Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

[blueblue]

Have you not just repackaged the same point he was making and made it back to him?! Players like that are important, but you also need quality around them because they aren’t the type of player to win you games. Hojbjerg would be a good start, but he wouldn’t even come close to addressing many of our issues.

I think we have a lot of talent in the team as it is but our frailities in midfield it makes our defence look poor and our attack toothless.

I think that with a commanding central midfield in place the other parts of our team will be much better without even adding in those areas .

If we do nothing else this season only substantially improve our midfield I think we will have a much better next season.

 

[blueblue]

I was talking to a Villa fan the other night and he says since the re-start Luiz has been their star man. Before that he was garbage.

He is still very young, plenty of time for improvement.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Was he at Bayern when Ancelotti was there?

 

[Neiler]

I'd like a three man midfield with only one guy playing deep and the other two more freed up. We've been using the double pivot basically for the entirety of the time since Martinez arrived and it has created basically now 6 straight seasons of next to nothing in the final third from our central midfield. It'd be nice for us to just spend one season not playing the same game of trying to find all of our creative output through combinations between wingers and fullbacks.

Good points mate, i think a three man midfield leaves us with a lot of players redundant. for me for the system to work you have to play with three inside frowards. The likes of Iwobi, Bernard, Walcott, i dont see any of them as insidie forwards, essentialy abandons width as i think you need to play with inside forwards, left or right, certainly hybrid. I think it would leave us carrying a bit of player baggage.

I see a three man midfield as say, Gbamin, PEH, Gomes/Gylfi. Behind say Richarlison/Kean, DCL, Gordon/Walcott/newbie RM.

Id go the double pivot myself i think it gives us a better balance, more cutting edge centrally. i think it can vary playing with a 6 and two 8's or a 6, 8 &10. Id take on board how limiting it has been historically, we've very good forward players in Richarlison & DCL and if we can get an good right side inside forward i think it could be more expansive then it has been here in the past. In some ways the double pivot and 4-3-3 can be one in the same.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Good points mate, i think a three man midfild leaves us with a lot of players redundant. Likes of Iwobi, Bernard, Walcott etc essential abandons widers as i think you need to play with inside forwards. I think it would leave us carrying a bit of player baggage.

I see a three man midifld as say, Gbamin, PEH, Gomes/Gylfi. Behind say Richarlison/Kean, DCL, Gordon/Walcott/newbie RM.

Id go the double pivot myself i think it gives us a better balance, more cutting edge centrally, while i take on board how limiting it has been historically, we've very good forward players in Richarlison, DCL and if we can get an good right inside forward i think it could be more expansive then it has been here in the past. In some ways the double pivot and 4-3-3 can be one in the same.

Walcott can certainly handle an inside forward role imo. I think he's better in the box than wide of it and would give us a player to stretch in behind. Bernard is going to be redundant no matter what we decide to do. Gordon could certainly play as an inside forward as well. Richarlison is an option both as the #9 and a wide player on either side. I think it would suit him.

Iwobi is tough but I think you could use him sort of like how Grealish is with Villa where in a functioning midfield he could be one of the #8s that gets you up the field and offers some good final third stuff (in theory, I know it hasn't happened this year) or if you need more solidity he can be on the left as a kind of drifting player. I honestly think in general it suits our forwards better than 4-4-2 so long as it is actually 4-3-3 and it doesn't end up being 4-5-1 as soon as we get put under pressure.

Bringing in Hojbjerg and hopefully getting Gbamin healthy gives us a lot of players who I think can function a lot better in a 3. Delph for example was excellent playing box to box at Villa. Davies to me is someone who will do better with a dedicated defensive midfielder behind him. Gomes probably too.

I'm obviously not a manager but I just see our personnel suiting 4-3-3 better if we can get in one more RW and a CM exactly like Hojbjerg.

 

[atrottel]

If Brands rates him, the minute he signs for us, he will become injury prone, slow, and unable to score goals.

He already is unable to score goals.

 

[carolinablue232]

His comments make me wonder if he’d even come. “Wants to play at a high level.” That ain’t is at the moment.

