19 hours ago, Backbiter said:

Glad it's not just me. He's been pretty poor so far. I'm glad he's here to provide cover for James but he is not in (a fully fit ) James's league.

I thought he was very good last season to be fair. Maybe it’s the system but he’s got nowhere near that level this season but he is very young. 

2 hours ago, Dubair said:

I thought he was very good last season to be fair. Maybe it’s the system but he’s got nowhere near that level this season but he is very young. 

I agree he was very good last season. By 'so far' I meant this season under Maresca. 

The system he’s in he’s already further up field and receiving the ball stationary, so passes more inside or backwards. Also Neto at times is deeper in this formation but didn’t change after his booking which was crucial for the equaliser.

22 hours ago, Dubair said:

I thought he was very good last season to be fair. Maybe it’s the system but he’s got nowhere near that level this season but he is very young. 

He was last season he was really good.

This season he’s been asked to play in a role that doesn’t suit him. He’s a FB that bombs up and down the right, not an inverted FB like Maresca wants.

Never picks his head up when putting in a cross. Does my head in, Every. Single. Time. 

Just now, Sconnie Blue said:

Never picks his head up when putting in a cross. Does my head in, Every. Single. Time. 

Another Lawrence Stewart singing, I believe.

Reece was available for at least 15mins. Why is he still on is the question that kills me inside

9 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Never picks his head up when putting in a cross. Does my head in, Every. Single. Time. 

His crossing was a lot better under Poch so makes me think it’s a system issue. 

Just now, Remodez said:

His crossing was a lot better under Poch so makes me think it’s a system issue. 

No, it wasn’t. Never rated his delivery. 
 

Worried he won’t improve in that area. 

7 minutes ago, Sconnie Blue said:

No, it wasn’t. Never rated his delivery. 
 

Worried he won’t improve in that area. 

From what I remember it was never this bad.

Just now, Remodez said:

From what I remember it was never this bad.

I remember being equally as frustrated. James comes back against Forrest and puts in a peach for Jackson, we all realized what we were missing. 

48 minutes ago, Remodez said:

From what I remember it was never this bad.

I agree. It was never great, but he had it in him to find at least one decent cross a game, I can't remember one under Maresca.

Gusto was horrlble today: passes not reaching our players, wrong passes etc.

I think he’s a quality player, one of the better wing backs in league imo.

He’s just playing a role that doesn’t suit him at all and it’s hampering his game. It’s frustrating to watch becuase I loved him bombing down the flanks last season.

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

I think he’s a quality player, one of the better wing backs in league imo.

He’s just playing a role that doesn’t suit him at all and it’s hampering his game. It’s frustrating to watch becuase I loved him bombing down the flanks last season.

AGREED, maybe Maresca needs to mix it up a bit, stop inverting and play a normal back four

1 hour ago, dansubrosa said:

I think he’s a quality player, one of the better wing backs in league imo.

He’s just playing a role that doesn’t suit him at all and it’s hampering his game. It’s frustrating to watch becuase I loved him bombing down the flanks last season.

Quite.

On 06/01/2025 at 10:31, POCH OUT said:

AGREED, maybe Maresca needs to mix it up a bit, stop inverting and play a normal back four

The day we play a normal back 4 again will be the day that Cucurella has to be dropped. Cucurella is a dreadful traditional full back, even worse than Gusto is as an inverted one. To be honest, I'm not sure how reliable this inverted full back role is in the long term. All of the teams we have dropped points against recently have somehow found a way to cancel it out, or we have suddenly stopped doing it for some bizarre reason. Cucurella has been more like a regular full back in recent times than an inverted one. I've barely seen him move into the midfield at all.

I hate the inverted fullback thing. It leaves us wide open to quick counter attacks out wide, cos players are out of position. If lavia could just bloody stay fit we could just have a balanced midfield and play a normal 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 or something.

It's an offensive tactic at the expense of the defense and with this backline/keeper it's a disaster.  

Wonder if Liverpool are actually looking at him as Trents replacement or is it just media noise.

Conor Bradley seems a ready made replacement but I guess they do need two options there.

I think he's been poor all around this season. Don't think the system has anything to do with it. He's played as a traditional fullback several times this season and was very poor. Either losing the ball in dangerous areas or delivering an awful pass/making the wrong decision in the final third. 

I'd sooner rather play Acheampong at RB/RCB which would allow Cucurella to invert back into his midfield role. 

 

6 hours ago, Scott Harris said:

The day we play a normal back 4 again will be the day that Cucurella has to be dropped. Cucurella is a dreadful traditional full back, even worse than Gusto is as an inverted one. To be honest, I'm not sure how reliable this inverted full back role is in the long term. All of the teams we have dropped points against recently have somehow found a way to cancel it out, or we have suddenly stopped doing it for some bizarre reason. Cucurella has been more like a regular full back in recent times than an inverted one. I've barely seen him move into the midfield at all.

We played a traditional back 4 against Palace. Didn't see either full back move centrally much. 

I'd love to see Ait-Nouri signed for LB. Different profile than Cucurella and long term much higher ceiling. 

1 minute ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

We played a traditional back 4 against Palace. Didn't see either full back move centrally much. 

I'd love to see Ait-Nouri signed for LB. Different profile than Cucurella and long term much higher ceiling. 

Rather we not sign a LB until Samuel’s-Smoth is looked at. 

1 minute ago, Sconnie Blue said:

Rather we not sign a LB until Samuel’s-Smoth is looked at. 

At this point i'd rather just sign someone with experience. 

10 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

At this point i'd rather just sign someone with experience. 

Going to agree with this, needs proven ability in the back line, rather than trying out every kid we have at disposal. The other thing with throwing a local lad in is once he gets 10 games and attract some interest, all the sudden he's another candidate for the pure FFP cash. That Lewis Hall looked a good player, not saying we could buy or he's willing to return.