It's the supply line, not the strikers!

[Faded Jaded Semi Plastic SOB 1,024]

Anyway back to the OP....... Bly - Working on the assumption that Bennett would almost be guaranteed a place in the 1st team due to the amount of money we paid for him, how would he have slotted into the team and who would make way for him, would we have changed our system? We have seen the factual evidence that we are creating a number of chances each game, do you still think the supply line is the problem?, maybe PL sees Bennett as a goalscoring midfielder...

[blahblahblah 2]

"With Surman returning what about trying Hoolahan upfront with Holt?"Why not ?  We''ve tried everything else - how would the starting 11 look Pete ?

[morty 0]

Actually, thinking further, I don''t thing Hoolahan up front would work.I think his best assets are picking the ball up in space and pinging it about. I don''t think he has the pace or muscle to run the channels or hold the ball up the way a striker would.I know its the classic "Big man, little man" combo, but Its not working in my head.

[nutty nigel 7,539]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"]With Surman returning what about trying Hoolahan upfront with Holt?
[/quote]

Have often wondered about this. They have a great understanding. I think it could work.

 

[morty 0]

*think(Before the spelling police strike!)

[Pete Raven 276]

Holt and Hoolahan upfront with Lansbury in the hole, Surman out left, Crofts (for me anyway) has always been at his best in front of the back four then Fox/Korey out right. Usual suspects in goal and at left and right back with Barnett partnered by Ward/Whitbread. Top spot here we come!

[ron obvious 1,505]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"]With Surman returning what about trying Hoolahan upfront with Holt?[/quote]That''s the one. D''you think Lambo''ll take any notice if we keep whispering it in his ear?I''m sure he must have thought of that combo already though. But Surman being available might make the difference ........

[Pete Raven 276]

[quote user="ron obvious"][quote user="Sports Desk Pete"]With Surman returning what about trying Hoolahan upfront with Holt?[/quote]That''s the one. D''you think Lambo''ll take any notice if we keep whispering it in his ear?I''m sure he must have thought of that combo already though. But Surman being available might make the difference ........

[/quote]I think it needs a player like Surman to replace Hoolahan''s creative spark in the midfield if you stick Wes upfront with Holt.

[morty 0]

I''m hearing you Pete, but I think the whole diamond formation was created to play to Wes''s strengths, and his best position at the tip.Or maybe Lambert just hasn''t thought of it, could happen!

[blahblahblah 2]

"Holt and Hoolahan upfront with Lansbury in the hole, Surman out left,

Crofts (for me anyway) has always been at his best in front of the back

four then Fox/Korey out right. Usual suspects in goal and at left and

right back with Barnett partnered by Ward/Whitbread. Top spot here we

come!"Looks alright to me !  Couple of possible problems - Nasri was injured last week, as was another Arsenal midfielder. As Bethnal Y & G pointed out, I wonder if we''ll be able to hold onto Lansbury if they pick up more injuries in the middle.  And then theres'' Surmans'' fitness too.If nothing else, starting like this would give Martin the chance to come on as fresh legs after an hour, easier to regain your scoring touch when you''re fresh and the defenders are tired I''d guess.

[ron obvious 1,505]

Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?

[Pete Raven 276]

[quote user="ron obvious"]Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?[/quote]Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.

[Mr Jenkins 0]

Mr Hoolahan is more of a creative player than a striker. I  do know he has scored lots of goals but his instict, certainly of late, has been to try and  walk the  ball into the net. I would like to see Mr Lansbury up front, he has an eye for goal and the confidence to strike. He is also very energetic and covers the ground quickly, there have been too many occasions this season  where a ball into the box has been wasted because nobody was there to attack it.  

[spencer 1970 207]

it could possibly work away but I cant see PL doing this at home.

I have been wrong before though. I think?

[ron obvious 1,505]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?[/quote]Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.[/quote]That begs a whole lot of questions that I think I''d better not ask ...

[blahblahblah 2]

"We didn''t offer Brighton enough money."Is it possible that no amount of money would have been enough ?

[morty 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]"We didn''t offer Brighton enough money."Is it possible that no amount of money would have been enough ?[/quote]If they consider him vital to their promotion push then I would suspect the million or so we offered is nothing like the money for being promoted to the Championship.

[blahblahblah 2]

"If they consider him vital to their promotion push then I would suspect the million or so we offered is nothing like the money for being promoted to the Championship."Arguably, we should have been offering a fair amount of whatever it is we would get from promoting to the premiership, I guess ?It''s logic like that that makes Premiership / Championship "in-betweeners" worth 10 million.  Scary, but probably true. [:)]

[morty 0]

[quote user="blahblahblah"]"If they consider him vital to their promotion push then I would suspect the million or so we offered is nothing like the money for being promoted to the Championship."Arguably, we should have been offering a fair amount of whatever it is we would get from promoting to the premiership, I guess ?It''s logic like that that makes Premiership / Championship "in-betweeners" worth 10 million.  Scary, but probably true. [:)][/quote]Yes, definitely scary! But aren''t Brighton building a new stadium, and probably looking to put a lot more bums on seats?It would be akin to us selling Hoolahan or Holt right now!

