GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS

I think I saw a rumour somewhere saying it was Loïc Rémy (don't quote me on that) but he subsequently went to Las Palmas.

I'm a big fan of Onomah and, having the strong physcial presence that he does, he takes some of the pressure and attention off Davis. I wouldn't change the current starting line-up, but at some point it would be good to see Grealish and Onomah playing behind Davis as a front 3.

Just had a think about all the Prem Strikers that have been discussed in the last few pages, plus a few more who are not getting much game time. Thoughts below, they'd all be loan options obviously, some much less likely ones in the second half of my list, or are they? ... Ings - Really liked him at Burnley and he clearly had something for Liverpool to take a punt. Pretty decent in the air for a small man too - bit more robust and an all-rounder than Hogan, so i think he could work out despite not being precisely in the mold we're probably looking. Would love him to come here. Crouch - Can only see it if he wants to force the move. Think Hughes still likes him as a bench option and you've can't blame him. Julien Ngoy - Young Belgian lad at Stoke who isn't getting a look in for them right now, but he's potentially another diamond in the rough like Davis. He's of a similar build and type from the looks of it. Burnley strikers x 3 - They pretty much always play one upfront, and that's going to be Woods once he's fully fit. That leaves Barnes, Vokes and Nakhi Wells (just returned from an injury which has kept him sidelined since his transfer there). Can't see all 3 of them fighting out for the 2nd choice striker position on the bench. Ulloa - perfect to swap in and out with Davis, but not sure what his deal is? If I was him and behind Slimani and Ihanacho, I'd be itching to go out on loan somewhere. I'd take either of those other two in a heart beat btw but that just aint gonna happen. Wilfred Bony? - Highly unlikely but the guy seems to be having a nightmare loss of form since his city move didn't work out. So long as he's fit, he could tare up the Championship for a few months to get him back firing again no? Stefano Okaka - Probably wouldn't be willing to drop a division, but he's not getting a look in with Watford right now and he fits that 'powerful front man' role perfectly. Mitrovic - Point to prove, had a couple of seasons to settle into English football now. 1/2 a season back in the Championship to get some confidence. Would Newcastle loan to us? Austin - No thanks, not with our luck. We can't afford to take a risk on Mr Glass. Long - Don't think so. He's still getting decent minutes for Southampton at the moment and at his age you don't want to be dropping a division when you're still as involved as he is. Berahino -

Out for up to another 5 months potentially

We were just a bit less awful than they were... but i'll take it for the 3pts. Sometimes when you play a poor team (and Sunderland arevery poor) you end up being dragged down to their level. We did enough to win and looked comfortable until the last 10 or 15, even then it wasn't backs to wall, just a few anxious moments. Ratings Johnstone 6 - not much to do, but if I was to be critial, he should have palmed that shot out for a corner rather than leave it in for them to pick up and score from. Hutton 7 - good showing, fully committed as always, got forward and created - sometimes through skill, sometimes through sheer will. Chester 6 - Quiet night for him. Didn't do much wrong though. Samba 8 (MOM) - Not the prettiest and his first thought is pretty much always to hoof it, but he made some vital interceptions tonight. That headed clearence from their free kick towards the end was superb. Taylor 5 - Looked scared first half and wtf was he doing just giving up on a ball in their box??? Second half did better, but needs to step it up next game. Snodgrass 8 - Becoming a very important player for us. Set up the goal and should have scored another. Love that he has the ability to bring the ball down, hold off a player and drive in field with the ball at his feet... often helps spread the play and create a chance. Whelan 6 - I do appreciate what he does, but lacked movement tonight. Made a well timed tackle in the box but looks tired, may be due a rest with Jedi now back. Hourihane 7 - thought he was busy tonight, ball didn't quite fall for him on occasion but he didn't shy away from the it. Adomah 7 - Another goal and a decent showing from Albert. Glad he got taken off, we need him rested for Saturday. Onomah 7 - Thought he did well. Always supports the play and gives an option to whoever has the ball. Held it up well and bagged himself another deflected effort. Davis 4 - Shocker. Looked exhausted before he even stepped on the pitch. Clearly tried to up his energy levels in the second half but this was a bad display from him. Subs Jedi 6 - Sprayed some nice long passes across the pitch when he came on, then settled infront of the defence. Grealish 7 - Decent cameo. Played some clever passes with Onomah, think those two will link up well. Showed a bit of grit to with that tackle to keep the ball even though he was on the floor. Elmo 6 - ran about for a couple of minutes.

