Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
Norfolk camper

Line up for Man City

Recommended Posts

Formation: 4-3-3

                                         Krul  

Aarons.                 Hanley.        Gibson.  Gianoullis

               Lees-Melou.       Gilmour.           Rupp            
Rashica.                      Sargent.            Cantwell 

Edited by Norfolk camper

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

It's just dawned on me to get Tzolis in the team we'd have to be looking at either replacing Cantwell, or dropping Cantwell behind the striker and losing one from midfield - which would hit our defensive line.

Now i'm wondering what happens if Tzolis comes on as a sub for a few matches and does wonders?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
Just now, Google Bot said:

It's just dawned on me to get Tzolis in the team we'd have to be looking at either replacing Cantwell, or dropping Cantwell behind the striker and losing one from midfield - which would hit our defensive line.

Now i'm wondering what happens if Tzolis comes on as a sub for a few matches and does wonders?

I don't think we're currently in a position to pay £10m for a player to sit on the bench 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
8 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

I don't think we're currently in a position to pay £10m for a player to sit on the bench 

So are you suggesting Cantwell is on his way out then?  Cause he's worth triple that. 

I can't see Lees-Melou or Gilmour sitting on the bench, and i also can't see Farke taking Rupp/Sorenson/McClean out of the third midfield position for attacking players like Cantwell/Tzolis. 

I could see a true defensive midfielder replacing Rupp though, and Gilmour coming further forwards.

Seems to me that the Dowell/Steipers Attacking Midfield role which we tried so hard to fill previously (Duda etc.) isn't so critical with our new line up.  Could've completely misread the situation of course, and Tzolis/Cantwell will be eyelined for that position?! 🙂

The more i think about it, the more this seems we are prepping 'if' Cantwell were to leave.

Edited by Google Bot
  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

I wouldn't be surprised if Rashica, Tzolis and Sargent are our preferred front three by the end of the season.  This may be due to the potential departure of Todd by the end of January.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

28 minutes ago, The Bristol Nest said:

On the other hand we must have two players in every position of similar quality to survive in this league.

2 in every position on the pitch on Saturday would certainly help us. 

  • Haha 6

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Spurs were pretty good last weekend at beating the Man City press by passing and progressing it quickly up the pitch (counter attacking) - if we are to have any success we need both a resolute defence (4 at the back and 3 CM) as well as quick countering options - for this reason I would be tempted to play Tzolis and Rashica. Would be tempted to play Sargent as Pukki doesn't look quite ready yet after a very busy 2021 - hopking he could both connect the play as well as get on the end of crosses etc

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
52 minutes ago, dylanisabaddog said:

I don't think we're currently in a position to pay £10m for a player to sit on the bench 

We absolutely are. 

We have Cantwell, Pukki, Sargent (£8mil +), Rashica (£9.4mil) + Tzolis (around £10mil) - how on earth are we going to field all of those players? 

Realistically I don't see more than 3 of those 5 players starting in the vast majority of our games. I highly doubt we will see Cantwell, Rashica and Tzolis starting many games together - as it creates a very top heavy midfield which we can ill-afford given our previous defensive struggles in this league.

Unless you are suggesting that Cantwell and Pukki are both going to drop to the bench to allow for our new signings to start matches? But I can't see that happening either...  

So yes, we can pay around 10mil for a player to not necessarily start every game. 

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, Google Bot said:

It's just dawned on me to get Tzolis in the team we'd have to be looking at either replacing Cantwell, or dropping Cantwell behind the striker and losing one from midfield - which would hit our defensive line.

Now i'm wondering what happens if Tzolis comes on as a sub for a few matches and does wonders?


Tzolis will absolutely make it into this side, most likely with Cantwell and Rashica in an attacking 3 at some point, but he'll be given time to adjust as he has had no preseason with us. 

For now, and against a team like Man City I'd go with flooding the midfield again, but as others have said maybe bring in Kenny if he is fit again ahead of Rupp

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
13 minutes ago, AJ said:

Tzolis will absolutely make it into this side, most likely with Cantwell and Rashica in an attacking 3 at some point, but he'll be given time to adjust as he has had no preseason with us. 

