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[Albion] Has our midfield gone AWOL?









Surf's Up

Surf's Up

Well-known member
Jul 17, 2011
10,167
Here
The Complete Badger said:
Two lightweight wingers and a feeble, anonymous number ten away from home in the Premier League is the stupid, suicidal decision by Hughton that’s costing us. Get rid of wasters like March who don’t contribute at either end of the pitch, dump the formation that’s been proven not to work over the last 30 games away from home and get an extra man in midfield to stop us conceding 60% or more possession every time we play. We’re the only team in the league not to have had 50% possession in a single match this season. That is a joke.

So for me, it’s not the midfielders at fault. Kayal and Stephens are limited on the ball but they’ve generally done as much as can be expected this year.
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This is brutal but gets to the nub of the problem.
 


Cowfold Seagull

Cowfold Seagull

Fan of the 17 bus
Apr 22, 2009
21,622
Cowfold
GT49er said:
Step up Sanders then - NOT Bernardo, Balogun or Bruno shoe-horned into an inappropriate position, eh?
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We have to hope it will be none of them, and that at least one of Propper and Gross will be passed fit to play. Otherwise it's a difficult call to have to make, between an experienced out of position professional, or a young totally inexperienced kid.

A decision l'm certainly glad l wouldn't have to make.
 


GT49er

GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,716
Gloucester
Cowfold Seagull said:
We have to hope it will be none of them, and that at least one of Propper and Gross will be passed fit to play. Otherwise it's a difficult call to have to make, between an experienced out of position professional, or a young totally inexperienced kid.

A decision l'm certainly glad l wouldn't have to make.
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CH's problem, not yours or mine. I know which way I'd like it to go though. 100%.
 




R

raymondo

Well-known member
Apr 26, 2017
5,609
Wiltshire
The Complete Badger said:
Two lightweight wingers and a feeble, anonymous number ten away from home in the Premier League is the stupid, suicidal decision by Hughton that’s costing us. Get rid of wasters like March who don’t contribute at either end of the pitch, dump the formation that’s been proven not to work over the last 30 games away from home and get an extra man in midfield to stop us conceding 60% or more possession every time we play. We’re the only team in the league not to have had 50% possession in a single match this season. That is a joke.

So for me, it’s not the midfielders at fault. Kayal and Stephens are limited on the ball but they’ve generally done as much as can be expected this year.
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I think it's this. We need an extra CM with good ball skills, speed of thought, strength and tenacity [I know, probably can't afford him...]. I would only play one of our wingers [AK, JI, SM, or AJ?] and have another on the bench. We wouldn't have to be narrow this way; a decent CM should have the nouse to know when floating wide is a good option. Also, I'd try Andone at 10, behind Murray; or, when fit, Gross at 10 behind Andone or Murray. Either of these number 10s are also capable of taking the play wide when appropriate. Our recent attacking performances with two wingers and SM at number 10, make us look like a chess board with a king [Murray], two castles [wingers], a poor fit of a queen [SM...sorry], and no bishops or knights!
 




B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
I think that apart from not winning headers to lay the ball off Andone looks better than GM playing away as he is more mobile. Tough call. I know . I think that I would also drop a wide man and bolster up the midfield with an extra man when all are fit and available.
 


Questions

Questions

Habitual User
Oct 18, 2006
24,874
Worthing
Don Tmatter said:
Now if Stephens could bring the ball out from deep like Dunk does too infrequently it would force both lines of 4 further forward.
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I think it’s highly unlikely Stephens will ever be the type of midfielder who drives forward from midfield. I suspect as respected as he is he will have stiffer competition next season when we strengthen.
 


B

BensGrandad

New member
Jul 13, 2003
72,015
Haywards Heath
Cowfold Seagull said:
We have to hope it will be none of them, and that at least one of Propper and Gross will be passed fit to play. Otherwise it's a difficult call to have to make, between an experienced out of position professional, or a young totally inexperienced kid.

A decision l'm certainly glad l wouldn't have to make.
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I know that I am often regarded as a lone voice but I would sooner CH play an experienced player in slightly different role ie just in front of the back 4.rather than an untried inexperienced player who, had he been near to being ready would have been on the bench by now.
 






B

blockhseagull

Well-known member
Jan 30, 2006
7,349
Southampton
Cowfold Seagull said:
We have to hope it will be none of them, and that at least one of Propper and Gross will be passed fit to play. Otherwise it's a difficult call to have to make, between an experienced out of position professional, or a young totally inexperienced kid.

A decision l'm certainly glad l wouldn't have to make.
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Or Bissouma and Kayal
 


HastingsSeagull

HastingsSeagull

Well-known member
Jan 13, 2010
9,257
BGC Manila
Propper is just calm and neat/tidy and we miss him a lot. I really feel we need Stephens deep but Propper up alongside Gross, Bissouma or Kayal pressing the opponent that bit higher up.
 




G

Greg Bobkin

Silver Seagull
May 22, 2012
14,844
The sooner we get Gary Dicker in the better.
 






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