[Albion] Come on then geniuses what's The TinkerMan supposed to do?

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

I would play 3 CBs - Burn, Dunk, Duffy. I'd then play Bernardo and Lamptey wing-backs, Propper and Stephens in the middle, McAllister behind the front two which will be Maupay and Murray.

I believe Potter set out to play 3 at the back with genuine wing backs so he should go with what he believes in. However, when the chips are down you need defenders who can defend, strikers who can finish.

TBH I haven't seen much of Lamptey or anything of McAllister but starting for Chelsea vs Arsenal and starting for Argentina are good enough for me.

The whole 3 centre back thing is really puzzling me, as far as I can tell we don’t really have a traditional left back or right back in the squad, Schelotto, Montoya, Bernardo are clearly suited as wing backs (no idea about Lamptey, guess we’ll find out in the Championship), a back 5 could give us defensive resilience, attacking width and PACE, something the rest of the team is utterly bereft of.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The whole 3 centre back thing is really puzzling me, as far as I can tell we don’t really have a traditional left back or right back in the squad, Schelotto, Montoya, Bernardo are clearly suited as wing backs (no idea about Lamptey, guess we’ll find out in the Championship), a back 5 could give us defensive resilience, attacking width and PACE, something the rest of the team is utterly bereft of.

In all honesty, I don't think either of those 3 are that good, hence Burn has been adapted to LB, and we've been chopping and changing the RB. Don't think Montoya or Bernardo are suited to wing-backs either, as neither can cross the ball, and Montoya can't beat a player. Schelotto out of the 3 is probably best suited to it, but can be a bit 'headless'.

Montoya and Bernardo in particular appear to me massively overrated by sections of our fan-base for some reason, either that or I'm wrong in thinking they're distinctly average as full backs at this level.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

In all honesty, I don't think either of those 3 are that good, hence Burn has been adapted to LB, and we've been chopping and changing the RB. Don't think Montoya or Bernardo are suited to wing-backs either, as neither can cross the ball, and Montoya can't beat a player. Schelotto out of the 3 is probably best suited to it, but can be a bit 'headless'.

Montoya and Bernardo in particular appear to me massively overrated by sections of our fan-base for some reason, either that or I'm wrong in thinking they're distinctly average as full backs at this level.

Disagree re Bernardo, he looks icomfortable at this level and rarely makes a mistake, as a LB Burns body shape is all wrong and at times he is found out. Sheffield away he got an absolute roasting. That decision alone is mystifying to me.

Montoya is not the ling term answer, but if you want the ‘best’ defender he is your man.




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[One Teddy Maybank]

The whole 3 centre back thing is really puzzling me, as far as I can tell we don’t really have a traditional left back or right back in the squad, Schelotto, Montoya, Bernardo are clearly suited as wing backs (no idea about Lamptey, guess we’ll find out in the Championship), a back 5 could give us defensive resilience, attacking width and PACE, something the rest of the team is utterly bereft of.

3 CBs is one of the issues to me. I don’t see it as resilient at all.

It is a formation that is too easily broken down. You simply cannot defend with 10 yard gaps between CBs.


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[Bold Seagull]

Disagree re Bernardo, he looks icomfortable at this level and rarely makes a mistake, as a LB Burns body shape is all wrong and at times he is found out. Sheffield away he got an absolute roasting. That decision alone is mystifying to me.

Montoya is not the ling term answer, but if you want the ‘best’ defender he is your man.

Being the best defender out of Montoya and Schelotto isn't necessarily a good defender. I've lost count how many goals we concede down our right when Montoya is playing. It was his poor challenge Saturday that led to their goal. It's no wonder Alzate was tried as an alternative, and March for that matter.

As for Bernardo, I don't see it. Burn offers more defensively and defensively. You might be mystified on that one, but I'm in Potter's camp there so we'll have to agree to disagree. Even Hughton was torn between Bong and Bernardo last season.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Being the best defender out of Montoya and Schelotto isn't necessarily a good defender. I've lost count how many goals we concede down our right when Montoya is playing. It was his poor challenge Saturday that led to their goal. It's no wonder Alzate was tried as an alternative, and March for that matter.

As for Bernardo, I don't see it. Burn offers more defensively and defensively. You might be mystified on that one, but I'm in Potter's camp there so we'll have to agree to disagree. Even Hughton was torn between Bong and Bernardo last season.

Re Bernardo and Hughton, when he got his place (after the dreadful start at Watford) and was fit he played under Hughton only missing out through injury.

I would agree that neither Montoya or Schelotto are fit for purpose, so give Lamptey a go.


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[DarrenFreemansPerm]

3 CBs is one of the issues to me. I don’t see it as resilient at all.

It is a formation that is too easily broken down. You simply cannot defend with 10 yard gaps between CBs.


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In my mind I’m visualising the 3 centre backs in a 5-3-2, not with them basically standing in the full back positions. They were very solid against Sheffield United and could have been a clean sheet but for Ryan choosing to not try and save the shot.

 

[Stat Brother]

Agreed. Other than Dunk we don’t possess a single player that we’d be screwed if they were missing. An average squad of players all on a similar level of ability.

Naturally I agree, but I will caveat that with the firm belief 11 players could comfortably own their starting spot if they played consistently close to their best.