So you think the plan is to have only Lees-Melou and Gilmour in deeper/central midfield roles then?  Feel that's the same naivety that let us down last time, where we basically accepted that we couldn't compete defensively and put absolute hope in the forward line delivering.

Would make for exciting football, for sure! 🙂

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 minutes ago, Google Bot said:

So you think the plan is to have only Lees-Melou and Gilmour in deeper/central midfield roles then?  Feel that's the same naivety that let us down last time, where we basically accepted that we couldn't compete defensively and put absolute hope in the forward line delivering.

Would make for exciting football, for sure! 🙂

Against lesser teams absolutely, we have the firepower there so we should use it. Not against teams like Man City/Liverpool though, flooding the midfield is absolutely the right thing to do

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
18 minutes ago, Google Bot said:

So you think the plan is to have only Lees-Melou and Gilmour in deeper/central midfield roles then?  Feel that's the same naivety that let us down last time, where we basically accepted that we couldn't compete defensively and put absolute hope in the forward line delivering.

Would make for exciting football, for sure! 🙂

I think in some home games we could do that and switch to 4-2-3-1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, AJ said:

Against lesser teams absolutely, we have the firepower there so we should use it. Not against teams like Man City/Liverpool though, flooding the midfield is absolutely the right thing to do

I'd be surprised if we went with PLM and Gilmour as the two in a 4-2-3-1, personally. Given our well-documented weaknesses two years ago, it certainly seemed as if Farke was trying to put more emphasis on being defensively solid last season in preparation for this one.

I would imagine that we're looking to play 4-3-2-1 as a default, with a possible shift to 3-4-2-1 depending on availability and opposition. I think the plan is to make sure that we always have game-changing options on the bench. Bringing on two or three from Duda, Stiepermann, Drmic, Hernandez and Idah, compared to two or three from Dowell, Tzolis, Rashica, Sargent and Placheta is huge.

I fully expect us to start the vast majority of games with either three at the back or three in central midfield, with two of the three CMs being PLM and Gilmour, and then Rupp/McLean/Sorensen/new DM filling the other role.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
7 minutes ago, AJ said:

Against lesser teams absolutely, we have the firepower there so we should use it

Is this not the same trap we fell down last time though?  The lesser teams at this level usually have a clinical finisher still, and in place of technicality they bring a very strong physical presence and press harder.

This is why we watched so many games where the final ball wasn't there as teams happy to let us play out in front of them and give us a false sense that we're bossing so many games, but ultimately they nick a goal against us. 

Even against the average teams in this league, Gilmour cannot be expected to deal physically to protect our back 4, and only Hanley comes close to competing aerially.

Also, we're presuming we have firepower, but where is the proof?.  Have no doubt that Pukki & Emi would've done well together this season, but that has been broken now - so we're left not even knowing how much of Pukki's success was down to that partnership.

I'm not doubting our ability as I'm an optimist at heart, and have absolute belief in the new signings.

But logically, I'm very much aware of the naiveties which players/webber/farke have all come out and said we're addressing this season.  As it stands, we have invested into unproven talent - two of which where major components of a relegated team, broken a formula that worked with Emi/Pukki, and have failed to replace Skipp who was a major component of our success.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Farke has played 4 2 3 1 ever since he's been here. I think Saturday was unusual in that we were heavily impacted by Covid and we were playing Liverpool. 

I would expect something like this for most games 

Krul

Max  Gibson Hanley. Dimi

Gilmour  Lees-Melou

Cantwell Rashica. Tzolis

Pukki/Sargent

Edited by dylanisabaddog

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Bus needs parking here.     Think we should go with two banks of 4 for this game much like La Liga teams do against Barca.     Same back 4 in a 4-4-1-1 

Aarons, Hanley, Gibson, Giannoulis

Sargent, Lees Melou, Sorensen, Cantwell.... could be Rupp wide but think Sargent looked bright and can defend by all accounts plus he can probably run with the ball better than the other options we have, Sorensen adds height in our box but isn't match fit.... think overall, thats a more powerful line-up with some legs in it.   

