buzza Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 The way they are using coutinho to pick passes for willking runners from deep means that Jonjo should be swapped for this match, he is too much of a liability when tracking runners. He is also slow. Willock is covering a lot of ground defensively, has the legs to join attacks and seems to be improving game on game. Ditto Joe linton. Bruno has to start as our midfield linchpin and base the game around him. Villa have done it with coutinho and it has worked for them.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McCormick Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I’m in two minds about his team selections for this game. On the one hand it seems harsh (and possibly detrimental to team harmony) to drop players from a team that’s won 2 games on the bounce. On the other, I don’t agree with waiting until a player fucks up to replace them in the team when seemingly superior options are available. It’s a tricky one; just have to hope Bruno has a few storming training sessions to justify dropping one of Shelvey or Willock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
relámpago blanco Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 50 minutes ago, Pardiola said: Aye, let’s drop Lascelles after his best game for ages. Also, we’ve just won 3-1 and could’ve easily scored five. Conservatism. We won't drop Lascelles as Burn will play left back. Bruno has to start though for Shelvey. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
maze Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Another interesting match up here. In attack Coutinho and Buendia will drop off while Ramsey and McGinn will run on from deep. The full backs will provide support to offer width. Our midfield will have to be on it to track the runners. Providing he's up to speed, it would be tempting to drop Shelvey for Bruno, simply because he'll offer more energy and protection in the pivot role. I do think we can get at them. Cash and Digne will bomb on and leave space in behind. Mings isn't having a great season while their best centre back Konsa is suspended. If ASM is in similar form to Tuesday, he could have equally as much joy. I also think Willock will be useful on the counter. Again, if Bruno could come in for Shelvey he'll be able to find the runners much quicker. For what it's worth I don't think Bruno will start. I'm sticking to 1-1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shays Given Tim Flowers Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Willock playing off the second ball to Wood is probably more useful than Jonjo’s inability to track a runner. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) Their midfield is my concern. Whilst ours has been much improved, with Willock having his two best games of the season the last two, Joelinton reinventing himself and Shelvey looking much better under Howe. I feel like the last two games were against poor midfields. Leeds were wide open in the second half and didn't offer much defensively. The Everton flat two of Allan and Gomes were poor and looked slow and ponderous, to me. Ramsey has looked brilliant whenever I have seen him. McGinn is good on the ball and gets forward. Luiz always looks like a solid DM and I'm sure I read a while back that his numbers back that up. Although I may be wrong? I think they're going to be a lot more mobile and dynamic than what we have faced and it just feels like we might be exposed a bit in that area. As I think Joelinton gets a bit lost positionally at times and gives away needless fouls. Willock can be a bit naïve when he over-commits with his pressing and doesn't really like challenging for anything in the air. Shelvey gets passed round with ease and isn't mobile enough to properly play as the single 'pivot' (new buzz term this season, isn't it?). As The Prophet alluded to. I don't think Bruno solves all of our problems, but it would mean we have 3 mobile midfielders to match them, at least. All that said, the midfield has been much better with the ball. We do seem to be playing a bit higher up the pitch and the high press at home, particularly against Man U and Everton, has worked really well of late. Hopefully we can get at Mings when he has possession, as he always makes mistakes whenever I see him. I guess Chambers will be the other centre back? Edited February 10, 2022 by Lush Vlad Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samptime29 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 ASM can definitely hurt them but I do think their Midfield is strong and can hurt us. An interesting game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gbandit Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Be amazed if we don’t concede here so I feel we need to score at least two. Step up Wood and Willock. I think if Willock keeps starting he’ll get a goal very soon but it’s hard to predict a line-up for this game. I can’t see Howe changing things much even though I want to see Bruno on the pitch Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRaspberryJam Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Not looking forward to this. Got a feeling we're going to get brought back down to earth with a bump. Would snap your hand off for a draw. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Happy to accept whatever line up Eddie goes with. We now have nice problems for a change. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PlymouthGeordie Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I don't think he'll bring Bruno in for this one. Barring injuries the only change will be Burn or Manquillo for Targett. I'm not a fan of sticking with a winning team regardless and given then gap between Everton and this one is small I'd be all for keeping the team fresh but more than trust Eddie to get it right. A win here would be huge given you'd expect Norwich to lose to City, Burnley to lose Liverpool and at least 2 of Brentford, Palace, Everton and Leeds will drop points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWN Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 minute ago, PlymouthGeordie said: I don't think he'll bring Bruno in for this one. Barring injuries the only change will be Burn or Manquillo for Targett. I'm not a fan of sticking with a winning team regardless and given then gap between Everton and this one is small I'd be all for keeping the team fresh but more than trust Eddie to get it right. A win here would be huge given you'd expect Norwich to lose to City, Burnley to lose Liverpool and at least 2 of Brentford, Palace, Everton and Leeds will drop points. Agree with most of that but a point would be equally fine , accumulate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yassassin Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 A difficult game and one I think we’ll do well to get anything from but positives for us from Villa’s performance would be that James gave them a good rinsing and he’s no ASM, the wide threat comes from their front three and I trust Trippier to cope with them (the left is a different matter) and they shipped three goals at home. We have perform at optimal levels, of course Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Buendia has been their best player of late. Gerrard said he had an impact injury and he hoped he'd be fit in time for Sunday. It'd be a blow of he wasn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Prophet Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 30 minutes ago, gbandit said: Be amazed if we don’t concede here so I feel we need to score at least two. Step up Wood and Willock. I think if Willock keeps starting he’ll get a goal very soon but it’s hard to predict a line-up for this game. I can’t see Howe changing things much even though I want to see Bruno on the pitch Aye, given they've also conceded 10 in 5, it could be another entertaining one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mazzy Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Can see this having a few goals in it. Don't imagine we'll keep a clean sheet and I don't think Villa will either. 2-2 is my guess. Could go either way really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geogaddi Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Not sure why People seem scared of Villa, the only home game we have lost in the league under Howe is against Man City, villa are only mid table and are certainly beatable, we will get at least a draw against them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
