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too many older players in midfield?

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argietoffee

argietoffee

Player Valuation: £20m
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I have heard all the stuff about whether or not we are fit enough and whether that is why we lost four points out of two games that should have been put to bed easily.

I called after sixty minutes that we were in big trouble in both games but I think it may be a little easy to say that we are not fully match fit.

Barry (who I thought was excellent today), Osman and Pienaar are not 90 minute players at premier league pace anymore. Distin struggles to keep concentration. Having two midfielders that have to be replaced because of lack of stamina starting a game severely curtails your options for subs later.

Four or five transfer windows under Moyes where we had no money for squad strenthening are starting to show the effects feared.
 
Fine on what you are saying but does it mean that we start using younger players more, in combos with each other or with older players. Say Jags and Stones for example. Do we give Browning a go and upfront forget about signing a second striker use the young guns.

They have to be brought in some time so why not start and use this season to really build a team for the future.
 
osman didn't feature at all vs leicester and probably wouldn't have featured today had pienaar not got injured, someone who he replaced, so we've not had all 3 in the same team very often tbf.

you can't have every player at a young age in your squad, besic, mccarthy and barkley are all youngsters and gibson not too old either, that's our centre midfield looking long term.
 

As against Leicester, we needed Besic on the pitch to help us regain control of the centre of the pitch. Strange ones from Roberto.
 
The fact that Besic hasn't played has been the biggest surprise of the first two games after pre-season especially with Barkley injured.

Same with Deulofeu last year.

For all of Martinez being a manager who champions youth he still values experience too.
 
We'll never know but I think having Besic on the pitch in the last 20 mins today and vs Leicester would have made a difference. Think he should have come on for Pienaar personally.
 

argietoffee said:
I have heard all the stuff about whether or not we are fit enough and whether that is why we lost four points out of two games that should have been put to bed easily.

I called after sixty minutes that we were in big trouble in both games but I think it may be a little easy to say that we are not fully match fit.

Barry (who I thought was excellent today), Osman and Pienaar are not 90 minute players at premier league pace anymore. Distin struggles to keep concentration. Having two midfielders that have to be replaced because of lack of stamina starting a game severely curtails your options for subs later.

Four or five transfer windows under Moyes where we had no money for squad strenthening are starting to show the effects feared.
Click to expand...

You need a blend of youth and experience though. Barry and McCarthy give us that in the engine room. Pienaar having to go off was unlucky, normally Ossie might have only come on after 70 mins. Barkley being out means we're relying on our more experienced players than we would do normally. Stones will get game time over the course of the season so I'm not overly concerned about the age profile of our top 16 to 18.
 
I've actually been really impressed with Barry so far. Think he's come in for a lot of unfair criticism. Him and McCarthy are still the best midfield pair we have, no doubt. Besic I personally think should play next week from the start if Pienaar is out. Only way we are going to have a chance against Chelsea is to pack the midfield with bags of energy. Since Barkley is out of the question,

------------Barry
McCarthy---------Besic
 

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