Who's for a 'False 9'

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CatMan

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24 Dec 2012
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OK, I'll say it, it's time to bring back a false 9. In short, Haaland might as well be the invisible man. He's so static, he marks himself. You could almost justify his selection as a target man, if we went long, or crossed at every opportunity, but we don't.

Arsenal won that game today because they had a shot and got lucky, we didn't win that game today because we effectively played with 10 men and created nothing. No ingenuity, no creativity, no runs from deep, hardly any crosses and even fewer shots!

I could not believe he took off Alverez. He's the only goal threat or assist threat we have. I felt so sorry for Bernardo and our defence, but if you offer nothing offensively then eventually the other team will get lucky. It's happened 3 games on the trot, loads of possession, feck all chances created, Haaland taking root as he's that static, and 3 defeats to teams who are not better than us, but just chanced their luck by having the odd shot!
 
Haaland aint the problem

The midfield behind him is the problem.

Kovacic, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish (when he plays) - so little creativity from all these players. Foden tries but the rest just dont

I dont get the purchase of both Kovacic and Nunes....one or the other fine but both no....they both run lots with the ball but dont create much (Nunes however acn play different positions so maybe we will see).

This shows that we need that replacement for KDB now.... not when he leaves/retires and neither of the lads we have bought are it....neither for me is Paquetta
 
No

The club has arguably the best goal scorer in world football and you want him benched?

No, what needs to happen is the players behind Haaland pass him the ball. Far too many run into blind alleys and are happy to pass sideways and back ways. So it’s time the midfield in particular started to find quality passes into the forward. The fact we can’t pass to Haaland without Kev is worrying and reflects badly on all those players. The fact we can’t cope without Rodri is also fucking scary.

The players need to do better or we need to find world class players that will. Far too many in their comfort zone and that comfort zone is mediocre. The new players must be given abit of time and the seasoned pros must be given leeway after last season.

Mediocrity has set in and it’s up to pep and the coaching team to change the mindset.

So that be a no. I am willing to give them time to sort it out. Grin and bear it until then.
 
I’m all for venting after a defeat but not trying to reinvent the wheel, we played a couple of seasons with a false nine in over a century of football, Pep will find the answers, he knows this team isn’t where it needs to be so tried in essence to protect it from itself, the whole club will be angry and I like it when are like that
 
simon23 said:
Haaland aint the problem

The midfield behind him is the problem.

Kovacic, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish (when he plays) - so little creativity from all these players. Foden tries but the rest just dont

I dont get the purchase of both Kovacic and Nunes....one or the other fine but both no....they both run lots with the ball but dont create much (Nunes however acn play different positions so maybe we will see).

This shows that we need that replacement for KDB now.... not when he leaves/retires and neither of the lads we have bought are it....neither for me is Paquetta
Click to expand...
I agree that it isn’t necessarily Haaland’s fault, but if the opposition is going to park a bus every week (which 90% of them are) and if we’re going to continue with the slow patient, sideways and backwards, build up every week, then Haaland might as well not be on the pitch. I don’t think we put a single pass or cross worthy of the name into the box for him today. A waste of time him being out there at the moment
 
Can’t blame Erling as the service is non existent. However, I do think we could mix it up. I do think Erling should have been brought off today and we tried something different, and give them more to think about. It was too easy to mark him out of the game, especially with little service.
 
Exeter Blue I am here said:
I agree that it isn’t necessarily Haaland’s fault, but if the opposition is going to park a bus every week (which 90% of them are) and if we’re going to continue with the slow patient, sideways and backwards, build up every week, then Haaland might as well not be on the pitch. I don’t think we put a single pass or cross worthy of the name into the box for him today. A waste of time him being out there at the moment
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He managed to score 50 against teams that did what you suggest last season.

We‘re out of a bit of form and have had a poor 10 days.

We don’t need to rip the plan up that won us the treble just yet.
 
Not immediately, no, but looking ahead, I think the time only to experiment and give him a breather would be Bournemouth/Young Boys at home. Yet, at the same time, if he's still struggling for form at that point, then one would hardly withdraw him from the firing line against such opponents.
 
CatMan said:
OK, I'll say it, it's time to bring back a false 9. In short, Haaland might as well be the invisible man. He's so static, he marks himself. You could almost justify his selection as a target man, if we went long, or crossed at every opportunity, but we don't.

Arsenal won that game today because they had a shot and got lucky, we didn't win that game today because we effectively played with 10 men and created nothing. No ingenuity, no creativity, no runs from deep, hardly any crosses and even fewer shots!

I could not believe he took off Alverez. He's the only goal threat or assist threat we have. I felt so sorry for Bernardo and our defence, but if you offer nothing offensively then eventually the other team will get lucky. It's happened 3 games on the trot, loads of possession, feck all chances created, Haaland taking root as he's that static, and 3 defeats to teams who are not better than us, but just chanced their luck by having the odd shot!
Click to expand...

Christ... it's time you went for a lie down pal.
 
Alan Harper's Tash said:
He managed to score 50 against teams that did what you suggest last season.

We‘re out of a bit of form and have had a poor 10 days.

We don’t need to rip the plan up that won us the treble just yet.
Click to expand...
Indeed he did, but the supply line this season seems to have dried up completely at the moment. Gunders and Mahrez gone, Kev crocked and Jack reverting back into his first season incarnation. There’s not much point in having an out and out marksman like Erling in your team if you’re not going to give him the ball where he needs it.
Hopefully the return of Johnny Stones stepping up alongside Rodders, will give us back our old control of proceedings and enable us to play right up on the edge of our opponent’s area and get Haaland involved again
 
simon23 said:
Haaland aint the problem

The midfield behind him is the problem.

Kovacic, Nunes, Bernardo, Foden, Grealish (when he plays) - so little creativity from all these players. Foden tries but the rest just dont

I dont get the purchase of both Kovacic and Nunes....one or the other fine but both no....they both run lots with the ball but dont create much (Nunes however acn play different positions so maybe we will see).

This shows that we need that replacement for KDB now.... not when he leaves/retires and neither of the lads we have bought are it....neither for me is Paquetta
Click to expand...
This. No creativity in our midfield. Having Rodri and Stones back will make a big difference.

Kovacic looked good against the lower ranked teams but has not stood up at all when we needed him.

Rodri is becoming our Messi where if he doesn't plays, we struggle to win.

Todays game shows how much we are missing Gundogan. To lose him and KDB being out is just too much.
 
CatMan said:
OK, I'll say it, it's time to bring back a false 9. In short, Haaland might as well be the invisible man. He's so static, he marks himself. You could almost justify his selection as a target man, if we went long, or crossed at every opportunity, but we don't.

Arsenal won that game today because they had a shot and got lucky, we didn't win that game today because we effectively played with 10 men and created nothing. No ingenuity, no creativity, no runs from deep, hardly any crosses and even fewer shots!

I could not believe he took off Alverez. He's the only goal threat or assist threat we have. I felt so sorry for Bernardo and our defence, but if you offer nothing offensively then eventually the other team will get lucky. It's happened 3 games on the trot, loads of possession, feck all chances created, Haaland taking root as he's that static, and 3 defeats to teams who are not better than us, but just chanced their luck by having the odd shot!
Click to expand...
No chance, Erling has to play, he's such a threat when's he out there and the best goalscorer in the world.

You can't really blame him if no one's feeding him!
 
He will undoubtedly drop 6 goals in as many games after the break. *close thread as it’s an extremely daft one.
 
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