Rashica, Rashica / Todd to swap regularly. 

Idah...  we will need pace and the out ball over the top could trouble them but that's not Teemu's game.   Can Adam hold the ball up slightly better than our other options, probably.    

Whatever DF goes with, lots of choices and options thankfully.     Oh for some central defensive midfielders!    Funny ol game.   You never know.  

 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
1 hour ago, dylanisabaddog said:

Farke has played 4 2 3 1 ever since he's been here. I think Saturday was unusual in that we were heavily impacted by Covid and we were playing Liverpool. 

I would expect something like this for most games 

Krul

Max  Gibson Hanley. Dimi

Gilmour  Lees-Melou

Cantwell Rashica. Tzolis

Pukki/Sargent

In 19/20 we saw Farke experiment with McLean as the no.10.

Last year we saw the emergence of Rupp as a number 10, indeed he was our number choice up to his injury. 

We finished the year with Dowell in the 10 spot, so an attacking 3 behind Pukki like you suggest above, but I think Farke consistently preferred to choose a 'safer' option as the number 10 against the top teams even in the champs. 

So in a much much tougher league I can't see it happening too much. Even if we did play a 4-2-3-1, I don't think we'd see a 3 of Cantwell, Rashica and Tzolis starting many games at all. I think the only time we are likely to regularly field all 3 behind the striker is when we are chasing a game. But we will see, it would certainly be exciting!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
6 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

How's this what do we think?

11.png

End of the day I might get some slack for it but it is away to Man City so free hit with nothing to lose and all

That will be good at home against the struggling clubs we want to have a go at, play that against Man City and we will be torn apart IMO. Way too attacking.

  • Like 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
5 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

How's this what do we think?

11.png

End of the day I might get some slack for it but it is away to Man City so free hit with nothing to lose and all

It is Man City but I don't think that means we should commit tactical suicide for it - I'd rather see us get men behind the ball and try to stay competitive, maybe end up losing by 2 or so goals, than the above which would more than likely end up a cricket score...

At this early stage of the season, a really heavy defeat could be particularly damaging to our confidence, so it is not a 'free hit' to my mind. 

I imagine we will stick with the 4-3-2-1 formation, or revert to a 5 at the back system with Omobamidele likely coming in for Rupp. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

If Andrew O is fit I'd go with Krul, Andrew O, Gibson, Hanley, Aarons, Giannoulis, McLean, Lees-Melou, Cantwell, Gilmour, Rashica.

I recall that Pukki missed at least two one-on-ones when we  last played them. I don't think it's a great game for him.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites
25 minutes ago, sgncfc said:

If Andrew O is fit I'd go with Krul, Andrew O, Gibson, Hanley, Aarons, Giannoulis, McLean, Lees-Melou, Cantwell, Gilmour, Rashica.

I recall that Pukki missed at least two one-on-ones when we  last played them. I don't think it's a great game for him.

Andrew O should become the accepted method of naming our very talented young centre half. It appeals to lazy people like me who leave him out of their team because of spelling problems 🙄

Edited by dylanisabaddog
  • Haha 1

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Quite many seem to think Tzolis will play big role very soon. I have feeling he will be more part of rotation this year and is considered as one for future in many aspects. He has not played on as high level than other of our new players before and I think Farke also mentioned that he likely needs to be given more time and patience than other new signings. Exciting one for sure, but would not expect to see him starting a lot during first half of the season.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Same as last week with Sargent in for Pukki and McLean in for Gilmour. Nothing against Pukki, but he's not match fit, we need someone who is going to run and harass their defenders, McLean for Gilmour because I would park the bus to be honest like we did when we beat them last time. A draw would be monumental. 

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

In short, I’d play as attacking a line up as I could for this one. Setting up defensively will only end in tears anyway, and there are a few Man City supporters that believe that our counter attacking game may get more joy against them right now than what people are expecting. 
 

Krul

Aarons Hanley Gibson Giannoulis

McLean Gilmour

Cantwell Lees-Melou Rashica 

Pukki

Sargent and Tzolis both to get a good 30 minutes too.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...