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Big O

Number 10

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I think of all positions in the team, this is the one that is causing us most issue to get right and the loss of productivity from here is the big difference in our attacking output.

stieprmann scored a lot of goals from number 10 position and had a good link up with Pukki in 18/19 but no one has really replaced him for 2 years. Vrancic is a wonderful footballer and drops deep to play but doesn’t often get past Pukki, he has done well but isn’t perhaps the long term answer.

Buendia is our best player but he does seem to have a great join up with Aaron’s, who always seems to play better when behind Emi.

Personally I would quite like Dowell to be given a run in the team albeit I may keep it to Vrancic for Friday night. Does anyone else think Dowell is the answer or do we need to invest here going forward. 

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15 minutes ago, Big O said:

I think of all positions in the team, this is the one that is causing us most issue to get right and the loss of productivity from here is the big difference in our attacking output.

stieprmann scored a lot of goals from number 10 position and had a good link up with Pukki in 18/19 but no one has really replaced him for 2 years. Vrancic is a wonderful footballer and drops deep to play but doesn’t often get past Pukki, he has done well but isn’t perhaps the long term answer.

Buendia is our best player but he does seem to have a great join up with Aaron’s, who always seems to play better when behind Emi.

Personally I would quite like Dowell to be given a run in the team albeit I may keep it to Vrancic for Friday night. Does anyone else think Dowell is the answer or do we need to invest here going forward. 

Way too early to judge Dowell, he was just getting up to speed and then had three months out with injury. I think it's fair to say that regardless of what division we're in, it's unlikely that we'll be using Vrancic and Stiepermann next season, so I think that Dowell could be the answer but we need reinforcements there anyway. I think Kenny could do the 10 role at PL level, he's a step up from Stiepermann for sure and gives us more defensive solidity (we might well often play more like a 4-5-1 than a 4-2-3-1 if we get promoted).

I think that either Cantwell or Buendia (if they stay) could play in that role easily enough; if Farke wants to play three narrow attacking midfielders then they'll probably stay as the wider ones, but the development of Placheta, Mumba and Martin (plus Onel) could indicate a desire to move towards more traditional pacy wingers if we go up.

Bottom line: I believe we'll need to invest in that position whether or not we go up, and whether or not we hang on to Emi and/or Todd.

EDIT: I'm working on the proviso that neither Sinani nor Soto will be good enough for the PL, but we may get a nice surprise.

Edited by Feedthewolf

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 I haven’t seen enough of him tbh to know. He looks like he has talent but whether that is enough to fill this key role for us, I don’t know. 

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12 minutes ago, Big O said:

I think of all positions in the team, this is the one that is causing us most issue to get right and the loss of productivity from here is the big difference in our attacking output.

stieprmann scored a lot of goals from number 10 position and had a good link up with Pukki in 18/19 but no one has really replaced him for 2 years. Vrancic is a wonderful footballer and drops deep to play but doesn’t often get past Pukki, he has done well but isn’t perhaps the long term answer.

Buendia is our best player but he does seem to have a great join up with Aaron’s, who always seems to play better when behind Emi.

Personally I would quite like Dowell to be given a run in the team albeit I may keep it to Vrancic for Friday night. Does anyone else think Dowell is the answer or do we need to invest here going forward. 

Dowell was probably signed to fill that position. Waiting for him to get fit, then get Match fit and stay fit has taken til february.

I think we shouldve got someone In January to strengthen that, as mario and McLean arent natural 10s, stiepermann has had his problems and he clearly doesn't fancy Cantwell or Emi there.

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Just now, Big O said:

 I haven’t seen enough of him tbh to know. He looks like he has talent but whether that is enough to fill this key role for us, I don’t know. 

Same buddy.

I watched him on Monday and he looked better first half as a 10 than second half as lone striker. 

First half he looked the best footballer on the pitch.

So maybe a long term option? Or perhaps still seen as a striker.

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11 minutes ago, Big O said:

I think of all positions in the team, this is the one that is causing us most issue to get right and the loss of productivity from here is the big difference in our attacking output.

stieprmann scored a lot of goals from number 10 position and had a good link up with Pukki in 18/19 but no one has really replaced him for 2 years. Vrancic is a wonderful footballer and drops deep to play but doesn’t often get past Pukki, he has done well but isn’t perhaps the long term answer.

Buendia is our best player but he does seem to have a great join up with Aaron’s, who always seems to play better when behind Emi.

Personally I would quite like Dowell to be given a run in the team albeit I may keep it to Vrancic for Friday night. Does anyone else think Dowell is the answer or do we need to invest here going forward. 

Completely agree.

I've mentioned before in another thread that a Deli Alli type player (when he was good) would be perfect for us - someone who can be physical, link the play up and get 10+ goals a season in the prem. 

Whether Dowell is that guy remains to be seen, as he hasn't really had the time to shine. 

If we go up, that's an area that I really hope that we'll invest and unearth a gem.

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I mean I for one think that Gordon Brown was probably number 10's best recent resident and he get's a bad rep and it's really unfair..

