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Post by reddipotter on Feb 2, 2016 16:24:45 GMT
You can count on the fingers of one hand the number of games in which N'Zonzi did that! When he did, it was when two midfielders played in front of Whelan. I think it'll be Affelay and Imbula in front of Whelan in a 4 3 3. At least, I hope so. He did it all the time, it was a lazy myth that he didn't. I admit that N'zonzi improved in his last season with us, but prior to that he consistently slowed down attacks and seldom supported the forwards. A dynamic attacking midfielder he was not. To balance things up a bit, I agree with you about Whelan. I am amazed how many people don't seem to get his role.
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Post by pez75 on Feb 2, 2016 16:26:57 GMT
He did it all the time, it was a lazy myth that he didn't. I admit that N'zonzi improved in his last season with us, but prior to that he consistently slowed down attacks and seldom supported the forwards. A dynamic attacking midfielder he was not. To balance things up a bit, I agree with you about Whelan. I am amazed how many people don't seem to get his role. Everyone 'gets it' - some think we can improve. I am amazed at how a few still dont get that.
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Post by whydelilah on Feb 2, 2016 16:44:33 GMT
There won't be just one player to drop out. We'll rotate accordingly.
I can see Affelay and Bojan rotating to accommodate Imbula. Equally, at times, Whelan may drop out too (even though they are slightly different players).
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Post by chiefdelilah on Feb 2, 2016 16:48:10 GMT
Yeah, I thought that was an interesting read - though it contradicts pretty much everything else I've read about him, which suggested that it was only when he was given licence to tank forward that he started to look like the player everyone wanted to spend big money on.
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Post by chiefdelilah on Feb 2, 2016 16:49:59 GMT
He did it all the time, it was a lazy myth that he didn't. I admit that N'zonzi improved in his last season with us, but prior to that he consistently slowed down attacks and seldom supported the forwards. A dynamic attacking midfielder he was not. To balance things up a bit, I agree with you about Whelan. I am amazed how many people don't seem to get his role. I think he was a scapegoat for that because there were a couple of times when he got a nosebleed and turned back when he found himself leading the charge (which was infuriating). Too often going forward we were just static and there wasn't a forward pass on. It's a problem we still have now, even without him.
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Post by Kjones9 on Feb 2, 2016 17:13:27 GMT
Don't know where the qoute is taken from but it says this on his wiki:
Mark Hughes as being able to play in centre midfield.—"He's a defensive midfielder and he's got a lot of attributes in terms of understanding that role, but he can play in a three as well. I like that flexibility in players because it gives me more options. He's a good young player with good power, good ability on the ball, and a good range of passing."
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Post by trickydicky73 on Feb 2, 2016 17:18:30 GMT
I admit that N'zonzi improved in his last season with us, but prior to that he consistently slowed down attacks and seldom supported the forwards. A dynamic attacking midfielder he was not. To balance things up a bit, I agree with you about Whelan. I am amazed how many people don't seem to get his role. I think he was a scapegoat for that because there were a couple of times when he got a nosebleed and turned back when he found himself leading the charge (which was infuriating). Too often going forward we were just static and there wasn't a forward pass on. It's a problem we still have now, even without him. Dead right, N'Zonzi was class. I think Imbula will get us back to the free flowing brilliance we produced against Liverpool last season.
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Post by drjeffsdiscobarge on Feb 2, 2016 17:20:23 GMT
I dont get how anyone can contemplate dropping aff at the minute. And as for the mythical (bollocks) nzonzi role, hes the man.
Think its a long term whelan upgrade personally. And that is NOTHING against whelan.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 2, 2016 17:21:46 GMT
Only time will tell LMH will end the debate
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Post by march4 on Feb 2, 2016 17:26:51 GMT
I think we will see a team shape that is close to the one that was so successful just before the Man City game. We used to have Glenn and Charlie alongside each other in midfield.
I'm more intrigued with the front 4 - Bodger, Arnie, SJW, Ibby, Shaq, Diouf, Crouch, Joselu. We went into our biggest game for years with Crouchie, but more important was that Shaq was dropped for SJW.
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Post by Pugsley on Feb 2, 2016 17:56:58 GMT
Whelan will hold his hand for the rest of the season before Glenn is moved aside for our CL push next season.
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Post by reddipotter on Feb 2, 2016 18:10:45 GMT
I admit that N'zonzi improved in his last season with us, but prior to that he consistently slowed down attacks and seldom supported the forwards. A dynamic attacking midfielder he was not. To balance things up a bit, I agree with you about Whelan. I am amazed how many people don't seem to get his role. I think he was a scapegoat for that because there were a couple of times when he got a nosebleed and turned back when he found himself leading the charge (which was infuriating). Too often going forward we were just static and there wasn't a forward pass on. It's a problem we still have now, even without him. We'll have to agree to disagree about N'Zonzi. On the other hand, I agree completely with your final sentence.
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Post by reddipotter on Feb 2, 2016 18:12:00 GMT
Whelan will hold his hand for the rest of the season before Glenn is moved aside for our CL push next season. Our attempts to play without Whelan over the past few years have usually lasted about two games.
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Post by cobhamstokey on Feb 2, 2016 18:14:04 GMT
We need to rotate depending on who were playing with Afellay, Arni and Imbula the constants for me.
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Post by Pugsley on Feb 2, 2016 18:23:33 GMT
Whelan will hold his hand for the rest of the season before Glenn is moved aside for our CL push next season. Our attempts to play without Whelan over the past few years have usually lasted about two games. All good things come to an end.
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Post by GeneralFaye on Feb 2, 2016 18:49:56 GMT
More often than not, my team would be..
Butland Johnson Shawcross Wolly Pieters Whelan Imbula Shaqiri Bojan Arnie Diouf
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Post by milky on Feb 2, 2016 18:54:40 GMT
More often than not, my team would be.. Butland Johnson Shawcross Wolly Pieters Whelan Imbula Shaqiri Bojan Arnie Diouf [br It's a conundrum. I like this line up.A lot -but think Afellay would be very hard done by to miss out.
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