Lack of pace on the wings

[applejuice]

And...we started with Phil Haaland and Grealish up top and got not one but two hat tricks! that's what people are trying to say and asking questions. You're making the point for those that are peeved. The current set up is boring and predictable as fuck.

The problem is not the wingers it is the fullbacks.

To play like what we did at the Derby you need two true fullbacks staying in the traditional position providing width. We play fullbacks in traditional positions again against Chelsea in the cup game with Gomez and Lewis. And that match was also fast and entertaining despite FFS and FFS both started on the wing. So you see... it is not the wingers it is the fullbacks...

But we lost Walker ever since and Pep clearly does not trust Gomez. And Pep seems to have some issues with Cancelo. I really don't understand this. Fullbacks are not expensive. You can get some decent bloke with 20M or so price from Germany. Why not?

 

[JewelZee]

Speaking of this season Mahrez&Grealish rarely started together in the PL but they won the games except this one against Everton.

Do you really think that we did not win this one because this winger pair, not an off pace KDB or a shaky defense who cannot defend the only time counter came down that side?

While Foden & Bernado pair has the worst winning percentage this season...

Start Mahrez Palmer and Grealish. We'll "control" the ball all game even though we may never score a goal...

 

[applejuice]

Start Mahrez Palmer and Grealish. We'll "control" the ball all game even though we may never score a goal...

We started Mahrez Palmer Grealish and Alvarez and we had a fast and entertaining match vs Chelsea...

It is really not about the wingers.

We started Foden vs Brentford and it was bad as well.

As long as we start 3 CB at the back with 1 reverted fullback it really does not matter who is on the wing...

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

And...we started with Phil Haaland and Grealish up top and got not one but two hat tricks! that's what people are trying to say and asking questions. You're making the point for those that are peeved. The current set up is boring and predictable as fuck.

We do lack pace on the wings and sometimes we are predictable but we are never boring in my view. The two preceding matches before Everton were great (Liverpool and Leeds) and we are one of the leading scorers in Europe (as we usually are). We have already scored 64 goals in all matches this season. The difference against United was Foden's pace and the fact that KDB was on fire.
We are not firing on all cylinders at present and Grealish is really struggling but I remain confident that Pep will sort it out for the business end of the season. Let's wait and see.

 

[Beaker]

We do lack pace on the wings and sometimes we are predictable but we are never boring in my view. The two preceding matches before Everton were great (Liverpool and Leeds) and we are one of the leading scorers in Europe (as we usually are). We have already scored 64 goals in all matches this season. The difference against United was Foden's pace and the fact that KDB was on fire.
We are not firing on all cylinders at present and Grealish is really struggling but I remain confident that Pep will sort it out for the business end of the season. Let's wait and see.

I thought it was only me who thought the previous two games against Liverpool and Leeds were both entertaining, where we played some really good attacking football and could have scored a lot more than the six goals we scored over those two matches.

 

[simon23]

The elephant in the room and increasingly so, is the slowing down of Kev.

His risk reward ratio was always offset by his and others' ability to get back in on the turnover of the ball.

Kev has had some truly shocking performances this season and Everton was another, where he was trying to force it when his fitness was letting him down.

He looks more and more for that killer pass when his legs can't take the strain.

agreed. I said this last year about him.....he just looks half a yard slower (not that he was ever lightening quick) but you can see there is a strain on him at times.

 

[BrianW]

Kev is getting older, he has hardly had a rest in two years, and IMO asking him to play three games in a week is unreasonable. The guy is fucking knackered. But he is a quality player and if you leave him out you have to work out how to replace him.

 

[Stiff Little Wingers]

agreed. I said this last year about him.....he just looks half a yard slower (not that he was ever lightening quick) but you can see there is a strain on him at times.

It is a worry and the decision to play him in 3 consecutive games was z mistake,. The Everton game as made for Gundo especially against a team that only attacked twice.
He could have been rested the other day so that he had a rest before playing a game and a half v Chelsea and then a rest again before the Rags

 

[bobbyowenquiff]

Kev is getting older, he has hardly had a rest in two years, and IMO asking him to play three games in a week is unreasonable. The guy is fucking knackered. But he is a quality player and if you leave him out you have to work out how to replace him.

Spot-on. Kev has reached a stage in his career where he needs to be carefully managed. He was superb against Liverpool and Leeds but should have been rested for Everton. He also needs to retire from Belgium as soon as possible to extend his career. He is fantastic but not a miracle worker. A combination of Gundo and Foden or Bernardo has ususally worked in the past when Kev is missing. Pep must be aware of this problem.

 

[Dazzle84]

The elephant in the room and increasingly so, is the slowing down of Kev.

His risk reward ratio was always offset by his and others' ability to get back in on the turnover of the ball.

Kev has had some truly shocking performances this season and Everton was another, where he was trying to force it when his fitness was letting him down.

He looks more and more for that killer pass when his legs can't take the strain.

All this talk about systems, the biggest one for me has been the 442 we play when out of possession, which is designed to cover Kev's deficiencies fitness wise. We're not in the right shape to win it high up the pitch anymore