The Winter Transfer Thread (And Summer Free Transfers)

[b3h]

Mate I've had a chip on my shoulder for you since the day you kicked me off the game of the century because I won and you didn't like how I won. I didn't post for 2 years. But luckily I really like you so I came back for you .

Langers is back on my dick list for calling me Steve Cotterill though.

 

[YoungWolf]

:icon_lol:

This is almost as good as James' great rant on PTG years ago.

 

[Lord Knows]

So how the fuck are we top of the league? creative players give the ball away sometimes fact else it would be like basket ball. Saturday was just an off day it can't be as easy (or certain) as we want it to be.

The point was more related to how we combine with the central striker. If we look at the passing stats we can see that between them Neves and Saiss passed the ball near 200 times. The problem being many of those passes were to each other because their positions were flat. It seemed to some of us that a link between Neves and Bonatini would have enabled more forward balls and from that more involvement from Bonatini and runners off him.

 

[StuardoWulf]

The point was more related to how we combine with the central striker. If we look at the passing stats we can see that between them Neves and Saiss passed the ball near 200 times. The problem being many of those passes were to each other because their positions were flat. It seemed to some of us that a link between Neves and Bonatini would have enabled more forward balls and from that more involvement from Bonatini and runners off him.

Yes I agree with that however
my point was related to the how "Jota and Cavaleiro are still players in development, still learning new facets to their game. Both are good runners with the ball but their passing and link play into the central striker can often be lacking. " bit
I agree they are still learning so is everyone or they should be, I think we're in danger of turning a poor attacking performance into something more.

 

[Lord Knows]

Yes I agree with that however
my point was related to the how "Jota and Cavaleiro are still players in development, still learning new facets to their game. Both are good runners with the ball but their passing and link play into the central striker can often be lacking. " bit
I agree they are still learning so is everyone or they should be, I think we're in danger of turning a poor attacking performance into something more.

Isn't it part of the fans forum to debate the reasons why?

 

[Johnny75]

The point was more related to how we combine with the central striker. If we look at the passing stats we can see that between them Neves and Saiss passed the ball near 200 times. The problem being many of those passes were to each other because their positions were flat. It seemed to some of us that a link between Neves and Bonatini would have enabled more forward balls and from that more involvement from Bonatini and runners off him.

I agree with runners off and that would happen with 4 at the back against a team that didn't want to come out of their own half. Essentially both full back would be pushed onto their full backs and create the overload you are looking for out wide. If the opposition then went and put two players on a players running with the ball you would have an extra man free in the middle to aim for. By having good runners with the ball to commit and beat players you instantly create an overload and so an advantage against an ultra defensive team.

I'm sure that would open up a compact defence and allow your wall balls to have an effect. I'm not sure just playing into a front man and allowing the wall pass to go on would work against a compact defence as usually the defenders are so well organised it is difficult to play the ball through such a crowd and even worse for the runners to run off a player into a crowd and receive the ball.

As Darlo pointed out I'm not advocating 4-2-3-1 as our preferred formation, just one that could be applied if the opposition are particularly stubborn or compact and our 3-4-2-1 isn't really working.

@B3H - :icon_lol: Do you know how a forum works?

 

[StuardoWulf]

Isn't it part of the fans forum to debate the reasons why?

of course it is mate.
When you talk about link player to the striker often being lacking I was making the point its just a bad day at the office, thats all
we didnt have much room to work in, with no attacks from them we were 3-2-5 but douglas didnt advance enough although its hard to get
in behind them with so many bodies in there, Vinagre was an optionas he showed at Man City when he destroyed Walker

 

[Lord Knows]

of course it is mate.
When you talk about link player to the striker often being lacking I was making the point its just a bad day at the office, thats all
we didnt have much room to work in, with no attacks from them we were 3-2-5 but douglas didnt advance enough although its hard to get
in behind them with so many bodies in there, Vinagre was an optionas he showed at Man City when he destroyed Walker

We did that at Man City sat in and they couldn't score.
The point does stand though at this stage in their development Jota and Cav often look to make a yard and an opportunity for themselves even when the better option is the pass into someone else.

 

[StuardoWulf]

Deffo thought Cav was the worst culprit

 

[Lycan]

We did that at Man City sat in and they couldn't score.
The point does stand though at this stage in their development Jota and Cav often look to make a yard and an opportunity for themselves even when the better option is the pass into someone else.

