Squad & tactics (2024/25)

[Lush Vlad]

Yes and no. That setup and XI won’t necessarily be the best for every game. I’ve not checked. But I bet Forest have some of the worst possession stats in the league, for example.

 

We would have more of the ball and better territory. The high press probably wouldn’t be so effective. So perhaps a game for Tonali to come in from the start and maybe even try to get a more attack minded player in like Barnes. Who can score goals out of nothing. 
 

Nice to have those options and a decent’ish looking bench. 
 

 

[Ronson333]

Two joes on the left going forwards, don’t care if it pisses Gordon off. Were a much better team for it.

[SUPERTOON]

2 minutes ago, Ronson333 said:

Two joes on the left going forwards, don’t care if it pisses Gordon off. Were a much better team for it.

He didn’t look pissed off today. 

[kingxlnc]

We may not even have a RW issue if Gordon stays on the right as we have Joe and Barnes who can play there well. 
 

Murphy / Almiron is decent backup for RW

[Ronson333]

We looked a mess ever since we went 4-4-2. 
 

and can we stick with the two joes on the left..Stick Gordon or whoever on the right.

[Holmesy]

Fair play to West Ham, they’ve passed the ball to each. Makes such a difference when you do that. 

[David Edgar]

We desperately need to take away transfer decisions from Howe and look towards transitioning to a manager who doesn't need to rely on runners to get results. 

[Lush Vlad]

Might be some enforced changes if Willock and Bruno are crocked. Bruno is like Gordon and has mad recovery and seems to play all the while. Willock not so much….

[Rich]

Pope

Trippier Schär Burn Hall

Willock Guimarães Tonali

Joelinton Isak Gordon

 

--

 

Would anyone else give this a try? Keeps the Willock/Joelinton combination alive—although I appreciate it's on the opposite flank—and gets Trippier in behind them to feed them, and assist with our in-possession build-up.

 

Puts Tonali in his supposedly favoured position, keeps Gordon's pet lip in by leaving him in his preferred spot, and means we don't need to see Almirón, Murphy, or Longstaff on the pitch from the start.

 

It comes with its own issues, but I'm of the thinking it's the best option we have available to us for balance and to try and build some consistency. We could also just not play 4-3-3 every game, like, which might be an option in this undoubtedly fleeting period of Wilson being available.

[TRC]

Can we just try something other than 4-3-3?

 

I'd like to see us play a 5-2-1-2, just for a bit of variation. We may lose but I think we have 2 ball progressors at wingback, Bruno and Tonali double pivot, willock causing havok, and Isak wont be so isolated?

 

Pope

Trippier - Schar, Burn, Kelly - Hall

Bruno - Tonali

Willock

Gordon - Isak

 

Could be terrible, but I cant hack this 4-3-3 every game, its so inconsistent and teams know we are coming with the 4-3-3.

 

[Sibierski]

4-3-3 is fine, it’s just the positions with and without the ball that’s the issue, I.e. flat midfield without the ball, big gaps when building out from Bruno. 
 

In possession

 

Tino Schar Burn 

Tonali Hall

Barnes Bruno Joelinton

Gordon Isak 

 

Out of possession (with narrow midfield)

 

Tino Schar Burn Hall

Barnes Bruno Tonali Joelinton

Gordon Isak

 

Get the opposition forced to move it out to their full backs and have to make progressive gains through them. When it goes to wingers, Joelinton can move out wider to support Hall, everyone shuffles over and Gordon covers right flank for any switches as that would be weaker side. Vice versa, you back Joelinton / Tonali to have physical power to make up ground and be disciplined more than other side. Gordon / Isak central can block off any deep CMs and have support on counter as a pair.

 

In possession, all about getting Bruno closer to the opposition box and having more players around it. Barnes / Gordon to rotate at times in attacking build ups, Hall to still be the progressor of ball from deep but Tonali there for physical cover instead of Bruno.

 

We have the personnel to change our patterns of play. RW the issue for me, as everyone there is a runner, so don’t have the finesse / composure you ideally want on the ball.

 

[Ronson333]

Two things…Firstly forget this zonal marking from defending corners, it’s not working and we look leaky.

