If we go at 3, is it an evening kick off then? It will take a while to get to Brentford, but I'm sure you know what you're doing. .
train tickets are high so its putting a few off so should drop tomorrow I need 2 more got ten so far but 2 lads under 50 points waiting.
We are dog poo, but it's not really a case of a honeymoon, simple fact is we're **** without Shelvey, thus any team will be favourites over us until he's back. Yesterday confirming central midfield is bloody atrocious, Tiote doing as much as he can to show us he doesn't want to be here, and Colback hardly redeeming himself.
Rafa needs to roll the dice a little bit and try someone more creative in CM. Ritchie ideally, or failing that Anita. It's CM where we are really lacking right now. Having Colback in the team is like playing with 10 men. Thank **** it's our last game without Shelvey.
I'd give Lazaar a go with Hayden, and 2 upfront. Surely that ginger mackem cant carry on getting picked
I wouldn't say I've seen enough from Lazaar to be confident putting him CM tbh. Maybe it work, but I think Anita is probably the best bet for one match until Shelvey returns.
My team would be: ------------------------Darlow---------------------- ----------Lascelles---Hanley---Clark----------- Yedlin---------Anita-----Hayden--------Lazaar ----------Ritchie--------------------Perez--------- -------------------------Gayle----------------------- We need an injection of pace and more support to Gayle. We also need to not have Dummett or Colback in the team. If Perez is still playing like a ****tard then play Gouffran I suppose but I think this formation would help Perez. Also you could easily switch to 352 instead and play Mitro with Ritchie going into a 10 role. What we can't do is just play 4231 and hope. We must at least have another option up our sleeve but I prefer taking the bull by the horns. The problem of course is have we even worked on a different way of playing pre season?
I like 3 at the back for the personnel we have. We've got players either side who are better suited to wing back and at least 4 CB's (including Dummett) so it does make sense. Midfield is weak without Shelvey. Front 3 can be mixed up - 1 AM and 2 up top, or your formation suggestion which I do like; both Ritchie and Perez are more "inside forward" than "10".
Agree, hopefully by Saturday we'll have brought someone in. I'd give Lazaar a shot at LW too based on everything I've heard about his performance against Birmingham. Can't be any less effective than Gouffran.
Still not sold on Hanley, not sure about the 3 at the back, Clark and Laecelles have a great partnership so I wouldn't disturb that. The Gouff is most definitely needed -----------------------------Darlow-------------------------- Yedlin----------Laecelles---------Clark----------Lazaar -------------------Anita-------------Hayden--------------- -------------Richie-------Murphy------Gouffran--------- ----------------------------Gayle----------------------------- Murphy did ok on Saturday, surely more worthy of a starting position than Perez
I am not convinced by Gouffran at all. Been very very poor of late. I'm also unsure about just playing the same way over and over. I think we have become very predictable. Murphy in a 10 role would be a strange one for me. I don't think I'm being unkind to suggest his technical levels are not exactly spellbinding. Can he thread the passes to feed Gayle? I'm not convinced. There is no bigger critic of Perez than me. I just think he is one of the more creative talents in the squad and therefore without Shelvey he could be required to provide something different. It is then about how to use him. To me he is made to be part of a front three with less defensive work blunting him. I think him and Ritchie could provide the spark to reignite our season. Certainly whether 3 or 4 at the back, we need Yedlin and Lazaar wide to inject pace. Anita will have to go into the middle. I just think both him and Hayden are better as holders, meaning 343 or 352 is the way to go. If we play the same old 4321 we will encounter the same problem as with Colback/Hayden. Nobody can thread the pass or move the ball quickly. If you are playing Murphy I think you have to resign yourself to being a bit more direct. Nothing wrong with that but personally not the way I'd go. Certainly Hanley has not been great. As one of the better performers in recent years in the championship, you'd have to think he is capable of a lot more given the opportunity. Had Mitro been fit I may have even dropped Gayle. I know sacrilege to some.