Pre-Season 2017

[lemonjelly]

I think depending on his partner, man marking him will be an issue. If he has Price for example along side him, a few quick one touch passes between them will create space for either.

Last year, teams knew marking Costa out of the game meant our attacking threat was nullified.
This year, they won't be able to mark Costa, Cav, and Neves out of the game. That's a quarter of the team FFS. This is without Miranda bringing the ball out from the back and finding a sublime pass.

 

[lemonjelly]

PS big thanks to darlo for posting the highlights vids, as I haven't been able to watch any of the games live. It's appreciated fella!

 

[Lycan]

I think depending on his partner, man marking him will be an issue. If he has Price for example along side him, a few quick one touch passes between them will create space for either.

Last year, teams knew marking Costa out of the game meant our attacking threat was nullified.
This year, they won't be able to mark Costa, Cav, and Neves out of the game. That's a quarter of the team FFS. This is without Miranda bringing the ball out from the back and finding a sublime pass.

Not to mention marking our wide forwards will be much harder anyway with the wing backs creating an overload.

I don't think we're going to blow the league away like Boro probably will (their squad is starting to look ridiculous) but we'll be up there.

 

[b3h]

Of the 4 outfield players who got the most stick last season (a fair bit from me)

Coady - Prepared to be proven wrong here. I still don't see central CB working out BUT it has gone quite well in the friendlies and I can't knock his effort or talking, both of which are needed big time. Also has a decent pass when it's actually used properly. Got fed up last season when he kept hoofing it 'towards' Costa to no avail.

Doherty - Looking better as a wingback. Still needs to learn loads though. And put in loads more effort. And chase men back, every time, not just when he can be arsed. Don't trust him and don't like him. Never looks interested to me??

Batth - Don't trust him and I think he will get found out in this formation. Which is good I guess, just hope we have enough in the other CBs.

Edwards - nice tan and highlights.



And a quick note on the CMs - I don't think Saiss, Price OR Neves have enough bite really. Whoever plays will have to get stuck in a bit. Very fond of all 3 though. I like how that one seems to be turning out.

 

[Wolvensam]

Agree with Dan, you'd have to double or triple mark him if you wanted to completely take him out of the game. His touch, ability to avoid the high press and reading of the game would make him almost impossible to mark 1v1. He doesn't need much space to knock the ball around in, he makes it for himself.

I think unfortunately what most teams will do is kick him. It'll probably work as well, unless the ref gets on top of it early on.

If you do double or triple mark him, it leaves the likes of Costa and Cavaleiro free who will do considerably more damage to teams (at least noticeably with goals and assists) than Neves probably will.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

If you look at our record with both Costa and Cav starting last season, there's a wild difference in goals scored alone. That's just two players, offering a threat on either side (when Cav was playing wide) so you couldn't go down the road of double marking. When you're adding a third top end player in to that mix then it could be very hard to contain us if we click and if we sign a quality striker.

 

[Wolvensam]

I think we're going to be a threat, for sure. I don't quite understand the fuss around Middlesbrough: am I missing something?

 

[Lycan]

I think we're going to be a threat, for sure. I don't quite understand the fuss around Middlesbrough: am I missing something?

Ripley

Fabio Gibson Ayala Friend

Clayton Howson

Adama Ramirez Braithwaite

Assombalonga

With guys like Dimi, Fry, Forshaw, Bamford, Gestede & De Roon as back up...

They're trying to buy the other Murphy twin from Norwich as well. Amazing squad for this level.

 

[Wolvensam]

Point well made. Their forwards are insane for this level, particularly.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Gibson will go I'd have thought and apparently they want rid of Fabio (he's shit anyway). Traore :icon_lol: Playground footballer.

It's a decent squad and I'd have them as favourites at the moment but they aren't 95+ points material at this stage.

 

[Siggy]

Defensively he was fine at Right Back, not that often he was done there. His downfall was when he had to attack, He got the occasional good ball in but a lot of the time it was wasted. So no surprise he has adapted fine to being in the middle of the 3 quite well.

He's not quick enough to be a full back any half decent winger will take him to the cleaners as we saw towards the end of the season. Agree on his limitations going forwards I think he did the best he could be he's not really a RB. I will reserve full judgement until I have seen him play CB in the league but the signs are promising.

Sent from my HTC 10 using Tapatalk

 

[Nando]

Ramirez is a proper sulker too. He'll show his class in a few games but go hiding for the majority.

They'll be up there though, no doubt about it.

 

[Kenny]

Don't think many took him to the cleaners. Sure he got beat a few times but all full backs do. If we had signed him as a RB we would have been pretty happy with his contribution last season. Not saying he is brilliant btw, far from it but I have seen plenty of career right backs who are worse than Coady in that position

 

[Tony Towner]

Coady didn't ever get taken to the cleaners in any game I saw. Saville was rinsed at Derby, but Coady did a good job defensively for a none career full back,. It's when he got over the half way line he was shown as wanting.

 

[Quirkafleeg]

Could we see Coady as a central defender under Nuno.. He hasnt done too badly in both games..

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Coady didn't ever get taken to the cleaners in any game I saw. Saville was rinsed at Derby, but Coady did a good job defensively for a none career full back,. It's when he got over the half way line he was shown as wanting.

He was a bit shit against Brighton. Not many others though. Just did a 6/10 job for the most part, competent defensively without looking invulnerable, toss going forward (except for one cross vs Bristol City I think)

 

[YoungWolf]

He was shit against Fulham, alongside Batth was our weak link and in otherwise good performance by the team that day

 

[Lycan]

He was shit away at Huddersfield as well, van La Parra rinsed him all game.

 

[The Bear]

He was struggling badly and getting beaten at Forest away too, and Price had to keep going over and helping him double up on his winger.

 

[darlowolf64]

Don't think many took him to the cleaners. Sure he got beat a few times but all full backs do. If we had signed him as a RB we would have been pretty happy with his contribution last season. Not saying he is brilliant btw, far from it but I have seen plenty of career right backs who are worse than Coady in that position

Coady didn't ever get taken to the cleaners in any game I saw. Saville was rinsed at Derby, but Coady did a good job defensively for a none career full back,. It's when he got over the half way line he was shown as wanting.

He was a bit $#@! against Brighton. Not many others though. Just did a 6/10 job for the most part, competent defensively without looking invulnerable, toss going forward (except for one cross vs Bristol City I think)

He was $#@! against Fulham, alongside Batth was our weak link and in otherwise good performance by the team that day

He was $#@! away at Huddersfield as well, van La Parra rinsed him all game.

He was struggling badly and getting beaten at Forest away too, and Price had to keep going over and helping him double up on his winger.

But apart from Brighton, Fulham, Huddersfield and Forest he was brilliant :icon_lol: