This pack of arseholes vs West Brom

[Noelie 103]

14 hours ago, Noelie said:

Listen to me Benitez, it's time to wake-up and change.

And if it don't work change it quick like.

 

                         Elliott

      Gamez   Lejune   Clark    Mbemba

          Merino     Hayden     Shelvey

      Ritchie         Mitrovic         Murphy

 

 

My line-up would have taken 3 points.  

9 of my named starters played some part in the game but unfortunately not all from the beginning.

When Shelvey came on he had an impact on the game, as did Mitrovic,  to a higher degree than Joselu did.

I still think Gamez would have been a better choice than Yedlin as Yedlin was poor again.

[Alex 35570]

To argue someone starting a game would automatically make an impact the same as their coming off the bench doesn't make any sense

[Noelie 103]

15 minutes ago, Alex said:

To argue someone starting a game would automatically make an impact the same as their coming off the bench doesn't make any sense

 

Who's making that argument Alex?  I merely said Shelvey and Mitrovic had an impact on the game when they came on, and they did, and it was obvious, the game changed.

[ewerk 31195]

1 minute ago, Noelie said:

 

Who's making that argument Alex? 

 

You did. Literally three posts above this one.

Edited November 29, 2017 by ewerk

[The Fish 10963]

The offensive title can only do so much, Benitez has to help us out by starting Mitrovic.

[Dr Gloom 22143]

Mitro has to be given another chance, surely. Even if it’s a final chance before the January window. I don’t see the case for keeping Joselu in. He works hard for the team. Can mitro not do that too? You’d think he’d be hungry to prove a point after all this time out of the side. And at least he’s capable of getting the occasional shot or header away.

[Alex 35570]

1 hour ago, Noelie said:

 

Who's making that argument Alex?  I merely said Shelvey and Mitrovic had an impact on the game when they came on, and they did, and it was obvious, the game changed.

You didn’t just say that. You said we’d have won the game with your preferred starting XI

[The Fish 10963]

9 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

Mitro has to be given another chance, surely. Even if it’s a final chance before the January window. I don’t see the case for keeping Joselu in. He works hard for the team. Can mitro not do that too? You’d think he’d be hungry to prove a point after all this time out of the side. And at least he’s capable of getting the occasional shot or header away.

 

Aye, I'd sacrifice a bit of the harassment Joselu applies to their defence when they're in control of the ball for being a goal threat.

 

Maybe if we're more dangerous that will, in and of itself, disrupt and put pressure on their back line?

[Dr Gloom 22143]

That air kick from Joselu from Murphy’s cut back against Watford was the last straw for me. That was the strike of a player with zero confidence (or ability). Time to see how he performs off the bench. 

[rogerbarton 24]

I don’t think you can argue that Mitro doesn’t work hard and cause the defence a fair amount of hassle himself anyway. 

 

Some of the football we played when Shelvey came on was sumptuous. In particular the move that led to Yedlin scuffing it out of play. 

 

Also thought Mbemba by and large had a good game at left back. Athletic and good on the ball. Oi oi.

[The Fish 10963]

1 minute ago, rogerbarton said:

I don’t think you can argue that Mitro doesn’t work hard and cause the defence a fair amount of hassle himself anyway. 

 

Some of the football we played when Shelvey came on was sumptuous. In particular the move that led to Yedlin scuffing it out of play. 

 

Also thought Mbemba by and large had a good game at left back. Athletic and good on the ball. Oi oi.

 

 

[David Kelly 1260]

The ball sticks up front much better when Mitro is on.  Of course he's not a great player, his touch is wank at times and he's always got a sending off in him, but if he was sent off half way through the first half, we'd get more from him than we're getting from Joselu at the minute.  I don't think it's doing Joselu any favours keeping him either as his confidence looks really low.

 

I'd also like to see us play with Merino and Shelvey together more.  Against Chelsea I'd probably go with the three central midfielders and leave out Perez (who was no better after a few weeks out) but in general I'd rather see our two best midfielders playing.  I know Hayden will probably give us a bit more bite but them two will keep possession much better and take pressure off the defence that way.  And they're much more likely to create scoring opportunities.  

[Dr Gloom 22143]

36 minutes ago, David Kelly said:

The ball sticks up front much better when Mitro is on.  Of course he's not a great player, his touch is wank at times and he's always got a sending off in him, but if he was sent off half way through the first half, we'd get more from him than we're getting from Joselu at the minute.  I don't think it's doing Joselu any favours keeping him either as his confidence looks really low.

 

I'd also like to see us play with Merino and Shelvey together more.  Against Chelsea I'd probably go with the three central midfielders and leave out Perez (who was no better after a few weeks out) but in general I'd rather see our two best midfielders playing.  I know Hayden will probably give us a bit more bite but them two will keep possession much better and take pressure off the defence that way.  And they're much more likely to create scoring opportunities.  

 

I think Noelle could be on to something suggesting a 4-3-3. Suits the personnel. You could have Hayden anchoring with Merino and shelvey playmaking from deep. Mitro up top with Ritchie and one of Murphy or arrons on the flanks.

[Alex 35570]

Perez is probably better out wide too. Worth a shot but perhaps not this weekend

[David Kelly 1260]

I agree with you both there.  My worry about a middle three is getting enough support for the striker.  All of our wide players are wingers unlike the players who the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, City etc have to play there.  Perez might be player who could make it work.  

[The Fish 10963]

3 minutes ago, David Kelly said:

I agree with you both there.  My worry about a middle three is getting enough support for the striker.  All of our wide players are wingers unlike the players who the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, City etc have to play there.  Perez might be player who could make it work.  

Yeah I was going to say that with the players we have our central forward would be isolated as the other two would more than likely be too wide.

 

Frustratingly though, Ritchie and Murphy are more likely to cut inside a bit, rather than bomb to the byline and cross.

[David Kelly 1260]

Just now, The Fish said:

Yeah I was going to say that with the players we have our central forward would be isolated as the other two would more than likely be too wide.

 

Frustratingly though, Ritchie and Murphy are more likely to cut inside a bit, rather than bomb to the byline and cross.

I'm not convinced Murphy is best suited to playing on the left.  I'm not writing the lad off or anything like that, but from what I've seen of him he seems to prefer trying to get to the byline and he needs to be on the right for that.  Ritchie likes cutting in much more so he also wants to play on the right.  The one of the four wingers we have who seems to want to go down the left is Aarons (I think Atsu is reasonably comfortable going down the left but still prefers the right).  

 

I've always thought we've got the best out of Perez on the left wing though so if we did want to play that way, I certainly wouldn't be averse to trying him there.

[The Fish 10963]

1 hour ago, David Kelly said:

I'm not convinced Murphy is best suited to playing on the left.  I'm not writing the lad off or anything like that, but from what I've seen of him he seems to prefer trying to get to the byline and he needs to be on the right for that.  Ritchie likes cutting in much more so he also wants to play on the right.  The one of the four wingers we have who seems to want to go down the left is Aarons (I think Atsu is reasonably comfortable going down the left but still prefers the right).  

 

I've always thought we've got the best out of Perez on the left wing though so if we did want to play that way, I certainly wouldn't be averse to trying him there.

 

Not seen enough of Murphy in the flesh to say, to be honest. 

 

 

re: Perez wide, oddly I think we'd miss the pest in the centre. Though a 4-3-3 might get the best out of him, but we just don't have the other wider forward.

[David Kelly 1260]

1 minute ago, The Fish said:

 

Not seen enough of Murphy in the flesh to say, to be honest. 

 

 

re: Perez wide, oddly I think we'd miss the pest in the centre. Though a 4-3-3 might get the best out of him, but we just don't have the other wider forward.

We wouldn't as he's shit.

[The Fish 10963]

1 minute ago, David Kelly said:

We wouldn't as he's shit.

Just meant his harassing contribution.

 

You bell.

[David Kelly 1260]

Just now, The Fish said:

Just meant his harassing contribution.

 

You bell.

I know what you meant but I'm still yet to see him do it.

[ewerk 31195]

He does appear to be half the footballer that he used to be,

[rogerbarton 24]

I might stick up for Perez. And not just the off-the-ball stuff.

 

Yes, he gets bullied a bit and can lose the ball frustratingly at times. But some of the stuff he did yesterday was very positive. He’s got a better touch & control than most (any?) of our other forward options.

 

And our record with him in the team is a f*ck ton better than without this season.

Edited November 29, 2017 by rogerbarton