Will having Haji Wright back throw us off? (13 Viewers)

[SkyBlueSteve81]

Let me start this by saying that I think he is one of our best players, his record since being here backs that up. If I were listing my first 11 (assuming everyone is fully fit) he'd be in it, so would Sheaf for that matter. My question is more about unsettling a winning team.

I just wonder if having him back will provide that final push and help us get 'over the line' or actually unsettle a winning team on an amazing run of form. Granted it is going to take him time to build up his match fitness and I wouldn't expect him to be near starting a game for a few weeks yet but it got me to wondering.

 

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[TomRad85]

No, in fact i'm really looking forward to seeing if Frank and co can get even more from him. Given the improvements seen in others i wouldn't rule it out.

 

[SBT]

Not unless we insist on forcing something that isn't working. If either Wright or EMC has to be left out of the team then I would hope and expect Lampard to do so. I think it will be a huge boost to us.

 

[SkyBlueSteve81]

Not unless we insist on forcing something that isn't working. If either Wright or EMC has to be left out of the team then I would hope and expect Lampard to do so. I think it will be a huge boost to us.

You are working on the assumption that it is a case of either Wright or EMC. Do you not think Frank will try to fit both in? Potentially with Wright playing through the middle?

 

[SBT]

You are working on the assumption that it is a case of either Wright or EMC. Do you not think Frank will try to fit both in? Potentially with Wright playing through the middle?

Don't know what he'll do tbh, but if he tries to fit both in and it isn't working, I would hope he doesn't try to force it.

 

[napolimp]

Wright will need to get back up to speed, most likely as a sub for EMC in 20-30 minute cameos. Once fully match fit I'd like to see Wright on the left, and EMC tested on the right - especially now he's been in such good form. I don't think you should drop Simms at the moment.

 

[Balli001]

You are working on the assumption that it is a case of either Wright or EMC. Do you not think Frank will try to fit both in? Potentially with Wright playing through the middle?

Only if he considers that the best option. Personally think for the way we are playing right now Simms works perfectly

 

[Alkhen]

Thankfully we have the squad to manage Wright back into the team gradually. Personally I hope we persist with Simms in the centre, I just feel his physicality is something nobody else in the squad can offer.

EMC looks so good from the left so I would be tempted to try Wright off the right. Obviously not Ideal but we should at least see if he feels comfortable

 

[Hincha]

Has the potential to do so but only if Frank starts shoehorning players out of position to accommodate him (e.g. EMC on the right), which i don't think he will

 

[fernandopartridge]

I don't think so, we've just reverted back to the system that will allow him to slot in but also due to EMC being fit, in a phased way.

Any team in this division including Leeds would welcome a player of Wright's calibre returning imo.

 

[napolimp]

Has the potential to do so but only if Frank starts shoehorning players out of position to accommodate him (e.g. EMC on the right), which i don't think he will

I don't think EMC on the right would be shoehorning players in. He can play on the right, he just didn't look great there earlier in the season because he wasn't playing well in general. Now he's in form it may be a different story. He likes to hit the byline, so being right footed will help with good balls in.

 

[TomRad85]

Why's everyone talking about shoehorning? We don't know what the plans are for Wright but we aren't going to be shoehorning anything. It's obvious EMC is a class act so i imagine we will look and see if Wright can be just as effective down the middle or on the right (as i've been saying for a while.) If it doesn't work, which i don't see why it couldn't, then we'll back away from it. Lampard is a winner and he won't sacrifice that for 'shoehorning.'

 

[quinn1971]

good Point, we’re playing well, problem is with simms your limited where to play him, could maybe play wright on the left and EMC on the right, front 3 off EMC simms and wright looks good on paper but your playing them out of position, as much as simms has improved he’s not scoring, expect wright once fully fit to replace simms, as a manager, thats the problems you want,

 

[shmmeee]

People said that about EMC and going back to four at the back and frankly (lol) Saturday was probably our best performance under Lampard so I’m going to say no.

 

[TomS91]

I'd go for Wright, off the right. Look at where Tatsu has had headed shots from. Imagine if Wright and Simms are attacking balls in from Rudoni and EMC. Mouthwatering prospect.

Btw - if you haven't already it's worth giving this a watch on us under Lampard in general but with a nice segment on headers towards the end.

 

[Domo]

its always good to have competition in the squad, we'lre not going to see wright start for a while yet.

i did always wonder why we didnt try (maybe we did but i cant remember) wright as a CF?

 

[Hincha]

Lampards system is to play with inverted wingers that come inside to create overloads out wide. The RW also drops into RM without the ball to make it a 4-4-2 shape.

Put Wright or EMC on the right wing and you no longer have the natural inversion or the defensive solidity. Not saying it will not work but it requires a system change that has the potential not to, which could disrupt us.