100% agree, but I think we've even worse than usual tonight if you can believe that possible!

First half observations: Our passing is attrocious. When we're on the break we give it away cheaply and when we're trying to build from the back the pace at which we play is nowhere near quick enough to catch them out. Davis looks like he's on sleeping pills! Not at the races at all. Shame that Hogan is injured because i think this would be the perfect half to get him some confidence. Grealish needs to come on but I don't know who for. Possibly Whelan - go all out for 20 mins or so to kill them off, then bring Jedi on for Snodgrass, moving Jack to left and Albert to right.

We all know that we'll start as we did against QPR - and as much as it lacks imagination, I think it's the right thing to do. The Sunderland players are short on confidence, but Coleman may well have instilled them with a tiny bit of belief in the short time he's had... so our two man wrecking crew of Davis and Onomah need to bully it back out of them. If they're not 100% up for it or if there's any self doubt lingering, a physical battle with those two is the last thing they'll want. Bring Grealish and O'Hare on once they're tiring and they've got space to work in.

Simply magnificent! Shame there wasn't more of her in those types of scenarios... mind you it was slightly made up for by Axelrod's missus having her waps out almost every episode!

Just binge watched both seasons of Billions - fantastic stuff! I disregarded it for a long time but finally gave it a go after a friend recommended it. Damian Lewis and Paul Giamatti are both superb in it.

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We havent been able to rely on our forwards for goals all season, so I wouldn't start panicking just yet. I agree it puts a lot of pressure on Davis to play well every week and stay fit, but beyond that we've got plenty of goals in midfield to keep us going - especially with Grealish back and O'Hare reminding us he can be called upon too.

If they've got a makeshift defence, then I think we'll see a very similar formation and set up to the one we put out against Preston. Bruce will go safe and only make changes where he has to so I expect: 1. Samba to come in for JT. Probably wise considering the aerial threat they carry with Sylla as well as Matt Smith off the bench. 2. Kodjia to get the nod over Davis. Mainly because of Davis' poor showing against Wednesday. 2. If Snodgrass isnt fit then Grealish to come in on the left, switching Albert to the right. I actually reckon that if he's anywhere close to fitness, we'll start with Snoddy and switch to this after an hour. --------------------- Johnstone ------------------------- Elmo ------ Samba ------ Chester ------ Hutton Adomah -- Whelan -- Hourihane -- Grealish ---------------------- Onomah ---------------------------- ------------------------ Kodjia ------------------------------ I think that'll give us a dcent chance. Meanwhile over in a parallel universe where Brucey plays attacking football and Jedi retired from international football a few months ago --------------------- Johnstone ------------------------- ----- Chester ------ Jedinak ------ Hutton ------ Elmo ---- Whelan ---- Hourihane ---- Taylor ---------------- O'Hare ---- Grealish ---------------- ------------------------ Kodjia ---------------------------

The way I see it, which may help vindicate @TRO's comments is this: We've do have players with the passing ability to play clever through balls to a striker like Hogan or Musa, all the ones you've mentioned above @Grasshopper have that in their locker. However what's stopping them in the main, is our inability as a team to create space! The space to play the ball through and the space for strikers to run into. The reasons why we don't IMO are: 1. As a team we don't play enough of an expansive, passing style of football which has the effect of drawing the opposition out-of-position and opening up gaps / pockets of space. We're capable on occasion but teams like Wolves, Fulham (may be not so much recently), Reading etc do this througout every game - we're nowhere near that level of passing. 2. Weaker sides invariably set up to sit deep against us. There's much less room for strikers to play in and as a result we've found joy in playing someone like Davis who can hold the ball up in tight spaces with his back to goal and allow the midfield to move up the pitch so we can create in numbers. 3. Against the stronger sides, where there is more space between the lines, we don't play 4-4-2. Go back to point 1 and it tells you that to avoid being out passed we pack the midfield. Even playing on the break, when it's one man up top you're easily marked out of the game - so again it's more effective to stick a big man up there to try and hold the ball.

