TRO

Hmmmmmm.....love the balance.

The trouble is Dave, what ever the permutation, we all only have 11 players.....so it all boils down to where we deploy them and how effective they are individually. you only need a few passengers to put paid to the theory of any permutation or formation....one of the reasons i favour, workrate and effectiveness, not just formation.....I think Ron Saunders too, was switched on well, to workrate.....watch how hard the top teams like Man city, work. When set up, we assume every player is on form and at it.....otherwise, we and every other team, becomes out of balance and flawed.....one

I think you make a very good observation.

Your comments are spot on Imo. Football is a mature sport/ business, most things have been tried and used years ago, great coaches, like Rinus Michels and Vic Buckingham etc have used systems and playing styles way before the modern coaches have.....most things today are regurgitated from the past. Most things teams do are driven by the attributes of the players on their playing staff....every team has shortfalls or weaknesses.....What makes teams better or great, they make less mistakes than their opponents. I still think we are all guilty of watching too much on the ball play

There is a monumental difference between Busquets and Luiz, physicality and stature is just two......Its not that some people fail to grasp what you are saying, more like they disagree.....I am not taken by Luiz's positioning, its hit and miss for me and his physicality or presence, is not a threat, either,in the role he plays......He is still learning, I accept that and it is mirrored in his play.....but in the mean time we have games to win. I am very clear in my mind, what attributes are required in the CDM role to be a good one....but I am not convinced, so far, that Dougie is a good

Spot on imo.

All the top teams have a DM.....how can they be old fashioned? Thats a myth. but those DM's have to do what it says on the tin. our squad is too small, Luiz will be in the squad and continue to work on his game, so placing spots are immaterial.....they have to fight for them. If we want to move on, our thinking has to move on....The jobs on the pitch, have to be filled by those that can master them. may I say, there is no old fashioned anything, its a lazy line......Man City don't play with a recognised No9 ,are they old fashioned now?....do we all play with a false 9?

more like Ross McCormack.

I think its quite feasible to see a couple of 21 year olds come in to bridge the age gap between 18 & 25

Mrs Smith after a win.

I think Sanson,Luiz and McGinn is a CM or a CAM.....We are fooling ourselves we have CDM's. We are playing players in the Pivot who have Attacking Nous, not defensive Nous.....that is one of our issues.

I think Dean prefers wingers to create damage.....but the centre of midfield is a waste land by comparison,when we are without the ball, it needs to be strengthened.

I accept that, and I do accept that reading the game, is an essential part of that role, so maturity is a major factor....I am just not yet convinced. another consideration is, Jack will not hang around for all these forecasted stars to join him. Its awkward that we have a gap between 25 year olds and 18 year olds that we can't bridge, due to such poor management of the past.....I'm sure we will find a way to circumnavigate it.

Selective, officiating. They will defend it by saying, thats what I saw.

Hypothetically, if that had of happened outside of the penalty area, it would be a foul.......The fact that it was inside, left the ref with a decision, he didn't want to make, so he took the easy option.