KSV

11 hours ago, Ingram85 said:

Big signing for me as it means Elmo can go back to RB and Jedinak can sit on the bench. 

——Elmo, Chester, Axel, Hutton——-

Bolasie, McGinn, Whelan, El Ghazi 

——-————-Grealish——————-

    ——————Kodjia—————-

Or he just drops axel

2 hours ago, VillaChris said:

We'll have many more weeks like this. Just look at our fixture list in November and December.

Last season was the time to get automatic promotion but we fell short.

I suppose if you're looking for positives are that we're 4th despite not really playing well and the division is certainly weaker at the top end than last year. Fulham also didn't turn up until December last season and should've claimed second in the end.

Dosen't look to me this year like we have the resilience. Games like today and Ipswich away are the types we'd have ground out 1-0 wins last season. John Terry is a big miss with ten minutes to go today talking and settling everyone down, we don't have that type currently.

I know the owners want a young team and I am all for that.. but surely reduced wages to Terry is required. As you said.. that leadership is invaluable.

I'm more worried whether he has what it tskes. Mentally to succeed with all the pressure. I'm sure he's a good keeper.. just looks nervous which is allowing mistakes in his game. Hopefully after a month or so he feels more comfortable. Jury still out for mine.

3 hours ago, Dr_Pangloss said:

I think you have to expect him to put in more effort, he's a quick player and his pace would have been useful in terms of putting their backline under pressure but he didn't really bother. On top of that you expect him to get the basics right, such as a decent first touch, whereas he was taking poor touches and losing the ball.

It wasn't good enough, the lack of effort was really the one for me, OK his confidence might be low, but that doesn't excuse him not closing them down quickly. Like I say, I think he has talent and can contribute but abject cameos lacking in effort are not acceptable.

Why would he be low on confidence. Played lots of games and scored some goals in pre season. Generally looked pretty good. I do wonder whether he would be better off loaned out and used as a striker rather than a winger. 

7 hours ago, DaveAV1 said:

You’re right about the crosses. They sussed us out and cut off the supply line, which should have left more room down the middle for Jack and John. But we didn’t exploit that. 

Very good for an hour or so, but then we tired and ran out of ideas going forward. I’m slightly concerned that despite our dominance we didn’t work their goal keeper enough. Someone who could make the most of all those crosses would be good, especially as we have more wingers on the way. Also CB and a left back essential additions in my opinion. 

I think the problem is the crossing.. Adomah hit one or two decent ones but generally was pretty poor delivery. Elmo's was ok.. fullbacks were awful. Bolasie and El Ghazi will hopefully improve this. So would De Laet and Targett as our full backs. 

22 minutes ago, cb_82 said:

Financial experts, goalkeeper experts, tactical experts...........i bet you are amazing at your own jobs

pretty shit at mine though. Good at FM though

Diego Reyes on a free would be fantastic. Abraham and Targett would cap an amazing window of actual quality coming in and an improvement on last seasons squad. 

Yeah he wasnt good against Brentford. I hope Bruce realise he is only 22 as well and may need a rest every now and then. Hourihane McGinn and Whelan can play against Reading.. maybe give him a breather to keep him fresh

Think he needs a loan. Hes struggling in the Championship at the minute. Not sure he will get much game time. Especially if we sign Abraham. Could see Kodjia being used left with Bolasie.. Right Adomah and El Ghazi. Kodjia also rotating with Abraham. 

I thought he was good.. hes a bit underrated.. (even by me).. our record when he plays i would imagine is unbelievable. We rarely lose when he plays. 

wow he was magnificent. His goals were great but his link up play and hold up was the best ive seen him. He used the wingers.. imagine when we have the real deal duo on the wings instead. Cant wait Reading!

5 hours ago, Ingram85 said:

Im not a massive fan of Bruce at all but he got most things spot on tonight tactics wise. He loses points for sticking with and not subbing Jedinak who was woeful and for leaving it until the last 8 minutes before bringing on more subs. But overall I’m happy, he was more attacking, subs were attacking, positive play etc... may this continue but we’ll see as it’s Bruce. If it carries on then great.

I dont think Mile was that bad.. one bad header that led to a chance but other than that i thought he did ok....... Chester looked shaky imo. I dont mind Mile as an emergency fill in.. but we cant possibly be planning on using him there all season. I am guessing Bruce sees him as one of the few in the squad that can dominate in the air (which he does).. just needs to tidy his game... may need time to adjust to the new position so he may still with him. 

My bigger concern is the fullback situation. I would like a proper left back and right back for once. Targett on loan and De Laet (why is he being snubbed after being one of the most impressive in pre season). 

Credit where credit is due though and i thought we out passed and outplayed Brentford. Better passing %..more shots on goal.. more possession.. better chances etc. 

Our main issue is.. we always cross.. ( 46 v 16 granted we had more possession but only 10 more long balls than them) we need to play through the middle more.. when we did that and found Kodjia/Grealish/McGinn combined.. we looked dangerous. 

Wow i was expecting more criticism of him. To be honest.. i thought this mistake was Karius like and was worse than the cross he missed. Cant blame him too much for the back pass goal. 

Sometimes you get crosses sometimes you dont.. but the drop against Brentford was horrendous imo. I dont care how hard the shot was.. he should have had better contact to prevent that from going in. 

