joey_big_nose

I agree we desperately need a plan B against deep defences. We did try something different in second half, pushing Buckley further forward and Evans and Johnson deeper. It looked a bit more fluent but we still struggled to create anything of note. I suppose when Dack is fit the idea when we want to go ultra attacking to break down teams it might be something like : ------------------Kaminski JRC-------Ayala-----Lenihan-----Douglas --------------Holtby-----Johnson -----------------------Dack ----Dolan-----Armstrong----Elliot The question is though why would the oppo do anything other than park 10 men on the edge of their box to deny us the room our small nippy players need? Cardiff and Forest have shown it works very well against us. Maybe Dack and Elliot will be more effective? If we had a decent mobile target man you could scare the opposition to push out. But as it is they are happy enough to just sit in and head out everything that comes in. What's frustrating is Gallagher is supposed to be that mobile target man, but Mowbray has such little faith in him that he is left on the wing. Not signing a decent target man could be a big issue for us as the season wears on. As it is we only have Gallagher (maybe McBride if he comes on?) so the next time we are in this situation (and I think it will roughly happen every other game as sides will be desperate to play tight against us) I would go for the following if we are after a goal in the second half until Dack is back: ------------------Kaminski JRC-------Ayala-----Lenihan-----Douglas --------------Holtby-------Johnson ------------------Armstrong ----Dolan------Gallagher----Elliot

Will be a totally different type of game to Forest or Cardiff. Watford will come out to play which should suit us. Holtby back and Douglas into team seem likely to me. I think Mowbray will persevere with Dolan. Big question is will Brereton get potted for Elliot? Team very uncertain but my guess is : ------------------------Kaminski Nyambe------Ayala-------Lenihan-----Douglas ----------Holtby------Johnson----Evans ----------Dolan-----Armstrong-----Elliot But realistically I could see TM starting any of Brereton, Trybull, Gallagher or Bell. Watford have got the quality where they will expect to beat us at home. Will be interesting to see how well we can compete with them.

Not having Rothwell today was obviously a problem. His driving runs down the left have been part of the big success of the new system. Also Buckley was no where near as effective as Holtby unfortunately. But then again they were both in the team against Cardiff and we struggled. The general pattern of play of this game and Cardiff is a concern. What do we do if teams sit deep against us? We don't really seem to know. Both games we get a lot of space down the flanks and in front of their defence but couldnt really do much with it. I think the next thing we will try is Douglas and JRC at full back and try to use their improved crossing to open up teams. That's a reasonable plan. But I am really concerned we don't really have anyone who can get their head on the crosses in a congested box. I think that could be a big problem for us if most sides intend to be very defensive when they play us.

Less worried about lightweight, more with both Holtby and Rothwell out we may struggle to link up midfield and attack. Huge game for Buckley.

If Mowbray changes the formation to 343 after 433 has served us so well he needs his head examining! I think it's 433 come hell or high water.

I think Dack, AA, Dolan will struggle to get 50 tbh. Though maybe that number is a bit high it excludes others contributing. My guess is around. AA 20 Dack 8 Dolan 6 Gallagher 5 Brereton 1 Rothwell 4 Johnson 7 Lenihan 3 Williams 3 Ayala 3 Douglas 4 Travis 2 Holtby 2 Buckley 2 70ish goals there. We scored 66 last term. If Armstrong gets injured we are buggered.

LT reckons we are going to sign Downing as well (!!).

I'd be really surprised if Davenport starts. Mowbray has been very keen to not play him, to the point of signing Trybull. Seems like (to me anyway) the pecking order for the midfield 3 is Travis, Holtby, Johnson, Rothwell, Buckley, Trybull, Evans, Davenport.

If Rothwell is out Trybull could start?

Sounds good about Harvey Elliott. If we have Dolan, Chapman, Brereton and Elliott hopefully that will put an end to Gallagher on the wing.

Agreed. Reckon Rothwell is definitely a starter though even when Travis is back. But then who do you drop from Travis/Johnson/Holtby? I suppose there are so many games that the whole squad will get pitch time.

Don't think this is fair. Mowbray has played this very aggressive formation since the start of the season, and once Travis got injured he was happy to proceed with a Holtby, Johnson and Rothwell combo. Don't see why he will change that and become more conservative. I'll very surprised if Buckley does not start.

Agreed this is the team though Johnson has always played in the central role since the start of the season. So him and Buckley swap round.

I'd be okay with Downing coming back.

It is remarkably similar to what happened to Phil Jones. Think they hang players out to dry there.

I know but everyone would be in the same boat, and it would out us in a much better place in a few years. Would remove our dependence on Venkys which can only be a good thing.

You live and learn! Now you mention it I remember it was an issue with Mulgrew. Well we should do the same with Championship imo. It's madness everyone is spending well beyond their means. Means the league will lose talent, but I would trade that for a more level playing field and the knowledge the club can financially survive.

Surely if EFL is dying due to expense the way forward is to start looking at budget caps relative to each league? That way you keep the game competitive without the need to go begging?

I don't agree. I think Bell gets unfair abuse, but it's clear he isn't a reliable option and the system we use required incredibly fit full backs. What happens if he gets injured? We will be playing Rothwell at full back - you think I am joking but that is why will happen. A new left back is utterly crucial.

I disagree - nation's league is a decent short form competition which is far more enjoyable than qualifiers or friendlies. Long may it continue!

I think the main thing that will decide if we are playoff candidates - and same with virtually every other decent team in the league - is how injury free we stay. If some of Lenihan, Ayala, Armstrong, Holtby get knocked out for significant periods we are screwed no matter who we sign at left back. A decent left back will certainly help though!

Thinking about it actually maybe the big six have thought it through and see it as a way to drive through them leaving and forming a Euro super League? If everyone throws their toys out it opens up their ability to do that. "Well we tried to work with you but you have given us no choice" etc Sure Barca, Madrid, PSG, Inter, Juventus, Milan etc are up for it.

What makes it interesting is in England we do have a lot of very well supported clubs. It would actually be quite feasible for the likes of West Ham, Newcastle, West Brom, Aston Villa, Leeds, Leicester etc to walk away and set up their own league. And that's just in the Premier League. Could get really really ugly. I just can't see those clubs accepting second class citizen status. I can't really see what's in it for the club's outside the top six and those clubs who don't get parachute payments in the EFL.

Aren't you missing Germany out there? They were unbelievable between 2014 and 2016? Unlucky to be knocked out in 2016 semis by France.

I think you are getting a bit carried away here! We've got a fantastic crop of attackers and midfielders - but then so have France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Netherlands. I wouldn't say there is much between any of those top countries. If you had to pick one as the strongest France is the obvious nation. We've got some obvious weaknesses we need to sort out - Goalkeeper, Centreback both look weaker than the other top nations. And we also look vulnerable to what happened with the "golden generation" where we had a lot of good attacking players - Scholes, Gerrard, Lampard, Rooney, Joe Cole etc - but they all ultimately wanted to play in the central 10 role and ended up crowding each other out and we never looked a balanced team. That said I have to agree England looked much much better after half time. It was tactically very clever switching the full backs inside. So huge credit to Southgate. Looking forward to the game in Brussels. I thought this was a good summary of the half time tactical changes : https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.skysports.com/amp/football/news/11096/12102076/england-2-1-belgium-how-gareth-southgates-half-time-tactical-changes-completed-comeback