So.......

I have the pleasure of working nights, so was able to watch the whole game last night.

Obviously a friendly, so not reading too much into it.

Guiu looks like a work horse. Chased down everything.

Lavia clean and tidy, seemed to win the ball back a lot.

Didn't like James in this inverted fullback role. Surely he's better bombing on and crossing than coming inside and playing little passes? If the plan is Cucu to do it from the other side, which we know he can, that will still stiffle James as the other fullbsck seems to tuck in to make a three. Again, I know it's early.

2nd half was dire but hardly surprising seeing as I doubt the ones in the pitch knew each other's names!

 

Edited July 25, 20241 yr by AJMurphy25

39 minutes ago, axman2526 said:

Well our Leicester guests have told us that games against the low block will be boring.

Maybe one day we will have a coach who knows how to Crack the low block like a hot knife through room temperature butter.

If all you do is short, slow build up and all your plan is about getting through the middle then you will face low block all the time. 

Edited July 25, 20241 yr by Bob stark

1 hour ago, AJMurphy25 said:

So.......

I have the pleasure of working nights, so was able to watch the whole game last night.

Obviously a friendly, so not reading too much into it.

Guiu looks like a work horse. Chased down everything.

Lavia clean and tidy, seemed to win the ball back a lot.

Didn't like James in this inverted fullback role. Surely he's better bombing on and crossing than coming inside and playing little passes? If the plan is Cucu to do it from the other side, which we know he can, that will still stiffle James as the other fullbsck seems to tuck in to make a three. Again, I know it's early.

2nd half was dire but hardly surprising seeing as I doubt the ones in the pitch knew each other's names!

 

The reason we have a full back invert is it lets a midfielder get further forward. It'd make sense to just have two midfielders hold and let James bomb on down the wing. Or Gusto. 

55 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

The reason we have a full back invert is it lets a midfielder get further forward. It'd make sense to just have two midfielders hold and let James bomb on down the wing. Or Gusto. 

Nail on head. That's why you're Management.

Just hope Maresca doesn't try reinventing the wheel with this whole inverted stuff. 

😂😂😂

It is funny how inverted fb is suddenly no longer a cool thing. 

For me, invert not invert is not really that important. The more important question, who is better playing higher.

James/gusto or Caicedo/enzo?

This is no different than last season when we were better when Gallagher played higher than Cucurella. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 26, 20241 yr by Bob stark

3 hours ago, Bob stark said:

😂😂😂

It is funny how inverted fb is suddenly no longer a cool thing. 

For me, invert not invert is not really that important. The more important question, who is better playing higher.

James/gusto or Caicedo/enzo?

This is no different than last season when we were better when Gallagher played higher than Cucurella. 

 

 

 

 

We have seen a training game (aka a friendly ) where players were asked to do things, play in positions that aren’t the norm for them.

Add to that a fair chunk of what most would assume to be “ first choice” are either just returning from COPA and the Euros but even then you have players such as Lavia Fofana and Nunkuku who clearly will be no where near tip top  physical and or mental  conditioning following their significant absences then I for one am not remotely surprised as to what we witnessed.

I think you are 100% right this is about player selection and positional decisions as opposed to the system. 

To a degree Poch made some terrible choices when it came to player selection but again those injuries impacted significantly and for me ironically he was almost bounced into a system in which Cucerella seemed a perfect fit .

There are 4 more friendlies in the USA slowly but surely I would imagine that less players will get more minutes and it’s only toward the end of the tour I think we will see things shaping up

Edited July 26, 20241 yr by terraloon

4 hours ago, Bob stark said:

😂😂😂

It is funny how inverted fb is suddenly no longer a cool thing. 

For me, invert not invert is not really that important. The more important question, who is better playing higher.

James/gusto or Caicedo/enzo?

This is no different than last season when we were better when Gallagher played higher than Cucurella. 

 

 

 

 

I would rather have James/Gusto playing higher.

25 minutes ago, Remodez said:

I would rather have James/Gusto playing higher.

Nahh

One defensive fb, one attacking fb is dinosaur football

 

6 hours ago, Bob stark said:

😂😂😂

It is funny how inverted fb is suddenly no longer a cool thing. 

For me, invert not invert is not really that important. The more important question, who is better playing higher.

James/gusto or Caicedo/enzo?

This is no different than last season when we were better when Gallagher played higher than Cucurella. 

 

 

 

 

Who is better playing higher is one thing for sure but far from the only thing. Movement, space using the full pitch or condensing it, transition from defence to attack and vice versa just a few of the other elements. Where I do kind of agree is the players and the system have to mesh. 

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

Nahh

One defensive fb, one attacking fb is dinosaur football

 

Disagree. 

1 hour ago, Bob stark said:

Nahh

One defensive fb, one attacking fb is dinosaur football

 

two attacking full backs would be nice. it would be entertaining football.

Then you want wingbacks really with a back 3, otherwise you leave way too much space

2 minutes ago, Zeta said:

Then you want wingbacks really with a back 3, otherwise you leave way too much space

Can't I have wingbacks with a back 2?  I mean, not all the time, but sometimes? for the sake of the beautiful entertaining game.

19 hours ago, dermott said:

Nail on head. That's why you're Management.

I'd win the title within a season

7 hours ago, Bob stark said:

😂😂😂

It is funny how inverted fb is suddenly no longer a cool thing. 

For me, invert not invert is not really that important. The more important question, who is better playing higher.

James/gusto or Caicedo/enzo?

This is no different than last season when we were better when Gallagher played higher than Cucurella. 

