Alexander Isak

[ewerk 30620]

[Howmanheyman 33245]

"He's a canny kid, ah lap him up really and he always sticks up for the toon on sky but he's playing with fire here, like. If ah say he's going to play then you don't poke the tiger with a stick by saying ahm talking shite. There's a couple of lanes in the toon and Downie needs to get into his fucking sharpish if he knows what's good for him."

 

[Gemmill 44900]

Didn't sound like he'll be playing in the squad from Howe's press conf.

 

Bruno is in, late call on ASM and Wood. 

[Dr Gloom 21924]

any word on Elliot Anderson? i'd love to see him given a start if ASM is only fit enough for the bench 

[The Fish 10857]

1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

any word on Elliot Anderson? i'd love to see him given a start if ASM is only fit enough for the bench 

Late call apparently

[Gemmill 44900]

Didn't say, so far. Sounds like Wilson will be in the squad - he's trained for 10 days uninterrupted. 

 

Hope reckoned Anderson's injury was a minor one when he was missing v Bournemouth so hopefully he'll be in the squad. 

[Gemmill 44900]

He was eventually asked whether he's in Howe's thoughts to start games and he said yes. Didn't get asked if he's in the squad but didn't volunteer that he was injured. 

[wykikitoon 20156]

Sounds promising that we will have a few players back soon tho. Every cloud and all that 

[The Fish 10857]

I feel like I'm alone in not being that bothered about the start. We're playing ok, only lost to Liverpool, creating a decent number of chances, defending all right and when the big guns come back, we'll be better.

 

Zen

[Dr Gloom 21924]

1 hour ago, The Fish said:

I feel like I'm alone in not being that bothered about the start. We're playing ok, only lost to Liverpool, creating a decent number of chances, defending all right and when the big guns come back, we'll be better.

 

Zen

 

we've put in some v good performances so far, particularly against the bigger teams who try to play on the front foot. our lack of depth was exposed when key players were injured and we were asked to break down bournemouth's a deep lying defence. we don't yet have the quality to brerak down the well drilled "low block" - at least, not when missing some of our better attacking players. 

 

shame decisions and results haven't gone our way. feels like we should have at least 3-5 more points than we do, but it's also clear we're a work in progress and this season will be a transitional one unless we go nuts in the january window. an 8-12th finish is looking more likely than top 6 at this stage. nothing wrong with the former btw. it won't happen overnight 

[The Fish 10857]

4 minutes ago, Dr Gloom said:

 

we've put in some v good performances so far, particularly against the bigger teams who try to play on the front foot. our lack of depth was exposed when key players were injured and we were asked to break down bournemouth's a deep lying defence. we don't yet have the quality to brerak down the well drilled "low block" - at least, not when missing some of our better attacking players. 

 

shame decisions and results haven't gone our way. feels like we should have at least 3-5 more points than we do, but it's also clear we're a work in progress and this season will be a transitional one unless we go nuts in the january window. an 8-12th finish is looking more likely than top 6 at this stage. nothing wrong with the former btw. it won't happen overnight 

 

I think this part is really important. ASM starts against Liverpool, Palace and Bournemouth, I think we get between 5 and 7 pts, which would have us 4th. 

 

I'm fully expecting us to go on a run of form where we string together a few wins and some good performances. Isak will be important when he settles a bit, but that task has been made more difficult by us missing key players in his early games. Him and ASM should cause defenders no end of bother and even if neither of them score, they'll create spaces and opportunities for others to get in on the act.

[ewerk 30620]

Out until after the WC.

 

Protect Wilson at all costs.

[Kevin Carr's Gloves 3894]

9 minutes ago, ewerk said:

Out until after the WC.

 

Protect Wilson at all costs.

It’s only 3 games 

 

edit** league games

Edited October 18, 2022 by Kevin Carr's Gloves

[ewerk 30620]

And I really don't want Chris Wood starting any of those games.

[ewerk 30620]

And we've five league games before the WC break.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

i can see wood starting today or at spurs.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

wilson will break down if we use him too much

[ewerk 30620]

1 minute ago, Dr Gloom said:

i can see wood starting today or at spurs.

 

Probably best to save his energy and start him tomorrow.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

 

[wykikitoon 20156]

Trossard linked with us apparently.  Isak will be like a new signing when he finally gets some proper legs.

[thebrokendoll 9244]

should he start on tuesday with wilson on the bench?

it's a yes from me. 

[Christmas Tree 4725]

Yes and ASM

[wykikitoon 20156]

Yes

 

ASM. Who do you drop for him? I cannot see Wor Eddie starting him. It's an away game in a big match. 

[toonotl 2980]

I don't think that Howe will have reached the point where he's questioning his loyalty to the starting XI that has largely got us to this point in the season. Isak would be closer to starting than ASM as I see it as nothing would be lost in terms of defensive effort. But I think Wilson will be shown loyalty for his early season form (and probably rightly so at this stage). Howe has said that he's mindful that Wilson has lacked training ground time in recent months owing to the WC and the illness he had when he returned from Qatar. I think this is a hint that Howe backs Wilson to get a goal and get back to his early season form. I think that Wilson deserves such a show of faith for previous performances.

 

I especially don't think we'll see ASM into the starting lineup away from home in such an important game. Howe talks a lot about 'not disrupting the balance of the side' when it comes to making changes and I think this largely relates to his view that it isn't worth sacrificing our defensive shape and workrate for a more aggressive formation or the introduction of the flair of ASM (at least not yet) and I tend to agree with him. The return leg at home may be another story, especially if we need a win.

 

The players that have been starting have earned Howe's patience and loyalty. And I would argue they've earned the same from us as supporters. We're third in the league for crying out loud with a team that is playing above themselves and playing largely without support from a full squad given the lack of depth that we have in the 25-man group. I think solidarity with the starting XI is the best course of action at the moment.

[Dr Gloom 21924]

I’ve been impressed with ASM’s cameos. He’s working hard to make an impression and is pushing for a start alongside Isak.

 

I would be tempted to rotate Wilson for Isak and Willock or Longstaff for ASM. Big Joe back in LCM doesn’t necessarily weaken us defensively as he can still help Burn out from that position.