[city-till-i-die 7]

[quote user="canarygirl"][quote user="city-till-i-die"]BBB... R u still harping on and on and on and on????? STILL????? Very boring now zzzzzzzzzzzz As mm has clearly stated we r getting chances we r NOT taking them simples. It''s there in black and White!!![/quote]

Who or what is mm?[/quote]NN sorry typo. Nutty Nigel has put the stats up for all to see

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

[quote user="canarygirl"]Mr Hoolahan is more of a creative player than a striker. I  do know he has scored lots of goals but his instict, certainly of late, has been to try and  walk the  ball into the net. I would like to see Mr Lansbury up front, he has an eye for goal and the confidence to strike. He is also very energetic and covers the ground quickly, there have been too many occasions this season  where a ball into the box has been wasted because nobody was there to attack it.
 
[/quote]

 

Some good observation and thinking there.

[Y]

 

OTBC

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]
Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?

[/quote]

Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.
[/quote]

Do you think he will still be a target in the summer?

[Pete Raven 276]

[quote user="First Wazzock"]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?[/quote]Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.[/quote]

Do you think he will still be a target in the summer?

[/quote]Not sure he''s Premier League material Waz...

[BlyBlyBabes 0]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="First Wazzock"]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]
Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?

[/quote]

Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.
[/quote]

Do you think he will still be a target in the summer?

[/quote]

Not sure he''s Premier League material Waz...
[/quote]

 

Pete, who of our current squad do you think will line up on the field for the opening game come August if we''re in the top flight?

 

And of those who do you reckon will last the season?

 

OTBC

[lappinitup 629]

[quote user="BlyBlyBabes"]Pete, who of our current squad do you think will line up on the field for the opening game come August if we''re in the top flight?

 

And of those who do you reckon will last the season?

 

[/quote]

I don''t think astrology is one of Pete''s strong points Bly. Try Wiz!

 

[Pete Raven 276]

[quote user="BlyBlyBabes"][quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="First Wazzock"]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?[/quote]Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.[/quote]

Do you think he will still be a target in the summer?

[/quote]Not sure he''s Premier League material Waz...[/quote]

 

Pete, who of our current squad do you think will line up on the field for the opening game come August if we''re in the top flight?

 

And of those who do you reckon will last the season?

 

OTBC

[/quote]That''s a head scratcher. I asked a similar question last season in my column and got slated for it. A few commented that it wasn''t fair on a title-winning side to ask which would be ditched.In case I have to talk to any of them in the future I would say all of them....(especially Wes and Surman)

[First Wazzock 902]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="BlyBlyBabes"][quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="First Wazzock"]

[quote user="Sports Desk Pete"][quote user="ron obvious"]
Forgot to add: what happened with Bennett, Pete? When you were podcasting the other day (with messrs. Lakey & Bailey?) you seemed sure it was a done deal. Did something go wrong at the last minute?

[/quote]

Yes, we didn''t offer Brighton enough money.
[/quote]

Do you think he will still be a target in the summer?

[/quote]

Not sure he''s Premier League material Waz...
[/quote]

 

Pete, who of our current squad do you think will line up on the field for the opening game come August if we''re in the top flight?

 

And of those who do you reckon will last the season?

 

OTBC

[/quote]

That''s a head scratcher. I asked a similar question last season in my column and got slated for it. A few commented that it wasn''t fair on a title-winning side to ask which would be ditched.

In case I have to talk to any of them in the future I would say all of them....(especially Wes and Surman)
[/quote]

Now called Lick @rse Pete [:P]

[Smudger 0]

As I have been pointing out all season and pointed out here http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/4/2415133/ShowPost.aspx#2415133It isn''t so much the supply line, the strikers or our defence that is the main weakeness in our team, but the lack of ball winners in midfield and us getting undone by some of the better teams in this league time and time again as we are pushed too deep in to our own half.I am pretty gobsmacked that we still only have two midfielders in our whole squad (Crofts and Korey) that any player would feel slightly worried about coming off 2nd best in a tackle with.Until this issue is solved, we will concede too many and not score enough.Good points from Nutty on this thread by comparing the goals we have scored this season to the goals that Cardiff have scored though.  Kind of backs up what I was saying, that I think Lambert needs to pick who his second choice striker is and play them week in week out.  I would probably go with Chris Martin and bring Jackson on for the last 20 mins (but bring him on for whoever is not performing, including Holt if he isn''t playing well).

[king canary 7,609]

[quote user="Smudger"]As I have been pointing out all season and pointed out here http://services.pinkun.com/forums/pinkun/cs/forums/4/2415133/ShowPost.aspx#2415133It isn''t so much the supply line, the strikers or our defence that is the main weakeness in our team, but the lack of ball winners in midfield and us getting undone by some of the better teams in this league time and time again as we are pushed too deep in to our own half.I am pretty gobsmacked that we still only have two midfielders in our whole squad (Crofts and Korey) that any player would feel slightly worried about coming off 2nd best in a tackle with.Until this issue is solved, we will concede too many and not score enough.Good points from Nutty on this thread by comparing the goals we have scored this season to the goals that Cardiff have scored though.  Kind of backs up what I was saying, that I think Lambert needs to pick who his second choice striker is and play them week in week out.  I would probably go with Chris Martin and bring Jackson on for the last 20 mins (but bring him on for whoever is not performing, including Holt if he isn''t playing well). [/quote]I agree with quite a lot of this. I would add that with our reliance on the full backs for width the job for Crofts becomes even harder. Also Lambert playing Fox infront of the backline means our defenders have a nice simple out ball but Fox likes time and a couple of touches, thus slowing the play down. Personally I prefer Crofts sitting deep, either getting the ball and moving it on to Wes/Henri a bit quicker than Fox does or even allowing one of the center backs to carry it a bit further knowing they have some cover. Its a bit harsh on Fox who has played well but I wonder if we wouldnt be better served with Smith or Surman in the midfield.