 

[Balli001]

its always good to have competition in the squad, we'lre not going to see wright start for a while yet.

i did always wonder why we didnt try (maybe we did but i cant remember) wright as a CF?

He did kind of before his injury if I recall

 

[fernandopartridge]

Lampards system is to play with inverted wingers that come inside to create overloads out wide. The RW also drops into RM without the ball to make it a 4-4-2 shape.

Put Wright or EMC on the right wing and you no longer have the natural inversion or the defensive solidity. Not saying it will not work but it requires a system change that has the potential not to, which could disrupt us.

I feel it's most likely that he'll share roles with EMC and Simms

 

[napolimp]

Well one of either Wright or EMC will have to get used to playing out on the right, because we can't play Sakamoto there 90 mins a game for the rest of the season. And Rudoni/Raphael/Paterson/Thomas-Asante don't look like viable alternatives out there.

 

[mmttww]

Short answer is No. We'll have depth and game changers on the bench. I'd be interested in seeing what he could do from the right for 20 mins at the end of a game. Still feel his left foot is strong enough for him to be effective from that flank.

 

[coop]

I would like to see him up top with EMC on the left.

 

[Mild-Mannered Janitor]

Its a great problem to have, he can swap with EMC & Simms and is proven in role and also could probably play on the right equally as well. Fantastic addition to have as we go into the last 12+ games

 

[Major Tom]

Expect he will make couple of cameo appearances first .. wouldn’t expect him to be up to speed until end of March

 

[shmmeee]

Expect he will make couple of cameo appearances first .. wouldn’t expect him to be up to speed until end of March

He’ll have been training for a month and a half at that point, longer than a preseason!

 

[Razzle Dazzle Dean Gordon]

The only way i can see it causing us any problems is if we shift system or play people out of position to accommodate him. I don't think we particularly need to do this so it seems unlikely, if anything it just feels like a nice problem to have and i'm really interested to see where we play him. If Wright comes in and replaces EMC it will again make me think that signing was a bit of an odd one for us to have made, if we find a way to have both on the pitch however that could work really well.

 

[CBS16]

Lampard and the coaches will look at it game by game. Certain games will be more suited to Haji than EMC as they are very different players. I'm sure we will see one of them off the right at points but I can't imaging that's the plan for every game. Sakamoto Van Ewijk connection is massive for us, sakamoto is our best RW including Haji and EMC as that's his natural spot.
Haji will probably also be utilised down the middle at times, he'll be crucial and how we choose to use him game by game could be massive in edging us over the line

 

[Winny the Bish]

Expecting to see Wright tried at both LW and ST till Lampard settles on a spot for him. If that means EMC or Simms becoming a bench player then so be it because Wright is our most important attacker.

 

[Great_Expectations]

Wright Simms EMC (right to left)

Is a pretty exciting front three. Especially with the creativity and passing ability of Rudoni, Torp, Grimes, Sheaf behind them.

And with Sakamoto/BTA/Bassette to come on when one of three tire.

 

[HuckerbyDublinWhelan]

Couldn’t we have the Wingers alternate? And switch throughout the game?

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

I'd go for Wright, off the right. Look at where Tatsu has had headed shots from. Imagine if Wright and Simms are attacking balls in from Rudoni and EMC. Mouthwatering prospect.

Btw - if you haven't already it's worth giving this a watch on us under Lampard in general but with a nice segment on headers towards the end.

Decent video that. One thing that was interesting and it's Grimes xA. Obviously it's with a pinch of salt but he's only played 3 and a bit games and already has an xA of 4.6 (Rudi top with 8.6).

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Starting EMC risked the same thing and he smashed it. The plan, even the we played 5-3-2 was almost mimicking the way we play 4-2-3-1, 2 players in the box, Rudoni and Torp operating as wide midfielders almost and of having 3 players at the back.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

I wouldn't start either of EMC or Wright RW.

 

[shmmeee]

Play both LW fuck it why not? Overloads galore. Let the opposition figure it out.

 

[Sky_Blue_Dreamer]

Wright will need to get back up to speed, most likely as a sub for EMC in 20-30 minute cameos. Once fully match fit I'd like to see Wright on the left, and EMC tested on the right - especially now he's been in such good form. I don't think you should drop Simms at the moment.

If we get the opportunity I'd try Wright in place of Sakamoto for those short cameos and see how he gets on on the right. If not then they could try EMC on the right and see if he can improve on his earlier performances there no he has a bit of confidence.

If neither work on the right then Wright may be used centrally as a sub to give Simms a rest.

If that doesn't work then one of Wright and EMC will play LW, th other will have to be on the bench. At the moment it's EMC's shirt to lose.