Good morning so we have dropped to third .....not bothered only the criminally overoptimistic could think we could outpace Man city over a season. I said on the Radio (BS for the record) that i would take fourth last year.
That has to be our objective. We are having a mid-season blip you cant play at the pace we do game in game out and not get tired.
As for all the howling and moaning about our players on Saturday Southampton played out of there skins if tyhey play like that they could beat liverpool.
I am concerned about Chiwell he seems to me to be suffering a touch of the maguires i think his head has been turned and this is effecting his game.
Can anyone answer me why we did not play Mendy his performances suggest to me that that he would fit straight into the Ndidi role i feel to much hype about Hamza,saying that his heading was brilliant on Saturday.
Again what do you think i prefer to play the three at the back while Ndidi's out with Fuch's in there do you think that would work?
Hugs
Nev
Nev's not bothered
posted on 13/1/20
Where’s Amartey when we need him
posted on 13/1/20
Bring back Richie De Laet!!
posted on 13/1/20
It all looked so easy earlier in the season when we won 8 in a row. Same system, same formation and largely the same personnel. A few recent hiccups and now the problems seem insurmountable and the solutions beyond our reach. We have to be careful not to throw the baby out with the bath water here and remember what we did to get to 2nd. Only N’didi is absent from the personnel who got us there.
So how do you fill an N’didi sized hole? Tricky, because nobody is capable of fulfilling the role he does as well as he does it. He’s one of the best CDM’s in the league especially when his role is clear. I can understand the calls for Mendy as I don’t see the hype around Hamza. Some good moments, but a long way away from the consistency that’s required. I said on another thread that I’m not sure, that he’s sure, of what type of midfielder he’s trying to be.
So we could change to 3 at the back to mitigate the issue. My issues with that are personnel. Fuchs has never convinced me that he’s a CB and Benkovic needs some assimilation before he’s relied upon. I’m also not sure of Morgan in a three. So we have issues at centre back. The next issue is full back. Chilwell is bad enough in attack when he has a winger, but when it’s his responsibility to provide width? Not on the evidence of recent displays.
We should be able to find a variation of 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3, 4-1-4-1 or 4-4-1-1 to work with the players we have. It may be form permitting and it may be time to give the likes of Gray, Albrighton and Ian opportunities to demonstrate they deserve to start over Barnes and Perez.
Whatever we decide somebody will have to play in their less preferred position. So we should try to balance the least worst of all options.
posted on 13/1/20
Maddison wide left then it is Joby 😉
posted on 13/1/20
comment by Brown Starr: The rusty sheriff of 606 (U12353)
posted 6 hours, 27 minutes ago
I think what’s so appealing about Chilwell to managers is his pace, the way he carries the ball and how direct he can be in attack when he has the space (which wasn’t afforded to him on Saturday or against Villa)
Against a team that presses and defends well however, he has absolutely no use at all. But if you’re Man City that doesn’t matter. Chilwell will be able to attack all day long - that’s what pep wants from his full backs. For Leicester - we probably need someone a bit more defensive minded
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BS - has LoneWolf hacked your account?
You have cheered me up immensely today with the thought that Pep may still be willing to splurge £60-70M on Chillers.
When he doesn't have space and gets pressed, the fact that he is very one footed becomes an issue, once he turns he tends to only be able to pass sideways or backwards. Although I have recently seen that he is occasionally trying in those positions to flick the ball forwards round the attacker with the outside of his boot so hopefully he may develop something better in his armoury.
Does Brendan drop him for Burnley? There are two other options, either Fuchs (which feels like a backward step) or Justin (I think he can play either side but may be better used on the right?). That would risk damaging Chillers' confidence which may be getting a bit fragile and we should hopefully be a bit more on the front foot at Turf Moor to give him better opportunities to get forward, so I think he should be kept in.
posted on 13/1/20
Nuneaton - he should definitely be kept in. Suitors might think we don’t rate him if not!!
Let’s keep the lie going. Chilwell is the best left back in the world.
posted on 13/1/20
Nev - we were lucky to have nearly got a draw, it could easily have been far more comfortable for the Saints.
3 at the back? I'm normally a fan but we only have two fit CBs so absolutely not. Note: I'm not counting Fuchs as anything other than an occasional, when we are desperate, have no other option (and even then think carefully whether it may be better to do the smearing with fishpaste/tank full of piranhas thing that BS mentioned) CB. If Wes is fit it might be worth trying.
Mersey - whatever formation Brendan comes up with, it includes Madders at no 10
posted on 13/1/20
I can very easily see us going 3-5-2 against Burnley. Giving Choudhury another run as the destroyer in a midfield 3, but with 3 centre backs behind him for extra cover; Fuchs playing third centre back because of experience and that Rodgers trusts him to do a job, Iheanacho gets a deserved start. For its faults, I reckon Rodgers will see a certain attraction to it, at least in the next match so he can have another look at Hamza.
posted on 13/1/20
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 51 minutes ago
I can very easily see us going 3-5-2 against Burnley. Giving Choudhury another run as the destroyer in a midfield 3, but with 3 centre backs behind him for extra cover; Fuchs playing third centre back because of experience and that Rodgers trusts him to do a job, Iheanacho gets a deserved start. For its faults, I reckon Rodgers will see a certain attraction to it, at least in the next match so he can have another look at Hamza.
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So can I, which worries me. Another perceived benefit would be having an additional taller defender against a very physical attack. Wouldn't Wood love to stick one in on Sunday?
posted on 14/1/20
comment by Nuneaton_fox (U7936)
posted 20 hours, 10 minutes ago
comment by The_Dungeon_Master (U4830)
posted 1 hour, 51 minutes ago
I can very easily see us going 3-5-2 against Burnley. Giving Choudhury another run as the destroyer in a midfield 3, but with 3 centre backs behind him for extra cover; Fuchs playing third centre back because of experience and that Rodgers trusts him to do a job, Iheanacho gets a deserved start. For its faults, I reckon Rodgers will see a certain attraction to it, at least in the next match so he can have another look at Hamza.
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So can I, which worries me. Another perceived benefit would be having an additional taller defender against a very physical attack. Wouldn't Wood love to stick one in on Sunday?
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Wood would