Sami considers new players

[Kneon Light]

We need a quality midfield player, strikers who don't receive the ball in scoring positions won't score. How many goals have the midfield contributed this season? Someone with vision, someone who can at least hit the target, someone who can take a corner that passes the first man, a dead ball professional. I view our problem not as the strikers but as the midfield, its full of very average 5m pass men.

Someone like McCourt for instance?
I think we have the players (at least to be mid-table) but they are not being used correctly.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Someone like McCourt for instance?
I think we have the players (at least to be mid-table) but they are not being used correctly.

Which brings us neatly full circle; do we mould players to fit the system - or mould the system to fit the players?

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Can't agree. If club had identified Jones as the next manager then why not appoint him when Garcia walked? in another scenario where Sami and Jones had taken us to the top two and then Sami took up his dream job elsewhere, then maybe. But surely not as it stands....

Because it was felt he needed more experience, before stepping up? I'm not saying he would be my choice (because he most certainly isn't), but given FFP a potential settlement with Hyypia, our hand might be forced.

 

[spanish flair]

The thought of Jones and Burke selecting new players (after Obika) terrifies me.

 

[perseus]

The thought of Jones and Burke selecting new players (after Obika) terrifies me.

I see your point. I think Obika will turn out to be a good player, even up to Championship level. Except we could not wait for him to learn by his mistakes. This applies to all youngsters, always a risky proposition.

Of all the summer signings, McCourt was the one I was most pleased about. Someone to prise open stubborn defences, probably as substitute envisaged, with Lualua starting every game.

 

[perseus]

This is a good assessment. I think there are a lot of positives this season -- and I know this might ire a few on here -- including Hyypia and his system. There are two drawbacks:
-- mistakes at back, see Stockdale, Dunk has even made a few, and there have been some positional lapses (Bennett, especially) as a result of Hyypia's system
-- misfiring up-front, this is a combination of: our strikers not taking their chances; our strikers poor positional play in the box; our strikers not being decisive, aggressive, etc in the box; our midfielders shooting from too far out; some great goalkeeping; and some assistant/refereeing errors.

I think Stockdale may not have been first choice and we could have got usurped by Wednesday over Westwood and I thought the two Steeles, either of them would have made a good signing.

I am not an unconditional Hyypia fan and not a fan of Nathan Jones. I do not like the idea of two advancing full-backs, (or the shape of 3-5-2 or even 4-2-3-1) as I am an advocate of 4-3-3/4-4-2 but the players may not be good enough for the classic 4-3-3 right now so I will have to bear with the strategy.

I thought we needed a specialist "attacking coach" (Danish style preferably) and this is not just Hyypia as I thought it under Poyet.

Biggest concern is the Calderon defending (or lack of) at right back though. His forward play is better than most with two assists this season.

 

[KingstonSeagull]

About bloody time!

 

[perseus]

Nervousness and lack of composure in front of goal, Sami says.

I agree this is part of the problem. This was definitely indicated against when Teixeira lofted over down at the south end against Boro early on. Lack of confidence from O'Grady when he first from long range in the second half. Is Colunga fit enough to run a bit faster? And Lualua looked if he could slim down a bit, but now he is stronger on the ball, but disappointed that he could not outsprint Fredericks of Boro.

Ron Hunt is the reserve right back. Is he any good? Could he made make the bench?

Strangely, I was more worried about the failure to dominate against Bolton, but I think that was down to them being better than their league position.

I more worried about Calderon at right back than Chicksen at left. Commentators were slating Chicksen for letting Scannell go inside, but that was his much weaker foot. Worrying that Huddersfield were able to blunt our attack in the second half and settle for a draw.

Charlton were a bit rubbishy but they had the rub of the green.

 

[Machiavelli]

I think Stockdale may not have been first choice and we could have got usurped by Wednesday over Westwood and I thought the two Steeles, either of them would have made a good signing.

I am not an unconditional Hyypia fan and not a fan of Nathan Jones. I do not like the idea of two advancing full-backs, (or the shape of 3-5-2 or even 4-2-3-1) as I am an advocate of 4-3-3/4-4-2 but the players may not be good enough for the classic 4-3-3 right now so I will have to bear with the strategy.

I thought we needed a specialist "attacking coach" (Danish style preferably) and this is not just Hyypia as I thought it under Poyet.

Biggest concern is the Calderon defending (or lack of) at right back though. His forward play is better than most with two assists this season.

I would tweak Sami's system, and introduce two defensive midfield players if we're going to play with wing- (rather than full-)backs, as we are. This to me seems tailor-made for a Holla and Ince partnership, with the former sitting and directing play, and the latter a tad more mobile and dynamic. This is far more like how Brazil played when they won the World Cup in 2002, and seems to be what you mean by 4-2-3-1.
I'd always start Bruno ahead of Calde at right back, if both fit.

 

[perseus]

Shape of Things

I would tweak Sami's system, and introduce two defensive midfield players if we're going to play with wing- (rather than full-)backs, as we are. This to me seems tailor-made for a Holla and Ince partnership, with the former sitting and directing play, and the latter a tad more mobile and dynamic. This is far more like how Brazil played when they won the World Cup in 2002, and seems to be what you mean by 4-2-3-1.
I'd always start Bruno ahead of Calde at right back, if both fit.

Mathematics and geometry.

1) I think we only need a string of four players to cover the width of the pitch. 4-4-2 (although inflexible)
2) We can only play on one wing at a time. (one winger and an overlapping full back on the other side)

Box to box midfielder (central or swapping around) can drop back into the second midfield role when we lose possession. (Stephens or Ince)

So not 4-2-3-1 for me. 4-4-1-1 or 4-3-3.

I always remember how Norway beat Brazil (3-5-2) in the 1998 World Cup with a much inferior team. Overlapping full backs got exploited. Sami would have been 15 then.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Because it was felt he needed more experience, before stepping up? I'm not saying he would be my choice (because he most certainly isn't), but given FFP a potential settlement with Hyypia, our hand might be forced.

If there's one area of recruitment we can't skimp on, it's the next manager. Cutting costs by taking on an unproven leader Nathan Jones is horribly risky. Bloom may be a gambler, but he's not unhinged...

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

If there's one area of recruitment we can't skimp on, it's the next manager. Cutting costs by taking on an unproven leader Nathan Jones is horribly risky. Bloom may be a gambler, but he's not unhinged...

Let's see - I hope you are right. Of course my preference would be to win the next 15 games, starting tomorrow.

 

[perseus]

Simple tactics

We might actually play like this



http://bleacherreport.com/articles/...france-conquered-world-cup-1998-and-euro-2000

It was good enough for France to win the World Cup, but they had good players and I think they won not because of the system but in despite of it.

I don't like it. I like a wide player. I like the lop-sided 4-3-3 of Poyet but we haven't got the players for it.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

Simply, we either need to sign a bloody good striker, or work out a system that will get our current strikers scoring.

 

[Codner's Wallop]

Let's see - I hope you are right. Of course my preference would be to win the next 15 games, starting tomorrow.

With this all the way!

 

[Tony Meolas Loan Spell]

Simply, we either need to sign a bloody good striker, or work out a system that will get our current strikers scoring.

Have to be the second one. Anyone good wont be cheap and we do love cheap.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

View attachment 59609

I think we should still play a keeper.

 

[portslade seagull]

Maybe Sami is considering something else now

 

[fleet]

Giving him money to spend on new players now is arranging the deck chairs on the titanic. Change manager or we are going down.

 

[colonies man]

Not one for panic changes of managers,but I think we are past the dont panic time.Results and the table dont lie.