The College Dropout Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 4 minutes ago, Lotus said: For EH’s tactics to work we need a midfield that outruns the opposition and kicks the shit out it. Ramsey doesn’t offer that. Tonali can outrun them and JL and Bruno have the nasty streak. The rest have talent, Miley especially but doesn’t really fit our blueprint of being more physical by every metric. Willock used to have a great engine but he looks a bit broken now. Miley is in that Bruno mould of I’ll do all the hard running and I’ll really play. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Just now, The College Dropout said: Because Joelinton impacts a a game and Ramsey doesn’t. Could have bet your house JL would break down though. He’s played too much and Eddie’s not one for rotation to prevent that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Just now, The College Dropout said: Miley is in that Bruno mould of I’ll do all the hard running and I’ll really play. Not nasty enough. Not yet. Getting there though. Needs a few yellows and scuffle or two. Throw himself about. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 5 minutes ago, Lotus said: Could have bet your house JL would break down though. He’s played too much and Eddie’s not one for rotation to prevent that. True. But we don’t have the squad to rotate and still win football matches at this level. We are not alone - I think only Chelsea of the 6 English CL teams won in the CL and in the league this week. Everyone apart from Spurs lost one and they drew to a team that will get relegated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Just now, The College Dropout said: True. But we don’t have the squad to rotate and still win football matches at this level. We are not alone - I think only Chelsea of the 6 English CL teams won in the CL and in the league this week. Everyone apart from Spurs lost one and they drew to a team that will get relegated. We could have easily played Ramsey instead of Joelinton today, it's not like we had a bench full of kids. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 3 minutes ago, Alberto2005 said: We could have easily played Ramsey instead of Joelinton today, it's not like we had a bench full of kids. I don’t get the logic of playing Villa with 2 of our most important players missing. Trying to win a football match against 3rd in the league - we play the best team we can. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alberto2005 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 12 minutes ago, The College Dropout said: I don’t get the logic of playing Villa with 2 of our most important players missing. Trying to win a football match against 3rd in the league - we play the best team we can. When do you rest them then? We played Wolves the weekend before who have stank the league out all season and he still started the same midfield 3. We played PSV at home on Wednesday (Yes an important game but aren't they all?) and again we play the same 3. We're 3-0 up after 65 minutes and for some reason we play Lewis Hall the full 90 minutes, another player we have no backup for and is prone to picking up muscle injuries. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 8 hours ago, Big Geordie said: Needs a run of games in the side to see what he can do. Rotation and him coming off the bench now and then isn't going to help him find form. He should get it now with Joelinton likely out for a while. Who knows with Bruno? I’m sure it will just be Trippier at right back until his hamstring goes or has to be taken out of the firing line for poor performances and Miley in the middle. That said. He doesn’t strike me as the sort of player to come into a weakened midfield and team and try to take the game by the scruff of the neck. The same way Bruno always does and Miley tried second half yesterday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) The midfield doesn't keep enough control or move the ball around well enough to generate any kind of momentum for any of the attack minded players to find themselves in dangerous positions anywhere near enough. The threat mostly always comes from fleeting moments in transition or the wingers running past their full backs. Once that midfield mix is right, so many things will start to fall into place. The way things are looking though, I'm not even sure any change there is being considered. Ramsey was far more dangerous and threatening in forward areas at Villa. He has so far been unable to show any of that at Newcastle, mostly due to how poorly the team has been working the ball through midfield and finding gaps to exploit against the opposition. Edited January 26 by KaKa Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lush Vlad Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 2 minutes ago, KaKa said: The midfield doesn't keep enough control or move the ball around well enough to generate any kind of momentum for any of the attack minded players to find themselves in dangerous positions anywhere near enough. The threat mostly always comes from fleeting moments in transition or the wingers running past their full backs. Once that midfield mix is right, so many things will start to fall into place. The way things are looking though, I'm not even sure any change there is being considered. I’m not sure we have the personnel for it to get that balance right or that Howe wants to change it, like you say? Not really looked to change it in style too much since joining. It has worked so well for the most part. But it’s becoming more and more of a problem. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I do agree that the system now suits few of our players. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 8 hours ago, Alberto2005 said: When do you rest them then? We played Wolves the weekend before who have stank the league out all season and he still started the same midfield 3. We played PSV at home on Wednesday (Yes an important game but aren't they all?) and again we play the same 3. We're 3-0 up after 65 minutes and for some reason we play Lewis Hall the full 90 minutes, another player we have no backup for and is prone to picking up muscle injuries. Don't think we've managed the rotation well at all. We have plenty of midfielders, that should be one area where no one is getting overworked. