brady1993

That would honestly be a complete disaster waiting to happen with how we are looking to play.

That would honestly be a complete disaster waiting to happen with how we are looking to play.

I actually think there is a decent chance at something like this happening after watch us versus Berlin in the first half.
We've shifted tactically from last season. Last season the full backs would push very high, wingers come narrow and the defensive midfielders would split and stay deep. Something like: 
              CB  CB 
         DM           DM
    RB  RW CAM LW  LB
                   CF
This season however it looks like we are going to try to us the fullbacks more auxiliary midfielders. It was noticeable that the full back would stay in a line with Bird when we were in position and come slightly narrow. Hourihane would then push right up, playing close to Mcgoldrick and both winger stayed high and on the touch line.  More like 
              CB  CB 
        RB     DM      LB
             DM  CAM
    RW        CF        LW
So the demands of a full back here wouldn't be the same in fact you'd probably want someone who is comfortable being in midfield (not necessarily a midfielder). So trialing Knight and possibly Smith would make a lot of sense. 
Although what I will say is I'd be very very wary about playing Fozzy with how we currently look to be setting up.

I actually think there is a decent chance at something like this happening after watch us versus Berlin in the first half.
We've shifted tactically from last season. Last season the full backs would push very high, wingers come narrow and the defensive midfielders would split and stay deep. Something like: 
              CB  CB 
         DM           DM
    RB  RW CAM LW  LB
                   CF
This season however it looks like we are going to try to us the fullbacks more auxiliary midfielders. It was noticeable that the full back would stay in a line with Bird when we were in position and come slightly narrow. Hourihane would then push right up, playing close to Mcgoldrick and both winger stayed high and on the touch line.  More like 
              CB  CB 
        RB     DM      LB
             DM  CAM
    RW        CF        LW
So the demands of a full back here wouldn't be the same in fact you'd probably want someone who is comfortable being in midfield (not necessarily a midfielder). So trialing Knight and possibly Smith would make a lot of sense. 
Although what I will say is I'd be very very wary about playing Fozzy with how we currently look to be setting up.

That would honestly be a complete disaster waiting to happen with how we are looking to play.

I mean the thing is Bird for most of last season was the deepest midfielder, responsible for sitting in, recycling possession and getting attacks started with passes. You just wouldn't expect him to be racking up assists or goals. That would likely change played higher up. By how much? You won't know unless you tried it for a sustained period of time. 
Saying he doesn't create chances though isn't really correct. More often than not he'd make the pass that would make the chance possible and tbh a lot of the times his passing was wasted by a blunt forward line and lack of movement.

I mean admittedly I actually really enjoy that side of things. I enjoy getting in the weeds with stats and trying to analyse exactly what a player is doing and why. And I enjoying coming on here and really discussing it with people. But I'm an analytical person and football is far from the only thing I'm like this with. 
If you don't enjoy and it sucks the fun out of it for you, I'm sorry to hear that and I can definitely see how it wouldn't be for everyone.

Tbh Roberts feels a little like the odd one out to me. With Koiki being more aligned to what I thought we'd be going for. 
Looks a little like Rosenior's plan is to have an experienced player in a position and a young player to grow into the role. More or less.

Like to me Cashin, Davies, Chester + 1 more at CB and then 2xLBs where at least one of them is a youngish attacking fullback makes sense. 
So to me if we sign Koiki and if we sign Fozzy it would feel like 1 of Fozzy, Stearman or Roberts is surplus to what we need. Unless we plan on semi-regulalry playing 3 at the back.

Tbh Roberts feels a little like the odd one out to me. With Koiki being more aligned to what I thought we'd be going for. 
Looks a little like Rosenior's plan is to have an experienced player in a position and a young player to grow into the role. More or less.

Thats the thing I've always thought under Rooney. He just seemed to get far far shorter rope than pretty much any other player in the squad. I can remember extended stretches of other players having bad form and being played through it. But if Sibley was even slightly off for a half he'd be banished.
I just don't think Rooney truly ever had confidence in him like he did with the rest of the squad. He's got flaws in his game for sure but it's not hard to fault a lot of players for this or that. 

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Hourihane feels the most surprising. 
But the cheesy answer is that first raft of signings and new contracts a couple days after Clowes took over were critical. It sent out the message that we'd stabilised, that players are safe to come to us and that the players we have here aren't for sale for peanuts.

Leaving aside Hourihane as the staggering marquee signing, I'm most excited by Barkhuizen & Mendez-Laing. Two big, quick & direct wingers who I suspect will grab plenty of goals & assists between them this term. Will be invaluable when trying to break down massed defences (particularly at home) & on the counter attack away from home. The timing of both signings was great too - really set the tone for what has been a really impressive few days of signings.
As a general point, whilst we obviously needed experience in the squad, the physicality & character of the new men suggests we're not going to be a pushover - essential to allow our more technical players to shine against the more 'agricultural' opponents & also to secure those hard fought results we're going to need away from home. 

Hourihane feels the most surprising. 
But the cheesy answer is that first raft of signings and new contracts a couple days after Clowes took over were critical. It sent out the message that we'd stabilised, that players are safe to come to us and that the players we have here aren't for sale for peanuts.

Hourihane feels the most surprising. 
But the cheesy answer is that first raft of signings and new contracts a couple days after Clowes took over were critical. It sent out the message that we'd stabilised, that players are safe to come to us and that the players we have here aren't for sale for peanuts.

Hourihane feels the most surprising. 
But the cheesy answer is that first raft of signings and new contracts a couple days after Clowes took over were critical. It sent out the message that we'd stabilised, that players are safe to come to us and that the players we have here aren't for sale for peanuts.

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Of all the players I'd fight to keep it would be Bird. If not only because he's but because he's way better than we are currently paying and I've a feeling his transfer value has a decent room to grow especially if he plays in a functional team/club.

Collins I think will prove a decent signing at this level and i think leaves in a good position up front.
Just need to sort out fullbacks, another gk and another winger and we will be set.

Collins I think will prove a decent signing at this level and i think leaves in a good position up front.
Just need to sort out fullbacks, another gk and another winger and we will be set.

442 is fine if you don't care about actually having the ball that much. Leicester, Burnley, Iceland all played 442, but all set up with the expectation of having significantly less possession than the other team, and then either went very direct, or played on the counter to compensate for that
You will struggle to play anything possession-centric in a 442 nowadays, because the vast majority of other teams play with 3 in the middle so you're outnumbered in there.  And the teams that are playing 2 in the middle (like the 3 above) are all setting up specifically to try and exploit the weaknesses of teams keeping possession, so by matching up, you're exposing those weaknesses all the more.
Even if Knight and Bielik were to leave, I still think we have pretty much the best technical midfield in the league - Bird, Hourihane, Thompson etc are all very good on the ball.  So why play 442 and give up one of the advantages we have?  Get the ball, keep it, and make the other team run around all afternoon chasing us.