STM Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 minute ago, Geogaddi said: Not sure why People seem scared of Villa, the only home game we have lost in the league under Howe is against Man City, villa are only mid table and are certainly beatable, we will get at least a draw against them. And with a poor defence. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I think you have to look at the context when comparing decisions between managers that are, on the face of it, similar. Ie - not changing a winning team. When Bruce did it (or indeed anything vaguely tactical), you never got the impression that there was any great strategy to it. It was literally just "you don't change a winning team." No theory or thought, just an assumption that that is the correct thing to do. Typical Bruce. Whereas, in Howe's case, this early in his tenure I'm minded to give him the benefit of the doubt, not least because he's explained the theory behind his decisions and, in the case of Everton, was fully justified. You can see already - from the elevated performances of the likes of Lascelles and Willock - what a difference simply having competition for places has made. We all want to see Bruno in the side as quickly as possible because in the long-run, his net output will inevitably be higher than others. But I don't necessarily agree with just throwing him in for the sake of it; if, in the short-term, we can maximise his being here by getting another 10-15% out of other players - before then supplementing those performances with impressive cameos/10 minutes/half an hours from Bruno - then all the better. Plus it takes the pressure off him as he settles into life here, and has the added benefited of gradually introducing him to the style of play Howe is going for. That's why I don't necessarily agree with the idea that we 'don't have time' to bed him in. Actually, we have all the time in the world to implement the strategy that is going to be the most effective in ensuring survival. If 'bedding him in' (along with the other benefits as above) comprises part of that strategy, then that's what we should do. That said, I am speaking hypothetically here, and if Bruno is in the side against Villa from the start, then great stuff; I would back the call under the fair assumption that Howe has good reason to make it. I suppose my overall point here is that we should allow ourselves to trust the manager and his decisions. I think we can conclude that he's made a pretty good start to life here and he does have a plan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Venkman Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 1 hour ago, Lush Vlad said: Their midfield is my concern. Whilst ours has been much improved, with Willock having his two best games of the season the last two, Joelinton reinventing himself and Shelvey looking much better under Howe. I feel like the last two games were against poor midfields. Leeds were wide open in the second half and didn't offer much defensively. The Everton flat two of Allan and Gomes were poor and looked slow and ponderous, to me. Ramsey has looked brilliant whenever I have seen him. McGinn is good on the ball and gets forward. Luiz always looks like a solid DM and I'm sure I read a while back that his numbers back that up. Although I may be wrong? I think they're going to be a lot more mobile and dynamic than what we have faced and it just feels like we might be exposed a bit in that area. As I think Joelinton gets a bit lost positionally at times and gives away needless fouls. Willock can be a bit naïve when he over-commits with his pressing and doesn't really like challenging for anything in the air. Shelvey gets passed round with ease and isn't mobile enough to properly play as the single 'pivot' (new buzz term this season, isn't it?). As The Prophet alluded to. I don't think Bruno solves all of our problems, but it would mean we have 3 mobile midfielders to match them, at least. All that said, the midfield has been much better with the ball. We do seem to be playing a bit higher up the pitch and the high press at home, particularly against Man U and Everton, has worked really well of late. Hopefully we can get at Mings when he has possession, as he always makes mistakes whenever I see him. I guess Chambers will be the other centre back? Agree with lots of this. If we’re unchanged I anticipate a lot of calls for Bruno to come in and Lascelles make way for Burn post-match. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 Villa are the kind of team we would historically get easily beaten by... lots of energy and technique in midfield, runners from all over the place. It'll be a big test. I'm expecting us to sit quite deep and try to counter, can see either a draw or defeat here. If we win, we really have got a lot better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
huss9 Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 (edited) just hope Gerrard rests coutinho and buendia for sunday. Edited February 10, 2022 by huss9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Gleebals Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 I dont get all the negativity. Yes, they are a good team with some great players and are playing decent football under Gerrard. However, they just conceded 3 against a team we shut out and won against recently. We have positive momentum now, a team that has not lost in 4 (in the league) and we are at home, and the fans can and will make a massive difference. Not saying it will be easy, but think we should be going into this with a sensible level of optimism. If our best players perform like they did the other night, we can definitely take this one to them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakka Posted February 10, 2022 Share Posted February 10, 2022 3 minutes ago, Dan Gleebals said: I dont get all the negativity. Yes, they are a good team with some great players and are playing decent football under Gerrard. However, they just conceded 3 against a team we shut out and won against recently. We have positive momentum now, a team that has not lost in 4 (in the league) and we are at home, and the fans can and will make a massive difference. Not saying it will be easy, but think we should be going into this with a sensible level of optimism. If our best players perform like they did the other night, we can definitely take this one to them. I was surprised to see the result against Leeds for Villa. Definitely gave me a lift to think it's more possible to beat them than I did before hand. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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