Preston North End (A) build up

[slink]

I'd be happy enough with that team.

 

[YoungWolf]

Likewise. We need to start giving Cavaleiro a run of games because once he finds his feet him and Costa as wide players could be lethal. We are generally a better team with Price in I find so him alongside Saiss will give us better defensive cover.

 

[wolf]

1942 tickets sold.. any one off here going??

 

[Paddingtonwolf]

I would rather play Coady than Price. Any day of the week.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

Coady wouldn't solve the problem though. He's part of it. Other than the Burton game which was a weird outlier for him personally, he doesn't have the discipline to stay in front of the back four to any meaningful degree, and he really doesn't help us keep the ball - and this is a massive problem at the moment, look how easily we gifted possession back to Derby last week in the first half. Coady is actually at his best when he's driving forward, the issue with that being that when he gets up the pitch, he can't create anything or shoot.

I get you have a bee in your bonnet about Price and his perceived popularity, but he is a better option for us in our current circumstances. We've been here before at various points over the last 3-4 seasons, we start leaking goals and lacking coherence all over the place, he calms it down and makes us a bit more solid. It's not glamorous work, I don't even think he's *that* good at doing it (we could quite easily upgrade on him, the issue is finding a better version of the same kind of player, which we haven't bothered doing), he isn't singlehandedly going to win us games but he'd improve us at the moment.

If we're having continual problems in defending all manner of situations (which we are) then it might be an idea for us to hold on to possession and limit the amount of times the defence is tested. I can guarantee you which one out of Jack Price and Conor Coady will do a better job of that.

 

[Dinowolf]

I would rather play Coady than Price. Any day of the week.

Like Zenga

 

[Boozad]

---------------------------Ikeme (if fit)-----------------------------

Silvio--------------Stearman----------Hause------------Borthwick-Jackson

--------------------Price-----------Saiss---------------------------

-----------Costa---------Oniangue----------Cavaleiro-----------------

--------------------------Dicko-------------------------------------------

That'll do for Saturday.

That'd do me as well.

 

[Tredman]

Me too, good looking balanced team.

 

[slink]

I said i would be happy enough with DW's team earlier but i want to see Iorfa back at right back after watching him for the Under 21's tonight. I hope Lambert is watching because he's looked quality. Hause done pretty well at left back too without being the threat Iorfa is going forward.

 

[Deutsch Wolf]

We all know that an on form Iorfa is a serious asset at this level - if he's over last week's disaster then by all means chuck him in there. Silvio can battle it out with CBJ for the LB slot.

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

I think that's fair. It's been pretty poor recruitment to have Prince, Edwards and Tex in the side as they essentially all play behind the striker. Oh how it would've been nice to buy an actual midfielder who can do the box-to-box job.

Still I think this will all be mute as Lambert goes with the diamond he had at Norwich and plays Saiss, Price, Tex and Costa behind Bod/ Dicko. Poor old Cav.

Can I just ask how'd you'd get a midfield diamond out of those four players?

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

I said i would be happy enough with DW's team earlier but i want to see Iorfa back at right back after watching him for the Under 21's tonight. I hope Lambert is watching because he's looked quality. Hause done pretty well at left back too without being the threat Iorfa is going forward.

We all know that an on form Iorfa is a serious asset at this level - if he's over last week's disaster then by all means chuck him in there. Silvio can battle it out with CBJ for the LB slot.

Agree, Iorfa looked great the other night and his ability at right-back all comes down to team tactics and setup. Zenga wanted more possession ability from his full-backs. I think Lambert may have different ideas but at the moment Iorfa should be taken out and then re-introduced to a more confident and organised team and given the license to attack space as a full-back.

 

[MARKakaJIM]

I'm still sceptical about Iorfa as a fullback, pretty much everything that's good about him there comes from his pace rather than any specific footballing ability, he's very hard to beat one on one as he's so fast and he's got the ability to cover the ground getting up and down but I think he's end product needs a massive amount of work and he does tend to fall asleep when defending the back post at times.

So far I think his positives at right back in about in line with what Zubar offered there, pace and energy. The lad's got a long way to go.

 

[Johnny75]

Can I just ask how'd you'd get a midfield diamond out of those four players?

Saiss
Tex---Price
Costa​

Costa behind a Bod + Dicko partnership. Bod and Dicko could play the channels and Costa given a free role. Would mean Tex and Price being disciplined and move the ball very fast into any of the three in front. Saiss would provide the backbone and the full backs would have to provide the width.

As I said, not what I would do but I can see Lambert doing it as he had success with that type of formation and personnel.

 

[Johnny75]

Agree, Iorfa looked great the other night and his ability at right-back all comes down to team tactics and setup. Zenga wanted more possession ability from his full-backs. I think Lambert may have different ideas but at the moment Iorfa should be taken out and then re-introduced to a more confident and organised team and given the license to attack space as a full-back.

This is the total opposite to me. Zenga tucked his full backs in and didn't allow them up the line so negating Iorfa's best quality, his pace, to both push opposing wide men back and recover when needed to 1v1. Asking him to be a traditional full back or tuck inside and take the ball inside is a miscalculation of his ability. As it is with CBJ in the other FB slot.

Our defensive tactics have been a total shambles this season and that can only be put on the staff as a whole. You play with what you have and to their strengths or you replace those players with ones who can play the way you want. A Halfway house is a recipe for disaster as Zenga has found out.

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

Saiss
Tex---Price
Costa​

Costa behind a Bod + Dicko partnership. Bod and Dicko could play the channels and Costa given a free role. Would mean Tex and Price being disciplined and move the ball very fast into any of the three in front. Saiss would provide the backbone and the full backs would have to provide the width.

As I said, not what I would do but I can see Lambert doing it as he had success with that type of formation and personnel.

Can't see him doing that at all. Price on the left of a diamond?! And no way will he play Tex in there either. Needs to be a lot further forward and have minimal defensive responsibilities.

 

[Johnny75]

Can't see him doing that at all. Price on the left of a diamond?! And no way will he play Tex in there either. Needs to be a lot further forward and have minimal defensive responsibilities.

I think we'll be surprised. I did say it isn't what I would play but I can see him doing it as he likes possession and ball playing players. It would also be a very narrow diamond with 2 central midfield players where the width would be from the full backs, free player (Costa) and forwards in the channels. It is how he played at Norwich with his best success.

 

[Tony Towner]

Surely Tex is more Hoolahan than Costa in that formation?

 

[GoldFlagFlyingHigh]

I think we'll be surprised. I did say it isn't what I would play but I can see him doing it as he likes possession and ball playing players. It would also be a very narrow diamond with 2 central midfield players where the width would be from the full backs, free player (Costa) and forwards in the channels. It is how he played at Norwich with his best success.

I'm aware of how he played at Norwich but Price and Teixeira would be way down the pecking order to play those roles. Much more likely to be Coady and Saville IMO for Saturday!

 

[Tony Towner]

I'm aware of how he played at Norwich but Price and Teixeira would be way down the pecking order to play those roles. Much more likely to be Coady and Saville IMO for Saturday!

Saville is suspended