 

 

 

 

its not about what's cool, its about what suits the team. 

Reece James is an output monster, goals and assists most games. 

But sure, lets keep him locked infront of the back line playing 5 yard passes so Enzo can do f**k all in an advanced position again.

19 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

its not about what's cool, its about what suits the team. 

Reece James is an output monster, goals and assists most games. 

But sure, lets keep him locked infront of the back line playing 5 yard passes so Enzo can do f**k all in an advanced position again.

Did you not recently say that James should be the one to invert?

I agree with everything you said here in any case but where you put a fit James in this system is more of a conundrum. Simply because we won't be playing with marauding and overlapping fullbacks and its on the flank that he excels. Unless we somehow try to turn him into a right winger or 8 I don't see how you get him into attacking areas on any consistent basis.

 

33 minutes ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

its not about what's cool, its about what suits the team. 

Reece James is an output monster, goals and assists most games. 

But sure, lets keep him locked infront of the back line playing 5 yard passes so Enzo can do f**k all in an advanced position again.

Completely agree.  Its madness when a manager decides to play a player in a position that removes all hisstrengths.  A fit Reece James, I know unlikely, for a full season playing as an out and out right back I'm sure will be 10+ goals (shooting one of his strengths) and 10+ assists.  We all see it, but why do all managers do crazy things.

I blame Pep....  They all think they have to be radical with stupid ideas that in the end takes away a players strength....

1 minute ago, OriginalS said:

Did you not recently say that James should be the one to invert?

I agree with everything you said here in any case but where you put a fit James in this system is more of a conundrum. Simply because we won't be playing with marauding and overlapping fullbacks and its on the flank that he excels. Unless we somehow try to turn him into a right winger or 8 I don't see how you get him into attacking areas on any consistent basis.

 

To be fair you could play 3 CBs and have either him or Gusto marauding on the right, Caicedo deep in midfield with Lavia next to him. Arteta used White in that role towards the tail end of the season.

Still think in addition to Chalobah we still  need to get rid of 2 more defenders, we have way too many. Arteta used 6 defenders all season long, Pep used 7. Discounting Chalobah we have 5CBs, 2 LBs, 2 RBs & a versatile Renato Veiga. Chilwell is a prime candidate to be let go because I feel we will most likely be lining up with 3 CBs most games. 

13 minutes ago, Chris Gundleton said:

Completely agree.  Its madness when a manager decides to play a player in a position that removes all hisstrengths.  A fit Reece James, I know unlikely, for a full season playing as an out and out right back I'm sure will be 10+ goals (shooting one of his strengths) and 10+ assists.  We all see it, but why do all managers do crazy things.

I blame Pep....  They all think they have to be radical with stupid ideas that in the end takes away a players strength....

Nope not happening; Fans tend to overestimate his output. He has only hit 10+ (G+A) once in his career, and that one season sticks out. Only one defender has hit 10+ goals and that record has been untouched for 28yrs. 

According to training reports Chilwell is training with the wingers and James the midfielders. 

2 hours ago, ducavis said:

To be fair you could play 3 CBs and have either him or Gusto marauding on the right, Caicedo deep in midfield with Lavia next to him. Arteta used White in that role towards the tail end of the season.

Still think in addition to Chalobah we still  need to get rid of 2 more defenders, we have way too many. Arteta used 6 defenders all season long, Pep used 7. Discounting Chalobah we have 5CBs, 2 LBs, 2 RBs & a versatile Renato Veiga. Chilwell is a prime candidate to be let go because I feel we will most likely be lining up with 3 CBs most games. 

Yeah we could but that would be a wingback system then and i'll be extremely surprised if Maresca does that even thought I think it would fit the squad better than the system he's going to employ.

3 hours ago, Ukraine Bolt said:

its not about what's cool, its about what suits the team. 

Reece James is an output monster, goals and assists most games. 

But sure, lets keep him locked infront of the back line playing 5 yard passes so Enzo can do f**k all in an advanced position again.

The Pep Vs. Ancelotti debate.  Pepe gets the accolades as the transformative coach and yet it was Carlo who won the champions league.

when all the top teams play the same - pep, arteta, maresca, etc. - all play the same style of football . . . what makes the difference? Allowing great players to play to their strengths and it works for Real Madrid.

On 25/07/2024 at 14:35, AJMurphy25 said:

So.......

I have the pleasure of working nights, so was able to watch the whole game last night.

Obviously a friendly, so not reading too much into it.

Guiu looks like a work horse. Chased down everything.

Lavia clean and tidy, seemed to win the ball back a lot.

Didn't like James in this inverted fullback role. Surely he's better bombing on and crossing than coming inside and playing little passes? If the plan is Cucu to do it from the other side, which we know he can, that will still stiffle James as the other fullbsck seems to tuck in to make a three. Again, I know it's early.

2nd half was dire but hardly surprising seeing as I doubt the ones in the pitch knew each other's names!

 

In the first half he spent so little time on the right i actually thought he was playing defensive midfield 

4 hours ago, TheCeleryKing said:

The Pep Vs. Ancelotti debate.  Pepe gets the accolades as the transformative coach and yet it was Carlo who won the champions league.

when all the top teams play the same - pep, arteta, maresca, etc. - all play the same style of football . . . what makes the difference? Allowing great players to play to their strengths and it works for Real Madrid.

The last sentence of your post is why I believe Carlo is the best Manager of the 21st century. He stands alone for me. Above Pep, Jose and anyone else you care to mention. Almost every player that’s played for him absolutely loves him. Pep and Jose wouldn’t be nearly as enjoyable to play for I reckon.