 

[tommytowne]

Who's the last player we signed from Southampton?

It was their manager I was alluding to.
I'm sorry that you thought I was thinking players.
I'll be a bit more precise in my postings henceforth.

 

[ProZ]

Doesn't Carlo adopt a 442 Diamond as appose to a flat 442? This would mean this fella is just the sitter infront of the back 4 and we'd need a creative tip of the diamond.

 

[Neiler]

Walcott can certainly handle an inside forward role imo. I think he's better in the box than wide of it and would give us a player to stretch in behind. Bernard is going to be redundant no matter what we decide to do. Gordon could certainly play as an inside forward as well. Richarlison is an option both as the #9 and a wide player on either side. I think it would suit him.

Iwobi is tough but I think you could use him sort of like how Grealish is with Villa where in a functioning midfield he could be one of the #8s that gets you up the field and offers some good final third stuff (in theory, I know it hasn't happened this year) or if you need more solidity he can be on the left as a kind of drifting player. I honestly think in general it suits our forwards better than 4-4-2 so long as it is actually 4-3-3 and it doesn't end up being 4-5-1 as soon as we get put under pressure.

Bringing in Hojbjerg and hopefully getting Gbamin healthy gives us a lot of players who I think can function a lot better in a 3. Delph for example was excellent playing box to box at Villa. Davies to me is someone who will do better with a dedicated defensive midfielder behind him. Gomes probably too.

I'm obviously not a manager but I just see our personnel suiting 4-3-3 better if we can get in one more RW and a CM exactly like Hojbjerg.

Fair points mate, but im not sure im joining you with them. I think Theo doesn't have the return to justify being an inside forward, you need potential for double figures in my opinion to justify - Mordor do it quite well. Theo for me, biggest asset is pace and ability to get in behind in space on the break, or stetch a back four or get it on the back foot on the break, not sure hes much use in congested areas or has the composure to pull of the position. not to say we couldn't recruit there at right inside forward though which we probably will.

Iwobi for me, is a link man, quick ball, triangles, penetration in congested areas, not sure he has the engine to hold a role centrally that would carry him, for me hes fitting at 10, or an option at inside forward as a sub, he hasn't nailed a starting spot and is competing for a place in any of those positions - i think its tough competition to, as i wouldn't put it past Gylfi to have a double figure season at 10 or Gordon to break out there ahead of him.

To be honest what i have seen of PEH and Gbamin, they both strike me as 8's good engines, box to box with a bit of presence and PEH in particular able to break play, while Gbamin looks an out-muscling unit ironically. I dont see either as a 6 and id like one - maybe im old fashioned but i think a dedicated 6 like say Carsley, Reid of Gueye, gives us a balance. Id be open to an accusation of old fashioned thinking on that though.

You are probably right 4-3-3 probably suits some of the players we have at the moment in box - box players in central midfield, i also think it disenfranchises some others though to and leaves us with a player over hang that dont fit. The window will tell us a lot in terms of in and outs. If we get say Allan as well and you could see some others being surplus. Be a pick of PEH, Gbamin, Allan, probably Gomes - that leaves Davies and Delph kind of no mans land, which is why i think PEH might be our lot in central midfield.

 

[billyblue80]

Don’t forget Gomes , been as poor as anyone.

At least Gomes shows flashes and I am not convinced he is fully fit

 

[Stephenlloyd]

Fair points mate, but im not sure im joining you with them. I think Theo doesn't have the return to justify being an inside forward, you need potential for double figures in my opinion to justify - Mordor do it quite well. Theo for me, biggest asset is pace and ability to get in behind in space on the break, or stetch a back four or get it on the back foot on the break, not sure hes much use in congested areas or has the composure to pull of the position. not to say we couldn't recruit there at right inside forward though which we probably will.

Iwobi for me, is a link man, quick ball, triangles, penetration in congested areas, not sure he has the engine to hold a role centrally that would carry him, for me hes fitting at 10, or an option at inside forward as a sub, he hasn't nailed a starting spot and is competing for a place in any of those positions - i think its tough competition to, as i wouldn't put it past Gylfi to have a double figure season at 10 or Gordon to break out there ahead of him.