Agree with @Czechlad Musa is a no for me. Small, nippy strikers who require service and space to run into aren't going to fit, not the way Bruce sets us up. Diame yes. Big, strong, can hold the ball up, bully defenders etc. He'd do a good job share with Onomah as that powerful no.10 behind Davis or Kodjia.

Same line up as Preston - whoever is the fittest out of Kodjia and Onomah to play off Davis. Whichever one of them it is, give them an hour before bringing on Hogan - and give him a chance to play off Davis!!

I totally agree with everyone who wants to see Davis and Hogan upfront, but I think this is the game where Bruce starts with both Jedi and Whelan. Something between a 4-4-2 and a 4-2-3-1. ------------------- Johnstone ---------------- Elmo ---- Chester -- Terry ---- Hutton Snoddy -- Whelan -- Jedi -- Adomah -------------------- Hourihane ----------------- ------------------------ Davis -------------------- I think it might actually cause them quite a few problems... with the double DM insurance, all 3 of Snodgrass, Hourihane and Adomah can surge forward, with Davis as the foil. An inexperienced defence might find that more difficult to organise against than a standard 2 up top. Also gives him more options from the bench to change it up if needs be.

Jingoistic?? Don't agree Raver. We did play high intensity, pressing football and it didn't allow them to settle into their usual passing game, certainly not to the extent which they are capable of. Granted they created a couple of chances, but certainly not before we did. And I'd argue the 2-1 result substantiates the claim that it worked a treat!

Bruce gets a big well done from me this week. Yes we lost and played badly against Wolves, but he recognised what was wrong, changed it and it paid off. I've questioned Onomah in that high position before, but on Saturday he was perfect for it. We played a high energy, pressing game from the off to stifle their passing and it worked a treat. Having Onomah that high up, bullying their defenders and midfielders in their own half was instrumental I thought.

One of his best games I thought. Take away the clumsy challenge which resulted in their goal and he didn't do much else wrong. He's going to get skinned by faster players from time to time, but at least he doesn't give up - he still chases and makes it uncomfortable for them. I thought we backed off them too much on Saturday, let some of their players almost run the length of our half before closing them down and slowing them up. Things like that don't help Whelan. Attacking wise he played the ball of the day through to Onomah for the second, plus he was much neater and tidier with his short passing I thought.

Haha I was coming on to make that point too LF. If memory serves me correctly (although I was row 38 in the Trinity and 5 beers in by then) It was one of his badly judged sliding tackles around the halfway line, which took him completely out of the game and left an acre of space for their player to run and cross into the box.

Just because someone's played there in the early part of his career does not mean it's silly to suggest he isn't suited to that role. Players develop and change over time - would you call me silly for saying Gareth Bale's no left back? IMO when you look at his strengths/weaknesses, I see a player more suited to being an inside forward/no.10. That's not to say he can't play off to the left, but I don't see him as a 'winger' i.e. someone who runs the line, goes past players looking to cross the ball in most of the time. Jack thinks the no.10 postion is his best position, Bruce set the team up in the summer with him in that role. I wouldn't be itching to switch up our current starting XI to play him there imediately, but I think he should concentrate on that role so he can be that kind of option off the bench once he's fit. Plus once Green is back, he and Albert will competing for that LW spot.

Agree he's no winger. I think he needs to focus on perfecting that number 10 role just behind the striker. Whilst I think Davis and Kodjia are our best starting option upfront in a 4-4-2, Jack is a great option to come on for either of them and add something a little different.