Sempiternal Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 1 minute ago, Shak said: Obviously not going to change anything for the final, but I wonder if Howe will consider going for a 4-4-2 / 4-2-3-1 at times during the run-in. Bruno and Joelinton in CM, Longstaff the first alternate. Gordon and Almiron on the wings, Willock possibly in contention for one of those spots. Think you could send out a midfield four there that would be defensively very solid. ASM, Isak and Wilson then fighting for two spots up front. Isak could play either the more advanced role if playing with Maxi or he could play just off Wilson. Potentially gives ASM a bit more freedom when he's not as concerned with protecting the LB. Think it's worth considering given how the goals have dried up the last month. Obviously the 4-3-3 will likely be our main system but it would be good to be able to give teams something different to think about. Was just about to post this. I feel last night with Bruno out. Just sit Long/Joe as the 2, Gordon as the 10/ or Anderson if he must. That midfield three just doesn’t look functional without Bruno. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I’m no coach but I’d have played Gordon as a 10 last night for sure over Anderson. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I think the biggest compromise Howe is going to have to make for the rest of the season is some potential sacrifice of some off-the-ball intensity for attacking intent. ASM & Isak are our most talented forwards but they're probably the most inconsistent for the 'intensity' mantra (albeit do parts of it well/aren't 'bad'). However, even top teams do carry some passengers sometimes, but it feels like we're so used to a side now where everyone is flying about 100% that it feels alien to think about starting players that aren't like that. As a Plan A, 4-3-3 probably still provides the best base to free up less intense attackers with a trio of Bruno/Joelinton/Longstaff as the latter 2 are great at covering wingers caught upfield. The biggest worry there is probably lack of goal support & creativity outside of Bruno. Willock is a bit more threatening if you take him out for Longstaff but he's hardly prolific these days, he can be quite passive for stretches in matches, and I'd say he has a bit less edge defensively. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 I'd like to see us in a 4-4-1-1 / 4-2-3-1. Wilson & Isak up top. Bruno & Joe / Longstaff in the middle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWMag Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 Think after watching us with 10 men on Saturday which was essentially a 432, I wouldn’t mind seeing a narrow 442 diamond. Pope Trippier Schar Botman Targett Bruno Longstaff Joelinton Gordon/willock Maximin Isak long term would see a new DM come in and bruno move higher up, but thought ASM and Isak linked up well and both drifted wide at times which would leave space for the AM to push on through the middle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 22 hours ago, Kanji said: I’m no coach but I’d have played Gordon as a 10 last night for sure over Anderson. Gordon was bad there in the previous match. He doesn't have the ability to get the ball between the lines and keep progressing up. He kept passing it back to midfield time and again. Isak's 20 minutes against Fulham in that position is the best we've seen this year. He loves taking the ball on the half-turn then linking up with a forward or a wide player. I've been watching Dwight Yorke highlights on Youtube. Isak reminds me of Yorke minus the aerial ability. Bags of ability, technique and skill. A baller before anything else. But also a great finisher. But not a number 9. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingxlnc Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 That shot from Isak from ASM's pass showed good instinct - reminded me of Papiss Cisse's instinctiveness (although purple patch Cisse it would have gone in the top corner) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiresias Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) Ok, what are peoples thoughts on priorities for the squad for next season? If I remember there has been talk of some leeway in summer with ffp so we are expected to spend. Dividing into Automatic starters in bold, in the rotation and backup players not GKs Pope Karius Gillespie I'm not really sure signing a keeper is a priority, I imagine Dubs will be moved on though RBs Trippier Ashby Think this looks settled for now, want to see how good Ashby is CBs Schar Botman New right sided cb, preferably young high rated to come in to long term replace Schar Possibly even another promising young CB to replace Lascelles in the squad so we have 2 players for the position LBs New left back Love Burn but a star quality attacking left back should be high priority Burn Target Midfielders Bruno Joelinton New Defensive mid to let Bruno play further forward Willock Longstaff Left Wing Gordon Another exciting left winger preferably, I imagine ASM is gone this summer tbh. Striker Isak Promising young Striker should be signed to add options Wilson Right Wing New star attacker Miggy Players out - Kraft, Lascelles (sorry but probably time), ASM (what could have been if you had proper end product...but you're not a happy bench warmer so goodbye), Ritchie, Fraser, Murphy, forgot, brutally Anderson tbh unless he forces his way into the squad before season end suspect he's not taken his chance. Roughly in order of priority Three big expensive ready to start stars imo, Defensive mid, Right Wing and Left back Promising young striker (I would maybe say experienced striker but they cost a lot and if they're going to be on the bench a lot... Experienced back up options for left CB and left wing Young promising right hand side centre back May be over ambitous but we need to upgrade various areas and need to have a bench that can seriously push the first team. We need to be more threatening. Edited February 27, 2023 by Tiresias Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Butcher Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) RB, CB, LB, DM, RW, AM, ST Dubs, Krafth, Manq, Lewis, Lascelles, Ritchie, Fraser oot 7 in, 7 out Main priority 2xCm and a RW Edited February 27, 2023 by The Butcher Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie Ahmed Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 As things stand there is no spare squad spot for next season is there? Since Gordon/Ashby will take the spot of Shelvey/Wood Ritchie is out of contract so that frees up 1, Krafth isn't in the squad is he? So that is that spot Then after that it will be people leaving Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 (edited) It'll be roughly the same as last summer. 