Midfield..............

[kilbyj 314]

Definitely needs work. 

 

Fulham played with 2 forwards and 2 out and out wingers, with Tom Cairney as one of middle two (not exactly known for his defensive qualities)... And we had 3 in the middle and still couldn't get a grip of it. 

 

Not a popular opinion but I think Bannan often flatters to deceive, he was awful on Saturday. He's a highlight reel sort of guy, did nothing really at hudders then puts that ball in for Winnall. 

 

Lee can't be relied on, gutted he got that injury. 

 

Sam H often looks a better player once he's booked so he has to actually think before he chops. 

 

I can't understand why we signed one of the most highly thought of box to box CMs and don't play him (yet). 

 

Think we need 2 or 3 new players for Centre of the park. 

[ZicoSterland2 1,214]

9 minutes ago, Tommycraign10others said:

Interesting points made about the isolator Fletcher. It seems to me he needs someone alongside him as he isn’t a hold up player his tendency is to knock the ball on for a running player, who often isn’t there. On the other hand Nuhiu will hold the ball and defend it until other players arrive

Nuhui doesn't have the vision or arial threat of Fletcher. (I know he scored on Saturday with a header ) Fletchers team play is better as Nuhui tends to run up blind alleys. What he is good at is holding the ball in the corner when we are defending a lead and he does seem to  perform well from the bench.

Edited September 23, 2019 by ZicoSterland2

[Hitcat 551]

15 minutes ago, ZicoSterland2 said:

Thats wete Luongo can bomb on as it seems Lee has lost that ability . We may have to accept with Lee that the injuries have taken there toll and we have seen the best of him.

 

A lot of pressure on Luongo though. If we're going to play wingers AND Bannan, we have little choice but to play 4-2-3-1, if we want Bannan more advanced. Probably far too cavalier to try 4-2-1-3 with our players.

[ZicoSterland2 1,214]

6 minutes ago, Hitcat said:

 

A lot of pressure on Luongo though. If we're going to play wingers AND Bannan, we have little choice but to play 4-2-3-1, if we want Bannan more advanced. Probably far too cavalier to try 4-2-1-3 with our players.

Bannan could be squeezed out of side if we went with a rigid 4-4-2 . This would allow Luongo and Hutchinson to lay a solid base and play with 2 wingers and 2 forwards. I am pretty sure under Monk nobody is guaranteed a shirt.

[Holmowl 17,720]

2 hours ago, peacock1961 said:

Wrote after the team news came out on Saturday that we had the same midfield as 4 years ago, good or bad?

Think we have tightened up at the back and have good cover should form dip or we get a number of injuries. The wingers are doing ok and again we have cover and Fletch has a reasonable back up with Adthe and winnall (wish we could have kept Joao though).

Its the midfield, static, old and predictable. Seemingly little penetration or assistance to the front players. Our hands are tied somewhat but we've got to have some sort of option, definitely the lad from QPR has to be given a chance and maybe swapping Iorfa and Hutchinson around might be an idea. Mr Monk has to try something as bannan/lee/Hutch hasn't really succeeded in four years and is unlikely to as they all are get nearer their sell by dates.

Something needs to change if were going to do owt this year.  

 

 

Not the same midfield as four years ago. We used to play 2 CMs. We now play 3 CMs. That’s VERY different.

 

[Holmowl 17,720]

24 minutes ago, kilbyj said:

Definitely needs work. 

 

Fulham played with 2 forwards and 2 out and out wingers, with Tom Cairney as one of middle two (not exactly known for his defensive qualities)... And we had 3 in the middle and still couldn't get a grip of it. 

 

Not a popular opinion but I think Bannan often flatters to deceive, he was awful on Saturday. He's a highlight reel sort of guy, did nothing really at hudders then puts that ball in for Winnall. 

 

Lee can't be relied on, gutted he got that injury. 

 

Sam H often looks a better player once he's booked so he has to actually think before he chops. 

 

I can't understand why we signed one of the most highly thought of box to box CMs and don't play him (yet). 

 

Think we need 2 or 3 new players for Centre of the park. 

 

No. Fulham played with ONE forward.

 

They had 3 in the middle, not two.

 

You don’t think we got a grip on the middle? Fair dos. But we had 7 or 8 decent chances. They had two. Perhaps our midfield executed Monk’s plan pretty well?

 

Watch the highlights and look if Bannan was awful. Like when he threaded Reach thru with a divine pass out right for the Fletcher header. Or when he put it on Murphy’s head on the six yard box, or when he shot narrowly over from Fletcher’s head back.