 

secondly if your only tactic is to create chances from going out wide, work on crossing and get people in the box.

 

 

Edited November 30, 2024 by Ronson333

[Ronson333]

Might have to rotate against spurs, a few look a bit leggy and we’ve got the semi final a few days later.

[kingxlnc]

9 hours ago, Ronson333 said:

Might have to rotate against spurs, a few look a bit leggy and we’ve got the semi final a few days later.

Would bring in Barnes for Gordon or Murphy

Tino for Trippier

Reluctant to make any more changes tbh. 

[NSG]

With Bruno not playing the semi I’d be tempted to give Joelinton a rest. We’ll set up to hit Spurs on the transition with their high line so it’s an ideal game to play Willock in.

[Sibierski]

Winning helps cover the tired legs. Rather keep it fresh and near same (bar the suggest change above) and then look to fresh legs for first leg.

[South-Cheshire-Toon]

I don't normally follow these threads, but it seems to be me that since there was a crappy story in the Daily Shite, sorry, Mail, about team unrest and the Saudis not having the ability to spend money and their dreams being blown away in the drifting sand, there seems to have been a lot more of a team dynamic and 'togetherness' - Yeah shit on the mail any time of day for me. Right wing bull shit factory. 

[Ikon]

Get a quality young CB with great potential to take over from Schar. Get a genuine quality RW and keeper with decent feet. Obviously a striker too since we more or less only have Isak. 
 

Sort these positions out in the next couple of windows as a priority. After that we should look to sign quality young players with massive potential for depth and rotation and allow them to grow with time and become genuine 1st choice contenders. Need to have more quality and potential in depth. 
 

Needless to say that we should do all we absolutely can to keep our top stars. Only even entertain the idea of selling one if the amount of money is beyond ridiculous and for the greater good on the whole going forward. 
 

Lovely and enjoyable times already, and it will get even better with time. Obviously there will always be ups and downs along the way. Remember when there was no hope or ambition whatsoever, total apathy. How far we’ve come in such a short period of time. PSR  is a mess but nothing is impossible with time and patience and a good running of the club. Get in! 
 

(the current players will get even better too. Some have ridiculous potential) 

 

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Ikon

[Tiresias]

I've said before but I think on selling 'stars' we need to hold onto Isak at all costs because you can't just go and get a guaranteed 20 goal a season striker whenever you want without spending a lot of money, when prospects who get to 10 goals a season cost £70m sometimes we do need to fight to keep him. 

 

Elsewhere, we need to look at contractual situations and if the player wants to stay or go. It's clear we can't invest heavily in our squad without selling and the bit part players are not going to reliably raise a lot of cash. I'm not saying sell Bruno or anything, quite the opposite, but if he comes and says he wants to go to real madrid and can't be convinced otherwise, we fleece them for as much as possible and sign 3 players with the cash raised. That has to be the attitude moving forward if PSR restricts us so, we need to keep improving. We need to be hitting champions league to stop these players leaving regardless. 

 

I really hope though our PSR restrictions ease up and we can start signing players to be ease into the team and be adequate replacements when they do get sold.

 

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Tiresias

[Sibierski]

Wonder how much of a game changer UCL will be for our plans if we make it? Like, does it suddenly boost transfer kitty by an extra £50m so we can roll the dice on more established names and be more ruthless with our squad building this summer? Does it open up the sponsorship taps? Gives us more flexibility to meet Isak deserved contract demands and not impact on transfers?

 

Difference between Europe and UCL feels big to get those named signings. Getting it twice in last three seasons, which only Arsenal/Man City/Liverpool can match would be some statement to the top players in Europe. That we are a club where you can regularly play in this competition if those other ones don't want you. Like Tonali I doubt we get in 2023 if we were not in UCL. It's those type of players. Ones who are established at a top club and shown their output at the highest level.

[NSG]

If we do get CL - and it’s a big “if” as Man City will improve and Forest seem to be pulling a lite version of Leicester 15/16, then this has to be the year we cement ourselves as a proper regular top 5 club. 
 

I would expect a transformational summer for the squad. 

