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Post by bayernoatcake on Aug 28, 2021 15:46:47 GMT
Terry Conroy in commentary absolutely spot on with assessment of this one, the biggest issue has been the midfield has been awol and Fulham have been allowed to run at the defence and that has exposed them.
This has happened for the last 5/6 years.
What’s with our absolute inability to sign a DM?
It’s not just a MoN thing, it’s been a club thing for so bloody long. I don’t get it.
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Post by sportsman on Aug 28, 2021 15:50:32 GMT
And we're not even looking for one are we?
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2021 15:55:09 GMT
Did they play with one today? I genuinely can't tell the difference between a really good midfielder and a defensive one.
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Post by slother on Aug 28, 2021 15:58:19 GMT
Missed Cousins today. It's no mystery though: resources are finite and we've prioritised other positions. The end of the season we'll know if that was the right call.
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Post by AlbertTatlock on Aug 28, 2021 15:58:53 GMT
Their midfield as well as the rest of the team were better to a man than we were probably including their manager, their tactics were spot on and we didn't have an answer. Gouranga.  |
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Post by damagedswan on Aug 28, 2021 15:59:41 GMT
Agree it's really really odd, especially given our problems last season and the general quality of recruitment this window. It just feels glaringly obvious but seems like no one is interested at all.
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Post by nott1 on Aug 28, 2021 15:59:59 GMT
Terry Conroy in commentary absolutely spot on with assessment of this one, the biggest issue has been the midfield has been awol and Fulham have been allowed to run at the defence and that has exposed them. This has happened for the last 5/6 years. What’s with our absolute inability to sign a DM? It’s not just a MoN thing, it’s been a club thing for so bloody long. I don’t get it. Only £12m, we should have got Ronaldo! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2021 16:00:52 GMT
Did they play with one today? I genuinely can't tell the difference between a really good midfielder and a defensive one. I suppose Seri was kind of operating in that role, but not often. The biggest problem today wasn't a lack of a defensive midfielder, it was just being outclassed across the park and constantly losing concentration at key moments. Their team is just simply a step above what we have across the entire pitch. Souttar was regularly flat footed, Clucas didn't pick a player up more times than he actually did. It was a bad day at the office. I doubt few teams will the Craven Cottage thinking anything different this season. The important thing now is to make sure we get wins in the three games leading up to Watford as all of those are extremely winnable fixtures. |
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Post by potterburt on Aug 28, 2021 16:01:05 GMT
Allen has been fine as the DM against lesser teams but that game showed his limitations and level in that role.
Clucas is the issue for me - he’s a fair weather player - MoN needs to work out what games Clucas can play in, he goes missing, doesn’t offer himself as an option, passes sideways or back when we attack, doesn’t harass/press and doesn’t make a single challenge around the sentur surtle.
Hopefully once Sawyers is up to speed it’ll be him, Allen and Powell with Vrancic off the bench. Sawyers looked calm picking up the loose ball won by our defence and turning into an attack.
He’s never gonna drop Joe but I would like see Sawyers,Powell and Vrancic at some point.
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Post by potterburt on Aug 28, 2021 16:02:40 GMT
Did they play with one today? I genuinely can't tell the difference between a really good midfielder and a defensive one. They had 2 Seri and Onomah with Cavalho as their AM. |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2021 16:03:50 GMT
Did they play with one today? I genuinely can't tell the difference between a really good midfielder and a defensive one. They had 2 Seri and Onomah with Cavalho as their AM. I don't think Onomah really operated in that position all game to be honest. He barely sat back. He covered his space well, but he wasn't exactly defensive minded throughout. |
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Post by Trouserdog on Aug 28, 2021 16:06:00 GMT
Our biggest problem in midfield today was the anonymous performance of Clucas.
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Post by chiswickpotter on Aug 28, 2021 16:06:10 GMT
Allen has been fine as the DM against lesser teams but that game showed his limitations and level in that role. Clucas is the issue for me - he’s a fair weather player - MoN needs to work out what games Clucas can play in, he goes missing, doesn’t offer himself as an option, passes sideways or back when we attack, doesn’t harass/press and doesn’t make a single challenge around the sentur surtle. Hopefully once Sawyers is up to speed it’ll be him, Allen and Powell with Vrancic off the bench. Sawyers looked calm picking up the loose ball won by our defence and turning into an attack. He’s never gonna drop Joe but I would like see Sawyers,Powell and Vrancic at some point. I agree Vrancic is a great bench option. I think Vrancic and Sawyers would be too open. We do need a CDM, Joe can do it against most teams but not the best in this division |
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Post by potterburt on Aug 28, 2021 16:07:34 GMT
They had 2 Seri and Onomah with Cavalho as their AM. I don't think Onomah really operated in that position all game to be honest. He barely sat back. He covered his space well, but he wasn't exactly defensive minded throughout. I think it’s because Clucas offered non resistance. They set up on paper with a triangle central midfield with those 2 holding. As we didn’t boss the midfield they had room to move 1 further up at times. |
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Post by paulstoke1 on Aug 28, 2021 16:08:26 GMT
Clucas out sawyers in Fletcher out and surrage in .
