AntrimBlack Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 24 minutes ago, jackbauer24 said: Drop the ridiculous need for a holding midfielder/5th defender at this level, and both Hourihane and McGinn fit in the same team with ease. Both are willing to track back and defend when needed, both are capable of bursting forward. But playing Whelen in front of an already slow defence isn't helping us at all. Elmo Chester Tuanzebe Hutton Bolasie McGinn Hourihane Kodjia Grealish Abrahams What about El Ghazi? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackbauer24 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 2 minutes ago, AntrimBlack said: What about El Ghazi? Nice problems to have! But lineups like this are not about every game, they're an idea. Injuries, form or, god forbid, tactics would play a part too. My point being however that we don't need that role performed by Whelen, Jedinak or even Thor over the last season. We're stronger and more energetic without it. El Ghazi is not a central midfielder though, we have lots of options out wide, the point here is the middle of the park and I think Hourihane and McGinn is sufficient - especially at this level. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 Kodjia wide left over El Ghazi is pure madness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weedman Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 1 hour ago, jackbauer24 said: Does Whelen win that many headers then? Maybe playing to our strengths rather than poorly trying to defend against others strengths is the way to go? But then I'm not Bruce. Tbf I'm actually OK with that midfield but only against certain teams, like it or not for a lot of games we'll need a dedicated holding player, be it Whelan or Jedinak or Thor or whoever, but it's the defence, it needs a ball winner in it or the midfield will be irrelevant as they won't get the ball, this is why Jedi plays over Tuanzebe there for the time being I like Hourihane, he's like a poor mans Championship Lampard, but he isn't really involved in our play at all until he pops up with a goal, he can be a passenger and you can't really have that from a midfielder regularly, McGinn looks very similar and clearly those two will rotate throughout the season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 1 hour ago, jackbauer24 said: Does Whelen win that many headers then? Maybe playing to our strengths rather than poorly trying to defend against others strengths is the way to go? But then I'm not Bruce. We play to contain teams rather than to impose ourselves, and for that a Glenn Whelan/holding midfielder is imperative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 2 minutes ago, Keyblade said: We play to contain teams rather than to impose ourselves, and for that a Glenn Whelan/holding midfielder is imperative. We do, but, we can't defend, so it becomes a buggers muddle. 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keyblade Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 1 minute ago, TRO said: We do, but, we can't defend, so it becomes a buggers muddle. You would think the best form of defence in our case would be all-out attack, especially with the attacking talent at our disposal. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 41 minutes ago, weedman said: Tbf I'm actually OK with that midfield but only against certain teams, like it or not for a lot of games we'll need a dedicated holding player, be it Whelan or Jedinak or Thor or whoever, but it's the defence, it needs a ball winner in it or the midfield will be irrelevant as they won't get the ball, this is why Jedi plays over Tuanzebe there for the time being I like Hourihane, he's like a poor mans Championship Lampard, but he isn't really involved in our play at all until he pops up with a goal, he can be a passenger and you can't really have that from a midfielder regularly, McGinn looks very similar and clearly those two will rotate throughout the season and that was a problem last season....players have to be constantly involved, especially ones going for the top prize.....they all have to be "at it".....sadly we are rarely that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigel Posted September 8, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted September 8, 2018 2 hours ago, weedman said: Tbf I'm actually OK with that midfield but only against certain teams, like it or not for a lot of games we'll need a dedicated holding player, be it Whelan or Jedinak or Thor or whoever, but it's the defence, it needs a ball winner in it or the midfield will be irrelevant as they won't get the ball, this is why Jedi plays over Tuanzebe there for the time being I like Hourihane, he's like a poor mans Championship Lampard, but he isn't really involved in our play at all until he pops up with a goal, he can be a passenger and you can't really have that from a midfielder regularly If you look at our results with him as opposed to without him, it would point to the fact he has a lot more to his game that this! He is very good at this level! