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pfim
Player Valuation: £40m
Same with Onana, who is actually younger.
Little Ralphy
Player Valuation: £15m
Difficult to shine in midfield, in a team that doesn't play through it's midfield.
David_Speec
Player Valuation: £225k
Our best CM midfielder by some distance, which also highlights our problem
Buckle up buttercup !!
Toffe3m4n
Player Valuation: £80m
Ha! I actually agree. It's something that I've been suggesting myself for the past few weeks - why not at least try a 3-5-2 with this set of players?
Pickford
Tarkowski -- Branthwaite -- Mykolenko
Patterson --- Garner --- Onana --- Gueye --- McNeil
-- DCL ----------- Doucoure
Tarkowski -- Branthwaite -- Mykolenko
Patterson --- Garner --- Onana --- Gueye --- McNeil
-- DCL ----------- Doucoure
Off the ball, Patterson & McNeil simply drop in to assist Tarks & Myko. When on the ball/transitioning we then have (in theory) plenty of options across the midfield to spread the ball, including the wide positions. Both Patterson & McNeil are capable of playing some decent crosses/diagonals for the front two. Options off the bench that can slot into this system as well (Beto, Dobbin, Harrison, Gomes, Godfrey (at CB) etc.)
StateSideToffee
Player Valuation: £2.5m
This does not work for 3 reasons:
1. We will get exposed on our right side because Tarkowski will constantly be out of position covering for the defensive liability that is Patterson.
2. Onana and Gueye both want to play deep. The opposition will only have to man mark Garner and then press into our own half and we will constantly turnover possession leading directly to goals.
3. This formation is 100% dependent on a creative #10 to play exceptional passes, but Doucoure is not capable of passing a football.
Overall we will be much less defensive secure despite playing 5 at the back, and our offensive (and i did not think this was possible) will be less effective and more isolated.
The solution to our woes is simple in theory and difficult in execution. We need to purchase creative and technical playmakers at CAM and RM, and a reliable successor to Seamus Coleman at RB.
Toffe3m4n
Player Valuation: £80m
Disagree on all three points.
1. Patterson simply isn't a 'liability' at RB despite what some people claim. His pros as a wing-back outweigh the potential cons;
2. Disagree here - should be obvious to anyone that Onana sits the deeper of the two. Gueye has proven over the years (including at international level) that he's capable when he operates further forward, mainly from a pressing perspective;
3. Again, no. The whole point of this particular system is to hit the channels & get balls across the oppos box regularly. No one in this team (outside of Dele) is able to play as a 'creative no. 10' & Doucoure wouldn't be the number 10 anyway - he'd be an actual second striker.
StateSideToffee
Player Valuation: £2.5m
1. What do you call a player that lacks positional awareness to such a degree that opposition teams actively target them to create opportunities for crosses from the position they are suppose to be defending?
2. Gueye has the ability to press high up the field yes. However, he cannot pass, which leads to turnovers, and then we get pushed back into our own box, where he can make a tackle, but with no options on, and a lack of passing ability, passes backwards to a CB, who hooves it up field, right back to the opposition. In essence the value of pressing is diminished when you are unable to get the ball and your squad into the opposition half.
3. Right then, so we have two lads up top completely isolated while the opposition dominates possession in our half, and turns us over the second any of our lads is able to make a tackle. In order for the "Hit the Channels" approach to work on the counter the two strikers must be able to combine to maintain possession while the midfield and/or wing backs catch up to the play. If your 2nd striker cant pass the football it all falls apart.
The opposition strategy is simple:
1. Prioritize keeping possession of the football by always showing to receive a pass.
2. Create triangles on the left wing to bypass Patterson and get to the byline, pulling Tarkowski out of position, to put a cross on to where Branthwaite is trying desperately to cover 3 men.
3. Man mark Garner and press the moment you lose possession.
It is the same old story, and happens everything single time we try this 5 at the back nonsense.
Marc bolan
Player Valuation: £8m
Happy Birtday James 23 today
Zatara
Player Valuation: £100m
kimonthemac_efc
Player Valuation: £1.5m
Good idea. I support Beto generally but I think Dcl would be better if we played with docoure as striker/centre forward. He could have lot’s of tap ins and we would generally be more active in the box.
Pittsburgh Footy
Player Valuation: £35m
Surely you don't agree with him on this point:
Gueye has proven over the years (including at international level) that he's capable when he operates further forward
I'm a fan of Gueye doing what he does, and what he does involves absolutely nothing going forward
Why? You don't like skied shots and misplaced easy passes?
He's very Phil Neville going forward - no idea what to do with the ball.
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