Il Pirata

Good sub Farke! C'mon city!

Farke subs, please, be brave!

Disappointed with no Vrancic, Hernandez or Buendia. I feel like a broken record of late.. but that starting eleven lacks any real pace or directness. It oozes slow build up play, no physicality and general predictability. Here's hoping.... OTBC.

No CDM or CB. Doesn't matter how good we are in attack with the likes of Buendia, Duda and Pukki, defensively we're still too vulnerable at this level.

Why are we unique to every other football club in the world?

Leitner has barely been given a chance in his preferred role, which is CDM next to a Tettey type. He was awesome against Newcastle. Admittedly poor against Villa, but who wasn't? Kenny Mclean was just as poor next to him. After that, Farke used him in the number 10 position, which isn't where he's effective. Most now seem to be judging his ability on a couple of poor performances in an unfamiliar position, amongst a time when we had terrible injuries and next to no team cohesion. For me, it's another example of Farke not utilising the tools available effectively. Mclean, who I do like, is clearly favoured. And who can honestly say Mclean is streets ahead of Leitner? Now admitted, I'm basing my opinion on the supposed 'fallout' being speculation. After all, Farke himself quashed this rumour.

Had 20 mins at CDM against Southampton, before being moved to a right side of a back three. Clearly not a position he would excel in! The only time he's been played correctly in his correct position for a substantial amount of time to judge his ability, was Arsenal. And he was excellent. It seems from the outside looking in, Amadou hasn't been given a fair crack. Like quite a few players during the Farke era. But we have to trust Farke's judgment.

Yeah, me too. Flashbacks that is, but vs Newcastle at home.. I was being facetious by the way.

Played well, deserves to keep his place.

Problem is, when those players come in, players who contributed to todays performance, like Vrancic, go out! Our best eleven isn't today, nor was it our last league game. It's somewhere in-between and Farke needs to work it out. There's eleven players in our squad good enough for the EPL, and good enough to win more games. I'm convinced of that. But will Farke work it out? And if so, will it be in time? One way or another, I think Vrancic has to play. Two assists today, a goal and an 'assist' against spurs... He can really make it happen for us.

Perhaps if you played Leitner, you might win some matches Daniel? 😉

Very decent win. Show's what we have available in the squad. Further supports the argument that Farke doesn't utilise his resources effectively in the League. Not saying todays 11 is the answer, clearly not, but quite a few out there should be used more often. Hopefully Drmic can prove his fitness longer term, there's definitely a player there and a very decent alternative to Pukki.

Idah is nowhere near ready for regular EPL football yet. A loan move to the championship would be fantastic for his development, assuming he gets to play.

I's still fully behind Farke, but have some concerns. Firstly, his inability to utilise the squad as a whole is frustrating. I don't buy the line 'he can only work with what he's got' - he's got more available to him than he choses to use, for whatever reason that might be. But it isn't about quality, Leitner and Amadou, for example, definitely have enough about them to have made some positive impact. As for the CDM and centre back roles, Webber can't be blamed for not recruiting the players when Farke continually praises the likes of Tettey and Zimmerman, and plays them week in week out. I made the point on another thread, this club should not be in a position where it relies on a 33 year old Alex Tettey in the EPL. And I think that's more to do with Farke than recruitment. The Ben Godfrey thing too. I understand he has potential to be a quality centre back. But that doesn't mean he can't ever play CDM again, does it? Surely he could get experience in both positions. I know how Farke see's him, but he's not actually seen Godfrey play the CDM role for us to make a reasoned judgment, surely? Secondly, and this has been done to death recently, his in-game-adaptability is virtually non-existent. I firmly believe this has cost us a substantial number of points recently. Despite this, if Farke and Webber are committed to the next two seasons and have a plan in place, I'm happy to back them in the hope this sees us return to the premiership in a stronger position. One things for sure though, we need to be investing a bit more than we are for quality players. Not ten's of millions, but even Brentford spent £5 million on a centre half in the summer. Pontus Janssen, would have a been a perfect signing for us, wouldn't he? Farke often mentions the lack of spending as a factor in our inabilities to compete, but I do wonder how much this is down to Farke wanting to play certain players, resulting in Webber not recruiting replacements. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I'm sure Webber wouldn't sit back if Farke was knocking on his door saying we need to upgrade Tettey and Zim asap. Webber doesn't just buy players using a scatter gun approach, and throw them to Farke to use. Farke must have a say as to what he thinks he needs. Which makes the Rupp signing, a little bizarre.

He should be good for the last 20.....seconds.

Tettey isn't consistently good enough for this level anymore. He's just not mobile enough and his passing under pressure is poor. This is where you have to look at the Amadou situation and wonder if he should have been used more, so that he could've been a credible option at this point of the season. Week in, week out, with Tettey, isn't where we should be now.

We're still in this. Absolutely imperative we don't concede again or its curtains. Pukki should have put at least one away, his finishing is a bit off at the minute. Still, I fancy him to score tonight. Hernandez and Drmic to inject a bit of speed and directness?

Too easy to play against, especially away from home. We're so inferior in terms of physicality, power and speed, that we are pressed into mistakes all too often. Get Hernandez on and give Spurs something to think about.

Fair opinion. I'd argue he hasn't had as much opportunity though, and the attributes he offers (which you mention above), would be hugely beneficial with half an hour to go against tiring defenders. The point isn't so much Todd or Onel, but Farke's inability to effectively utilise both at the right times. We don't need to be 0-3 down for Henandez to come on and have the same effect he did against Forest last season, for example. We lost too many points over the Christmas period reacting too slow to changes in the balance of games.

I wouldn't put Hernandez in the 'lack of quality category.' He's the player most want to see come on, and with reasoned logic.

Each to there own! Three solid midfielders away from home against the champions league finalists seems sensible to me.. granted I can't see Farke going for it. Obviously you weren't at Manchester United.

Krul Aarons Zimmerman Hanley Byram Tettey Amadou Trybull Hernandez Duda Pukki

As ever, statistic's present a different angle and make for some interesting reading. However, they can overshadow what actually happens. They are very black and white, and often fail to accurately represent or quantify dynamic factors such as players roles with systems and their effect on the team as a whole. I certainly don't need statistics to disprove what I saw from Cantwell at Bournemouth (A), Everton and Leicester, where he noticeably faded around the 60-70 minute mark. As I've said before, this is probably to do with the amount of work he does earlier in the game. You might argue that he consistently covers more ground than most, and stats probably back this up. But I saw him a yard slower to the ball, out of position more often, and less effective in possession - of which stats will not show. This isn't a Cantwell bash by the way!

Amadou next to Tettey tonight? I imagine Kenny will be pushed up to replace Buendia. I suppose Trybull is more likely, but I wouldn't be against two powerful CDMs tonight.

Fair enough, I clearly got it wrong on this occasion. I didn't watch the game, but based my opinion of the evidence of other games I've been to this season where Cantwell has clearly been the player to fade first due to fatigue, and the obvious player to make way for Hernandez. Perhaps its more an away from home thing, where the players have to work that extra bit harder.