Van Ewick Injury (3 Viewers)

[clint van damme]

Can’t wait to see Kelly’s burst of pace and Eccles’ pinpoint long-range passing for the next 2-3 months…

Why do you keep saying this, that's not their game, never has been. We all know they're not going to do it.
It's like expecting Bidwell to scores goals.

But the idea that we've got a defender who can do what you're saying seems fanciful.
I keep saying it, but we need to get either Ayari, Allen or Palmer firing in the more advanced midfield position until O'Hare returns.

 

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[clint van damme]

Not sure robins trusts him there.

I would like to see him start a few games but not sure he will.

He brought him on there in our last game, I'm not sure that indicates he doesn't trust him.

Obviously he made a bad error but that doesn't mean he will never play him there again. Dasilva made a bad error against Swansea but he still plays RWB.

Mondays team selection will tell us more.

 

[covcity4life]

He brought him on there in our last game, I'm not sure that indicates he doesn't trust him.

Obviously he made a bad error but that doesn't mean he will never play him there again. Dasilva made a bad error against Swansea but he still plays RWB.

Mondays team selection will tell us more.

Yeah I'm not saying he never will. Just not sure robins is convinced defensively so could be back to eccles or lati perhaps

 

[clint van damme]

Yeah I'm not saying he never will. Just not sure robins is convinced defensively so could be back to eccles or lati perhaps

If he move Eccles there given our midfield shortages then that would suggest he doesn't trust him at all

 

[covcity4life]

If he move Eccles there given our midfield shortages then that would suggest he doesn't trust him at all

See what Monday brings. I hope saka starts. Were at home and he can beat his man more often than not

 

[Sky Blue Harry H]

I suppose DaSilva could play defensive midfield while we move Eccles out to cover wingback...

Da Silva up front to mimic Terry Gibson. Can run between the cb's legs.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Also if group cohesion/understanding isn’t there yet then why not on their days off training get them to do some outreach work or a social? Having them sat at home playing FIFA isn’t really going to help.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

Why do you keep saying this, that's not their game, never has been. We all know they're not going to do it.
It's like expecting Bidwell to scores goals.

But the idea that we've got a defender who can do what you're saying seems fanciful.
I keep saying it, but we need to get either Ayari, Allen or Palmer firing in the more advanced midfield position until O'Hare returns.

But that’s the point, it’s not their game so why are we playing them?! We need to get our strikers going but we can’t if we’re never giving them service. If our midfielders’ game is not good passing with some long-range balls over the top or through balls down the middle etc then why are we playing them? Little tip-tap sideways and backwards passing gets us absolutely nowhere.

I don’t suggest using other players in midfield because I have a particular love for Dasilva or Lati or Bidwell or Thomas or Ayari or whoever, I suggest it because I think our current midfield is woeful and we have to do something to correct it. I don’t believe that Kelly or Eccles are suddenly going to be shaped into a brilliant midfielders so the only way forward I believe might work is using some of our better players in a midfield position.

 

[clint van damme]

But that’s the point, it’s not their game so why are we playing them?! We need to get our strikers going but we can’t if we’re never giving them service. If our midfielders’ game is not good passing with some long-range balls over the top or through balls down the middle etc then why are we playing them? Little tip-tap sideways and backwards passing gets us absolutely nowhere.

I don’t suggest using other players in midfield because I have a particular love for Dasilva or Lati or Bidwell or Thomas or Ayari or whoever, I suggest it because I think our current midfield is woeful and we have to do something to correct it. I don’t believe that Kelly or Eccles are suddenly going to be shaped into a brilliant midfielders so the only way forward I believe might work is using some of our better players in a midfield position.

We're playing them because we have no one else! What the root cause of that is I'm sure will come out in the wash but at the minute they're all we've got.
There is no evidence that the players you've mentioned could do any better though we're one injury away from having to stick one of them in there.

 

[clint van damme]

See what Monday brings. I hope saka starts. Were at home and he can beat his man more often than not

I like him. I hope he plays and does well.

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

We're playing them because we have no one else! What the root cause of that is I'm sure will come out in the wash but at the minute they're all we've got.
There is no evidence that the players you've mentioned could do any better though we're one injury away from having to stick one of them in there.

Yeah I do get that tbf, I know I sound raving mad but I’m just passionate about the team and want us to do well. But yeah I agree that it’s a risk putting new players playing out of position in midfield but I honestly think it might be worth the risk just swapping either one of Kelly or Eccles out for another player because it’s so slow and so predictable atm that it makes it easy for teams to play against us. I know I’ve banged on about them a hell of a lot but I simply can’t see what either of them brings to the table.

 

[Hobo]

If we get relegated he’d 100% deserve to be and be sacked.

We are months and months away from that.

