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KeelansGlove

We need an attacking midfielder and we need him now.

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The biggest problem is regardless of the team chosen we cannot create chances. Injuries are an irrelevance as is formation.

442 the rest of the team behind the strikers are terrified of being overrun and give little or no supply to the front 2 and when they do its too slow and laboured.

We looked more solid with 5 in midfield but created nothing but pot shots and whichever striker was on the pitch watched the ball whistle over his head.

Wes in behind a lone striker is the worst of both worlds the same amount of bite in midfield as 442 and still only one player on the pitch likely to get into the box and shoot.

Leroy Fer is without doubt the only complete all round midfielder we have (Tackle, Pass, Shoot) and without another who can manage at least 2 of these to a high standard we will continue to struggle.

Get one and our fortunes could change rapidly.

For me with the current personnel the first thing I would do is forget 2 wingers Play Wes/Fer (or somebody who can create on one side with license to come inside)and one pacey winger on the other Pilks/Redmond.

I suppose Playing Gutierrez will I suppose at least allow us to batter the opposition to death in midfield and play for more 0-0 draws.

Give Snodgrass a rest. Hopefully a game or two out might bring back the player he was last season. Nobody can fault his effort but perhaps he is trying a little too hard.

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OK...but surely injuries and formation are relevant? But I agree we do need a quality attacking midfielder, one who can do it consistently...and thats the problem as I dont think there are that many around who are good enough, enough of the time, in our price range. Still the rest of today and tomorrow, lets just hope something happens as the squad does need that push a couple of new signings make. 

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I guess what I was saying was that regardless of which players have been available we have created very little, of course injuries do not help but it would be unlikely that a fully fit squad would change anything as all players have been available at some point.

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"] Leroy Fer is without doubt the only complete all round midfielder we have (Tackle, Pass, Shoot) and without another who can manage at least 2 of these to a high standard we will continue to struggle. [/quote]

Fer is no more of a complete all around midfielder than Howson.

 

If I had to pick between the two I''d pick Howson, especially given the way Fer has strolled through games recently - something Howson has never done.

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Dream on Howsons passing is non existing over simple 5yd side to side. I cant comment on his passing In and around the box because ive never seen him do anything but shoot regardless of other options.

I''d be amazed if he had an assist to his name in Yellow and green.

Box to Box fine attacking midfielder waste of time.

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"]The biggest problem is regardless of the team chosen we cannot create chances. Injuries are an irrelevance as is formation.

442 the rest of the team behind the strikers are terrified of being overrun and give little or no supply to the front 2 and when they do its too slow and laboured.

We looked more solid with 5 in midfield but created nothing but pot shots and whichever striker was on the pitch watched the ball whistle over his head.

Wes in behind a lone striker is the worst of both worlds the same amount of bite in midfield as 442 and still only one player on the pitch likely to get into the box and shoot.

Leroy Fer is without doubt the only complete all round midfielder we have (Tackle, Pass, Shoot) and without another who can manage at least 2 of these to a high standard we will continue to struggle.

Get one and our fortunes could change rapidly.

For me with the current personnel the first thing I would do is forget 2 wingers Play Wes/Fer (or somebody who can create on one side with license to come inside)and one pacey winger on the other Pilks/Redmond.

I suppose Playing Gutierrez will I suppose at least allow us to batter the opposition to death in midfield and play for more 0-0 draws.

Give Snodgrass a rest. Hopefully a game or two out might bring back the player he was last season. Nobody can fault his effort but perhaps he is trying a little too hard.[/quote]Why do we need one, we have one and the manager does not even play him at home against the dross of the league! Why do we need a player to get splinters in his ass, more defensive players is the way forward!!

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Because like many of our players he is a one trick pony. Decide if we want to be able to create, score or tackle. one out of three isn''t enough. We need players who can do at least two as I said.

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Kudos to the OP for the referencing of Jim Morrison:

"I hear a very gentle sound

With your ear down to the ground

We want the world and we want it...

We want the world and we want it...

Now

Now?

Now!"

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"]Dream on Howsons passing is non existing over simple 5yd side to side. I cant comment on his passing In and around the box because ive never seen him do anything but shoot regardless of other options. I''d be amazed if he had an assist to his name in Yellow and green. Box to Box fine attacking midfielder waste of time.[/quote]

How often do you see Fer play successful long passes or forward passes that cause the opposition problems?

 

Maybe statistics will show something different but watching the games I think the majority of what Leroy does is safe short passes.