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Post by PotterLog on Aug 28, 2021 16:11:42 GMT
Terry Conroy in commentary absolutely spot on with assessment of this one, the biggest issue has been the midfield has been awol and Fulham have been allowed to run at the defence and that has exposed them. This has happened for the last 5/6 years. What’s with our absolute inability to sign a DM? It’s not just a MoN thing, it’s been a club thing for so bloody long. I don’t get it. I think the thinking this season is that we don't need one. And maybe, hopefully, against most teams we won't. But by god we'll get shown up against really decent teams, the space there is embarrassing. |
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Post by FullerMagic on Aug 28, 2021 16:12:40 GMT
Not sure today's the right game to be making sweeping assessments though.
They look a class above 95% of the league, and they may be in a group of one.
He's clearly not the remotest bit interested in signing what you would term a defensive midfielder. I don't think it's budget-related - he just doesn't want one
Allen's been fine there against the rest. We can assess the decision when we've played some more non-Fulham teams
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Post by richhaynes on Aug 28, 2021 16:14:27 GMT
We had Joe playing deep and Clucas as our "attacking" midfielder but he was absent throughout the majority of that game. That leaves no connection between the back and the attack. Most of our possession was between the back 3
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Post by Deleted on Aug 28, 2021 16:15:10 GMT
They had 2 Seri and Onomah with Cavalho as their AM. I don't think Onomah really operated in that position all game to be honest. He barely sat back. He covered his space well, but he wasn't exactly defensive minded throughout. I honestly just think their three midfielders to a man were better than ours. In fact I'd struggle to name a stoke player in a mixed 11 based on today |
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Post by Trouserdog on Aug 28, 2021 16:15:38 GMT
Not sure today's the right game to be making sweeping assessments though. They look a class above 95% of the league, and they may be in a group of one. He's clearly not the remotest bit interested in signing what you would term a defensive midfielder. I don't think it's budget-related - he just doesn't want one Allen's been fine there against the rest. We can assess the decision when we've played some more non-Fulham teams I thought Allen was OK today really. Probably the best of the 3 midfielders overall. They were just a level above us all over the pitch. |
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Post by 19notbeaten72 on Aug 28, 2021 16:17:15 GMT
We got found out today Fulham are good but not that good we were dreadful & offered very little attacking wise the defence were terribly exposed by a midfield that was awol.
This was a big wake up call & just goes to show how far away we are from being a club who can challenge for promotion or even top six.
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Post by thehoof on Aug 28, 2021 16:18:41 GMT
I don't think Onomah really operated in that position all game to be honest. He barely sat back. He covered his space well, but he wasn't exactly defensive minded throughout. I honestly just think their three midfielders to a man were better than ours. In fact I'd struggle to name a stoke player in a mixed 11 based on today Bursik. |
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Post by chayseeoatcake on Aug 28, 2021 16:21:40 GMT
Allen Vranic Clucas we’re shown up buddy time today.
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Post by bayernoatcake on Aug 28, 2021 16:22:20 GMT
Our biggest problem in midfield today was the anonymous performance of Clucas. They were all anonymous. |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Aug 28, 2021 16:24:28 GMT
Not sure today's the right game to be making sweeping assessments though. They look a class above 95% of the league, and they may be in a group of one. He's clearly not the remotest bit interested in signing what you would term a defensive midfielder. I don't think it's budget-related - he just doesn't want one Allen's been fine there against the rest. We can assess the decision when we've played some more non-Fulham teams Allen has looked poor in 50% of the league games. Vrancic was poor today and poor last week so is that 2/3rds of his starts? Clucas has had the Swansea game. The balance of it all is poor and has been so far throughout really. |
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Post by GreaterGlasgowstokie on Aug 28, 2021 16:26:37 GMT
Yep, we can't seem to sign pace in midfield.
I think having nothing up front until Surridge came in hurt us just as much today
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Post by zerps on Aug 28, 2021 16:26:40 GMT
Our biggest problem in midfield today was the anonymous performance of Clucas. It was glaring today Allen wasn’t too bad, but the pair together look pedestrian against a decent midfield |
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Post by bayernoatcake on Aug 28, 2021 16:26:50 GMT
Terry Conroy in commentary absolutely spot on with assessment of this one, the biggest issue has been the midfield has been awol and Fulham have been allowed to run at the defence and that has exposed them. This has happened for the last 5/6 years. What’s with our absolute inability to sign a DM? It’s not just a MoN thing, it’s been a club thing for so bloody long. I don’t get it. I think the thinking this season is that we don't need one. And maybe, hopefully, against most teams we won't. But by god we'll get shown up against really decent teams, the space there is embarrassing. I agree but I’m not convinced the midfield has worked this season bar the Swansea game really. Vrancic was excellent vs Reading but the rest weren’t. Allen is inconsistent and been crap in half of his starts so far. Sawyers will hopefully help with the balance in there as will Powell coming back in. But only as long as Powell isn’t playing as an 8. |
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Post by bigjohnritchie on Aug 28, 2021 16:28:01 GMT
I think the main thing is how we react in the next two games. Two wins and I think it sets us in the right direction.
Fulham were good today, but it is our most difficult game of the season out of the way......when they come to Stoke it could be a completely different game.
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Post by lordb on Aug 28, 2021 16:28:38 GMT
If we'd had a midfield destroyer it would have made next to no difference today, Fulham passed around us and the goals came from moves out wide.
Sawyers - who won't make many tackles - made a difference by keeping the ball better and passing to Stoke players in more dangerous areas
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