KaKa

The lock down defender is back! Held Doku in check all game, who has been in great form. So so good man.

Thought he was very good today. He enjoyed the extra time and space the switch back to the 6 position allowed him. Also improved our build up play having him there. Hopefully the change can hold up defensively. Midfield balance when we had the ball seemed to work better.

Really liked his more varied movement today, and the chances he ended up getting. Very very promising for his continued evolution into a more complete striker.

Similar to Bramble and Boumsong apparently.

Let's go! Great win! Never looked like unlocking the 3 at the back defensive setup.

What the heck was that from Barnes just now?!

There's the Harvey we know. Get in.

That ball in behind the flat midfield three still on all game. When will we fix that?!

Super Malick Thiaw!

As for the two young full backs. Hope they stay fit the rest of the way. Both been incredible.

Bruno switching back into the 6 has suited him and the team better when we have the ball. Still think it makes us more vulnerable defensively, but overall think it's worked better so far. Just wish when he plays there he's drop a bit deeper than the other two and hold his position a bit more defensively. Given as good as we've gotten so far. Good game. The two chances Barnes missed were just ridiculous. Absolutely crazy.

Barnes is a crackhead.

Woltemade cannot miss that. He just can't.

That contact comes after the shot man. This is ridiculous.

Bruno dropping back into the 6 seems to be the tactical change. Will have to see how that works out defensively.

Yup, players still sneaking in behind the flat midfield three. Not good.

About to get a second manager the sack this season. Just incredible.

Another start another disaster

Nice. Ross Wilson did a good number of deals with Brazilian clubs while at Forest. Be interesting to see how this plays out.

He really only moved to a 4-3-3 at Newcastle. Had typically mostly played with two strikers, one of whom dropped deeper. I think he wants the option to play that way a lot more than he has done, which was mostly down to both Wilson and Isak being crocks.

Lovely goals. Not a 9 apparently.

Garner is on a free in the summer I believe. He's so underrated IMO. Good player.

He's really most suited to a slow build up possession team that wants a striker that gets involved in play, so more of the typical Pep or Arteta style. For him to work in this setup the wingers have to be higher and threatening to run in behind a lot more, and that pass to them has to be made when it's on, in order to push the other team's defence back. Woltemade is not the threat in behind that previous strikers have been. Our wingers are not really creating that space for the team as they either aren't staying high enough and looking to get in behind or they aren't being played in over the top when they do. We are not good enough to play through the middle with how congested it is now, as we just don't have those sorts of players. When we played Bilbao the commentators kept going on about how we needed to play the ball over the top as it was on the whole game for the wingers and then Joelinton who started making forward runs from the middle as well. We then played it a few times, which I think caused them to relent on their press a bit more in the second half.

We have an all action pressing midfield ... but we don't press anymore. Composure, patience, possession and decision making with the ball are not traits we have in there. Watching things more closely this season, I'm also not particularly impressed with Tonali's movement to find gaps to receive the ball from the defenders to progress the ball through midfield. Much less noticeable when we have Tino and Hall able to carry the ball forward and take multiple players in the opposition team out of the game. The team really needs a 6 that constantly finds room to get on the ball and play balls into the forward players feet, that can also sit in front of the defence and defend, with Tonali and Bruno then offered more freedom to push on in those 8 positions. Joe can then be a utility and situational player in the squad.

Definitely thought the set play thing played into him keeping Burn on today and he thought he could rely on him to be more careful already being on a yellow, but it didn't work out at all.