silhillian Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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? angieram and DiggerB 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magicman Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiggerB Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duncanjwitham Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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. Blondest Goat, ramit, Carl Sagan and 4 others 1 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mckram Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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. DiggerB and silhillian 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gee SCREAMER !! Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 Who is going to play on the other wing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grumpy Git Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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. OUTSIDER 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Day Posted September 28, 2023 Share Posted September 28, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angieram Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Premier ram, Foreveram and DiggerB 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OUTSIDER Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 totally agree, the lad does one -too many step overs before giving the ball away , Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Srg Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Premier ram 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Clough Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sage Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ambitious Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 (edited) 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 Premier ram and Srg 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InstaRam Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montezuma Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghost of Clough Posted September 29, 2023 Share Posted September 29, 2023 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) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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