 

Wait what we talking about again

Edited by cambridgeshire canary

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Vrancic is a wonderful footballer but he isn't very good back-to-goal, so a lot of the times our attacks end getting played to what's in front of him i.e. Gibson and Hanley. Based on the noise about Stiepermann I wouldn't be surprised to not see him again this year, and Dowell (having injuries and very little match fitness notwithstanding) seems to go missing for large stretches.

McLean is the one for me with current options. Bit of bite, engine, carries a goal threat and good in the air.

 

 

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But with Marco his goal threat and performances at the cutting edge side of things have not moved on since our promotion season. Sometime players have that season when they play at 10% above their ability level and I am not saying that was the case but no doubt it was Marcos best season of his career.

I agree when he came back in he does link up with Pukki brilliantly, but I also think we are looking back at that promotion season.

It is a tough position for us to fill at the moment and I believe Dowell is the player that we want to be the starter, so hopefully he can be injury free and have a good run through the next few months.

At the moment however we need a player to rise and give that little extra to get us over the winning line. It is grueling this season with short weeks and also many issues for players with families and friends during this crazy time for us all across the globe. But we now need to find that spark again, a moment of genius or a player or 2 playing at a high level which carries us for a couple of games gain 3 points.

 

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Dowell was definately signed for this role, a goal scoring number 10. Based on his reputation and career so far, he’s certainly  good enough at this level, just been unfortunate with injuries. 

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Not sure about Dowell. Was excited about him earlier, but lately he has seemed to not but lots of effort and been pretty lightweight on duels. That might be fixed by gaining match fitness, so that is what we likely should try. But if it does not improve with run on team, we really have to admit that we don't seem to have decent number 10 in team. 

What I'd love to see is someone with physicality and work rate, being able to support Pukki with runs as well. But bit more technical version than Stiepi.  Maybe someone like Finnish international Robin Lod.

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When I saw Dowell come on for Vrancic at Millwall I just shook my head - cos the change wasn't improving our team - it was doing exactly the opposite. We were taking off a skillful player (struggling on a pretty terrible pitch) and replacing him with a player that had nothing to offer the team ! There's a reason for Vrancic (played out of position) being preferred to No 10 specialist Dowell - let's not use injury as an excuse - he's a very average player. I'm not scrapegoating him for his performance Tuesday night (everyone played badly on that pitch) - I just haven't seen anything in his performances that suggest he has the ability to contribute to a promotion chasing team - our challenge is based on all eleven players contributing - no passengers.

If Kenny or Hernandez or Mumba or Idah had come on for Vrancic - that would have changed the dynamics of the team for the better - basically Dowell was the last man I wanted to see come on.

Being the marquee signing & arriving with a big reputation, we're anticipating something special - I haven't seen anything !. He has come back (from injury) the same time as Kenny but his starts have resulted in losts. Vrancic may be wobbling after 60 minutes but what choice have we got ??!! DF has that part of it right. I wouldn't play him until we are well clear on the scoreboard. I just hope he doesn't become another Husband.

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Dowell scored 5 and assisted 2 in 12 games for Wigan last season, and going back a few seasons scored 9 and assisted 4 for Forest in a full season. He's definitely got ability, but he certainly has yet to stamp his authority on the squad. He still might come good, injury has disrupted him a bit, but he needs to start scoring or providing chances to score in order to keep his place. He was indeed bought in as a long term solution to that no10 role, nobody playing there has yet to make it their own aside of Steipi in our previous promotion season, if we are going to go up automatically we need someone to step up. McLean would be my shout right now, assuming we'll continue with Rupp/Sorensen and Skipp behind

Edited by AJ
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@Feedthewolf Mumba is a full back. He was played wide from the bench, possibly as at the time he was the only wide option we have. It's possible he will progress as a fullback/winger.

We do miss Stiepermann, for several reasons. I always feel that he compliments Pukki brilliantly. He is capable of finding those little passes in and around the box but he is also an awkward player to defend against. He has height and isn't scared of getting physical.

Mario is superb, but he very much prefers the ball on the deck and to be passing it about. Stiepermann can hold up the ball and often makes those runs beyond Pukke because he sees Pukki coming short, goes beyond and can pull those longer balls down if played to him.

In the long run we do need to look a bit more at that position because Vrancic is out of contract come the summer and Stiepermann will be into his last year I believe. Both will be 30+.

I have high hopes that Dowell can become that player, he has the height and the creativity, this season has just been cruel on him. I honestly feel that we are suffering owing to Hugill being out so no plan B and Idah not having had anywhere near the amount of football they probably would have hoped for this season. Part of me feels that he'll need to go out on loan at some point to develop him further unless they plan to start him ahead of Pukki/Hugill any time soon.

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Kenny Maclean must start Friday, even if fails to create a la Mario, his physicality will benefit the team in midfield and/or defensively.  Mario does neither and Dowell plays like a rabbit in the headlights, nearly cost the Millwall game with penalty claim and misplaced pass.  And Kenny might just take a shot from more than 10 yards. 

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2 hours ago, Ken Hairy said:

The new Cody McDonald.... 😉

It's maybe a bit Codyish but I do have high hopes for Soto.  It's been a great story so far this season with the work permit issue and then him getting the games and goals for USA. Could the story still have a fairytale ending?

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