Not actually lights out, over and about what we've seen already, but just put in back to back to back 90 minute performances.

Sure the likes of Solly, Groß and Ali would have to stretch their 20 minutes into 90, then on again.

But the fact for me still remains they are all good enough, with room to spare, yet I haven't really had a problem with any of the 'rotation' and going by their form neither should any of the players.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Naturally I agree, but I will caveat that with the firm belief 11 players could comfortably own their starting spot if they played consistently close to their best.

Not actually lights out, over and about what we've seen already, but just put in back to back to back 90 minute performances.

Sure the likes of Solly, Groß and Ali would have to stretch their 20 minutes into 90, then on again.

But the fact for me still remains they are all good enough, with room to spare, yet I haven't really had a problem with any of the 'rotation' and going by their form neither should any of the players.

Agreed.

 

[Weststander]

In all honesty, I don't think either of those 3 are that good, hence Burn has been adapted to LB, and we've been chopping and changing the RB. Don't think Montoya or Bernardo are suited to wing-backs either, as neither can cross the ball, and Montoya can't beat a player. Schelotto out of the 3 is probably best suited to it, but can be a bit 'headless'.

Montoya and Bernardo in particular appear to me massively overrated by sections of our fan-base for some reason, either that or I'm wrong in thinking they're distinctly average as full backs at this level.

Agree with you 100% about Montoya, I just don't get it. It's an ex-Barca thing.

But Bernardo is a quality FB, he never lets us down, how many gaffs in all his starts? How often skinned for a goal?

 

[Weststander]

Being the best defender out of Montoya and Schelotto isn't necessarily a good defender. I've lost count how many goals we concede down our right when Montoya is playing. It was his poor challenge Saturday that led to their goal. It's no wonder Alzate was tried as an alternative, and March for that matter.

Agree again.

Redmond every single time, Jota, R.Fraser, D.McNeil, turn MM inside out, outpace him over any distance.

 

[Silverhatch]

Play BIG Dan Burn up front with Murray and go route ONE on the PL

 

[Bold Seagull]

Agree with you 100% about Montoya, I just don't get it. It's an ex-Barca thing.

But Bernardo is a quality FB, he never lets us down, how many gaffs in all his starts? How often skinned for a goal?

Depends if Antonio is playing or not...

 

[Weststander]

I totally agree that Hughton did a good job in his time at the club. Where it seems I differ is that I think we would be bottom of the table now if we'd started this season with the same tactics - and there was very little indication he'd change. It was clear by the end of the campaign that he'd more or less lost the dressing room and that key players were very unhappy with being told to hold back all the time. His cautious approach gave the creative players little chance to shine at all and, in the case of new signings, next to no chance of fulfilling their potential. Ali J being a prime example.

Murray's finishing was good - thank goodness, because he was scoring just about every chance we were creating. This season, although he's had limited chances, he hasn't seized those opportunities to make himself indispensable, bar the West Ham game perhaps. Totally agree our finishing has been poor this season but we're still in reasonable shape for the run-in. Creating chances offers hope of the wins we need. We had next to no hope of saving ourselves last year beyond this stage, where we resorted to sitting 11 players behind the ball at all times, praying for a draw. Watch the extended highlights of Saturday's game now the dust has settled and it becomes clear why the likes of Dan Burn are still convinced that the team can keep themselves out of danger.

Muzza's stats (per the PL website, etc)
2017/18: 25 starts, 12 goals, 9 big chances missed.
2018/19: 30 starts, 13 goals, 6 big chances missed.
2019/20: 6 starts, 1 goal, 4 big chances missed.

Big chances missed:
Maupay 8
Trossard 5
Connolly 4
Mooy 3
Propper 2
March 1
Alzate 1
Jahanbakhsh 0
Gross 0

Muzza's been a footnote to this season, the 37 year old rarely started by Potter.

You're right, our finishing has been poor.

 

[A1X]

Big chances missed:
Maupay 8
Trossard 5
Connolly 4
Mooy 3
Propper 2
March 1
Alzate 1
Jahanbakhsh 0
Gross 0

Looking at this personally I feel like the Trossard one is the worst. Maupay may have more but as a striker he's going to get himself into those positions more often, but Trossard needs to be much more clinical than that.

 

[Icy Gull]

Depends if Antonio is playing or not...

In the same vein and the fact that they play us on Saturday would it be unsporting of me to be pleased that Traore is a big doubt having dislocated his shoulder for the third time last weekend.

 

[Super Steve Earle]

Just popped in to say I would probably play this team at Wolves:

Ryan, Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, ,Bernardo, Stephens, Propper, Alzate, Gross, Murray, Maupay.

That's it for me now till after the match.

 

[Bold Seagull]

In the same vein and the fact that they play us on Saturday would it be unsporting of me to be pleased that Traore is a big doubt having dislocated his shoulder for the third time last weekend.

No, we gifted goals to Jota, it was Traore we couldn't cope with. I think we're at the stage when we'll take anything!

(the 2-2 was another decent performance, and a really entertaining game).

 

[Weststander]

Just popped in to say I would probably play this team at Wolves:

Ryan, Montoya, Dunk, Duffy, ,Bernardo, Stephens, Propper, Alzate, Gross, Murray, Maupay.

That's it for me now till after the match.

Montoya up against Jota. Game over.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Montoya up against Jota. Game over.