Brighton v West Ham. Sat 4th March 3pm.
OK, I'll take the poison chalice and take on the Brighton thread.
Same team as last night but with Ings for Antonio, Bowen and Scamacca coming off the bench as and when necessary.
It's time we beat Brighton and, with the recent lift in our performance, Saturday will be a good time to do it. 2-1 Hammers.
COYI
Same team as last night but with Ings for Antonio, Bowen and Scamacca coming off the bench as and when necessary.
It's time we beat Brighton and, with the recent lift in our performance, Saturday will be a good time to do it. 2-1 Hammers.
COYI
Comments
Johnson - Aguerd - Ogbonna - Emerson
Paqueta - Rice
Bowen - Fornals - Benrahma
Ings
Ever since Moyes sort of allowed Rice the freedom to move more upfield, although not allowed to be said , It has been to Soucek’s detriment….
Of course, just my own thoughts…
Won 5 Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Chelsea, Bournemouth (plus Liverpool in the Cup)
Drawn 2 Newcastle, Forest
Lost 4 Spurs, Villa, Arsenal, Fulham
Failed to score in 3, 5 clean sheets
Danny Ings scored both goals in Villa's 2-1 win
If Moyes is going to persist with a midfield three, in which Rice and Paqueta are nailed on starters, then I'd like to see either Fornals or Benrahma as the advanced player as they are more effective attackers, again IMO. Maybe when Cornet is back he can play wide left and Benrahma given a run in the middle as I think he'll link the midfield and the forwards a lot better than Soucek has been doing.
I agree with Keano and G Nevs on this.
With the prices mentioned you would expect a lot more!
IMO, goals and assists aren't really what you should be measuring his role on. He has two main jobs for us - drive us up the pitch, and win the ball back.
For driving us up the pitch, he's in the top 11% of midfielders for progressive carries and progressive passes, top 7% for progressive carry distance, top 11% for progressive carries into the final third, and top 7% for passes into the final third.
For winning the ball back, he's in the top 6% for ball recoveries, top 12% for aerial duels won, top 9% for tackling people running at him, top 5% for interceptions.
(All from FBRef, btw)
All imo of course but just feel he is very overrated.
Going forward the stats above sounds very good, but in all reality he hasn't achieved even what Soucek did when he was the one to have the higher up position ( goal scoring etc )
He's a great player, but somewhat agree with Ravel that not sure he's worth the crazy money that has been mentioned before, but because he's from England, I'd reckon 60-70 million is about right, not north of 100 likes Moyes sort of said, or something similar....but if he's to go...let them start a bidding war for him.....The more the merrier.
In a better team he'll look the class player he is, primarily as a holding midfielder but with the ability to surge forward as well, and don't forget he's still only 24. £100m or so feels about right.