[54]

If we get Champions League, the summer is going to be really interesting, as originally we all thought we needed a bit of a mini overhaul of the squad, with players like Longstaff, Trippier, Lascelles etc all moving on and being replaced, that becomes a bit harder if you need extra players to cope with the minimum 8, potentially 10 extra games.

[madras]

Anyone noticed a more expansive plan since Tonali moved more central ? Centre halves pushing right into the oppos half chasing position and loads more emphasis on getting bodies in the box so Isak is less isolated.

[Lush Vlad]

The fact we keep winning and scoring plenty, I'm not sure it is an issue.  But I do wish some other players would start chipping in with goals to take the pressure off Isak and Gordon a bit.  Was it last season or the season before where I think we had the most or very close to the most different scorers in the league?  

 

We only have 7 different scorers this year and most of those are by Isak, of course.  So we are 7th on total goals, but joint bottom on the number of different scorers.  I have no idea what the split is like for other teams and I'd imagine it would be weighted heavily in the favour of the world class lone striker scoring say 20-40% of your goals on their own, at a guess. 

 

But after Isak, we have Gordon on 6 and he is certainly getting his eye for goal back from last season.  Which is great to see.   

Barnes on 5, who is injured for a month or so.  Not ideal. 

Joelinton has 4 but I think he could and should get more.  His composure when presented with decent opportunities on the edge of the box, along with Bruno is usually lacking.

Murphy on 3.  He is actually unlucky he doesn't have more.  The usual mix of good saves, his love for the woodwork and some wayward finishing.  

Schar on 2 

Bruno has 1

 

I don't really know why I've bothered writing all this out or even thinking about it now   I just guess if Isak went through a leaner spell or he misses any games.  We need someone to take the load off.  

 

Bagging some goals from set pieces again would be nice.  Tonali definitely has a goal in him.  But his role prevents him getting too far forward a lot of the time.  Left backs aren't usually a goal threat.  But with Hall's technique, could he start to chip in a bit as he continues to develop?  Now Bruno is back as an 8, could he rediscover his goalscoring form.  5 in half a season, then 4, 7 last season.  Someone as good as him should have more than 1 goal. 

[andyc35i]

1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said:

The fact we keep winning and scoring plenty, I'm not sure it is an issue.  But I do wish some other players would start chipping in with goals to take the pressure off Isak and Gordon a bit.  Was it last season or the season before where I think we had the most or very close to the most different scorers in the league?  

 

We only have 7 different scorers this year and most of those are by Isak, of course.  So we are 7th on total goals, but joint bottom on the number of different scorers.  I have no idea what the split is like for other teams and I'd imagine it would be weighted heavily in the favour of the world class lone striker scoring say 20-40% of your goals on their own, at a guess. 

 

But after Isak, we have Gordon on 6 and he is certainly getting his eye for goal back from last season.  Which is great to see.   

Barnes on 5, who is injured for a month or so.  Not ideal. 

Joelinton has 4 but I think he could and should get more.  His composure when presented with decent opportunities on the edge of the box, along with Bruno is usually lacking.

Murphy on 3.  He is actually unlucky he doesn't have more.  The usual mix of good saves, his love for the woodwork and some wayward finishing.  

Schar on 2 

Bruno has 1

 

I don't really know why I've bothered writing all this out or even thinking about it now   I just guess if Isak went through a leaner spell or he misses any games.  We need someone to take the load off.  

 

Bagging some goals from set pieces again would be nice.  Tonali definitely has a goal in him.  But his role prevents him getting too far forward a lot of the time.  Left backs aren't usually a goal threat.  But with Hall's technique, could he start to chip in a bit as he continues to develop?  Now Bruno is back as an 8, could he rediscover his goalscoring form.  5 in half a season, then 4, 7 last season.  Someone as good as him should have more than 1 goal. 

Definitely think we will start to others chip in more goals as everyone is super confident right now and we’re getting into great positions. We’ve also been very unlucky with a number of chances being missed from some really good team play.

 

I’m really just happy to have Bruno playing higher up the pitch and getting into positions to play those through balls to forwards runners. I mean that pass yesterday for Isak’s second goal was fantastic and it wasn’t not just ‘poor defending’. I’m more than happy for Bruno to keep providing the assists rather than getting goals himself