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Fully fit midfield

8Leeds

By 8Leeds
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sage

sage

Posted
Posted
36 minutes ago, Comrade 86 said:

Judged on which game buddy? Genuine question. I thought he was ok played central in the Cup, but spent most of the last game on the flanks where he didn't look so effective and that confuses me, as surely PW already knows that by now? I guess the result vindicates the team selection though'

FWIW, I'm still hopeful he can come good, but I'm pretty certain it won't be as a winger / WB and therein lies the pinch. I can understand why he frustrates some though.

He mainly played as a 10 at Carlisle. There was some rotation and he drifted left at times but he was mainly a CAM.

 

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The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel

Because the rest of his game is lacking imo. 

Ghost of Clough
Ghost of Clough

From open play, there isn't much between Hourihane and Bird. Make Sibley the set piece taker instead and he'll probably lead the charts.

angieram
angieram

In better news -  🐦

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RoyMac5

RoyMac5

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

1st choice in a 4231...

Bird   Thompson

Mendez-Laing   Sibley   Barkhuizen

 

Backed up by...

Fornah   Hourihane

Ward   Embleton   John-Jules

 

Smith would be cover at DM and RB.

What do you think he'll pick, I can't see it being either of them?

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Guest

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Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, Comrade 86 said:

Judged on which game buddy? Genuine question. I thought he was ok played central in the Cup, but spent most of the last game on the flanks where he didn't look so effective and that confuses me, as surely PW already knows that by now? I guess the result vindicates the team selection though'

FWIW, I'm still hopeful he can come good, but I'm pretty certain it won't be as a winger / WB and therein lies the pinch. I can understand why he frustrates some though.

The thing about Sibley is that he sometimes finds a goal apparently from nowhere, and not always while in his favoured position. Was it Oxford away last season in which he scored 2 pretty opportunistic goals? (from attacking midfield that day).

Also one of the cup games from left wing-back (Newport or Torquay) and I thought he'd had a pretty ordinary game leading up to it. (These are my memories anyway!)

My point is that Sibley can sometimes have a fairly ordinary game but still contribute to goal involvement. I suppose the same is true of Hourihane though!

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RoyMac5

RoyMac5

Posted
Posted
15 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

The question was who would i pick.

However, I think Warne would go with Fornah, Hourihane and Bird. Smith and Embleton as backup. Sibley and Thompson hardly used in the middle, if at all.

Yeah I know what the question is, but I was more interested in seeing what was thought might already be the potential gulf in who might play and who would play.

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The Scarlet Pimpernel

The Scarlet Pimpernel

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, Comrade 86 said:

Judged on which game buddy? Genuine question. I thought he was ok played central in the Cup, but spent most of the last game on the flanks where he didn't look so effective and that confuses me, as surely PW already knows that by now? I guess the result vindicates the team selection though'

FWIW, I'm still hopeful he can come good, but I'm pretty certain it won't be as a winger / WB and therein lies the pinch. I can understand why he frustrates some though.

Just my opinion of him overall the games I have seen. He has a decent shot on him but his strength on the ball, first touch and passing are not good enough for him to be a shoe in for selection. 

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Ambitious

Ambitious

Posted
Posted

Bird, Hourihane and Smith is Warne’s midfield. Absolutely no doubt in my mind about that. I’d be surprised if when everyone was fit that wouldn’t be his go-to. 

I’d go for Fornah, Bird and Sibley. If Sibley isn’t playing then I would go Hourihane over Bird. You need a goal threat in your midfield. Sibley and Hourihane are the only two who consistent provide that based on goal contribution per minute in a midfield role. 

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Curtains

Curtains

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Bird, Hourihane and Smith is Warne’s midfield. Absolutely no doubt in my mind about that. I’d be surprised if when everyone was fit that wouldn’t be his go-to. 

I’d go for Fornah, Bird and Sibley. If Sibley isn’t playing then I would go Hourihane over Bird. You need a goal threat in your midfield. Sibley and Hourihane are the only two who consistent provide that based on goal contribution per minute in a midfield role. 

I’m not sure he’d sign Fornah without using him though.

I think a consistent Thompson could be an option also for his energy . Does Tommo have a role for you when fit !

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Guest

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Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

Bird, Hourihane and Smith is Warne’s midfield. Absolutely no doubt in my mind about that. I’d be surprised if when everyone was fit that wouldn’t be his go-to. 

I’d go for Fornah, Bird and Sibley. If Sibley isn’t playing then I would go Hourihane over Bird. You need a goal threat in your midfield. Sibley and Hourihane are the only two who consistent provide that based on goal contribution per minute in a midfield role. 

You may be right although an argument against that theory is his willingness to keep Smith at RB for nearly all of last season rather than find an option which would have allowed him to keep Smith in midfield.

Warne can have his mind changed regarding certain players - as was apparently the case with Forsyth, who he said he didn't fancy much but then saw him as a key part of his defence. He also didn't see him as his sort of LWB but played him there at the start of this season. Had Thompson stayed fit, I think he was well on the way to convincing Warne that he was worth a starting place on a regular basis (especially with Bird out injured).

Do your options (for yourself and PW) indicate an inevitable 3-5-2 formation? Or do you have Sibley playing off a lone forward in a 4-4-1-1?

I don't think the Hourihane vs. Bird match-up is as clear cut as who carries a goal threat, but I agree it's important to have that from midfield. There are other variables, plus the possibility/hope of Bird fulfilling his potential of having a greater goal threat than he has shown to date. The other variables include coverage, speed, passing range, strength/tackling, pass completion... foolish of me to say this when I fear the stats for the above will probably not support me, but in a lot of aspects I see Bird as the more effective (and less wasteful) option of the two. I realise Hourihane's assists record is very likely to be better (and when in position he is a pretty reliable finisher too) but of course he does take most of the set pieces. (He also has a wicked delivery from ball in play on the left side... when it works!)

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Magicman

Magicman

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Old Spalding Ram said:

Perfect midfield four………………. if your two strikers were Ealing Haaland & Harry Kane! 👍
 

 

18 minutes ago, Old Spalding Ram said:

Perfect midfield four………………. if your two strikers were Ealing Haaland & Harry Kane! 👍
 

Collins and Waggy can cope 

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