To be fair we're consistently **** in defence. My young'un plays for an u9 side and I swear to God week 1 they were all running after the ball regardless of supposed position - even the keeper was in on it. Week 5 now and they look quite well organised in comparison to the toon.
Yeah, Dummett and Lewis will get a go soon, don't think Woodman can be blamed when he doesn't know who he's got in front of him from one week to the next!
May as well. He's just spreading the load clearly. Big run second half of the season when our fitness kicks in from not overloading them. When you are a genius like Steve, its hard to get people to understand. He's playing 3D chess and we are playing tiddlywinks.
I coach u10's and tactics, even at that basic level, win games. Small changes in game - we had a lad playing well on the right, oppo coach stuck a man mark on him, so we switched it and came out 4-2 winners. That's the point of football. Without this being another Bruce hunt, I have no idea what he does but the in-game management is non-existent. The only thing he does is change from 5 at the back to 4 at the back when losing, which has NEVER resulted in a change in the result.
Hope Woodman doesn't get too much stick. Only 24, that's young for a goalkeeper, no real PL experience before, thrown into the first team squad when not expected.
It's quite scary, I could see someone with some tactical knowledge train a Murphy or a Ritchie into a wingback but not at the minute, As long as our captain moans like a virgin on a tinder date night about needing 5 at the back we'll be screwed with this 5 bollocks
Woodman did reasonably against West Ham, average against Villa and Soton and was dire vs Man U, the Ronaldo goals were just painful to watch, talk about giving him the perfect homecoming party. He ain't first team right now, simple as that. Get Darlow in.
I don't mind 5 or 4 at the back but if we are going with 5 you need 2 attacking wingbacks and a Schar who can step up into midfield. If 4 then two good defenders wide. So my 5 would be: Murphy Schar Lascelles Fernandez Ritchie My 4 would be: Manquillo Lascelles Fernandez Dummett or Lewis Against Leeds I would definitely go with 4 at back and an extra man in midfield. And @Ben 10 I am putting Lascelles in there because he will be picked anyway. Maybe that's the problem with Bruce - he says Lascelles is captain so put him down and then and the other 10.
He's had one bad game. Done nothing wrong in any of the other games. Not one complaint about him till Man U. Fairweather fans, fairweather manager.
He's been mint, other than his communication (non existent - he does kick the post occasionally), handling (nothing ever sticks), positioning (glued to his line), distribution (always out for throw-ins), decision making (punch, catch or swat a fly). His shot stopping is alright, but it always bounces off him into the path of the on-rushing, unmarked striker.