[Albion] Glenn Murray

tubby · Mar 31, 2019

I was against Glenn returning to the club but he has done very well for us but I think the time has come for him to be benched. Ideally I would like to see Andone and Locadia up front together but I know that won't happen. Against Huddersfield we were going nowhere until Andone came on and it was then that the midfielders were finding space as Andone was energetic and making runs into the channels pulling defenders out of position. It is so easy to defend us against us when there is no movement as defences can keep their shape. A knock on effect is the backward passing that fans are moaning about but what do the midfielders do? They either go back to retain possession or play the ball forward to Murray who is so isolated, especially without Gross, that inevitably the opponent regains possession. It was the same yesterday in that Glenn was very static and our attacking play was poor until Locadia came on, who had more decent efforts on goal than probably the rest put together.
The premier league stats also show that we lack movement as we are 18th in distance covered and 17th for the number of sprints. I fear for our survival if things don't change.

blockhseagull · Mar 31, 2019

To be fair Andone is injured

I think Locadia deserves to start Weds, he was great when he came on against Millwall and also thought he looked good yesterday.

Stat Brother · Mar 31, 2019

blockhseagull said:
To be fair Andone is injured

I think Locadia deserves to start Weds, he was great when he came on against Millwall and also thought he looked good yesterday.

Yeah deffo.

After all we know just well Big Jurg thrives in games where he's the only player in the opposition half.

The condensed version of my post on the Ali thread:-

Murrayoffside has held this team back and his terrible performances aren't offset by his 11 goals.

dazzer6666 · Mar 31, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Murrayoffside has held this team back and his terrible performances aren't offset by his 11 goals.

Agree with this.

Stumpy Tim · Mar 31, 2019

blockhseagull said:
To be fair Andone is injured

I think Locadia deserves to start Weds, he was great when he came on against Millwall and also thought he looked good yesterday.

Totally agree. Locadia is actually looking like he's got to grips with the pace of the game, and can be the player we hoped we were getting last January. He was also very good against Derby when he played the lone striker role. Locadia is a better option than Murray IMO

martin tyler · Mar 31, 2019

It’s no surprise we have looked at our better when either Andone (Huddersfield) is playing alone or when locadia is alongside Murray (late v Millwall and Southampton) as the opposition has to sit a bit deeper. Yesterday Murray was isolated. There was no out ball behind their back 4 as wingers to deep and Murray is not able to make that run. Played in to their hands as they could press high and still leave little gaps to exploit, which we would never have exploited anyway as the 3 in CM could not control the game.
Not Murray’s fault by any means but if we are going to carry on playing Murray alone like that the wingers need to be able to get in behind so either play them 10 yards further forward or get Izquierdo on who has genuine pace

Cloughie · Mar 31, 2019

Stat Brother said:
Yeah deffo.

After all we know just well Big Jurg thrives in games where he's the only player in the opposition half.

The condensed version of my post on the Ali thread:-

Murrayoffside has held this team back and his terrible performances aren't offset by his 11 goals.

Unless you have some sort of road-runner type up front, you’re never going to look lethal when the sole forward is isolated 4 to 1 30/40 yards away from the midfield and, more often than not, at least 60 yards away from the ball.

The thing that I found so utterly frustrating yesterday was the attacking players’ refusal to run ahead of the ball. Knocky and Alireza both want the ball into their feet, Murray wants it hammered up to him so he can get it body in (and not have to chase it). The only player who made 3rd man runs beyond the defence was Bissoma - which actually led to us conceding ironically. He loves a give-and-go but because our lads aren’t used to this, it seemed to break down with square passes far too often.

I lost count yesterday how many times Ryan found Murray’s head from fanstatic raking passes or kicks from hand, only for the ball to trickle through to Gunn in goal because neither of the wingers had anticipated it. If you’re going to play Glen and not have at least one winger that wants to run beyond him (usually Izzy) than this is going to happen again and again.

fleet · Mar 31, 2019

Just checking, but anyone remember the goal Glen scored at Palace in our last league away game? Looked decent to me. But the reality is with the games coming thick and fast he cannot play them all, so I think he will be rested at Chelsea, that gives someone else a chance to show if they deserve a regular start.

