man Utd most season..and they dont lose in the second half of the season.SAF kept them in the race and come Pt2...they were unbeatable. Not saying we are Manure...but we are in the position we need right now..with more to come
