NML - impact sub

[silhillian]

This is only my opinion before people shoot me down with the fact that he's our only pace option. However, I think Mendez Laing would be far more effective as an impact sub rather than starting. Now Barkhuizen is fit I'd rather start with him as I believe he's technically a better, cleverer player. NML is all explosive pace and burns himself out too quickly to be effective for long. Numerous times last season he'd end up giving the ball away leaving us exposed to counter-attacks and not bother to chase back. Again in the Carlisle match he tried his usual step-over, lost the ball and made no attempt to win it back because he's too knackered.  Also, the extra international matches are wearing him out. Would it not be better to use him more conservatively to get the best out of him?

[Magicman]

3 minutes ago, silhillian said:

This is only my opinion before people shoot me down with the fact that he's our only pace option. However, I think Mendez Laing would be far more effective as an impact sub rather than starting. Now Barkhuizen is fit I'd rather start with him as I believe he's technically a better, cleverer player. NML is all explosive pace and burns himself out too quickly to be effective for long. Numerous times last season he'd end up giving the ball away leaving us exposed to counter-attacks and not bother to chase back. Again in the Carlisle match he tried his usual step-over, lost the ball and made no attempt to win it back because he's too knackered.  Also, the extra international matches are wearing him out. Would it not be better to use him more conservatively to get the best out of him?

Agree

[DiggerB]

17 minutes ago, silhillian said:

This is only my opinion before people shoot me down with the fact that he's our only pace option. However, I think Mendez Laing would be far more effective as an impact sub rather than starting. Now Barkhuizen is fit I'd rather start with him as I believe he's technically a better, cleverer player. NML is all explosive pace and burns himself out too quickly to be effective for long. Numerous times last season he'd end up giving the ball away leaving us exposed to counter-attacks and not bother to chase back. Again in the Carlisle match he tried his usual step-over, lost the ball and made no attempt to win it back because he's too knackered.  Also, the extra international matches are wearing him out. Would it not be better to use him more conservatively to get the best out of him?

Strong agree. I’d rather he go guts out for 25-30 mins against tiring defenders, than 15 minutes longer than he can manage as a starter. 

Edited September 28, 2023 by DiggerB

[duncanjwitham]

We should be rotating wingers regularly.  Start 2 of them, let them run themselves into the ground for 60 minutes, then throw 2 others on for 30 minutes against tired legs.  Then next game, swap them round.  Keep everyone fresh over the season, not play NML for 90 minutes every single week so he’s dead on his feet by Christmas.

[Mckram]

I’ve thought for a while that he’s not got the stamina to be effective for even 70 minutes and with his international call ups I’d imagine he will become more of a sub impact player.

He potentially could be playing against Notts County on 10th Oct then flying to the Caribbean and Panama to play on 14th and 18th to then fly back and be part of the team against Shrewsbury on 21st and Exeter on 24th.

Potentially 5 games in 2 weeks with over 24 hours of flying. No chance of any training or talking tactics.

It’s a weird one as many retire from international duty at his age, but I think he will likely keep going as long as they want him with the late call up and club football will take the back seat.

[Gee SCREAMER !!]

I suggested in the summer, that based on his less than enthralling last 4 months of the season, his quite reasonable choice to pick up some international caps at the tail end of his career given the opportunity, should have closed his door on the opportunity to keep playing for Derby, as it was unworkable to play at 3 in the morning on the other side of the world, travel back here and offer anything that was required.   The way he lost the ball like a comatose tortoise with one man to beat the other day, setting up a breakaway attack was proof evident of that.   

[sage]

Who is going to play on the other wing?

 

[Grumpy Git]

NML, love the bloke, but he's got the all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.

Barkhuisen has to start (assuming he's 100% fit). He changed the game v Carlisle.

[Day]

NML is our best attacking threat.

Problem is, he's not a 90 minute player and his international call ups, flying almost to the other side of the world is not going to help.

Pretty much lost his summer break, a break that was needed.