His best game.. he made some good saves but still looks nervy to me. Hopefully he settles. He looks frightened at corners. Hope he improves as we wont be able to use Moriera if we sign Targett and Abraham on loan. 

5 hours ago, wilko154 said:

I'm all for dropping the wingers out until we can get some loans in who provide us something different out wide. We also need to look at resting some players midweek.

 

                          Nyland

De Laet  Tuanzebe   Chester   Hutton

                       Whelan

     Hourihane              McGinn

                    Grealish

      Kodjia                 Green

 

For me Jedinak needs both a rest and dropping out of a position he cannot play. Tuanzebe can then play his natural position.

Rest Elmo and give De Laet a go in his natural position.

Rest Bjarnasson and bring Whelan in to do all of the dirty work and let Hourihan, McGinn and Grealish off the leash.

Green to come back in and play alongside or just behind Kodjia, he will provide some legs chasing down balls and let Kodjia do his thing on the ball.

Spot on. If RHM is fit.. wouldnt mind him starting ahead of Green. 

2 minutes ago, villan-scott said:

Also, on Bolasie, if the deal is a loan with option to buy, I can’t imagine us wanting to pay what Everton would want for a nearly 30 year old winger who’s had big injury problems recently. They paid around £30m was it? I’d imagine they’ll want to recoup £20m or so. Doesn’t fit with the rumoured philosophy of younger squad/players. 

Maybe Maddison or Ojo are close, and maybe better long term options?

Prefer we got both Maddison and Ojo rather than paying big wages to Bolasie. 

Bruce said owners want young players.. Hes almost 30. Ojo makes sense. Targett makes sense. Abraham makes sense. All probably gettable if promoted. 

Bolasie also has had a few injury issues lately. I can see why we make have not wanted to pay his wages.. Boro possibly willing to pay more of his wages. 

Although.. Bolasie and Adomah are great friends and he knows Kodjia well too... 

Doesn't take a genius nor an itk to figure out he's on probation with the new owners. Just because he has points on the board doesn't mean they are happy. I'm certainly not.. I watch football to be entertained and it's boring as bat shit at the moment. So so negative. Stifling what we have as very good players. Instilled a very negative mindset and approach to games. It's even worse this year as I think he's scared of losing now even more. Ignore Yoevil.. the three league games thus far..  we have been fortunate to get the wins. We didn't dominate or batter the team. We got fortunate with a late winner. Do not forget Hull Wigan and Ipswich are pretty poor sides. We have not played anyone of note as yet. Brentford will give us a bit more of an indication of where we are. 

Kodjia Abraham Bolasie front three. Yes please. Green isn't ready to play so many games yet. Adomah looks terrible.

We need to sign Huth on a free and maybe Cresswell on loan at lb. Sorted.

We play better with Mile at DM. The other players in midfield know they have a bit more license to roam.

Moreira has more potential to improve. Nyland is 28 and should be in his prime. If this is his prime I would be a bit worried.

15 hours ago, Stevo985 said:

He didn't stop it though.

That's like saying Karius had stopped it if someone had cleared that fluffed shot from Bale off the line in the Champions League Final.

Just because Tuanzebe was there to save his blushes doesn't mean it was suddenly a good save. He was extremely lucky the striker didn't have a tap in.

So if a keeper saves a shot back into play.. and it gets cleared by a defender before the opposition.. that's not a stop?  

Think your being harsh. It wasn't a clean stop as such but he did enough to put the striker off. Its a 1 on 1 chance.. a bit different comparing a shot that was badly fumbled. Most 1 on 1's you would back the striker. Like I said he could have easily brought him down.. gave away a pen and a straight red. He stayed big and put the striker off.  

22 hours ago, Dante_Lockhart said:

I nearly had a heart attack with that one on one. He just didn't look confident coming out at all. Luckily Zebe was there to mop up.

But he stopped it..  a lot of other keepers could have given a penalty away rushing out or got rounded. He stood his ground.. made himself big and stopped the striker legally. Yes a defender had to help out but thats what its all about. He delayed the striker until help came in. 

I saw some bad signs in his game but for me that was not one. 

Penalty save - lets face it.. that was a pretty shit shot.. but at least he went the right way. I hate when keepers guess/dive early and give them an easy goal. 

The chip kick that went to their striker was awful.. but miskicks can happen. Lets see if it continues to occur. I thought his kicking was quite good until he lost a bit of confidence and it got worse as the game went on. 

One cross he flapped at was a bit of a concern too.

Mixed bag from me. Looks like a good shot stopper. He is still only 22 in a new country etc.. i wish people just gave our players more chances than they get. 

Man Utd will always buy better CB's than Tuanzebe. He will inevitably leave the club to get games. Especially as hes established at a young age. We could have a chance if we got promoted. 

Anyway.. must start at CB with Chester from now on. Mile and Elphick have shown they are not good enough. 

In fact.. a back four of De Laet Chester Tuanzebe Hutton is quite strong and has lots of speed. Picks itself imo. 

Harsh on the youngster. He was shite but so was the whole team. He barely got given any decent ball and they took him off when Grealish came on. Looked quite sharp in the two games off the bench in the Championship. 
 

What we do know.. he cant play the lone striker on his own yet. I think hes more of a wide forward. Same with Kodjia actually. 

We have no other choice at the moment. RHM showed hes not ready yet.. not in the way we play. Kodjia will come good again once he gets his swagger back