4-5 in, at least 7-8 out (Darlow, Gillespie, Dummett, Manquillo, Lewis, Hendrick, Ritche, Anderson (loan)). Edited February 27, 2023 by The Prophet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheInfiniteOdyssey Posted February 27, 2023 Share Posted February 27, 2023 Out of contract Ritchie Dummett Gillespie M. Longstaff Clark Sell Dubravka Darlow Lascelles Manquillo Lewis Kelland Watts Hendrick Hayden Fraser Loan Anderson Kuol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Add Tierney, Neves & Maddison. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FLUMPO235 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 On 27/02/2023 at 15:00, TheInfiniteOdyssey said: Out of contract Ritchie Dummett Gillespie M. Longstaff Clark Sell Dubravka Darlow Lascelles Manquillo Lewis Kelland Watts Hendrick Hayden Fraser Loan Anderson Kuol Some of your ‘sell’ section might need to be release on a free or pay their contract out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Butcher Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Said it before, but getting rid of all the current deadwood in our squad will cost us hundreds of billions. Shite like Hayden and Darlow still have 3,5 years left on their deals Jacob Murphy will be due a testimonial if he finishes his current deal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 Is Hayden off to Norwich in the summer? Can't remember if they had an offer or an obligation to buy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
80 Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 I think the purchase was conditional on them being promoted as I recall. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wormy Posted February 28, 2023 Share Posted February 28, 2023 (edited) I can't show any working for this opinion but am I to guess for FFP purposes, its better to spread out the cost of the deadwood by subsiding wages while on loan over paying them off to get them of our books immediately? Or does it not make much/any difference? Edited February 28, 2023 by wormy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Been wondering over the weekend what people's preferred XI and formation would be these days ignoring current injuries/suspensions? I have a feeling most will be on similar lines, but there are some difficult decisions to be made when you sit down to think about it. Pope Trippier Schär Botman Targett Guimarães Joelinton Gordon Willock Saint-Maximin Isak I'm tired of seeing Burn, Longstaff, Almirón, Wilson in the XI at this point and I think we could do with getting away from 4-3-3 just to freshen our patterns of attack up. However, the lack of a proper #10 in the squad makes things tricky there. I still think this selection gets all of our best footballers on the pitch together and in positions where they can hurt the opposition, but the front four still doesn't really look that strong to me on paper. There's plenty of pace and individual threat there, but not sure how it would function as a collective. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 If everyone's fit and firing then Wilson still gets in and Isak takes the withdrawn role, imo. But as of the next game, my team would be the same as @Rich's. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
80 Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 The only real place I'd look at stepping away from your lineup is having Wilson on the pitch at the same time as Isak. Doing that for a few minutes got us our only league win in 2023 against Fulham. I still hope Wilson can turn it around with additional support; the alternative is pretty devastating as it implies us going overnight from having one of the best strikers in the league to a waste of a squad space. Dealing with that will eat up quite a bit of our summer resources. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 Can't argue with either of you, that was one of the things I agonised over myself. Giving him more direct support might make all the difference. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 I'm in danger of going Schar into defensive midfield here, but if we were going to dabble with 4-2-3-1, I wonder if you could get away with Bruno as a 10. The upside is that it doesn't leave us short in the middle and he could be absolutely devastating in and around the eighteen yard area, picking out those cute passes to Isak and the wide forwards. The downside is that you're relying on other players to effectively progress the ball up the park, something we struggled with when Bruno was absent. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 As much as Wilson has been doing my head in recently, I do think we should try and keep him in the team and try Isak in & around him for the next couple of games. They're the 2 goalscorers we have in the squad who display natural movement in & around the box and can free up space for one another. I actually think we get really good numbers forward but have few players who make proper runs when we're in the final third. Whether Isak plays as a wide forward or #10, either are decent options & changeable in-game depending on how things are going. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted March 6, 2023 Share Posted March 6, 2023 What I want to see v Wolves: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Targett, Bruno, Longstaff, Willock, Gordon or Murphy, Isak, ASM. I would take: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Targett, Bruno, Willock or Longstaff, Gordon, Isak, ASM, Wilson When everyone's available: Pope, Trippier, Schar, Botman, Targett, Bruno, Joelinton, Willock, Gordon, Isak, ASM Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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