To be honest what i have seen of PEH and Gbamin, they both strike me as 8's good engines, box to box with a bit of presence and PEH in particular abler to break play. I dont see either as a 6 and id like one - maybe im old fashioned but i think a dedicated 6 like say Carsley, Reid of Gueye, gives us a balance. Id be open to an accusation of old fashioned thinking on that though.

You are probably right 4-3-3 probably suits some of the players we have at the moment in box - box players in central midfield, i also think it disenfranchises some others though to and leaves us with a player over hang that dont fit. The window will tell us a lot in terms of in and outs. If we get say Allan as well and you could see some others being surplus. Be a pick of PEH, Gbamin, Allan, proabaly Gomes - that leaves Davies and Delph kind of no mans land, which is why i think PEH might be our lot in central midfield.

PEH is much more of a number 6 than Gana.
who definitely wasn’t a player that just sat infront of the back 4.

 

[brian labone]

hes poo aswell we need better

We are all entitled to our opinion and he was defiantly the best player on the park last night.

 

[TheBigIguana]

Fair points mate, but im not sure im joining you with them. I think Theo doesn't have the return to justify being an inside forward, you need potential for double figures in my opinion to justify - Mordor do it quite well. Theo for me, biggest asset is pace and ability to get in behind in space on the break, or stetch a back four or get it on the back foot on the break, not sure hes much use in congested areas or has the composure to pull of the position. not to say we couldn't recruit there at right inside forward though which we probably will.

Iwobi for me, is a link man, quick ball, triangles, penetration in congested areas, not sure he has the engine to hold a role centrally that would carry him, for me hes fitting at 10, or an option at inside forward as a sub, he hasn't nailed a starting spot and is competing for a place in any of those positions - i think its tough competition to, as i wouldn't put it past Gylfi to have a double figure season at 10 or Gordon to break out there ahead of him.

To be honest what i have seen of PEH and Gbamin, they both strike me as 8's good engines, box to box with a bit of presence and PEH in particular able to break play, while Gbamin looks an out-muscling unit ironically. I dont see either as a 6 and id like one - maybe im old fashioned but i think a dedicated 6 like say Carsley, Reid of Gueye, gives us a balance. Id be open to an accusation of old fashioned thinking on that though.

You are probably right 4-3-3 probably suits some of the players we have at the moment in box - box players in central midfield, i also think it disenfranchises some others though to and leaves us with a player over hang that dont fit. The window will tell us a lot in terms of in and outs. If we get say Allan as well and you could see some others being surplus. Be a pick of PEH, Gbamin, Allan, probably Gomes - that leaves Davies and Delph kind of no mans land, which is why i think PEH might be our lot in central midfield.

The thing about Walcott's return is he isn't currently playing that position. I agree him being there for 38 games isn't good enough and that's why I do think another RW makes it a much more palatable option, but for certain games and off the bench I can see Walcott having use there.

As for the midfield I'd say having 6 is ideal if we are looking to play 3 of them at a time. Two options on the bench (and 3 if we're doing 5 subs again) is good too and with Gbamin most likely not fit right away you'll need the depth from the start anyway. I expect Delph and Davies will have roles to play.

If we do go back to having a #10 again it can't be Sigurdsson. He plays as a #10 in name only as his contribution in possession and in open play chance creation is far far from good enough. The goals are nice but it essentially means he's playing as a striker when all you're getting is goals. Gordon and Iwobi would be the options for me but I don't really think Gordon should move off the wing myself. To me that is why 4-3-3 makes further sense because it is only really Sigurdsson who we should bin and Iwobi that I can't naturally fit in.

 

[TheBigIguana]

PEH is much more of a number 6 than Gana.
who definitely wasn’t a player that just sat infront of the back 4.

I think Gana could have been but we used him in sort of a search and destroy role and PSG have continued with that. However Senegal have him sit in internationally and he is quite good at it. It disappoints me that we never tried.