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 (edited) I’d play him on home games beside McGin. But still I won’t start Kodjia and Abraham at once as long as we’re having only Grealish and McGin as midfielders. Kodjia would be a good option if we’re playing 433, or even 442 diamond (but in that case where to put Bolasie and El Ghazi)? Edited September 8, 2018 by abdulaziz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 3 hours ago, abdulaziz1 said: I’d play him on home games beside McGin. But still I won’t start Kodjia and Abraham at once as long as we’re having only Grealish and McGin as midfielders. Kodjia would be a good option if we’re playing 433, or even 442 diamond (but in that case where to put Bolasie and El Ghazi)? If we had a pair of young versatile centre halves, who was blessed with mobility and aerial power.....one could drift in to midfield and turn the ball over with the other dropping off. Our centre halves play too deep and too square, because they lack pace and aerial ability, so they are afraid of getting caught out. For some time now I have thought a problem lies there, it sucks the team in and makes us play too deep......The 2 guys should be pushing the team out and closing down our lines, to prevent the opposition playing between the lines. We are much too " Wooden" in those positions......We need a couple of young dynamic CB's who can grow with us.....like Mellberg and Laursen. The opposition have us sussed now and just launch balls in to unsettle us....and its working for them. I like John Terry, but it was only a temporary fix.....we have too many temporary fixes.....We want more permanent ones.....and what better place to build your team around than 2 good all round centre Backs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abdulaziz1 Posted September 8, 2018 Share Posted September 8, 2018 34 minutes ago, TRO said: If we had a pair of young versatile centre halves, who was blessed with mobility and aerial power.....one could drift in to midfield and turn the ball over with the other dropping off. Our centre halves play too deep and too square, because they lack pace and aerial ability, so they are afraid of getting caught out. For some time now I have thought a problem lies there, it sucks the team in and makes us play too deep......The 2 guys should be pushing the team out and closing down our lines, to prevent the opposition playing between the lines. We are much too " Wooden" in those positions......We need a couple of young dynamic CB's who can grow with us.....like Mellberg and Laursen. The opposition have us sussed now and just launch balls in to unsettle us....and its working for them. I like John Terry, but it was only a temporary fix.....we have too many temporary fixes.....We want more permanent ones.....and what better place to build your team around than 2 good all round centre Backs. For now I think we need a temporary fix. It will sort us up for this season. If we’re up we’ll need atleast 7-8 players anyway. We have a better team this season to build up from. But it lacks a lot in thr defensive area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zatman Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 midfield of him, McGinn, Whelan, Jack and a floating winger would cause so much damage Pity Bruce isnt ambitious enough 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 9, 2018 Share Posted September 9, 2018 21 hours ago, abdulaziz1 said: For now I think we need a temporary fix. It will sort us up for this season. If we’re up we’ll need atleast 7-8 players anyway. We have a better team this season to build up from. But it lacks a lot in thr defensive area. We have better on paper, but it rarely transfers to grass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRO Posted September 10, 2018 Share Posted September 10, 2018 On 08/09/2018 at 17:59, TRO said: If we had a pair of young versatile centre halves, who was blessed with mobility and aerial power.....one could drift in to midfield on occasions and turn the ball over with the other dropping off. Our centre halves play too deep and too square, because they lack pace and aerial ability, so they are afraid of getting caught out. For some time now I have thought a problem lies there, it sucks the team in and makes us play too deep......The 2 guys should be pushing the team out and closing down our lines, to prevent the opposition playing between the lines. We are much too " Wooden" in those positions......We need a couple of young dynamic CB's who can grow with us.....like Mellberg and Laursen. The opposition have us sussed now and just launch balls in to unsettle us....and its working for them. I like John Terry, but it was only a temporary fix.....we have too many temporary fixes.....We want more permanent ones.....and what better place to build your team around than 2 good all round centre Backs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Great freekick and under a much better manager a central midfield 3 of Hourihane, Grealish and McGinn would work really well. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutByEaster? Posted September 15, 2018 Moderator Share Posted September 15, 2018 That is an absolutely brilliant free kick - it's moved there yards in the air and he's put such pace on it that the keeper doesn't even move. I love how early he knows that ball's going in - he's off celebrating and it's barely passed the wall. A quite brilliant goal. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HongKongVillan Posted September 15, 2018 VT Supporter Share Posted September 15, 2018 Scoring 11 goals from midfield last season and gets drop the next. I hope he smack it against Bruce face Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Zen Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 Needs to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dodgyknees Posted September 15, 2018 Share Posted September 15, 2018 1 minute ago, kwoktolai said: Scoring 11 goals from midfield last season and gets drop the next. I hope he smack it against Bruce face He has to fit a defensive midfielder in. Goals don't matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts