Fulham (H) build up

[Premier Quality]

Yeah, I wouldn’t sell him without an upgrade either, we don’t want to be weaker. But I would sell him if we got someone better, because he will have a better resale value than saiss

 

[PuntsWolf]

Donck isn’t limited when played in his actual position. He’s limited in 3-5-2 because were asking him to do a job we shouldn’t be doing.

 

[Premier Quality]

Agreed. It’s like asking Coady to chase Antonio from the halfway line - he’ll have a crack at it, it’s just not what he’s good at.

 

[Lycan]

This is what I'd go with.

Patrício

Dendoncker Coady Boly

Nélson Vitinha Neves Marçal

Podence

Raúl Fábio

SUBS: Ruddy, Saïss, Vinagre, Moutinho, Hoever, Neto, Adama.

Move Podence into the free role that Neto has had this season. Vitinha and Neves would really control possession in the middle and then you've got Neto & Adama to bring on Vs tired legs in the second half.

Sent from my GM1920 using Tapatalk

 

[Elephant Pyjamas]

I'm not convinced moving Boly to LCB will instantly solve his poor form?

Also with that side I'd be concerned that CM would be lightweight, i think we need Donks legs and physical presence in CM personally.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We're up against the most lightweight midfield in the world so it shouldn't matter too much.

In fact regardless of what team we put out we should beat these. They weren't even a particularly good Championship team.

 

[northfield wolf]

If we dont beat Fulham, i think all round panic may start to set in. That West Ham performance frightened me.

 

[Alan]

I'm not convinced moving Boly to LCB will instantly solve his poor form?

Also with that side I'd be concerned that CM would be lightweight, i think we need Donks legs and physical presence in CM personally.

It's worth trying, though. It's pretty clear now that something ia affecting him, it's worth seeing if playing on the right side of the pitch is it.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

It isn't.

 

[Tony Towner]

I don't think you can know that for certain. I agree that the mistakes he's making shouldn't be postionally driven, but he's making them nevertheless. For me we are getting to the stage where we have two options - moving him over or dropping him. I'd try the former before the latter.

 

[Boozad]

Didn’t he play on the right when we kept 8 clean sheets in 10 when he came back from injury?

 

[lemonjelly]

that was a time when the whole team were playing really well though.

TT's right. Boly has had too high a percentage of sub standard performances at RCB. He was moved back to LCB for one game, and looked markedly better. Perhaps something just works when he is there.

 

[Boozad]

So Boly plays well on the right when the whole team are playing well but doesn’t play very well on the right when the whole team aren’t playing very well?

 

[lemonjelly]

no, and I'm unsure as to the exact issue here, but it does appear that he has had more poor performances at RCB than LCB.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Is this not because most of his left sided performances were in the championship.

 

[Kenny]

Is this not because most of his left sided performances were in the championship.

Similar amount I think. He played left in the first season in the Prem and he missed a chunk of the Championship season through injury so wont be much in the split. Plus he started last season on the left until his sending off v Everton.

 

[PuntsWolf]

Similar amount I think. He played left in the first season in the Prem and he missed a chunk of the Championship season through injury so wont be much in the split. Plus he started last season on the left until his sending off v Everton.

How did he get sent of?? He was on the left!?

 

[Kenny]

He lost his mind in the 90th min ...probably knew he was soon going to be on the right, then MGW would break his ankle and after a good start on his return would struggle a little bit after a lockdown and then carry that form into the next season starting 5 mins after our European season finished. Rightly fuming at the events he predicted, all from the safety of the left hand side of the pitch

 

[Aikiwolf]

It's not unfair to say Boly has been a better player as LCB than he has as RCB!

Its probably also fair to point out that most of those games were with Jonny (or in the Championship).

 

[Jinky]

So, assuming Marcal and Podence are both fit, they both come straight back in. I would have Podence in the support role alongside/just behind Raul. He looked good there v City in the second half, peeling off the centre backs - although there is an argument to play two up top (maybe Raul AND Silva considering the opposition). Traore back to being an impact sub, which means that we'll play as an actual team rather than 11 individuals. I would also start Vitinha with the instruction to get him passing the ball forward and in between the lines - get Raul and Daniel running at angles in between the Fulham defenders and in behind. We really should be causing these lot issues straight from kick off. None of this negative & safe sideways/backwards passing that we did all night v West Ham. It's one thing having lots of possession - it's another thing being smart with it and hurting the opposition. Having Vitinha in a more advanced midfield role would also allow the other midfielder to sit in front of the back three to give them protection, along with covering either side when Semedo or Marcal get forward (not that they should need a great deal of protection against Fulham if we play anywhere near our best).

I worry about the reaction, if we lose this game. I think I heard the other day that since returning from lock down we had lost 7 out of 12 games? Losing against relegation fodder like Fulham would be a real blow. Hopefully we take it to them straight from the kick off.

I would go with something like this -

----------------Patricio-------------------
----Hoever-----Coady-----Boly---------
Semedo--------Neves------------Marcal
----------Vitinha---Donk----------------
----------------------Podence-----------
------------------Raul--------------------

looks a bit odd written down, but Semedo and Marcal would give us the width. Neves would move from side to side as required and offer protection to the back three to hopefully stop the opposition breaking on us and getting in at us like Antonio did the other night. Donk to give us some much needed 'legs' in midfield and hopefully Vitinha to be the creator.

That said, I've just wasted 10 minutes of my life on this post and I fully expect Nuno to name the same 11/system as the other night.