Todd Cantwell at 10 vs Bournemouth?

[Pugin 601]

For the last 15 mins at Old Trafford, Todd Cantwell played in his best no 10 position and we enjoyed our most creative spell of the game. Surely it has reached the point  where Daniel Farke has to move him across to the position where he will excel even more. As a last throw of the dice, it's a bramah.

[Thirsty Lizard 3,155]

I always think it's a bit of a misnomer to talk about the no 10 for this current City side. Reason being that our attacking formation is so fluid and the players are so interchangeable in the attacking positions they take up (particularly Todd and Emi) that you can't really pigeonhole them as right winger/left winger/no 10 in the way that you could for many other teams. (Hernandez does tend to stay out wide a lot more when he's playing though). 

[Pugin 601]

Agree that. The fundamental difference is the distance which it is necessary to travel to get into defensive positions. The wide men have to push 12kms just to do their job.

[Thirsty Lizard 3,155]

2 hours ago, Pugin said:

Agree that. The fundamental difference is the distance which it is necessary to travel to get into defensive positions. The wide men have to push 12kms just to do their job.

Yes, absolutely true. I almost added to my original post that the fact that our nominally wide players (Todd and Emi) are often in attacking positions well away from 'their wing' can sometimes make it difficult/impossible for them to get back into their wide defensive positions when we lose the ball. 

[Clint 221]

I’d be very happy with Todd down the middle and Onel brought in out wide.

[Half Ar5ed Hipster 82]

5 hours ago, Pugin said:

As a last throw of the dice

'Ang on, we're 7 pts clear of safety but we ain't relegated yet. But sure, could give it a go, but why'd we hire Duda? I say throw Duda in this weekend and against Burnley in the FA Cup to get the lad up to speed.

 

[Mason 47 1,373]

Personally I would argue caution with this 'try X at 10' thing that comes around every now and then.

Buendia and Cantwell benefit massively from sitting in the half spaces, which is why both routinely pop up with telling contributions these days. Todd in particular really doesn't deal well with getting bullied and has almost zero aerial presence, both of which are a big part of our version of a #10.

I'd say both players, as our 2 most productive attacking players after Teemu, are better off playing where they've been played.

[Chumino 57]

1 hour ago, Half Ar5ed Hipster said:

'Ang on, we're 7 pts clear of safety but we ain't relegated yet. But sure, could give it a go, but why'd we hire Duda? I say throw Duda in this weekend and against Burnley in the FA Cup to get the lad up to speed.

 

Yes

[Surfer 1,547]

If you want to roll the dice put Duda straight in at # 10. It’s why we arranged his loan. 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Surfer

[Capt. Pants 4,195]

26 minutes ago, Surfer said:

If you want to roll the dice put Duda straight in at # 10. It’s why we arranged his loan. 

Quite. And I also agree with Mason's point that Cantwell doesn't have the physicality to hold the ball up. 

[Pugin 601]

2 hours ago, Capt. Pants said:

Quite. And I also agree with Mason's point that Cantwell doesn't have the physicality to hold the ball up. 

A number 10 isn't there to receive the ball with his back to goal. (A deep-lying 9 maybe is). Nor to win the ball in the air. Think more along the lines of Sir Wes or David Silva.

Todd's spatial awareness and mobility would make him available to receive the ball either facing forward, on the half turn, or breaking at speed. In possession, he would then have the options of passes to (say) Pukki, Emi and maybe Onel and another, or to drive into the box where players would fear to tackle him.

I am sure this is the way his career will develop and it's why the top teams are captivated by him. It's a question of when, not if. We will just have to wait and see, but the season is trickling away from us.

[Mello Yello 2,277]

Love Todd, he's certainly not yet the finished article, and occasionally naive and sometimes frustrating.....He will improve, whether that be with us or at pastures new.......

Like Mr Maddison, enjoy Todd whilst it lasts......I want him to go onto better things......I'm pretty sure he will.......

[Mason 47 1,373]

2 hours ago, Pugin said:

A number 10 isn't there to receive the ball with his back to goal. (A deep-lying 9 maybe is). Nor to win the ball in the air. Think more along the lines of Sir Wes or David Silva.

Todd's spatial awareness and mobility would make him available to receive the ball either facing forward, on the half turn, or breaking at speed. In possession, he would then have the options of passes to (say) Pukki, Emi and maybe Onel and another, or to drive into the box where players would fear to tackle him.

I agree in principle with what you say but where you define a traditional #10 I was looking more at our particular use of the position.

Since Pukki played a few games at the start of last season there, Stiepermann and McLean are the two main incumbents of that position. Both have been preferred for their physical presence and ability to challenge in the air, ostensibly playing as the foil for the other attackers to do the damage.

Playing in the centre means facing high-level defensive midfielders and centre halves, hence between Stiepermann, McLean and Leitner we've seen 1 goal and 1 assist all season (the goal being a header from a corner). Todd and Emi on the other hand have contributed to 15 goals (over half our total) and I believe moving either into the middle will stunt their ability to affect games positively.

[Pugin 601]

6 minutes ago, Mason 47 said:

I agree in principle with what you say but where you define a traditional #10 I was looking more at our particular use of the position.

Since Pukki played a few games at the start of last season there, Stiepermann and McLean are the two main incumbents of that position. Both have been preferred for their physical presence and ability to challenge in the air, ostensibly playing as the foil for the other attackers to do the damage.

Playing in the centre means facing high-level defensive midfielders and centre halves, hence between Stiepermann, McLean and Leitner we've seen 1 goal and 1 assist all season (the goal being a header from a corner). Todd and Emi on the other hand have contributed to 15 goals (over half our total) and I believe moving either into the middle will stunt their ability to affect games positively.

I shall bump this, my friend, when Todd is tearing it up as a number 10 🙂

[Mason 47 1,373]

1 minute ago, Pugin said:

I shall bump this, my friend, when Todd is tearing it up as a number 10 🙂

I'll be happy to be wrong! I just don't think it's happening this season, particularly considering the Slovakian international we just signed.

[Surfer 1,547]

Oh Todd could certainly make a fine # 10, but as Mason 47  explained, not in this team.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Surfer

[BobLoz3 492]

15 hours ago, Half Ar5ed Hipster said:

'Ang on, we're 7 pts clear of safety but we ain't relegated yet. But sure, could give it a go, but why'd we hire Duda? I say throw Duda in this weekend and against Burnley in the FA Cup to get the lad up to speed.

 

I agree man, but Farke probably won't do that. Don't get your hopes up! Depends on how well Duda has done in training I guess. But as a lot of us have said already, Farke likes to take a bit of time with new recruits in order for them to get up to speed with how we play.

I can see Duda perhaps being on the bench but would be very surprised if he started.

Edited January 16, 2020 by BobLoz3