Team shape, tactics and personnel

[PussEKatt]

We "must" play Coutinho and Buendia in the same lineup and get the strikers ( whoever they are ) scoring more goals from the chances we create.

[IrishVilla10]

3 hours ago, JAMAICAN-VILLAN said:

                          Ollie

 

Coutinho        Ramsey           Buendia

 

             Kamara           McGinn

 

Digne          Mings      Chambers    Cash

 

At present we could currently field this team. McGinn interchangeable for any of Luiz, Sanson etc.

Chambers for any top CB .

Upgrades to Mcginn and Chambers there and I think we’re flying 

[allani]

14 hours ago, StewieGriffin said:

Agree with all you said apart from a little at this bit, and before I post further I should clarify that I am a fan of Mings...

Tyrone Mings is 29 years old, he shouldn't need a more senior defender to "push him about" - for 2 reasons, both very similar. 1) He is 29, so a more senior player is going to be 32/33, which Im not sure is the profile of the defender we'd look for. And 2). He is 29... if he needs "pushing about" and guiding through a game at 29 then we have to accept that the problem isn't necessarily who is next to Mings...

 

 

For the sake of clarity by senior I do not mean older.  I mean better.  So for example (and note that this is just an example and not a suggestion for a realistic signing!!!!) Ruben Dias is 25 and so is Mings "junior" in terms of age.  However, he would be the senior player in a central defensive partnership with Mings because he is the better player and reads the game better.  If he was directing Mings and taking control of our defensive shape and patterns - I am certain that (a) he would do a better job at making sure everyone was marking the right player / "controlling" the right space and that (b) Mings would listen to him, respond and make fewer errors than he does at present.

Now how many players are that out there that can fill that role?  Probably not many.  However, we basically have four options:  (i) replace Konsa but still have Mings as our defensive leader, (ii) replace Mings, (iii) replace Konsa but with a player who is similar to or ideally better than Mings, thereby making Mings the "junior" partner and (iv) replacing both Konsa and Mings.

If we go down the route of (i) my worry is that our defensive organisation will continue to have erratic moments.  With option (ii) (which probably would have been my preferred option 3 or 4 months ago) the challenge would be that Konsa doesn't seem to be very vocal / much of a leader and so there's a risk that we'd be just as disorganised at time.  But more importantly Konsa has been shocking the last two or three months - is that because his confidence is shot, he's been hiding and injury or he's just reached his peak?  Basing our defence around Konsa would, based on recent form, be a massive gamble.  Option (iv) is clearly a huge risk going into a new season with both central defenders being new and having to quickly establish a playing relationship with Emi, the 2 FBs and our CDM.  Which is kind of why I am suggesting that option (iii) is the ideal.  We don't unbalance the whole of our defence, Mings gets a bit of a kick up the ar$e, we hopefully improve our defensive reading of the game and Mings improves and (hopefully!) has fewer brain fart moments and more brilliant blocks as against Burnley.

[BleedClaretAndBlue]

Our shape at City was the most consistent ive seen it so far with the 10s. You could see a christmas tree moving up and down the pitch all in unison

[duke313]

3 hours ago, BleedClaretAndBlue said:

Our shape at City was the most consistent ive seen it so far with the 10s. You could see a christmas tree moving up and down the pitch all in unison

I thought so too, until the 70 min mark when we collapsed.

[Anything11]

19 hours ago, Zatman said:

We all know Pep is

You can buy all the players you want but you have to coach them still. He has been here 6 months and I couldn't tell you how we play. Do we play from the back, do we pump it to Watkins, so we play through midfield. 

9 points from the last 11 is probably relegation form and of our players are overrated maybe but they arent a relegation team

Bingo. That's a you probably mate.

Plenty of us here have been discussing how we play, how we setup, the issues this causes especially with the current players as well as it's drawbacks.

Maybe you should spend more time trying to understand it.

[Zatman]

1 hour ago, Anything11 said:

Bingo. That's a you probably mate.

Plenty of us here have been discussing how we play, how we setup, the issues this causes especially with the current players as well as it's drawbacks.

Maybe you should spend more time trying to understand it.

Please enlighten us oh wise one because a lot of people havent a clue

Its definitely not Liverpool version 2.0 as I keep getting told 

[skarroki]

I think 4-2-3-1 suits us, I'm not sure it would be strongest XI but in terms of a balanced side, if we could get all these playing well I'd be interested to see:

Watkins

Coutinho Buendia Bailey

Kamara Luiz

Digne Mings Carlos Cash

Martinez

Buendia and Kamara add energy and physicality going both directions in central midfield and Luiz adds quality. Think the back 5 picks itself unless there's another good signing / sale / injury.

I'm convinced Cash and Bailey could form a partnership given time and a full pre-season will hopefully provide them that time. 

I'm still happy with Watkins up front although most people I know want to upgrade. I just think he's right on the edge of having a defining season for us.