 

[Sick Boy]

We are months and months away from that.

I don't think we're going to get relegated but if it happened it'd be naive at best to think he'd still be in the job.

 

[Hobo]

I don't think we're going to get relegated but if it happened it'd be naive at best to think he'd still be in the job.

You could say that of any manager

 

[Deleted member 5849]

You could say that of any manager

tbf Thorn kept his job, as did Strachan.

(And Robins for that matter - we have a trend of keeping the manager who ultimately takes us down in their job for the next season)

 

[Sick Boy]

tbf Thorn kept his job, as did Strachan.

(And Robins for that matter - we have a trend of keeping the manager who ultimately takes us down in their job for the next season)

Strachan should have gone earlier in the season and Thorn should have never been sacked by mid-September as the writing was already on the wall.

 

[Hobo]

Strachan threw in the towel but was persuaded to keep going. Thorn didn't want the job but was persuaded to take it. Perhaps the blame lies above their heads? But of course we all blame them.

 

[shmmeee]

Why do you keep saying this, that's not their game, never has been. We all know they're not going to do it.
It's like expecting Bidwell to scores goals.

But the idea that we've got a defender who can do what you're saying seems fanciful.
I keep saying it, but we need to get either Ayari, Allen or Palmer firing in the more advanced midfield position until O'Hare returns.

It’s not enough. Being able to play with such a huge gap and with only three attacking players was a gift because we had a one man strike force and a one man midfield.

We just can’t do that now. We have to play more attack minded players, at least the standard four. Robins needs to let go of his 703 safety blanket and put a proper side out instead of stuffing the back seven and hoping the front three can pull a bit of magic off.

 

[clint van damme]

It’s not enough. Being able to play with such a huge gap and with only three attacking players was a gift because we had a one man strike force and a one man midfield.

We just can’t do that now. We have to play more attack minded players, at least the standard four. Robins needs to let go of his 703 safety blanket and put a proper side out instead of stuffing the back seven and hoping the front three can pull a bit of magic off.

You're missing my point, I don't disagree but expecting Kelly and Eccles to be more attacking is fanciful.
Stick Ayari in there and it will be a licence for the opposition to over run us in the midfield.
It's a bit of a mess with no obvious solution at the moment, (other than the return of O'Hare).

 

[shmmeee]

You're missing my point, I don't disagree but expecting Kelly and Eccles to be more attacking is fanciful.
Stick Ayari in there and it will be a licence for the opposition to over run us in the midfield.
It's a bit of a mess with no obvious solution at the moment, (other than the return of O'Hare).

The solution is to not play a two man central midfield with wingbacks. We’ve not got the players for it.

 

[clint van damme]

The solution is to not play a two man central midfield with wingbacks. We’ve not got the players for it.

We don't have the players for much else!
The box is the obvious alternative, or even 5 3 1 1 but I can't see any way Robins goes 1 up top after forking out millions on 2 strikers.

 

[shmmeee]

We don't have the players for much else!
The box is the obvious alternative, or even 5 3 1 1 but I can't see any way Robins goes 1 up top after forking out millions on 2 strikers.

It’s why I think especially with MvE out we should go to a back four, then 4222 433 4231 all options.

I honestly think the way to get the best out of our assets will be something like Wright down one wing and Saka down the other with Godden/Simms in the middle. Maybe 4231 so you can fit Ayari or O’Hare in the ten role too. If Ayari can’t adapt to a CM role.

 

[TomRad85]

It’s why I think especially with MvE out we should go to a back four, then 4222 433 4231 all options.

I honestly think the way to get the best out of our assets will be something like Wright down one wing and Saka down the other with Godden/Simms in the middle. Maybe 4231 so you can fit Ayari or O’Hare in the ten role too. If Ayari can’t adapt to a CM role.

Wilson/Collins
Lati, Thomas, Kitching, DaSilva
Kelly, Eccles
Sakamoto, Ayari, Wright
Godden/Simms

Insert Allen if fit.

I agree with you, the way things are this now looks better, this team looks ok on paper.

 

[shmmeee]

I suppose you could go 343 but i think it would just accentuate our issues in midfield.

 

[clint van damme]

It’s why I think especially with MvE out we should go to a back four, then 4222 433 4231 all options.

I honestly think the way to get the best out of our assets will be something like Wright down one wing and Saka down the other with Godden/Simms in the middle. Maybe 4231 so you can fit Ayari or O’Hare in the ten role too. If Ayari can’t adapt to a CM role.

Be amazed if we go to 4 at the back.
Can't remember the last time we started again with a 4

 

[shmmeee]

Wilson/Collins
Lati, Thomas, Kitching, DaSilva
Kelly, Eccles
Sakamoto, Ayari, Wright
Godden/Simms

Insert Allen if fit.

