Not sure who should make way for this game... Gayle dropped for Wilson Willock in for jonjo (won't happen) Max in for? Joelinton (harsh) I'll wait for Bruce's team sheet for my final prediction unfortunately Unfortunately I'll go 1-1
Christ knows what Bruce's random formation generator will spit out this time. Best guess he’ll stick with 532. Note, he started the Spurs game with 541, and Gayle on the left, such is his lunacy and inability to grasp the simple premise of 3 in the middle or where his players should be playing. It only improved when this changed, which I suppose we should begrudgingly credit the fat headed moron for. So same again. Krapth will sit it out after proving for the umpteenth time that he’s utter dogshit. Willock might start but it’ll be ahead of Longstaff not Shelvey. Expect more or less the same side otherwise, Wilson and ASM won’t be fit enough to start. Trying to second guess a Steve Bruce formation should be a bachelors degree.
I thought Longstaff looked good. He seemed to be playing further forward and resulted in us being able to press them more allowing our possession to get up into the heady 40%s. Also thought it was a master tactician's stroke moving Shelvey into defence to get Willock on. I think a large number of our problems arise from defenders being uncomfortable on the ball and hoofing it up to the forwards too often as they are not comfortable playing it out from the back. Shelvey dropping deeper instantly gave us an opportunity to build from the back. Definitely wouldn't put him there against Burnley as he is not equipped to deal with the aerial bombardment that will be coming our way. Wonder if Bruce will be brave enough to leave him out if Fernandez, Schar, Clark & Lascelles are all fit.
A lot of people are hammering Shelvey even though I thought he did ok yesterday. I don’t like these long floaty balls but some of them actually created opportunities for us. But your right against Burnley he can’t play deeper.
We have to be on the front foot and play positively against Burnley. Not all out attack as Burnlry don't give you much. But let's put them under pressure, lots of movement and in defence, be tight and press. Dubravka Lascelles Schar Fernandez Manq/Murphy Shelvey Longstaff Ritchie Almiron Joelinton Willock Yes it is three at the back but I'd want to see Longstaff getting forward more, and Schar bringing the ball out into the midfield. I'm also not a huge Shelvey fan as he slows the process down but I don't think we have a better alternative. When everyone is fit, it would probably be Joelinton and Willock that drop out for ASM and Wilson.
Just play willock and Longstaff. Willocks a better player than both but Longstaffs more capable than jonjo... Shelvey just gets to float around. The alternative to what? Wandering around, not tracking back and giving the ball away as many times as he doesn't, taking dreadful corners and free kicks over and over and over again.
I actually don't think he is ****e. I think his distribution is very good when he gets time on the ball. We don't have anyone else who is willing to risk those longer balls and that causes us problems. The number of times we end up recycling back to the defenders from the wings because they are not willing/capable to look up and play that longer ball. Trouble is when he is being pressed and doesn't get time on the ball it negates the best part of his game. The manager should realise that and pick his team according to what he knows about the opposition. I noticed in the Southampton - Burnley game that Burnley play incredibly narrow and it leaves loads of space along the flanks. Think we need Murphy and Ritchie plus St Maximin to really exploit that.
I think he's the most useless player off he ball in the history of the sport. He's holding us back with this punting.. Imagine being in midfield alongside a player that just keeps punting it over your head.. He's literally respondible for every goal we concede imo
Oh don't get me wrong Krafth was directly responsible, but I'm talking about something more broadly.. I didn't explain properly so I forgive you, but he's literally a passenger put there and at this level I don't care how good your long passes are you cannot get away with it.. I watched again and there was jonjo letting players run straight passed him. Krafth was directly responsible, but anyone can identify that. How many corners and fee kicks has jonjo had? We've scored 2 from corners all season... Its not good enough mate
Should be shelvey Longstaff and willock on cm is a good combination. Jonjos a hopeless player in sick of the sight of him wandering about wasting every free kick and corner we get