Obviously Iraola’s.
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That’s quite understandable. Iraola is here since five minutes, and the players are just starting to adjust to his tactics, and also to find some of their lost fitness back. I think the track is quite clear, but time and patience are required to get there.
At the end of this season, Iraola will have had the time to see what’s working and what is lacking, and with the help of the club, will start to bring in players who will fit in maybe better than some of those who are here right now. He’ll surely also weed out some players, a bit like during the first summer after Klopp came in. But it makes sense for him to work a first season with the players he has at disposal, and then pass judgement on them.
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I think we can keep one of Grav or Szobo, not both. If we can get Lamine Camara (I know Chelsea tried but seems we didn’t even make an approach) or someone of a similar profile to play next to Macca as the midfield base two, it could all click. I’d look to sell Grav.
I’m a lot more positive about the Andoni’s ability to get a positive response out of this side. Even if we initially struggle to progress the ball through the middle without additional recruitment, I think there is plenty of threat with the attack we have and opportunity to win the ball back in more threatening areas than we did last season.
I think it would be more accurate to say ‘not materialised consistently’. I think he has shown that where players are moving ahead and around him he is a significant threat. He has also shown that against low blocks he is able to drop deep and pull opposition teams out.
The bigger problem I feel is around people’s expectations of what he should be because of the price paid, rather than what he actually offers.
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Posting a little snippet from a piece in The Athletic. Just a hint of an insight to the thinking around the most highlighted issue from the Newcastle game, as well as recruitment:
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Well, he has no other option now until January.
Lets see if he can do it.
Not sure if it’s the right thread really, but just a general beginners question regarding formations.
We always talk about having two wide forwards/wingers.
Can you setup the team to have 3 wide forwards - the 3rd one can create overloads on the wings or attack through the middle?
Wirtz does wander there an helps to provide and overload, but under Iraola, that overload is normally from the full backs overlapping or underlapping.
Also, with regards to Wirtz and our formation, what role did Kroupi play under Iraola, the same position as Wirtz a 10.
With Evanilson as the 9, who was excellent for Bournemouth with his link up play and unselfish running that pulled the defenders all over the place, just lacked the elite finishing of Isak and reminded me of Bobby, it what offered on and off the ball.
Therefore the shape in midfield etc. Is the norm for our coach but not the players, who will learn and get better with more coaching within the system or shape Iraola employs.
I personally look forward to our development under Andoni.
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Thanks for the reply, so basically in our team, and usually this is done by the number 10 and/or the full backs.
I presume if this was done by someone from deeper in midfield then they would just be called an “attacking midfielder” and I assume this is usually wouldn’t be done because it would leave big gaps in midfield.
With a 4231 yes.
With a 433 the 8s could overlap like Hendo did in his last season Trent staying more central or Szoboszlai in his first season with us.
The important thing is to keep decent cover when any player moves wide and advanced.
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Tactics-wise and also how Leverkusen got the most out of Wirtz ( two 6’s in Xhaka and Andritch/Palacios).
Are we really looking to sell Macca for Camara? Wouldn’t it make more sense to sell one of Grav or Dom? Or is it because we are unsure as to whether Macca will sign an extension?
Ideally the double pivot would be Macca and Camara with Nyoni subbing in.
That should give us a clue as to how Iraola will approach things over the coming weeks…
(Quote from today’s press conference)
On midfield options…
I think in midfield we have good numbers. Now it’s a matter of getting the right calls from my side. I learn every game, I coach these players, I learn a lot and finding now the best combinations. Now we are going to go in a period of these next two weeks where we are going to play a lot of games, we will have the chance to see all the options we have, the combinations, who plays well with the other. I think it’s a matter of coaching and taking the decisions. But we have the numbers there.
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Very interesting to see what he will do. Say what you like about our midfielders (and we have), we do have a few types for him to experiment with and a range of permutations.
Also to note that yes he had a certain way of playing and style at Bournemouth but as SB pointed out above, Evanilson is not like Isak, and Wirtz arguably not like Kroupi, so what worked for them may not work or may need adapting.
Iraola will have to take his style, methods and philosophy and try get it to fit the players we have and the different challenges a team like us faces to what Bournemouth face when they play teams, namely that teams will always sit in front of us, pack the middle and challenge us to break them down.
We should get better if we get most of the CBs fit (including Leoni and Gomez)
This would allow us to have an inverting right back for Gomez and potentially Araujo to slot into the midfield during transitions and hopefully make us more secure with a double pivot of sorts.
Just like a FB in rugby joining the line, you have players on the pitch already who can create that overload when the situation calls for it.
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It is all down to the situation of a game, yes a midfielder could make that run and does.
For this to happen the 2nd midfielder needs to be aware and to maintain a central more defensive position, which may still be high up the pitch, the CB’s need to be pressing and ideally the full back on the opposite side should be tucking inside to cover centrally.
That would be my take on the ideal covering situation, whether Andoni sees it the same may be a different kettle of fish.
Different though as Leverkusen played with 3 at the back and advanced wing backs.
I think Macca would be the one to go as the other 2 are more dynamic and can get around the pitch better, but we know their limitations on the ball.
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Cheers for all the replies
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I disagree because Macca with the right partner who is positionally sound and more athletic can be an absolute beast of a midfielder. Grav and Szobo can run a lot but when you are caught upfield, all the running in the world won’t get you back in position.
And they both get caught upfield.
A lot!