I agree with you, the way things are this now looks better, this team looks ok on paper.

I think in an ideal world post Xmas that evolves to:

Wilson/Collins
MvE Lats/Thomas Kitching/Binks Dasilva
Sheaf Ayari
Saka O’Hare Wright
Simms/Godden

Defence depending on what clicks. I don’t think we’ve seen a set that does just yet.

 

[shmmeee]

Be amazed if we go to 4 at the back.
Can't remember the last time we started again with a 4

If we’ve spent £10m on defenders and still can’t then I’ve got even more questions about our transfer business.

 

[TomRad85]

I think in an ideal world post Xmas that evolves to:

Wilson/Collins
MvE Lats/Thomas Kitching/Binks Dasilva
Sheaf Ayari
Saka O’Hare Wright
Simms/Godden

Defence depending on what clicks. I don’t think we’ve seen a set that does just yet.

yeh i like that one, might be waiting a while to see it unfortunately.

 

[clint van damme]

If we’ve spent £10m on defenders and still can’t then I’ve got even more questions about our transfer business.

We played 3 CBs when we were down to the bare bones defensively, he won't change it when we've got an army of them!

And the obvious one to drop ot would be fadz, can't see him removing his leadership from the pitch given his recent comments

 

[shmmeee]

We played 3 CBs when we were down to the bare bones defensively, he won't change it when we've got an army of them!

And the obvious one to drop ot would be fadz, can't see him removing his leadership from the pitch given his recent comments

Seems mental to not get the most out of your expensive new signings to make the most out of a couple of 30+ year olds you’ve had since L1 TBH.

 

[SlowerThanPlatt]

I’m guessing you’re one of those that would have kept Gareth Bale as a left-back his whole career then?
Each to their own but I’d prefer to get the best out of our team rather than be playing slow-poke Kelly and sideways-passing Eccles every week. Absolutely no idea if it would work but maybe Robins could try something in training. We’re slowly starting to get up shit creek, we’ve got to think outside the box rather than play the same old predictable shit each week.

Bale was a world class talent who could play anywhere to a high level, have you got any relevant examples?

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

Bale was a world class talent who could play anywhere to a high level, have you got any relevant examples?

Schweinsteiger played as a wingback for a time before moving to wing midfielder and then to central midfield. Pirlo was moved from an attacking position to a more defensive-minded role. David Alaba has been moved between centre-back and left-back as well, and I think Gareth Barry moved around the team sheet quite a bit too. Could even say Hamer moved positions a bit when we needed more attacking threat later on in his career for us. If you want examples from league one or league two then have a look around because I cba to sit here thinking of random players no one’s heard of.
Basically it’s not set in stone which position a player plays, if we need help in one area then we shouldn’t be scared of moving a player around provided he has the ability in that area. If we’re moving Wright to left-back then of course we’re gonna be up shit creek but moving Lati to CDM or Sakamoto to CAM etc seems a sensible thing to do in my opinion.

 

[clint van damme]

Schweinsteiger played as a wingback for a time before moving to wing midfielder and then to central midfield. Pirlo was moved from an attacking position to a more defensive-minded role. David Alaba has been moved between centre-back and left-back as well, and I think Gareth Barry moved around the team sheet quite a bit too. Could even say Hamer moved positions a bit when we needed more attacking threat later on in his career for us. If you want examples from league one or league two then have a look around because I cba to sit here thinking of random players no one’s heard of.
Basically it’s not set in stone which position a player plays, if we need help in one area then we shouldn’t be scared of moving a player around provided he has the ability in that area. If we’re moving Wright to left-back then of course we’re gonna be up shit creek but moving Lati to CDM or Sakamoto to CAM etc seems a sensible thing to do in my opinion.

You're not really disproving his point by giving Pirlo, Schweinsteiger and Alaba as further examples!

 

[Dimi_Konstantflapalot]

Be amazed if we go to 4 at the back.
Can't remember the last time we started again with a 4

Burnley away last year, we played a sort of 4-4-1-1 with Norton-Cuffy in front of Dabo

 

[BlueSkiesForever]

You're not really disproving his point by giving Pirlo, Schweinsteiger and Alaba as further examples!

I’m giving examples of players that were expected to play in a certain role and with a bit of out of the box thinking it turns out they were able to play in a different position and provide help to the team in other ways. I’m sure there’s multiple other examples out there I just don’t have an in-depth knowledge of every football player that’s ever played in the Isthmian league between the years 1927-2023, sorry about that.

Also I don’t understand what you want from our team if you’re complaining about not switching it up, do you actually want us to play the exact formation from the Cardiff game with exactly the same players? If you do then I can’t see how you’re a Cov fan.