I see all this talk of new strikers but is
no one going to point out the glaringly obvious faults in our midfield? We struggle to circulate the ball, keep possession and create chances at all never mind score them, and besides we can excuse having average finishers if we can create quality chances (obvs the strikers have a part to play in that too but we don't even show any signs of creating anything through the middle to even see that there's no movement up top). We create chances at the big sides as we are actually a good pressing team and have more space for attacking transitions once we win the ball back, but struggle badly when we have to play against more defensive sides as either Silva won't adjust tactically, Sigurdsson shies away from the ball and doesn't do anything making us effectively play with 10 men and unable to build from the back, or most likely both.
The only player with any semblance of press resistance at all in that midfield is Gomes, and if he struggles then we struggle - Sigurdsson and Gueye in the same midfield simply does not work unless the third midfielder is superhuman or something. One or both of them need to be replaced, but the system needs to be changed as well.
I'd sign 2 new midfielders before a CF.
View attachment 53524
Our average positions from Saturday.
How on earth are you supposed to play a possession based style of football with a shape and system like that? Once we lost the ball Millwall went direct and we were left exposed 2v3 in the scrap for the second ball, and they drew those set plays time and time again from that.