 

As I''ve said numerous times before, I do think he is a good footballer but from what I''ve seen so far he''s at his best when he''s in midfield alongside Howson, with Tettey behind.

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It seems Lewis Holtby is available, he''d be ideal.

Playing a midfield of Holtby, Tettey, Fer and Guttierez against Cardiff would be ideal.

I''ve no idea why CH keeps playing two wingers with the diminutive figures of Hooper and RVW in the box. The''re not going to wing many crosses in the air. We saw against West Brom that the ideal ball would be a ball threaded through on the floor to run on to. Holtby has the vision to provide these.

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Which is why I believe he plays inverted wingers. It''s just anotrher route to the tip of the diamond.

 

I have seen glimpses that Fer can be this attacking midfielder. He ticks all the boxes including the ability to score with feet or head. Problem is Fer in a cental midfield of two doesn''t allow him to play in areas where he can hurt the opposition. This is why I believe we need a defensive midfielder like Tettey. We have missed tetty when he was out and Bradley though trying his heart out every game does not replace him. We also need a fit Howson. It seems if either Tettey/Howson are out Fer cannot get forward. With those fit Fer is the player we need. If Fer is absent Wes can do a good job too.

 

 

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Shocking I almost agree with you, although I would suggest we still create very little with Wes in that position and we are no more solid not to mention the fact that''s Wes''s shooting boots have long since gathered dust.

Fer scored 2 goals playing in that position :Check

Played 2 great passes in to Hooper one that was converted : Check

The only downside is he cannot be in two places at once.

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"]Leroy Fer is without doubt the only complete all round midfielder we have (Tackle, Pass, Shoot) and without another who can manage at least 2 of these to a high standard we will continue to struggle.[/quote]It seems like you''ve forgotten about Tettey, who is not only a more accurate passer of the ball than Fer (both long and short passing), but he also makes the second highest amount of tackles in the team (along with Turner) just behind Fer, and makes more interceptions than anyone else to boot. He also gets dribbled past nearly 66% less than Fer does, and he also has a fairly decent shot on him as well (he just doesn''t get forward much to use it).In truth, Tettey has to be one of our most underrated players tbh, and if he was at a ''bigger'' club we''d likely be giving him far more credit than our current fans do...As you say though, all we really need to do is add another creative attacking midfielder and we have a central three that is MORE than good enough to provide chances whilst offering some defensive stability.

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[quote user="KeelansGlove"]Shocking I almost agree with you, although I would suggest we still create very little with Wes in that position and we are no more solid not to mention the fact that''s Wes''s shooting boots have long since gathered dust.

Fer scored 2 goals playing in that position :Check

Played 2 great passes in to Hooper one that was converted : Check

The only downside is he cannot be in two places at once.[/quote]

 

Well don''t try and put him in two places at once. It may be easier to get hold of another defensive midfielder in this window than an attacking midfielder who''s better than Fer. Losing Howson and Tettey together is the reason Fer has been bogged down the last couple of months. People are saying he''s a shadow of his former self without making allowances for the role he''s having to play. Sometimes I don''t think people watch the same games that I do.

 

 

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Not sure why Pilks has never been tried there? 2 good feet, decent in the air and an eye for a goal. Pretty much everything that Wes isn''t! I know he is a bit of a sick note but he has the potential to be a very good player indeed.

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Hughton clearly not being given any money , other sides at the bottom have strengthened , we have brought in two over the hill loans . Even Palace look as if they are getting Ince . All going to bite us on the backside very soon .

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Fer''s performances of late remind me of Howson''s last season.

He just seems incapable of bringing the ball forward or moving forward himself.

I have no idea if this is by choice, or whether he has been instructed to stay back.

On the rare occassions he does come forward he can look very dangerous.

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[quote user="nutty nigel"]

Losing Howson and Tettey together is the reason Fer has been bogged down the last couple of months. People are saying he''s a shadow of his former self without making allowances for the role he''s having to play. Sometimes I don''t think people watch the same games that I do.

 [/quote]

I have seen a central midfield player not being bogged down....  Bradley Johnson, he''s the one who appears to have been given license to get forward.  Bizarre really, but not unexpected.

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If BJ was beside Tettey he would have licence to go forward just as Howson does beside tettey. If Howson was beside Tettey in a midfield with Fer....

 

Do you see BJ as a replacement for Tettey? What similarities do they have?

 

 

 

 

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