 

I agree with you that Luongo needs a look at. Right now I’m not convinced Lee is ready. Perhaps a Luongo Hutchinson Bannan midfield at Boro would be a good idea.

 

But let’s not forget how the 3-man midfield that you decry has done:-

 

P7. W4. D1. L2. GF10. GA5. (And only 3 were homes)

 

Thats a very decent return.

 

Obviously I’ve left out the QPR debacle where our 442 was suicide.

[Brando17 284]

58 minutes ago, ZicoSterland2 said:

Nuhui doesn't have the vision or arial threat of Fletcher. (I know he scored on Saturday with a header ) Fletchers team play is better as Nuhui tends to run up blind alleys. What he is good at is holding the ball in the corner when we are defending a lead and he does seem to  perform well from the bench.

lacking a striker who will get 18-20 goals,without that were going nowhere

[ZicoSterland2 1,214]

34 minutes ago, Brando17 said:

lacking a striker who will get 18-20 goals,without that were going nowhere

I agree we bought one who 18months before we signed him scored for fun. Now he cant even make the Wednesday bench. Who scores the goals is a major concern. Problem being strikers are expensive and we have little or no money. We may have to risk one from the lower leagues in the January window .

[trotter 207]

Is it a coincidence that our best performance this season (Barnsley) was when Bannan didn't play?

 

I don't think he has had a good start to the season and it may be time to try something different.

[Buxtongent 2,376]

,Pleased to see that more and more people are finally working Bannan out. It is no goodrelying on him as an attacking midfield , which is a role he should play. unfortunately  it seems that he is a player who feels he must be at the centre of the action all the time, and invariably he drops deeper and deeper., and  in doing so, reduces our ability to attack. A lot of his 'runs' are often across field instead of forward. If Monk can get him to play and stay forward, we have a future,. If not, I'm afraid we would be better without him.

[FreshOwl 5,786]

Something needs to be done re midfield or we’ll be stuck floating in mid table forever. If you’re gonna play Bannan play him further forward with Luongo supporting hutch. If he can’t play in that position then I’m sorry but somethings gotta give 

[Inspector Lestrade 13,046]

 

[Sgt Wednesday 1,395]

This thread is hilarious, so many Championship managers.

 

Have you heard yourselves?

 

 

[Sgt Wednesday 1,395]

We have a decent squad with good options, a comfortable win against a relegated premier team and a draw against another, yet we are looking for faults.

 

We are in a good place, relax and let Monk have a go at it.

[peacock1961 1,075]

2 hours ago, Holmowl said:

 

 

Not the same midfield as four years ago. We used to play 2 CMs. We now play 3 CMs. That’s VERY different.

 

Don't split hairs, Bannan, Lee and hutch were regular midfield players four years ago and they still are. We need a change of players not formation. 

[Holmowl 17,720]

1 hour ago, trotter said:

Is it a coincidence that our best performance this season (Barnsley) was when Bannan didn't play?

 

I don't think he has had a good start to the season and it may be time to try something different.

 

Would you say that beating Barnsley 2-0 at home was better than beating Reading 3-1 and Town 2-0 away? When Bannan was playing.

[Holmowl 17,720]

13 minutes ago, peacock1961 said:

Don't split hairs, Bannan, Lee and hutch were regular midfield players four years ago and they still are. We need a change of players not formation. 

 

Er, How is it splitting hairs to say that a 3 man midfield is not massively different to a 2 man midfield?

[peacock1961 1,075]

1 minute ago, Holmowl said:

 

Er, How is it splitting hairs to say that a 3 man midfield is not massively different to a 2 man midfield?

I'll repeat I was talking about the players not the formation. 

[David1867 1,245]

4 hours ago, HOOTIE AND THE poo TU said:

We’ve not had a truly great central midfield partnership since Carlton Palmer and Jon Sheridan

 

Bannan is a bit lightweight against the better sides in this division, we simply aren’t able to get him on the ball often enough, and he’s not the type of player who wins too many tackles

 

Hutchinson is good in the tackle but not creative enough

 

We need to find a player who can do both jobs

 

Whats the ex pig McDonald doing these days?

You obviously haven't seen Barry Bannan and Kieran Lee play together then...... 

 

 

[Holmowl 17,720]

Just now, peacock1961 said:

I'll repeat I was talking about the players not the formation. 

 

I know.

 

But to say that because Wallace-Lee-Hutchinson-Bannan in a 442 didn’t quite get us promoted, Reach-Lee-Hutchinson-Bannan-Harris can’t, is plain wrong.

 

Even if you accept that two out of Lee, Bannan and Hutch isnt good enough (btw I disagree - I think they can be), why does it follow that all three playing together doesn’t work?