Ince down the middle?

[Tombo]

4 minutes ago, North_Stand_Ram said:

I certainly didn't decade Clement inept for doing it. It's Ince's self proclaimed favourite position and I think it suits his game down to the ground. His best season in football (final season for Blackpool) he played down and middle and had so much joy. 

Have you any evidence of this? I seem to recall he played wide in a 4-3-3 with Matt Phillips or sometimes Taylor-Fletcher on the other side.

Regardless, I'm open enough to the idea, I think it has to be worth a try. I don't think the idea should have been abandoned so quickly by Clement. He caved under the pressure. I just don't understand what's changed and why everyone has suddenly had a change of heart on this subject?

[North_Stand_Ram]

1 minute ago, Tombo said:

Have you any evidence of this? I seem to recall he played wide in a 4-3-3 with Matt Phillips or sometimes Taylor-Fletcher on the other side.

Regardless, I'm open enough to the idea, I think it has to be worth a try. I don't think the idea should have been abandoned so quickly by Clement. He caved under the pressure. I just don't understand what's changed and why everyone has suddenly had a change of heart on this subject?

I worked in that part of the world around the time. I might be wrong, but that's just off the top of my head. 

Not sure. For me, I feel he struggled in his second spell for us because teams worked his game out. Ince mainly came inside and teams knew he'd do this. Playing behind Martin/Bent, he can roam and he'll struggle to be picked up. It might let him become a bit of a maverick again. I certainly liked what I saw at Walsall, albeit against poorer opposition.

[Ninos]

ince needs to get to the next level I think we all agree. He's not hit his potential clearly. So however Pearson can get him there I'm all for, but you'd think it would start at the position where he himself feels he's at his most effective and his most confident. And in the few games he's played there for us he's had an impact. 

[jono]

I've always felt the number 10 / behind the striker /in the hole/  1 of the 1-1 in a 4411 or whatever you want to call it ..

demands a player with a good first touch, genuine ball playing skills. This isn't the place for an intimidator or power player. It's a silky skills role. Apart from Hughsey I reckon Tom is our only other player who has the full skill set. I hope he gets a go at it for a few games to see if it pans out. 

[archied]

I tend to think along the lines of Hughes being our best option for number ten free role , he has the skills but also the work rate to drop in and close down and a fantastic football brain 

[Dimmu]

15 minutes ago, archied said:

I tend to think along the lines of Hughes being our best option for number ten free role , he has the skills but also the work rate to drop in and close down and a fantastic football brain 

Otherwise it would be Hughes but he is lacking one very important attribute: hunger to score. Therefore Ince would be my choice there.

[ramsbottom]

3 hours ago, Dimmu said:

Otherwise it would be Hughes but he is lacking one very important attribute: hunger to score. Therefore Ince would be my choice there.

Agreed.  The only reason our Will isn't already playing in the Prem is because he's yet to notch 10 goals in a season.  I'd prefer Ince getting half a dozen goals/assists and Will doing his best Iniesta impression, keeping us ticking over when in possession...

[archied]

9 hours ago, Dimmu said:

Otherwise it would be Hughes but he is lacking one very important attribute: hunger to score. Therefore Ince would be my choice there.

Fair point regards wills eye for goal 

 

[Nuwtfly]

Don't know about everyone else, but every time I watched Ince last season, I thought he looked like a number 10 who'd been pushed out wide. I know he played on the wing in his prime at Blackpool, but someone with his skill and ability in front of goal surely needs to be just there, in front of goal.

Moving Ince behind Martin in the 4-4-1-1 might just turn out to be an absolute masterstroke from Pearson and I can't wait to watch Ince tear it up this season. 

...I still reckon he could play for England one day 

[Srg]

5 minutes ago, Nuwtfly said:

Don't know about everyone else, but every time I watched Ince last season, I thought he looked like a number 10 who'd been pushed out wide. I know he played on the wing in his prime at Blackpool, but someone with his skill and ability in front of goal surely needs to be just there, in front of goal.

Moving Ince behind Martin in the 4-4-1-1 might just turn out to be an absolute masterstroke from Pearson and I can't wait to watch Ince tear it up this season. 

...I still reckon he could play for England one day 

All well in theory. Just need to see him do it against decent opposition. We've seen he can do it against poor teams like Bristol were on the day and in pre-season, but yet to really have a go against good defensive units.