Newcastle (H) 8pm Monday 10th March (live on Sky)

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Comments

  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    Not good seeing that we are the worst team in the PL for average number of shots on target per game at 2.6.
    Maybe something to do with our not playing a centre forward from the start. Potter’s not had Antonio or Fullkrug but would he actually have played them. We are relying on Bowen and Kudus to be our main attacking force with Soucek trying to help out and are only using Ferguson for about 20 minutes per game.
  • alderzalderz
    The big issue has been our defence, and Potter has definitely made us better defensively, and we look far less likely to concede regularly (in part because we have the ball a lot more). The issue is that the midfield three of JWP, Soucek and Alvarez isn’t particularly adventurous, so we rely heavily on Kudus to run with the ball to create anything. I don’t particularly rate Soler, but I think one of he or Paqueta need to play if we’re sticking with a 3-5-2.

    I thought we looked alright with a back four tonight, so maybe getting back to a 4-2-3-1 might work, but I wouldn’t want to go back to the days of very leaky and flimsy defence.
  • chicagohammerchicagohammer
    Agree with Alderz, especially as regards Soler, I think he is pants…and that is a phrase I have not used for at least 30 years :-)
  • SlackerSlacker
    Lukerz said:

    It’s nice to see Scarles playing & he’s doing ok, but he’s a safe LWB. He’s not offering us any threat going forward.

    Er, he’s twenty and played a handful of games at this level.

  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    edited March 11
    If we play as badly as we did last night on Saturday he who wins football matches will be laughing after we visit his mob at the weekend.
  • YeoldhammerYeoldhammer
    Considering we are safe and the season is effectively over, not overly bothered. I just hope Potter is getting a sense of who needs shifting etc for the summer.

    It would be nice to have some kind of firm identity before the seasons end though. At least some kind of exciting football that sets us up for next season not looking at the bottom of the table again.
  • thornburyironthornburyiron
    We made a raft of signings last summer, most of whom were internationals and would have joined us because of the previous 3 successful seasons in Europe and we were well known.
    This summer potential signings, especially if we are looking to sign top quality, may look at where we finished and think it’s not where I want to play.
  • alderzalderz
    I feel like I watched a different game to everyone else. We weren't exciting, but this idea that we were terrible and played awfully just isn't what I saw.
  • LukerzLukerz
    edited March 11
    We weren’t awful. We were safe & tentative which is maybe a reflection of the quality of players we have & the fact we had to make a managerial change during the season. We know what Potter likes his teams to do - pass, pass, pass. We make the pitch as wide as possible & pass it, recycle it, backwards, sideways, all waiting for that chance to put something more threatening together in the attacking area. Usually that involves Kudus & he is either 1) out of form or 2) not as good as we felt when he burst onto the scene.

    Newcastle are a top four side (almost) & in a cup final - losing 0-1 is no disgrace. But we are toothless & didn’t work Pope. We have to try & find a solution to this. We didn’t create many chances against Leicester, Arsenal, Brentford, Palace etc. We average 9 shots a game. In fact, it’s a common theme since Potter has arrived. We seem more solid defensively, we seem structured, we have more possession, but we don’t work goalkeepers.

    We have to increase those attacking numbers.
  • WHU_Champo_league_in_7_yearsWHU_Champo_league_in_7_years
    Just one of those games really, we could've got a goal but really we've got 9 quite defensive players in the side and we really are relying on some Bowen magic (as Kidus form is horrivle) or a set piece

    But we still had opportunities, but we are just a bit flat and the lack of attacking options kinda highlights why

    The midfield 3 of Alvarez-Soucek-JWP kidna reminds me of when we payed Noble-Obiang-Kouyate, 3 good players but as a 3 the balance jsut wasn't off as nobody is really gonna create

    Noble used to be the furthest forward of the 3, all 3 of the guys tried that yesterday but none were suited to it

    This season is a bit of a write off, we won't be relegated so I guess it's for Potter to see who he does/doesn't trust moving itno next season

    I like Scarles at LWB but do think Emerson offers us more aging forward, but doenst look like Potter sees Emerson at the club bcoke summer as he's barely been used (and tbf hi@ form has been pretty horrible)
  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    According to Karen Brady we are just customers so who can genuinely say they were entertained last night? Newcastle had a cup final to save themselves for but we didn’t go at them with any urgency. I asked the question the other week how many of the current squad do you reckon will be with us next season & if Kudus is so off form why not give Guilherme a game as our season if virtually over & we are just into March?
  • secrethammersfansecrethammersfan
    Last night's match was a gimme -no stakes, no worries. My worthless and obviously cretinously wrong thoughts at the end of it:
    If Ferguson is to stay, he needs to work on getting his shot off before the opposition receive a postcard telling them he's going to shoot.
    I agree that the team needs maybe one more attack-minded player in the setup, and it may be that a fully fit Fullkrug, Summerville, (or even Antonio? o:) ) might provide it. But honestly, I would prefer to see someone better, younger and faster (or as fast as Summerville) brought in.
  • LukerzLukerz
    Areola
    Wan-Bissaka - Todibo - Kilman
    Summerville - Álvarez/JWP - Souček - Scarles
    Kudus - Bowen - Paquetá

    Would probably be a better selection in this formation but we can’t really do it until Summerville is back.
  • FortuneseekerFortuneseeker
    @Lukerz, Why does everyone appear to put Soucek in their starting line up?
  • alderzalderz
    I think Kilman looks far more comfortable as the central CB than on the left, personally. I also think that Wan-Bissaka has been one of our most effective outlets on the right hand side, so wouldn't want to lose that with him being played as a centre half.

    To me, the side that you've put there, Lukerz, looks a lot more like a 4-2-3-1 than a 3-4-3. Particularly when you yourself have bemoaned Scarles attacking output. So you're essentially putting our defensive fullback higher up the pitch and our attacking fullback further back, which feels like it would default to a back 4.

    Something more like:

    Areola
    Wan-Bissaka Todibo Kilman Scarles
    Alvarez/JWP Soucek
    Kudus Paqueta Summerville
    Bowen
  • LukerzLukerz
    edited March 11
    Possibly Summerville as a LWB? I agree about Kilman.

    Areola
    Todibo - Kilman - CB
    Wan-Bissaka - Álvarez - Souček - Summerville
    Kudus - Paquetá
    Bowen
  • welovethehammerswelovethehammers
    Scarles is a nice LWB option when we need to be more defensive and Summerville at LWB when we need to be more attacking
  • alderzalderz
    I’m not convinced about Summerville as a wing back based on a cameo in Potter’s first game, but it’s possibly he’ll be good there.
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