2019/20 Marcel Brands

[catcherintherye]

If you can’t implement a style with Ancelotti and with the myriad of managers we’ve had in a short amount of time that’s fine, you just have to buy, bring through and develop good versatile players.

We haven’t done that. We haven’t even nearly done that. Moyes (I hate bringing him up) managed to do just that with no funds and using limited players. Also the academy is an absolute mess, probably the worst I’ve seen it.

I think we do do that though. Most of our players are quite solid and versatile. The thing is you are lookign for the 1 every so often that has star quality, like Gordon appears to have.

The stability Moyes gave certainly helped the academy. However we are not miles weaker now at academy level. The under 17's are good and the under 16's very good. I worry what happens much beyond that and whether between Unsworth and the first team we really push enough lads through. I think what the Gordon experience shows, is that if a player has special quality they need to be fast tracked. Hopefully Lewis Dobbin is another who an be pushed through in that vein.

 

[KaiserEFC]

People need to chill with Brands.
Do we really think Iwobi was 1st choice? Do we really think Delph was 1st choice? doubtful
Hopefully with Ancelotti we get our main targets

I get the signing of Delph, I really do and I’ve said it before that I reckon the management at the top of the club are absolutely shocked with what he’s turned out to be.

As for some of the others we are better off long term with going without rather than signing plan B because you’re just going to be stuck witheven more expensive Sandro’s, Niasse’s and Schneiderlin’s.

 

[Lanolin]

People need to chill with Brands.
Do we really think Iwobi was 1st choice? Do we really think Delph was 1st choice? doubtful
Hopefully with Ancelotti we get our main targets

Oh that’s alright then. I’m much more comfortable with him paying £25m for iwobi now that you’ve pointed that out even he didn’t think he was any good.

 

[KaiserEFC]

I think we do do that though. Most of our players are quite solid and versatile. The thing is you are lookign for the 1 every so often that has star quality, like Gordon appears to have.

The stability Moyes gave certainly helped the academy. However we are not miles weaker now at academy level. The under 17's are good and the under 16's very good. I worry what happens much beyond that and whether between Unsworth and the first team we really push enough lads through. I think what the Gordon experience shows, is that if a player has special quality they need to be fast tracked. Hopefully Lewis Dobbin is another who an be pushed through in that vein.

My big worry is that we’re talking about Gordon way too much way too early, it wouldn’t be hard to stand out in that team just by applying a bit of effort. We’ve all seen players who look like stars at youth level not quite cut it with the first team.

I will admit Gordon has something about him and the stuff regarding his training regimen and mindset is promising, I just don’t think we should be looking at him and trying on him to be our shining light just yet.

 

[MrGrumpy]

Oh that’s alright then. I’m much more comfortable with him paying £25m for iwobi now that you’ve pointed that out even he didn’t think he was any good.

He probably didn’t but if Silva wanted him went and got him

 

[rochdaleblue]

Massive window for Brands. A repeat of last summer (not that I’m expecting it with Ancelotti’s involvement) and he should be relieved of his duties.

 

[billyblue80]

I am surprised in a way Brands hasn't taken more gambles on players who are up and coming and hungry from foreign leagues or even the championship he seems to have a hard on for players playing at glamour clubs who aren't needed anymore like the name of the club they play for means anything if they aren't good enough or ambitious enough. The only two he has bought in the mould I expected from his PSV work are Gbamin and Richarlison...

 

[billyblue80]

He probably didn’t but if Silva wanted him went and got him

He was bought to play number ten in place of Sig I reckon. But only ever played there once. The mind numbing stupidity of Marco.

 

[Lanolin]

He was bought to play number ten in place of Sig I reckon. But only ever played there once. The mind numbing stupidity of Marco.

Nah, silva said in the press conference when he was unveiled that he wanted him to play wide. I think silva wanted to play 4 3 3 this year but we didn’t get the players he wanted and then Gbamin’s injury totally scuppered it.

 

[billyblue80]

Nah, silva said in the press conference when he was unveiled that he wanted him to play wide. I think silva wanted to play 4 3 3 this year but we didn’t get the players he wanted and then Gbamin’s injury totally scuppered it.

Well that makes his inability to play wide even more shocking then. As I said elsewhere he looks like he has baulkrd up his upper body and it has affected his mobility he runs awkwardly with and without the ball.

 

[Saint Domingo]

In fairness to him, if Gbamin has stayed fit we might not be moaning about how poor our midfield was.

 

[DaChunk]

In fairness to him, if Gbamin has stayed fit we might not be moaning about how poor our midfield was.

It isn't good enough to have just 1 mobile midfielder though... He should have brought 1 in and then brought another 1 in to replace Gana.

 

[Saint Domingo]

It isn't good enough to have just 1 mobile midfielder though... He should have brought 1 in and then brought another 1 in to replace Gana.

I think Silva’s first choice midfield that Brands went for in the summer window was probably. Gbamin Gomes holding (Delph as back up), Richarlison on the left, Iwobi at 10, then Walcott right. In that formation the only ‘slow’ player is Gomes shielded by 4 others in a tight knit 4231.

We start the season though and Gbamin Gomes Delph and Iwobi are crocked immediately and we’re back to a Siggurdson Schneiderlin Davies.

Ancelotti comes along and wants 442 with Richarlison up top. His favoured line up is probably Walcott right win Gbamin Gomes Iwobi left wing. Again he’s stuck with relying on Siggurdson Davies and Schneiderlin, who are all slow and expose Gomes’ lack of pace.

The injuries to Gbamin and Walcott at times have exacerbated the problem we have that there is no pace in midfield. Brands now needs to buy the players Ancelotti needs in a 442 and hope they stay fit.

 

[GrandOldTeam]

We spent over £100m in the last window, and I don't think any of them will be in Ancelotti's preferred plans.

Iwobi? Kean? Gbamin? Delph? Sidibe? Gomes?

Maybe Gomes?

 

[jazzy]

In fairness to him, if Gbamin has stayed fit we might not be moaning about how poor our midfield was.

We don't know that and perhaps never will.