So yeah, super sub isn't the worst shout, it's just we don't have a lot to replace him with.

Barkhuizen when fit will put a shift in without offering anything spectacular, other than that what do we have? NML kinda has to start because we have no alternative, even if it does feel like we're a man down for large chunks of the game.

[Ken]

I would rather he made an impact in the first half and then we brought him off at half time 😉 he's a good player who still has a lot to offer, his season hasn't really taken off but there is still plenty of time.

[angieram]

I think Kane Wilson can do a good job further forward on the right wing (defending isn't his strong point anyway!) Would I start him over Mendez-Laing? Probably not, but I would make the switch sooner if I was the manager.

[OUTSIDER]

totally agree, the lad does one -too many step overs before  giving the ball away , 

[Srg]

He's one of the only players we have that opposition players/fans are scared of. He just needs to save his energy for attacking.

[Ghost of Clough]

10 hours ago, sage said:

Who is going to play on the other wing?

Wide-mid/winger/wide-forward options being: Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Sibley, Ward, Wilson, John-Jules, Waghorn, Washington

[sage]

7 minutes ago, Ghost of Clough said:

Wide-mid/winger/wide-forward options being: Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen, Sibley, Ward, Wilson, John-Jules, Waghorn, Washington

Ward isn't fit, Waghorn is awful wide now, JJ is injured, Washington isn't skilful enough to start, everyone moans when Sibley plays wide, Wilson is only good at full throttle and has about 30 minutes of that.

NML and Barks. Easy. 

[Ambitious]

I disagree, personally, I think you have to play NML because even if he isn’t playing well the threat of him is always moving opposition regardless of whether he touches the ball or not. He’s an Adama Traore by all accounts, more often the threat of him is more dangerous than him and players subconsciously factor that in. If we had a plethora of talent waiting to come in for him with a similar skill set then I would be happy to roll the dice elsewhere, but feel that we simply lose more than we gain by dropping NML for any of our other players. 

Edited September 29, 2023 by Ambitious

[InstaRam]

Agree with this, love the speed of NML but he is more effective when the game opens up. He actually seem to make worse decisions if he gets more time with the ball. Otherwise he would be a PL player if he could handle the build up play as well as he handles counter attacks. Now he often need to use up all his speed and stamina to make up for his own mistakes early in the game. Barks is the better option to start the game since he's got better composure and NML would be lethal coming on around 65th minute I would guess.

[Montezuma]

I think still start him but get him off a lot earlier. 55-60 minutes is enough, he looks knackered after that. With the amount of subs now I think you can afford to start a player or two who will definitely be coming off. I think Wilson is the best option to replace him with. He has always looked dangerous to me - think he will produce given the opportunity.

[Ghost of Clough]

15 minutes ago, sage said:

Ward isn't fit, Waghorn is awful wide now, JJ is injured, Washington isn't skilful enough to start, everyone moans when Sibley plays wide, Wilson is only good at full throttle and has about 30 minutes of that.

NML and Barks. Easy. 

It sounds like Ward will be back in around 2 weeks time and John-Jules 4 weeks. Whilst they aren't options just yet, they will be when available.

4 minutes ago, Ambitious said:

I disagree, personally, I think you have to play NML because even if he isn’t playing well the threat of him is always moving opposition regardless of whether he touches the ball or not. He’s an Adama Traore by all accounts, more often the threat of him is more dangerous than him and players subconsciously factor that in. If we had a plethora of talent waiting to come in for him with a similar skill set then I would be happy to roll the dice elsewhere, but feel that we simply lose more than we gain by dropping NML for any of our other players. 

Play Mendez-Laing for 90 minutes every game and he'll become less effective until you eventually break him. We didn't recruit wingers in the summer because Warne didn't plan on playing with them very often (if at all). Once a few more players are available again, I have no doubt that he'll revert to using 352, 3412 and 3421 (with Mendez-Laing, Barkhuizen and Sibley being used in a more central role)