Newcastle away

OldCastleSwift

Hamstew said:

Not enough is being made of Cresswell volleying the ball at a Newcastle player after our pen is awarded imo. Incredible scenes.

You seen Clips' alternative commentary on Twitter? Proper 'pang' when Cresswell does this 😂

claretandbluesky

Lingard must have watched that second half and fancied a bit of that instead of sitting on the Man Utd bench.

Hamstew

OldCastleSwift said:

Hamstew said:

Not enough is being made of Cresswell volleying the ball at a Newcastle player after our pen is awarded imo. Incredible scenes.

You seen Clips' alternative commentary on Twitter? Proper 'pang' when Cresswell does this 😂

Haha yeah just seen it. The noise 🤣

Brother_Sledge

The hitting the woodwork compilation clip from last season is similarly amusing

Lukerz

Souček v Cresswell for the opening goal; who scored it? 🤔

OldCastleSwift

The Merseyside Maldini

IronHerb

Cresswell.

alderz

There’s no way Soucek touched it when you look at the spin on the ball

Lukerz

I was thinking watching the game with Benrahma at number 10 how many first class attacking displays we have put in as an away side, & it did make me compare the side vs when Lingard came in & Benrahma dropped out. When Benrahma played with Lingard (or on his own), we seem to have performed (from my memory) much better.

From memory, games Benrahma started away from home (Lingard also played with him in some of these):

Leeds - Benrahma (2-1 win)
Palace - Benrahma (3-2 win)
Villa - Benrahma & Lingard (3-1 win)
Burnley - Benrahma & Lingard (2-1 win)
West Brom - Benrahma & Lingard (3-1 win)
Newcastle - Benrahma (4-2 win)

Comparing to away performances when Benrahma did not start but Lingard did:

Man City (2-1 loss)
Wolves 2-3 (win)
Newcastle (3-2 loss)
Brighton (1-1 draw)

It’s not conclusive evidence, & I still want us to sign Lingard, but we are a much more fluent & threatening attacking side when Benrahma is pulling strings in the number 10 role between the midfield & forward.

alderz

I really want Lingard to sign, because I think it gives us options. He's a more attacking outlet than Fornals on the left (as is Benrahma), he's a genuine threat down the right to allow Bowen a rest or to play up front, and he can play up front himself. He can slot into any of the 4 attacking positions, IMO.

But Benrahma, for me, is our #10. He's only going to get better the more he plays, and for me he's one of the first names on the teamsheet.

OldCastleSwift

Benrahma has earned the shirt this pre-season. If Lingard comes, and like you alderz I hope he does, he can't expect to, nor should he, walk into the team.

Benrahma, Fornals, Lingard and Bowen as AM options, plus Oko-Flex in the background, would give us some good options and allow us to rest and rotate, which will be key this season.

Ideally we can get someone up front to allow us to do that with Antonio, and, with Lingard able to play there too, our final third would be very strong.

OutcastLondoner

Here's the key thing for me. Lingard has to be treated like every other player if he comes. He wasn't last season. Benrahma has a higher ceiling in my opinion and more ability to be effective in circumstances where Lingard doesn't have the space to work.

Benrahma was actually playing very well in January before Lingard came but that progress was disrupted.

I also sometimes see people saying Benrahma is selfish and I actually think he's one of the least selfish attackers. So much of what he does is getting into a pocket of space where he's unlikely to score but can create something for someone else. After we steamed ahead against Leeds, he did in the game look for a goal but that's the only occasion I rememeber and he'd gone a long time without scoring and not consistently playing by then. Generally, Lingard took far more shots on for himself.

buffybegood

As much as I like us playing 3 at the back, the fact that, especially given Masuaku's injury issues, we haven't appeared to be pushing for someone that can play LWB (and preferably LB) leads me to think that we're going to be playing 4-2-3-1 most of the time this season.

Given we know we're never, ever going to get a full season out of Antonio, bringing Lingard and a CF in still only gives 5 and a half players for 4 places, as Yarmalenko really isn't suited to the Premier League and unfortunately Lanzini isn't the player there that he used to be before his injury. This should be the bare minimum of our recruitment for the forward positions imo.

alderz

buffy

I agree with that, but I think Moyes will view Johnson / Fredericks as cover for LWB, and in that scenario I think he'd happily switch to a 3 and play one of them on the left if Masuaku isn't available.

Lukerz

The U23s played a back 3/5, which I found interesting given Moyes’ attendance & regular involvement in the U23 side.

I genuinely believe Moyes wants to play a 3/5 at the back system. I think as soon as Masuaku is fit to start there will be decisions to be made.

OldCastleSwift

Lukerz said:

The U23s played a back 3/5, which I found interesting given Moyes’ attendance & regular involvement in the U23 side.

I genuinely believe Moyes wants to play a 3/5 at the back system. I think as soon as Masuaku is fit to start there will be decisions to be made.

If he wants that as a default formation, he needs to sign another LB/LWB. Masuaku has had his fair share of injuries, as has Fredericks, Cresswell isn't a LWB and Johnson isn't really suited to that role, IMO.

Lukerz

Sorry, what I mean is not so much a default. I think he is happy playing 4-2-3-1. But I think as soon as he has an option to use Masuaku, he will do, especially in harder games.

For example, I would bet that if he could start Masuaku on Monday against Leicester, he would.

IronHerb

https://twitter.com/TheHammers_/status/1427382886148231168

Look at the top shelf. 🥳🥳🥳

Lukerz

Watching the game back, we 100% alternated between a 4 & a 3 at the back. Fornals filled in at LWB as Cresswell moved across to LCB, but as Fornals pushed forward or went central Cresswell came across to LB. Benrahma at times was a number 10 & others a LW.

Bazshuayi

With all this chat in mind I found myself making room for Lingard and Benrahma...

Antonio
Fornals Lingard Benrahma Bowen
Soutek Rice
Cresswell Ogbonna Coufal
Fab

My 3-2-4-1 will obviously not be picked up this gameweek but my cunning plan was to have Fornals help out in a sort of wingback role (which Arthur could also do) whilst Bowen could cover if Coufal moved forward sometimes. I dont think Coufal is that good when he gets near goal anyway so he will stick back most of the time aggressively repelling their attackers. Its my way of having Jesse and Said in the team

Fortuneseeker

Bazshuayi, How many assists did Coufal get last season?

OutcastLondoner

It took me a while to realise you weren't putting Antonio in goal.

Bazshuayi

Fortuneseeker said:

Bazshuayi, How many assists did Coufal get last season?

He got nine assists which is obviously very strong (I meant that when he got near to goal and actually shot he seemed to get a nose bleed and it was basically the weakest part of his game). I did say he could get forward (if Bowen covered) but I should've clarified it was the shooting part that was the issue.

IronHerb

Now that would be an attacking line up.

claretandbluesky

When Coufal gets in front of the goal it's like he has never seen one before and gets all wide eyed, Cresswell is a full back but looks totally at ease with the goal in front of him.

yoyo

I'd love to see Coufal smack one in, but he does look like a rabbit in the headlights when he sees the goal

IronHerb

But so does Antonio from 20 yards.

yoyo

I agree Antonio isn't the finished clinical article but seeing his goal against Newcastle, compared to Coufal in front of goal, is surely not comparable and a tad Insulting

IronHerb

One's a full back and one's a striker. No insult there.

WHU_Champo_league_in_7_years

Thin kthat Moyes will opt for the back 3/5 in the games against the 'bigger sides' as it offers more protection whereas 4-2-3-1 gives us a bit more control on the ball but leaves us a bit more open