Exiled_Rover

To lead the line as a #9 in a 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 you need to either be big (to act as a focal point) or fast (to run in behind). Ideally you're both. The post below yours mentions that he's no smaller than Ohashi - Ohashi doesn't contribute a great deal when he leads the line. He's too small and isn't fast enough to trouble teams. Ideally Leonard needs 6 months in L1 playing week in, week out. Having a bit-part role here will still develop him, but not as quickly as we'd like and he's already lost nearly 12 months of development with injuries.

Yes, I have a season ticket in the Jack Walker stand.

Dolan has genuinely never been worth the price of admission.

Genuinely, where would you play him? I think he's too small / slow to play as a #9. Do you play him out wide? Do you shift Cantwell out wide and play him as a #10?

If we had a week off between fixtures I'd fancy us against Hull - new manager bounce an' all. As it is I think we'll be in for a hell of a battle on Sunday. It's simply too many games, too often for this tiny squad.

We saw the problem with playing Ohashi and Gueye as a 9/10 at Millwall. You get overrun in midfield as you're then essentially playing 4-2-4. Ohashi could play out wide on the left / right I feel. You can't play him as a #10, he doesn't do enough defensively.

Horror loans for Garrett and O'Riordan. I wouldn't do business with either of those clubs again.

I've watched him for 4 years. I'd fancy my chances in a foot race against Dolan. You absolutely cannot fault his work rate, it's phenomenal, but he's a slow player and his decision making is poor. Like Hedges he'd be an excellent squad player for most Championship teams.

Eustace is in a difficult situation. He's actually got two useful CF in Gueye and Ohashi, but they offer different things and they're both massively hampered by the players around them. Ohashi is a really good finisher with excellent movement, but doesn't offer a great deal in terms of leading the line. Gueye is a really poor finisher, but leads the line really well and brings others into play (7 assists now is it?). The problem is that our wide players neither create enough or score enough chances, so you're not playing to either Ohashi's or Gueye's strengths. As much as I like him I'd like to see Cantwell score / create a little more - but granted it's difficult to do when you're effectively playing with 9 men when you go forward if you're starting Hedges / Dolan. They need to give ACD an extended run in the side and sign a pacey winger in January.

Pace? Dolan?

How are they faltering? Besides the established Academy graduates in the first team you've got Duru on the cusp of breaking through. A couple of other Academy kids have made the bench recently too.

Pickering won't play again this year. What do you do if Beck picks up a knock? We need a LB in January.

Because we only have one and it's a long season.

Cantwell is by far our most talented player. He stitches things together playing as the #10 but he needs support. Hedges and Dolan out wide are good defensive, but a liability going forward.

He needs a LB and probably a CM if Travis and Pickering are out for a while. That'll eat into any funds we have for attacking reinforcements.

Do you get MotM for missing an absolute sitter?

I think they're a very lucky team - they have pace, but all of their defending was last second lunges. Delighted they didn't steal the 3 points today.

That lad is constantly injured.

He's a far more talented player than Dolan. Similar pace though.

Their manager was sacked before Christmas for a reason. Eustace is working miracles with out squad.

New manager bounce and they have a better squad than we do.

Baker got stuck in that Chelsea loan vortex for too long, but he's a quality player. Stoke had a change of manager and wanted rid of him, it happens. We're undoubtedly paying all of his wages so that's as good as a transfer for them.

To be fair there's nothing to do over in Sunderland.

2 points from the next 2 would be outstanding. Our season is about to hit the buffers I fear - injuries and fixtures piling up.

Based purely on the warm-up drills he's the best finisher at the club. He just has absolutely zero physicality.