Stat Brother · Mar 31, 2019

fleet said:
Just checking, but anyone remember the goal Glen scored at Palace in our last league away game? Looked decent to me. But the reality is with the games coming thick and fast he cannot play them all, so I think he will be rested at Chelsea, that gives someone else a chance to show if they deserve a regular start.

That would make him playing at Wembley quite likely. :down:

Justice · Mar 31, 2019

Locadia moaning to Dutch media can’t blame him really, deserved to start yesterday.

Stumpy Tim · Mar 31, 2019

fleet said:
Just checking, but anyone remember the goal Glen scored at Palace in our last league away game? Looked decent to me. But the reality is with the games coming thick and fast he cannot play them all, so I think he will be rested at Chelsea, that gives someone else a chance to show if they deserve a regular start.

I knew someone would mention that goal. One hoof ball with a mistake by a donkey isn’t the kind of football we can rely on. The conversation is about the style of football, not a one off.

Cowfold Seagull · Mar 31, 2019

Stumpy Tim said:
Totally agree. Locadia is actually looking like he's got to grips with the pace of the game, and can be the player we hoped we were getting last January. He was also very good against Derby when he played the lone striker role. Locadia is a better option than Murray IMO

You can tell all this by his two cameo performances against Millwall and Southampton can you?

Dear oh dear, l'm still very much teamGlenn l'm afraid. Without his goals we would be dead and buried this season already.

Icy Gull · Mar 31, 2019

Justice said:
Locadia moaning to Dutch media can’t blame him really, deserved to start yesterday.

Not sure what more he has to do to get a few starts in the central striker role, must be so frustrating to sit on the bench watching a player contributing next to nothing for most of the game recently, especially at home. Has made a difference whenever he has come on, often being played as a winger.

I reckon his goals to minutes on the pitch ratio is right up there with GMs too

Cozzy · Mar 31, 2019

Muzza still has a role to play but that role must now be more the support & super sub role as the system we play just is not playing to his strengths leaving him isolated against quicker more agile defenders who also usually hunt in twos.

I would love to see Locadia as the no.9 & Ali J play as a no.10 until Gross is fit or Andone with Ali J again until Gross is fit , lets get back to basics and go 4-4-1-1 again.

Stumpy Tim · Mar 31, 2019

Cowfold Seagull said:
You can tell all this by his two cameo performances against Millwall and Southampton can you?

Dear oh dear, l'm still very much teamGlenn l'm afraid. Without his goals we would be dead and buried this season already.

I can tell by our performances since Christmas that we are playing terribly, and a large part of that is down to a complete lack of pace upfront. You would carry on with the way things have been going yes? Dear oh dear

Herr Tubthumper · Mar 31, 2019

Stumpy Tim said:
Totally agree. Locadia is actually looking like he's got to grips with the pace of the game, and can be the player we hoped we were getting last January. He was also very good against Derby when he played the lone striker role. Locadia is a better option than Murray IMO

I agree. As an aside, what is his preferred position? I thought it was forward but Aspinall, I think, said he prefers left wing in an attacking 3.

Stumpy Tim · Mar 31, 2019

Herr Tubthumper said:
I agree. As an aside, what is his preferred position? I thought it was forward but Aspinall, I think, said he prefers left wing in an attacking 3.

At PSV he played on the left of a three, so I assume that's where his preferred position is

zefarelly · Mar 31, 2019

Whilst your point is extremely valid. Had Andone and Locadia had the majority of the games to establish a partnership, they may have seen us safe already. . . . . Strikers has been a concern for years. Wingers has not, although as a winger myself (extremely low level, a long time ago) I see them as part of this seasons failures. Can't ****ing cross for a start. Hence my line up suggestion without AJ, AK, March or Izzy. Gross and Propper can pass/cross better than any of them.

Cowfold Seagull said:
You can tell all this by his two cameo performances against Millwall and Southampton can you?

Dear oh dear, l'm still very much teamGlenn l'm afraid. Without his goals we would be dead and buried this season already.

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