[Delphinho123]

26 minutes ago, skarroki said:

I think 4-2-3-1 suits us, I'm not sure it would be strongest XI but in terms of a balanced side, if we could get all these playing well I'd be interested to see:

Watkins

Coutinho Buendia Bailey

Kamara Luiz

Digne Mings Carlos Cash

Martinez

Buendia and Kamara add energy and physicality going both directions in central midfield and Luiz adds quality. Think the back 5 picks itself unless there's another good signing / sale / injury.

I'm convinced Cash and Bailey could form a partnership given time and a full pre-season will hopefully provide them that time. 

I'm still happy with Watkins up front although most people I know want to upgrade. I just think he's right on the edge of having a defining season for us.

Can’t see him starting Luiz and Bailey over Ramsey and McGinn. 

If we play a 4-2-3-1 with either Buendia or Coutinho as a no.10, we’d have to buy another very good defensive central midfielder. 

I think we’ll be playing a 4-3-2-1 or a 4-3-3 again next season if I’m honest. 

[Anything11]

There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that we are suddenly going to start utilising a double pivot. It will be the same system with (hopefully) better understanding of roles and responsibilities based on more time in the system and personnel upgrades. Which I suspect leads to more sustained possession (less lumping it up to watkins) and more time on the ball/touches for the no.10s as they are the priority.

[maqroll]

Is the current thinking that Buendia and Coutinho will feature regularly together now that we are strengthening MF?

They have to play together, right?

[Anything11]

1 hour ago, maqroll said:

Is the current thinking that Buendia and Coutinho will feature regularly together now that we are strengthening MF?

They have to play together, right?

I suspect we will see SJM up there in one of those 10 spots should we strengthen the midfield further. But yes those two should be playing together more with a strengthened midfield.

[Spoony]

Surprised to see Watkins named in so many lineups. We really really need a class striker if we are going to progress. 

[Anything11]

46 minutes ago, Spoony said:

Surprised to see Watkins named in so many lineups. We really really need a class striker if we are going to progress. 

Agreed. I suspect we see some movement in that area during this transfer window.

[nepal_villan]

Really want to see SG ruthless with our lineup. Play the best team, not the best players. If Ings & Watkins or Coutinho & Buendia don't work as a partnership, then leave one of them on the bench! There are now 5 substitutes, it's a long season and injuries will happen. Everyone will eventually get their turn.

[allani]

On 26/05/2022 at 23:00, skarroki said:

I think 4-2-3-1 suits us, I'm not sure it would be strongest XI but in terms of a balanced side, if we could get all these playing well I'd be interested to see:

Watkins

Coutinho Buendia Bailey

Kamara Luiz

Digne Mings Carlos Cash

Martinez

Buendia and Kamara add energy and physicality going both directions in central midfield and Luiz adds quality. Think the back 5 picks itself unless there's another good signing / sale / injury.

I'm convinced Cash and Bailey could form a partnership given time and a full pre-season will hopefully provide them that time. 

I'm still happy with Watkins up front although most people I know want to upgrade. I just think he's right on the edge of having a defining season for us.

I think we need 3 central midfielders as Luiz and McGinn just aren't good enough defensively and we'd be putting a huge amount of importance on Kamara - still a young player who will be playing in the PL for the first time.  I would like another CM to come in (with Luiz being back-up / sub) and then having McGinn / JJ in a slightly more advanced (box to box) type role.  So almost a 4-2-1-2-1.  I personally think that gives us more protection defensively, more options to retain possession and with the FBs and McGinn / JJ adding attacking options.  I still have hopes for Bailey - he needs a good injury-free run and a chance to prove himself.  First couple of games he looked a real live-wire but since then has been a shadow of that.

[HKP90]

For me, at the moment I'd favour a midfield 3 of Kamara as a DM, Luiz slightly further forward, and Ramsey as an AM, sacrificed periodically for a second striker as circumstances dictate.

[Tomaszk]

We will not be playing 4231 no matter how much it may suit us.

We will not be trying 3421 or 3412.

It will be a narrow 4321 or 4312.

[Made In Aston]

On 25/05/2022 at 15:43, duke313 said:

On 25/05/2022 at 12:39, BleedClaretAndBlue said:

Our shape at City was the most consistent ive seen it so far with the 10s. You could see a christmas tree moving up and down the pitch all in unison

I thought so too, until the 70 min mark when we collapsed

It's like when you're cat tries to grab a bauble and ends up knocking the whole tree over. 

[MrBlack]

We end up with this team by the end of the window and I'll be a very very happy bunny:

 

                          Ings

       Coutinho                  Buendia

                        Ramsey 

             Kamara           Bissouma

Digne          Mings      Carlos    Cash

                          Martinez

 

 

That's just one more signing.  Obviously, this needs Ings to become the Ings of 2 years ago, so if we sign another striker on top and we're in to no excuses territory. 

The subs bench has McGinn, Luiz, Bailey, Traorê and Watkins on it.  Not to mention Sanson, Nakamba, Konsa, and Chambers, who all have either unfulfilled potential or played a significant number of games between them for us this season.   That's a world away from where we've been in recent years, and that's before we complete the 2 other signings we are expected make.

I'm wildly optimistic at the moment, can't wait for next season to start.