KaKa

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.

Until we are in position to start at least one of Hall or Tino, and ideally both, the team apparently cannot progress the ball forward. I'm not sure Howe realised how poor we'd be with both Trippier and Burn at full back. The real worry would be if he still doesn't see the issue, and doesn't look to improve the options there in January. Brentford weren't even really pressing, or playing with any real intensity and the use of the ball from Burn and Trippier was just awful, and invited so much pressure. As long as those two are starting at full back, I don't see anything changing at all. It's going to be interesting because these are two guys Howe thinks highly of, but they just can't get the job done in those positions. Howe is going to have to get them out of the team or change the formation to better accommodate Burn at least.

Seems to love nothing more than refusing to pass the ball over the top to a winger in behind when it's on, and then holding his hand up in apology. Lost count of how many times I've seen him do this now. The threat in behind now comes from the wingers, and so if the midfield is congested or we're struggling to play through those areas, that ball over the top has to be played. Him and Burn never play those passes or do a terrible job of it. On top of all the other issues they are causing by not being able to carry the ball. Was so bad today.

When he first played left back a couple of season's ago, he pretty much sat as a third centre back. Why is he now flying forward and leaving so much space behind him? Seems to be chasing back too often this season. Also keeps getting too tight to the wingers and just making a mess of things from there. Botman's own goal came off the back of him getting caught too far up the pitch last week and we lost off the back of that. This week again Ouattara kept getting in behind him and it's ultimately led to the loss. He's in line to go to the World Cup next year and so I don't think Howe is going to drop him. If that's the case, we'd better switch to a back three instead, as he's been a disaster at left back.

Yeah, it's so frustrating. We occasionally get a glimpse of what's possible, but not anywhere near enough. Maybe once or twice a game currently. It's quite pathetic. The way we turn down early passes into him to play sideways to Burn and Trippier constantly, is maddening. Especially as those two just give it away anyway. My frustrations with Tonali and Bruno at the minute are through the roof. I thought they'd relish playing passes into him for quick interchanges and the like, especially on the edge of the box when he shows for the pass. Bruno in particular keeps turning that pass down and forcing the issue or taking a terrible shot. Our midfielders really lack subtlety.

As things stand the midfield isn't clever enough or sharp enough to play with this sort of striker. They either take too many touches or are too careless with the ball. They just are incapable of playing it into him early and quickly before the other team get a bunch of bodies around him, and then making themselves available for the return ball. Hopefully Tino and Hall coming back gets us forward quicker and opens up more space for the team and things improve off the back of that. Feel bad for him.

Just pretend I never posted anything man.

We can't even pass the ball to get in the opposition half. I'm talking about bypassing midfield to help with the issue and having enough bodies in there to compete for second balls. This is about getting up the pitch in the first place!

Oh my God ... That's why I said I'd have Woltemade and Barnes up there and three in midfield still to compete for the second balls. It's not that complicated man.

Doesn't need to be. Just challenge for the second balls. It's similar to what was done in the cup final against Liverpool. Isak wasn't up there winning the ball either.

The way things are going I would just play three centre backs. Murphy and Hall at wing back. Pack the midfield still with three CMs. And have Woltemade and Barnes up top. If under any kind of pressure and difficulty playing from the back, hoof it clear and compete for second balls. Have to get ugly if necessary.