HawK

Hyperthetically, if Maddison had signed in January rather than Gordon (of course I'm not saying it was an either/or, or that Maddison was available), I think he'd be on nearly double figures for us alone by now. I've noticed the patterns in Howe's planned attacks, and the chances invariably will fall to Joelinton or Longstaff as a result. If Maddison were there instead, I don't think there's an argument to be had at how many more goals we would have scored and how effective it would have looked. I think the system is so good that Howe is employing, but it relies heavily on the finishing capabilities of the players in the middle of the park. The missing piece to this team really is that quality, attacking central midfielder who can primarily finish but also create. Short term, I liked a lot about what Isak did when he came on in the advanced central midfield position against Liverpool, and would love to see this again.... if it weren't for the fact that Wilson has seemingly already retired himself since playing for England in the World Cup so Isak must start up top, no question.

This is an interesting take to be fair, hadn't considered this.

Didn't they also get some weird accounting by the club being sold in the way that it did ?

Team needs to start being picked on form rather than reputation/familiarity, I'm not sure how Howe is justifying starting Wilson over Isak at the moment, and others to a lesser extent. It's not current form or results. If players underperforming aren't replaced at least temporarily, where is the fire under them to perform, and what message does that send to those not in the first XI ?

Gotta be - Pope Trips Schar Botman Targett Longstaff Bruno Willock Maxi Isak Gordon ?

Joelinton I'm counting as one of our central midfielders? Getting the ball to our striker to score is part of our play and we should continue with that, whoever is filling that position. I'm not sure what you're suggesting different to what I am, we might be on the same page? Our pattern of play, when building an attack, is to build down the flanks, predominantly the right, and to cut back and wait for midfield support to knock it into the mixer and see what happens. Our play doesn't really involve either flank running at players in transition and attempting to play balls between opposing players or across the pitch to keep the attack going at pace, that's not what we do. We emphasise retaining posession in the final third in transition rather than break and attack the goal directly. I'd also like to see a lot more opportunistic shots from outside the box, you get chances from deflections and saves being dropped which we don't seem to try and take advantage of. I don't think any of this above is that disagreeable to be fair.

In for a penny, in for a pound

I was replying to the post about changing something because our finishing isn't good. Our chances, in general, fall to our central midfielders due to the nature of our play. When was the last time you remember Almiron or Maxi getting a clear cut chance in a game?

We don't create any chances from incisive passing, you'll notice we don't one-touch pass at all. Our pace is pedestrian in attack, we wait to set up in certain systems rather than attack with instinct and pace. We only create one kind of chance, and it's formed to allow breaking midfielders to get those chances, rather than in transition for our wide players or centre forward. Would rather we mixed this up and allowed for more dynanicism on the break as we're so predictable.

Burn just had a mini-stroke when he got passed the ball by Bruno in the box

That's the difference in quality, we can have the greatest tactics in the world that limits the world's best no.9 to no clear chances, that wins the ball back high up the pitch, that gives opportunities to our midfield players in the box, but if we can't put the chances away it matters for nout against these teams.

I think his ankle is dictating this at the moment, he's definitely not very mobile right now.

Watching keenly, ready to re-assess.

Ravaged by fast-onset vitiligo

It's like all the attacking players all went to their favoruite spot in the box, rather than finding space.

Lascelles middle-of-the-pitch, launched passes are underrated, he's quite adept at picking a player. I do often think it comes as a result of being under pressure rather than being the best option at the time, though.

Welcome to NUFC match threads, where knees are jerked and feelings are hurt. But after the final whistle, we all bitch and moan in a more civilized manner, until the next day when we calm down and realise we're all still really happy we are where we are and believe in the long term project.

Must have Eddie's kids locked up in his basement or something Come on Eddie, show some balls.

Well put, especially from Almiron. Wilson looks like he's coasting at the moment, part of me thinks that since achieving playing at the World Cup for England, with the age he is, he's happy with his lot and would hang up his boots now, 'completed it'. Already working on his media career, can't see the hunger now. I hope I'm reading way too much into this, but I can't be the only one thinking about this. Gordon's not getting support/runners to make gaps for him so he looks a bit hamstrung with Burn behind him with a wall of blue shirts in front. I do think Targett behind him would completely change what we see from him.

For me there's three issues to work on / resolve for second half : There is no link-up at all between Burn and Gordon. Gordon stays high, Burn plays so deep he's basically on his own byline as he's terrified of being beaten by Foden again. This is creating huge spaces for City to play in when they have the ball, and we have no support for Gordon when we do have the ball. Suggest we resolve by replacing with Targett. Wilson is being post-World Cup Wilson, easy resolve in bringing on our attacker with the most quality, Isak. Almiron's not even in the game, and not being mentioned because of other more glaring issues. When he is on the ball, he only cuts inside against Ake who loves him doing this as he can just stand there and watch Almiron play it back. Where has Almiron's confidence gone to try and take a man on and take a shot? Seems to have evaporated since Christmas. Would like to see Maxi on the right to go outside Ake, stretch the pitch, and whip balls in. Positive points : Our midfield three, aside from transitions, have largely stopped City playing through the middle very effectively and have looked very good. Lascelles has looked effective defensively. Joelinton has looked class.

There's an easy argument to be had there but it serves no purpose point taken though, would rather it not be the exception to the rule though. If he regularly contributed more in the build up play I think the mood in the room would be completely different.

Longstaff just Sunday leagued that back casually, come on man I defended you just 2 pages ago

If a poacher isn't scoring his chances, you're playing 10v11. He offers nothing outside finishing chances. He was an elite level poacher, not sure what he is now.

I was first in line to criticise Wood's finishing and positioning in build up play, and positioning in the box or where he would stand in relation to defenders, or how he headed a ball, or how confident and enthusiastic he looked, or how he struck the ball. But, he genuinely did receive the ball at feet or chest level sometimes on the half way line on the break and lay it off, sometimes more than once per game. There is a false narrative that's used to defend Wilson that often revolves around that he 'held the ball up well'. I've never seen Wilson hold the ball up. This would involve receiving the ball and retaining possession. In the 10% of occasions he receives the ball back-to-goal and doesn't lose it immediately, he never looks for the pass, he actually tries to use his 'pace' to beat the man, and just gets crowded out.