Watch Jota's assist away at Derby again.

 

[b3h]

@B3H - :icon_lol: Do you know how a forum works?

Do you? Last time I counted one of us had received more bans than the other

I'm mod on a betting website/forum would ya believe

 

[Lord Knows]

Watch Jota's assist away at Derby again.

Yep also hit the post after playing a wall pass, good combinations. Didn't happen against Sunderland. Its in the locker.

 

[Johnny75]

Do you? Last time I counted one of us had received more bans than the other

I'm mod on a betting website/forum would ya believe

No I wouldn't, unless it was your own and had a population of 1.

 

[b3h]

No I wouldn't, unless it was your own and had a population of 1.

Love you too x

 

[slink]

I thought the game against Sunderland showed us how Jota and Cavaleiro are still players in development, still learning new facets to their game. Both are good runners with the ball but their passing and link play into the central striker can often be lacking. I thought as a unit we failed to link into Bonatini which was vital given Sunderland gave little space beyond the back line to run in to. We may as well have had Grabban instead of Leo because of those failings.

I think what it showed that was that we are still learning as a side and Nuno is still. He made the wrong subs, we carried on doing the same thing over and over again but then we went away from what we do. That was the biggest thing for me because i'm sure Nuno wouldn't have looked at us doing that so we sort of panicked at not being able to break them down. Now not many teams are going to play against us and completely forget about attacking like Sunderland did but it was sort of good to see that we still have room to improve both on and off the pitch.

I love the style of football we play and i think the formation is fine but if it isn't working i still think we need a way of altering how we play the system. I think the style needs to stay the same but we need a different formation to go to rather than just bringing on a different style of player like Alf. That has worked in the past but Sunderland was a game for a Bright like player to take players on in and around the area and get that lucky bounce, penalty decision or bit of magic.

 

[lemonjelly]

I think what it showed that was that we are still learning as a side and Nuno is still. He made the wrong subs, we carried on doing the same thing over and over again but then we went away from what we do. That was the biggest thing for me because i'm sure Nuno wouldn't have looked at us doing that so we sort of panicked at not being able to break them down. Now not many teams are going to play against us and completely forget about attacking like Sunderland did but it was sort of good to see that we still have room to improve both on and off the pitch.

I love the style of football we play and i think the formation is fine but if it isn't working i still think we need a way of altering how we play the system. I think the style needs to stay the same but we need a different formation to go to rather than just bringing on a different style of player like Alf. That has worked in the past but Sunderland was a game for a Bright like player to take players on in and around the area and get that lucky bounce, penalty decision or bit of magic.

Bizarre couple of pages...
I'm on board with the majority of slinks post here.

Following the sunderland game I posted a review. We were poor in contrast to how we've been in numerous other games, and a number of individuals were poor compared to how they've played previously this season. We were still better than most teams in this league, despite being poor, and the individuals who had poor games were/are still better than most other players in the division.

Also agree that Nuno needs to have a think about how to change things. Saturday was more like trying to get all your best players on the pitch hoping something happens, rather than having a plan or a method to change the dynamic of the game in our favour.

 

[Parkins left foot]

Thing is Nuno has had only 21 league games (plus a few pre season friendlies & cup games) in England & will still be learning after instilling a completely new system on the squad

He's not always going to get it right & nor will his players always play to their full potential. He does have the ability to improve further as does this squad (whatever else we do in the Jan window).

Don't think that 2 slightly below par games is a long term worry

 

[malta mick]

Thing is Nuno has had only 21 league games (plus a few pre season friendlies & cup games) in England & will still be learning after instilling a completely new system on the squad

He's not always going to get it right & nor will his players always play to their full potential. He does have the ability to improve further as does this squad (whatever else we do in the Jan window).

Don't think that 2 slightly below par games is a long term worry

fully agree Peter, but will be a worry if we don't rekindle our spark over the next 3-4 matches

 

[Parkins left foot]

fully agree Peter, but will be a worry if we don't rekindle our spark over the next 3-4 matches

Nuno has shown that he can learn lessons - no reason (at this stage) that he won't do so again & kick on from here

 

[Norman Deeley]

Think Brighton last year had a spell where they only took one point from four games. All teams have a run of poor form through the course of a season. We'll have 50 points before Xmas and that's a hell of an achievement