Our midfield

[Birley Owl 1867]

2 hours ago, gurujuan said:

His Villa sides usually set up that way also. The key to both those sides, was that the lone striker was mobile, and scored goals If we are to set up this way, that will be his number one priority, as we don’t have such a player

Fletcher is pretty mobile and is more than good enough to lead the line at this level.

 

We just need to sort out the weakness in midfield and we'll be fine.

[Guest]

23 hours ago, Stoop said:

Our problem is that Reach aside, our midfield carries next to zero goal threat. We’d be lucky to get 5 from Bannan and Hutchinson over an entire season which is dire

 

Spot on. We do have strikers capable of getting enough goals for a successful campaign in this division. Look at the 3 teams going for automatic promotion, I doubt many fans at this level would have been crying out for the likes of Sharp, Pukki or Roofe before the season started. The key for them is that they have goal threats from elsewhere and get more players up in support, which gives these strikers more space and more opportunity to get into goal scoring positions.

 

Time and time again this season Fletcher has been too isolated and we have no goal threat from midfield other than Reach. Bannan and Hutchinson are good at what they do but generally play from deep and don't get into forward positions that give the opposition defenders anything to think about, which makes it easier for them to defend against whoever we are playing in attack.    

 

Aarons has shown briefly that having a genuinely attack-minded wide player gives the opposition more to think about and put them on the back foot at times but we also need a midfielder who get get about the pitch more and chip in with goals.

[York_Owl]

On ‎14‎/‎04‎/‎2019 at 10:11, Lord Snooty said:

 

3

Is the magic number.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, gurujuan said:

His Villa sides usually set up that way also. The key to both those sides, was that the lone striker was mobile, and scored goals If we are to set up this way, that will be his number one priority, as we don’t have such a player

 

Who was his lone striker last season when they got to the play-off final? Kodjia isn't renowned for his mobility, Hogan and Grabban likewise. The key was that they had multiple goal threats. Adomah top scorer from out wide, Snodgrass not for behind from a wide role and Hourihane with double figures from midfield. We don't have any such threat. We do have a range of different options up front, many of whom can perform different roles. There are more important positions for us to address than strikers this summer. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Guest

[Lord Snooty]

2 minutes ago, York_Owl said:

Is the magic number.

 

And was from day one!

 

[Philb125]

5 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

And was from day one!

 

 

Just sometimes we needed to shift it a bit left to squeeze Wallace in too! 

[Bouncing Owl]

8 minutes ago, Lord Snooty said:

 

And was from day one!

 

 

100% agreed. We rarely played 4-3-3 but with those players available, it really stuck out we should have played this system. Pacy lone striker, FF on the left and another wide attacker on the right with pace would have been my preference. 

 

I hope we go with this system next season. 

[Lord Snooty]

3 minutes ago, Bouncing Owl said:

 

100% agreed. We rarely played 4-3-3 but with those players available, it really stuck out we should have played this system. Pacy lone striker, FF on the left and another wide attacker on the right with pace would have been my preference. 

 

I hope we go with this system next season. 

 

@fpowls team from the Poll thread

 

5 minutes ago, fpowl said:

If all fit 

 

you could play any centre forward from Joao, Fletcher, hooper, FF for me depending on who we are playing and form 

 

I went fletcher for physicality but if we’re playing a slow sluggish Lumps at the back I’d go with Joao or fessi

 

if we’re playing a team that sit right back and allow us to push on if go with hooper for the midfield runners 

 

I think hooper needs to be played with at least another forward though to get the best out of him when he comes deep 

 

[shezzas left peg]

On 14/04/2019 at 11:17, dorian gray said:

the only 2 i'd keep would be fletcher (because I think no one will pick up his wage) and hooper for his skills set (but as a sub or back up).

Hooper would be a very expensive sub to have around with the FFP restraints bud. If he's not first choice he needs to go along with quite a few others that havnt contributed to our cause for so long. 

[shezzas left peg]

It's speaks volumes about Carlos incompetent tenure and our chairman having no idea what he was doing either. 

Almost 4 seasons since S. G was given the boot and were back hoping we can get a midfield of Lee and Hutch back together. 

Edited April 15, 2019 by shezzas left peg

[shezzas left peg]

2 hours ago, hirstyboywonder said:

 

Spot on. We do have strikers capable of getting enough goals for a successful campaign in this division. Look at the 3 teams going for automatic promotion, I doubt many fans at this level would have been crying out for the likes of Sharp, Pukki or Roofe before the season started. The key for them is that they have goal threats from elsewhere and get more players up in support, which gives these strikers more space and more opportunity to get into goal scoring positions.

 

Time and time again this season Fletcher has been too isolated and we have no goal threat from midfield other than Reach. Bannan and Hutchinson are good at what they do but generally play from deep and don't get into forward positions that give the opposition defenders anything to think about, which makes it easier for them to defend against whoever we are playing in attack.    

 

Aarons has shown briefly that having a genuinely attack-minded wide player gives the opposition more to think about and put them on the back foot at times but we also need a midfielder who get get about the pitch more and chip in with goals.

One of the reasons I never agreed with the Bannan NEEDS to play Central brigade back when Lee was fit. 

We looked probably our best with.

Hutch holding. 

Lee driving us forward and anticipating things in and around the box. 

Bannan having the space to just do what he's good at. pinging Hollywood balls or crosses forwards and creating.

without annoying the hell out of our cb's by getting underfoot or in the way. 

[gurujuan]

2 hours ago, Birley Owl 1867 said:

Fletcher is pretty mobile and is more than good enough to lead the line at this level.

 

We just need to sort out the weakness in midfield and we'll be fine.

I don’t believe he is, he’s OK in the air, and can hold the ball up, but he doesn’t lay the ball off quick enough for me Also, he doesn’t have the pace to run in behind. He’s also not a clinical finisher We need better

[Shezza]

7 hours ago, Dutch McLovin said:

Hutch is the only one of the midfield that is vital to us. Bannan as good as he can be is good when everything suits him, when he is pressed he becomes ineffective. And his lack of assists goals and energy hinders us. Would be better in a 3 as stated but in our 442 he is effective wide left. If we could sign Lazaar again he could be the left back to play behind Bannan as I could see him being a lot like Pudil in his first season.

 

To be fair, Bannan has nine assists this season. That’s not too bad considering how bad we were under Jos. 

 

Having said that, he seems to have lost a bit of urgency to his game compared to how he was playing under Carlos, particularly that first season.

 

I think we should keep him, and I don’t think we’ll go 4-4-2 if Bruce manages to wheel and deal during the summer. Bannan drops too deeply when played in a midfield two. Then again, hasn’t Bannan and Hutch had some brilliant performances lately? 

[dorian gray]

21 hours ago, shezzas left peg said:

Hooper would be a very expensive sub to have around with the FFP restraints bud. If he's not first choice he needs to go along with quite a few others that havnt contributed to our cause for so long. 

true, and add to that IF we were to consider him as a 'first choice' striker, he'd (likely) only be available half the time, very skilful player though.

[steelowl]

 

 

before we invest in new players if indeed we are allowed to - we must up our medical history research of new players 

 

+ I don't believe in bad luck that stretches back season after season, different managers and medics and home pitch there is only only one constant the training facilities  this perpetual injury crisis  it needs sorting out it has cost us promotion imo