DCFC Kicks

Probably a mistake in the long run for him to go o Chelsea. He should have built his reputation more before joining them to have a better chance of getting another club after the inevitable Chelsea sacking. He's probably going to have to go back to the Championship.

I can see the exact thing happening with Rooney and Man United.

In order of priority I think these are the transfers we need.

1) Centre Back - If either Clarke or Wisdom get injured we're in trouble, also Wisdom's mistakes have cost us a lot recently.

2) Striker - As much as CKR has exceeded expectations, he does lack movement and seems to fade a lot towards the end of games.

3) CM/CAM - Shinnie and Knight have been good but they're not naturally attacking enough. Quite a few big chances have fallen to Shinnie recently and he hasn't scored. We need someone whose more of a goal threat with the vision to play through-balls and link up play to the forwards.

4) Winger - A lot of our attacking play has been very one sided down which ever side Jozwiak is playing.

Possible loan players who aren't getting games:

Hector - Fulham - CB

Hourihane - Villa - CM

Johansen - Fulham -CM

Gilmour - Chelsea - CM (unlikely but Frank owes us)

Gordon - Everton - CAM/Winger

Vydra

6 hours ago, Chris_Martin said:

Not sure if it's been said already but Keinan Davis from Aston Villa has been made available for loan. We wanted to sign him last transfer window but couldn't as Villa had other players out injured. Would give some good competition to Kazim-Richards and has a bit more pace. 

Thoughts?

Think we need someone who's proven and reliable in the situation we're in. Also think we need a striker with more pace as another option to CKR. I don't think Davis has pace and doesn't look like he can do anything CKR can't.

Does anyone know why CKR doesn't kneel before the game? not seen it mentioned in interviews anywhere. Just curious.

5 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

I know that not everyone is wanting return of the Mac, but you can't deny he would give the players confidence and belief and get the team playing again. It could be this that gives the players a short term boost to get out the relegation zone. With Rooney as assistant maybe this could work, who knows?

Whether it's McClaren or not, I'd want a manager like McClaren who gives the attacking players freedom. I also think we have players suited to counter-attacking. You can see how dangerous Jozwiak is on the counter with his goal tonight. I don't think Benitez is either of these things which is why I don't want him.

Given a lot of people seem to be wanting Mac3, What would he do with the current team, and would it work?

This would be my prediction.

The main problem is obviously the absence of the icon Chris Martin. I think he'd try and get Rooney to play a similar role. He has the vision and passing ability to play there and his pace is probably similar to Martins. But no one can hold the ball up as good as CM. But as we saw last season, Martin was ineffective without players around him up top and Rooney would be the same.

The other main problem is the 3 midfielders. During Mac1, the midfield was so good it could dominate other teams midfield even if they were outnumbered.

I actually think we have better quality wingers now than under Mac and I think they'd flourish playing his style. 

1 hour ago, RoyMac5 said:

Bielik CB? Really?

I'd play him in Midfield but that lineup was meant to be players in there preferred position. Bielik has been quoted as saying he prefers playing CB.

41 minutes ago, Rampage said:

Can someone pick an eleven where each player is in their preferred position, even if some likely starters are not included 

                      Marshall

Byrne      Bielik       Clarke       Forsyth

                       Shinnie

               Holmes        Knight

      Ibe           Waghorn       Jozwiak

10 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

Playing a 4-2-3-1 we seem to have no connection between the 2 DM and the 3 AM. unless we have someone like Holmes who drives us forward then there is no link between them. Yes Bird has excellent stats from last season, but you are bound to have great stats if your just passing sideways and backwards all the time. Thats why i think a 4-3-3 is the way to go it just links up better.  

How do you know Lawrence cant play as part of the 3 midfield? has it ever been tried before? Lampard used to switch Mount and Wilson into CM both very attacking players. 

Maybe Lawrence could play in a midfield 3 if we were more of a counter attacking team like under Lampard, I think him and Holmes would be good running at the opposition on the counter, but Phil wants us to be a possession based team and I don't think he has the passing ability or range to play there in this style. It's a shame we don't play counter attacking football because I think it would really suit players like Lawrence, Holmes and Marriott and with Rooney's ability to ping passes into space, but that's not the managers style of play unfortunately.

13 minutes ago, Chris_Martin said:

My only concerns with this are:

Not sure who's best to partner Clarke at CB ? Evans, MTW, Davies, Wisdom have all looked poor lately.

Lawrence in CM, his best position is definitely as a no.10 but don't know how he'd get on there. 

With Holmes and Lawrence driving forward this line up could be a little too attacking, but just want us to start creating and scoring goals again.

 

 

Thoughts?

 

You said it yourself. I don't think Lawrence can play CM, especially with his disciplinary record and defensive work rate. 

People seem to have written off te Wierik after 3 games, I think he'll actually turn out good in the end, or Bielik could play there as he's previously said it's his favoured position. Also Wisdom's still recovering from his injury, he was arguably our best player before he got attacked. I don't think Evans and Davies are good enough.

You've also included 2 players we don't even have but yes, I would pick them if they were here.      

                           Marshall

Byrne       te Wierik      Clarke     Forsyth/New

                   Bielik            Bird

     Ibe                 Lawrence           Jozwiak

                         Waghorn/New

I'd like to see us change between 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 in game e.g. one of the front 3 comes off for Holmes.

21 minutes ago, Rampage said:

Marshall,

Byrne, Davies, Clarke, Obita / LB,

Rooney, Bird,

Ibe, Lawrence, Jozwiak, 

Dursun.

Subs - Roos, Wisdom, Forsyth, Knight, Shinnie, Waghorn, Duncan

Davies? Really?

The fact is if this was 2-3 years ago Phil would be gone. It's a shame the club didn't try this long term plan when Mac was in charge. Problem is C.Martin was a such an important part of Mac's team and he's gone. Mac's biggest struggles at Derby came when Martin wasn't here. Also Paul Simpsons gone as well (at BCFC ... just realised Simpson's probably the reason why Bristol City signed Martin?

Brentfords manager staging some fight when the ball goes out near him to waste about a minute of stoppage time. The ref adds about 10 seconds on to the added time.

Ben Marshall from Blackburn. Great shot, set pieces. Can play on the wing as well as Right back