Sandro Tonali

[nufc123]

20 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

I mean we had massive problems which is why we got two points from them three games .

 

 

 

We had massive problems, but Tonali playing with either Bruno or Joelinton wasnt the reason we didnt win.

 

 

Edited Sunday at 18:56 by nufc123

[Geogaddi]

1 minute ago, nufc123 said:

We had massive problems, but Tonali plaing wih either Bruno or Joelinton wasnt the reason we didnt win.

The results when the three of them play in the middle together and when they don't suggests otherwise.

[madras]

4 minutes ago, Geogaddi said:

The results when the three of them play in the middle together and when they don't suggests otherwise.

Finishing and a misfiring forward 3  was the issue V Everton, not the middle 3.

[nufc123]

1 minute ago, Geogaddi said:

The results when the three of them play in the middle together and when they don't suggests otherwise.

A load of waffle. We were poor against Southampton, Fulham, Wolves. Should have won against Everton and Brighton. All a little mix of Longstaff and Tonali switching. Its not because of one player cant play with certain players.

[duo]

1 hour ago, Kanji said:

JL right or left. Gordon right or left. Tonali central. Willock left cm and Bruno rcm would do for me. 

Longstaff? He's been excellent and is a key cog in making it work 

[Ronaldo]

38 minutes ago, duo said:

Longstaff? He's been excellent and is a key cog in making it work 

Surely you recognise Tonali is a much better footballer and can grow into doing anything Longstaff provides?

[The College Dropout]

3 hours ago, Tsunami said:

He needs to become Longstaff in his work rate and tenacity. The undeniable truth is that we’re more balanced with Longstaff and it’s all about that little extra “effort”. It’s difficult to put a finger on it but it’s just there. 
 

Call it a water carrier, dirty work or whatever, but it’s crucial. Bruno hasn’t got the game for it, neither does Jo, Tonali has and if he does we will be so much better.

 

On a separate but related note; a fit, confident, Willock makes such a difference. He’s the one player who can glide past a player from midfield at pace and make a run into space. Reminds me a little of Dyer, not as dynamic with his running but certainly offers something different.

I don’t think it’s effort. Tonali is a high effort player. I just don’t think he’s found his path to balancing the midfield. That RCM position doesn’t work for him. He’s definitely much improved through the middle. Gets loads more of the ball. More passing options.  

[Myleftboot]

He has to play for me. But who do you leave out? Tricky one.

[Lush Vlad]

1 minute ago, Myleftboot said:

He has to play for me. But who do you leave out? Tricky one.

I don’t think it is tricky at all. In our next two games. We can expect the lion’s share of possession again. Which as demonstrated today. Really isn’t Longstaff’s type of game. So he comes in for him, no question, IMO. 

 

I was in the minority that would have started him in place of Longstaff today. Because I don’t believe in the cliche ‘you can’t change a winning team’ and I don’t think it was a Longstaff kind of game. 
 

In the end, we won convincingly and it was probably our best performance of the season. So what the fuck do I know compared to Howe  

[TheBrownBottle]

2 hours ago, nufc123 said:

We had massive problems, but Tonali playing with either Bruno or Joelinton wasnt the reason we didnt win.

 

 

 

That midfield three was absolutely a reason we weren’t winning.  They just don’t look good together in midfield - in part because Joelinton isn’t a midfielder. 

[Kanji]

14 hours ago, The College Dropout said:

I don’t think it’s effort. Tonali is a high effort player. I just don’t think he’s found his path to balancing the midfield. That RCM position doesn’t work for him. He’s definitely much improved through the middle. Gets loads more of the ball. More passing options.  

yep, play him at the base with JW left and Bruno right. Joelinton on one flank. Think that actually gives Tonali the responsibility he needs to show his talent in the team. Bruno will always get the ball and demand it a ton, but Tonali as RCM is bypassed and his best bits of his abilities are not used. 

[alexf]

I think he's starting to look the player we thought we were getting.

 

Last few appearances have been spot on. Don't think he's out the starting 11 for any fault of his, just that Howe has stumbled on the old winning formula of a Bruno, Sean and Joe and it's working well. It's tried and trusted so I don't blame Howe for favoring it. But having this guy to come on or slot in to start when needed this season will show what we missed last. 

 

Seems far more comfortable in that centre role aswell and it seems to be helping Bruno out also by hiding his mobility weaknesses and allowing him to press higher and be more involved with attacks. 

 

Positive signs. Still keen to see how a starting line up of Bruno, Tonali and Willock would perform like, and if it would be even stronger than currently but I'm sure we will see it at some stage.

[KaKa]

Now we've pushed Joelinton further forward and we are actually playing someone with more ability on the right the team just functions far better.

 

I think once Tonali comes back into the team after these adjustments, he is going to look far more effective.

[SUPERTOON]

27 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Now we've pushed Joelinton further forward and we are actually playing someone with more ability on the right the team just functions far better.

 

I think once Tonali comes back into the team after these adjustments, he is going to look far more effective.

Already signs of that from the last 3 games.

[Kanji]

41 minutes ago, KaKa said:

Now we've pushed Joelinton further forward and we are actually playing someone with more ability on the right the team just functions far better.

 

I think once Tonali comes back into the team after these adjustments, he is going to look far more effective.

yeah, exactly. Repeating myself from last few posts but I think bringing Tonali into the functioning in form team and letting him play the base of the 3 is the way to go. He’ll be moving the ball up the pitch very quickly and his one touch passing will be very effective in build up and bailing out of tricky situations. 

[Gallowgate Toon]

There's a busy period coming up so he's going to see lots of gametime. He'll play during the international break too, I'm sure, so Howe probably had an eye on protecting him.

 

I do think the key with him and Bruno is rotating for gamestate/opponent. Tonali has really impressed me in the central role, he brings a more classic feel to it - good positioning, simple but quick passing, great athleticism. I don't think he's a dud RCM at all though, there are just games/shapes he'll be better there vs. central. 

 

Selfishly, seeing Bruno in the final third more is an actual joy too. 

[timeEd32]

Based on how he plays and how Eddie seems to want each of the positions to play it does seem like Tonali's skill set may be best suited to the following order:

 

1) As the CM, Bruno alternative

2) LCM, as the Willock alternative

3) RCM, as the Longstaff alternative

 

I find it hard to believe our best XI does not include him, but I think this is the dilemma.

 

I would like to see Tonali get a run in a better functioning right side, but I'd also love to see him centrally with Bruno taking up the right.

[nufc123]

18 hours ago, TheBrownBottle said:

That midfield three was absolutely a reason we weren’t winning.  They just don’t look good together in midfield - in part because Joelinton isn’t a midfielder. 

The problem has never been that Tonall cant play with them. 

[Magpie]

Heartening to see Sandro joining in with the jubilant celebrations after the second and third goals. You always worry he's gonna be pissed off being left out.

[Bunk Moreland]

5 minutes ago, Magpie said:

Heartening to see Sandro joining in with the jubilant celebrations after the second and third goals. You always worry he's gonna be pissed off being left out.

 

I always think this too, and with players like Barnes and Krafth as well who always seem to be loving it when we score. Speaks to the job Eddie has done creating a proper team environment

[Choppy Chop Chop]

He apparently thinks Newcastle fans are non judgemental, I take it he does not have a twitter account 

[FloydianMag]

 

[PauloGeordio]

3 minutes ago, FloydianMag said:

 

[STM]

https://x.com/NUFC/status/1856397045382426851?t=HmaWqr5nhyd5Kk2qxHhhGA&s=19

 

Fuck me. He's an artist.

[wormy]

Wait. Did they say thay was in 90 seconds!?