The Next Eight Games Before the World Cup

[Uilleam 5,429]

Clearly the off-field priority must be the installation of Disco Lights.

They have them at Piggery Place, and they have helped their European endeavours no end. 

[craig 5,199]

On 02/11/2022 at 08:27, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Think its the same. Even if we can get a couple of loans in if we have no money. We need bodies in midfield.

Not so much we need bodies in midfield.... we need a different TYPE of body in midfield.  We lack creativity in our midfield.  Celtic aside, we don't need two holding midfielders, one is enough with creativity beside them, someone who has the vision and ability to either see a vertical pass or to make that forward move themselves.

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,207]

10 minutes ago, craig said:

We lack creativity in our midfield.

Tillman, Lowry, Hagi, Lawrence(I know the latter two are injured but thats temporary). Really?

 

Dont think we need any holding midfielders. Sands can do it. Lundstram can do it. Jack can do it (when fit..). Davis can do it. Kamara can do it (if he can be bothered)

 

If we can clone a right sided Lundstram that would be good. An all rounder. Or a Pedro Mendes type.

[craig 5,199]

6 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

Tillman, Lowry, Hagi, Lawrence(I know the latter two are injured but thats temporary). Really?

 

Dont think we need any holding midfielders. Sands can do it. Lundstram can do it. Jack can do it (when fit..). Davis can do it. Kamara can do it (if he can be bothered)

 

If we can clone a right sided Lundstram that would be good. An all rounder. Or a Pedro Mendes type.

So, wait, you said we need bodies in midfield.  Now you are saying a) we don't need creative bodies in midfield and b) we don't need any holding midfielders.  So just what type of midfielders do we need ?

 

We have plenty holding midfielders in Lundstram, Jack, Davis and Sands

 

The players you mentioned don't really play in midfield though, they play in the advanced line - all of them really kind of play the "10" or on the wing.

 

Easiest way for me to put it, I guess, to get my point across, is we could be doing with someone with Gascoigne-type attributes.  None of our midfield has the ability to go past a player and make something happen, that can go past a player and attract more opponents to him out of fear, but also be able to spot a pass and break the lines vertically and take players out the game.

 

Not sure given GvB's 4-2-3-1 preference why a right sided Lundstram would be something we need - where would he fit into the 2 in midfield ?  And why if we already have so many holding midfielders ?

 

If we had the players fit that you rightly mention we would be able to inter-change Kent and Lawrence on both sides, though I think I would prefer Lawrence playing the "10" and that also takes some of the pressure off Tillman to constantly be the creative spark.

 

Of all the creative midfielders we have we presently have ONE that is fit (Tillman) who is inconsistent so, yes, we need more creativity in our midfield.  I am not including Lowry as being fit because he has just come back from injury and shouldnt be rushed back into 75 minutes per game.  Hagi out till post WC and same with Lawrence.

 

Our other creativity is a faltering Kent (winger), Sakala (winger) whose second touch is a tackle and Matondo (winger) who is our version of the headless chicken Maeda.

[Sutton_blows_goats 4,207]

2 minutes ago, craig said:

So just what type of midfielders do we need ?

 

18 minutes ago, Sutton_blows_goats said:

If we can clone a right sided Lundstram that would be good. An all rounder. Or a Pedro Mendes type.

More a box to box old fashioned #8.

 

3 minutes ago, craig said:

Not sure given GvB's 4-2-3-1 preference why a right sided Lundstram would be something we need - where would he fit into the 2 in midfield ? And why if we already have so many holding midfielders ?

Lundstram can play there but i dont see him as a holding midfielder. That's what we need more of. Davis of 10 years ago. Not going to get hung up on tactics/formations. Lundstram and Davis can both get forward without being AM/#10 types.

 

6 minutes ago, craig said:

we could be doing with someone with Gascoigne-type attributes.  None of our midfield has the ability to go past a player and make something happen, that can go past a player and attract more opponents to him out of fear, but also be able to spot a pass and break the lines vertically and take players out the game.

Tillman can do it(Motherwell away). Lowry can do it(Hearts away end of last season). 

 

A agree with your initial point its not just more midfielders we need. its the type. We have the right type in Jack/Davis but they cant do it anymore and need replaced. If we sell Kamara perhaps we need another DM but Sands is probably enough. 

 

[Bill 13,717]

Three league games played, five points dropped. Pretty much as expected.