Eustace not coming. Zelalem to extend his deal

[Gazza_8 233]

You mean Jordan Thompson ? Surely only a matter of time before he gets a chance. When at MP last month I was told how we ended up getting him..... his mother actually called the Club asking if the Club would consider taking him on trial given he had been released by Man Utd. The Club called Brian McLair and asked if it was worth bringing him in for a trial and McLair apparently said "nope, don't bring him in on trial - just sign him. You wont regret it". The Club still looked extensively at footage of the boy and still brought him in - but I am told they are very impressed with the lad. You don't get to be the Man Utd U18 captain without having certain qualities.

 

I like Zelalem, I have already admitted that. But I am by no means averse to giving someone else a shot. If we are lacking creativity and that is what Zelalem is being expected to do then he isn't doing his job. Which is why I suspect that Warburton isn't expecting him to be the creative one of the midfield 3, otherwise he would probably have been dropped by now because his stats show no goals and few assists. I think Warburton sees him as the player to retain and recycle possession. Which is fair enough. But we then need to find the creativity behind the strikers.

 

Playing 4-3-3 looks like an attacking formation - but it isn't that attacking if the two players either side of the striker are playing like wingers (therefore too far away from the main striker) and even moreso if your striker isn't someone that scores a lot of headers, as they would normally be putting the ball in the box.

 

I wouldn't mind seeing us go with a 4-1-3-2 formation even. Have Zelalem as the pivot at the base of the midfield, allow Halliday to play further forward alongside Holt and McKay, and have Waghorn up front with Hardie. Something like :

 

 

This formation allows Zelalem to be the one to take the ball from the back 4 and get it moving. He would be more than adequate doing so. Not necessarily a holding midfielder, but playing slightly deeper than the midfield would normally play. This also allows the midfield 3 (Holt, Halliday and McKay) to play further up the pitch (slightly higher up the pitch than a normal midfield would play in a 4-4-2), and it also gives Waghorn a true partner up front.

 

When at Ibrox for the Queens game when we won with the late goal (you see Mack.... when back home I do actually attend games.....) it was evident to me that the wide players really were playing wide which left Waghorn effectively as a lone striker. They either need to be playing narrower to support him or he needs a partner to help him.

 

I think we would be more creative with the above formation with 3 players in midfield who have an eye for a pass.... in Holt's case a very deft eye for making a run beyond his strikers at the right time, in McKay's case someone who can be direct and take on players and in Halliday's case someone who can make an incisive through ball.

 

Having Hardie up beside Waghorn would give Waghorn support but would also give those 3 midfielders something more to aim at.

 

Worth a try at least ????

 

You'd have Danny Wilson ahead of Lee Wallace at left back?

[Ser Barristan Selmy 222]

He has one assist in 8 league games since the end of August. We lacked a spark, says the manager, where is the spark supposed to come from, I would ask? Making easy passes 10 yards isn't getting the job done, in fact it makes it easy for the opposition to get in formation behind the ball.

 

Send him back, and save £6,500 per week. With the possible exception of Waghorn we really only have one "senior" player in the starting line up. I would play Law, who is a proven goal scorer, when fit, and task him with playing further forward to back up the loan striker. Meantime I would give Shiels a run.

I would take issue with the part in bold, midfielders should not be condemned for short passing as surely that is what all teams should strive for. Xavi for example, was no stranger to playing short passes. That said, I agree that this player's contribution is ineffective, particularly given he's a loan player we aren't going to get the benefit of.

[Bruno55 0]

I would take issue with the part in bold, midfielders should not be condemned for short passing as surely that is what all teams should strive for. Xavi for example, was no stranger to playing short passes. That said, I agree that this player's contribution is ineffective, particularly given he's a loan player we aren't going to get the benefit of.

 

If we win the league and trust me zelalem will be in the team if fit of course were going to get the benefit..

[craig 5,199]

You'd have Danny Wilson ahead of Lee Wallace at left back?

 

No, as mentioned a couple of pages ago that was a typo - I just didn't go back and alter the original post.

 

Obviously it would be Wallace, not Wilson at left back.

[Gazza_8 233]

No, as mentioned a couple of pages ago that was a typo - I just didn't go back and alter the original post.

 

Obviously it would be Wallace, not Wilson at left back.

 

There's nothing obvious about it. Wilson is left footed and although a centre half maybe could play to a decent level at left back.

 

I thought it was a typo but you never know.

[craig 5,199]

There's nothing obvious about it. Wilson is left footed and although a centre half maybe could play to a decent level at left back.

 

I thought it was a typo but you never know.

 

I would consider it obvious in the sense that a) Wilson isn't a left back and b) he isn't nearly good enough to replace Wallace.

 

Either way, a brief look at subsequent posts would have seen the response to your question