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 8 hours ago, Alberto2005 said: When do you rest them then? We played Wolves the weekend before who have stank the league out all season and he still started the same midfield 3. We played PSV at home on Wednesday (Yes an important game but aren't they all?) and again we play the same 3. We're 3-0 up after 65 minutes and for some reason we play Lewis Hall the full 90 minutes, another player we have no backup for and is prone to picking up muscle injuries. I think we need earleir subs when winning aye. But we didn't strengthen well in the summer and at some point we would be flogging Bruno G, Livramento, Tonali etc. We spent £45m on some kind of CM that can't lace Bruno's boots. Ramsey is a tidy footballer. He has actual ability sure. But he offers nowt and starting him over Bruno or Joelinton (atm) makes us winning less likely. That's poor business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaKa Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 50 minutes ago, Lush Vlad said: I’m not sure we have the personnel for it to get that balance right or that Howe wants to change it, like you say? Not really looked to change it in style too much since joining. It has worked so well for the most part. But it’s becoming more and more of a problem. Doesn't have to be a style change or any kind of revolution right now. Just putting Bruno or Miley in the deep position to initiate play would make a significant difference. Tonali has been horrible there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I think we need a double-pivot and nick playing off Wissa. In the current setup it's Bruno & Joelinton's team. So it's Miley at the central deepest role for games we need to break teams down in. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackyboy Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 Thought he's got better and better, especially the last couple of games Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geordie_once_removed Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I've seen glimpses of what Wissa, Woltemade and Elanga could bring. Thiaw has been great. I didn't really get the transfer at the time but I had an open mind. I'm still yet to see anything from Ramsey, let alone anything that helps a direct rival out of a PSR hole to the tune of £43 million, that explains the transfer to me. He just seems so average. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibierski Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 The thing with Ramsey, is he going to be the guy that closes on the gap to the sides above us? No. That’s what makes it a poor signing. Will be a useful squad player, but £40m for that is just out right terrible use of funds. Wasn’t even like midfield was an urgent position, could’ve signed some raw player for half that at most and be no worse off. Like what are we going to replace Willock with? £40m on Sandra Berge? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitley mag Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 If Ramsey had come through the ranks you’d think fair play he’s a decent squad player. To make him our 2nd most expensive midfielder in our history is criminal. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Displayname Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 On 26/01/2026 at 00:49, The College Dropout said: I don’t get the logic of playing Villa with 2 of our most important players missing. Trying to win a football match against 3rd in the league - we play the best team we can. Every game left is important and hard. There are no free wins were we can rest our best players and still expect to win comfortably. The logic is pretty simple. Fit and healthy players are better than fatigued and injured ones. Playing our best team every game is just so short-sighted with the schedule we got. PSG(a), Liverpool(a), City(a), Brentford (h), Tottenham (a) and Villa (a) coming up next with games every 3-4 days. None of those games are more appropriate to rest players than Villa at home. Well I would say City in the league cup, but we all know that isn't going to happen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibierski Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Not even resting, it’s just having a squad and quality supposedly not dropping. Alarming thing for Ramsey, he doesn’t seem to start unless Joelinton is injured. All 4 of his starts in the league have been when Joelinton is either injured / on bench after injury. We all know why that is, Joelinton is needed to exert our physical style of play. Which contributes to the failed notion it’s a transitional season because the default setting is there. Joe now broken again, Ramsey will get games then we will go straight back to Joe when his fit because he’s still needed for the main plan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 2 hours ago, Displayname said: Every game left is important and hard. There are no free wins were we can rest our best players and still expect to win comfortably. The logic is pretty simple. Fit and healthy players are better than fatigued and injured ones. Playing our best team every game is just so short-sighted with the schedule we got. PSG(a), Liverpool(a), City(a), Brentford (h), Tottenham (a) and Villa (a) coming up next with games every 3-4 days. None of those games are more appropriate to rest players than Villa at home. Well I would say City in the league cup, but we all know that isn't going to happen. When the quality is similar. I've seen dozens of top sides chasing multiple competitions - often when it gets serious there's little rotation. Klopp's best Liverpool side 1 midfielder would rotate, and Matip + Konate/Gomez would rotate. The rest played every game going when it was crunch time. There's no point saving legs for when we are totally out of European contention. We don't have the depth where the manager can rest 80% of our starters and expect to win in the PL. Jacob Ramsey is a big part of that problem - he's considered levels below by the manager. You're right in that Elanga & Ramsey in particular should be trusted to rotate and for us to lose little by their inclusion. But that's not the case at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 It's mad how we all post about what Howe thinks we haven't a clue Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The College Dropout Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 18 minutes ago, AyeDubbleYoo said: It's mad how we all post about what Howe thinks we haven't a clue He gives us massive clues as to what he thinks every single week. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, The College Dropout said: He gives us massive clues as to what he thinks every single week. One way of looking at it, the other being that we read into what supports our own opinions. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now