4 at the back for the remainder of the season?

[Tring Wolf]

Patricio
Semedo, Donck, Boly, Jonny
Neves, Saiss
Traore, Podence, Neto
Jose

Totally agree on Saiss. If no fit lb then it has to be Hoever for me.

That’s actually pretty close to how I see it too.

Having all of Donk, Boly, Saiss and Jose makes us stronger on set pieces too.

Vitinha’s performance tonight gave me something to think about too. Think he will eventually end up being a very good player in a midfield three or where Moutinho played tonight.

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

That is one thing that Dendoncker does do exceptionally well. If we are going 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3, I’d actually be tempted to consider Saiss alongside Neves in there.

Not entirely sure what our best current side is in that formation. Fill in the blanks:

Patricio
Semedo, ?????, Boly, ????
Neves, ?????
Traore, ?????, Neto
Jose

Would you be tempted to throw Saiss in at LB whilst other players return? (Assuming he’s close.)

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

It wasn't just him though. Semedo was destroyed down his side too. It's the gaps between the full back, centre half and defensive midfielders that need to be sorted out if we are going to go down that path. Semedo was completely exposed for his goal.

He was poor for the goal, but somebody has to cover him better once he's one on one, not really sure if it was Coady or Neves, but neither reacted quickly enough.

 

[Tring Wolf]

Would you be tempted to throw Saiss in at LB whilst other players return? (Assuming he’s close.)

Possibly, although it didn’t work particularly well against Albion! I’d play him there ahead of Kilman though (again not a knock on him as we hung him out to dry a bit tonight and he’s played well as a centre-half).

 

[SuperGran]

So it sounds like after the ‘clear the air’ meeting, this is the way we’re going to go until the end of the season.

What clear the air meeting?

 

[JOSWolf]

I know some arent sure but I would like to see Donck partnering Boly with Semedo and Jonny either side. I personally though Donck did well when he stood in for Boly when he was injured a while back. Would mean us utilising Vitinha and Otasowie more in midfield but dont forget we could use Saiss there as well if need be.

 

[Tring Wolf]

What clear the air meeting?

Apparently at some point this week, there was a ‘clear the air meeting’ with the players and staff to discuss where we had been going wrong and how we could go about fixing it. Commentators made mention of us deciding to go with a back four after it.

 

[JOSWolf]

What clear the air meeting?

There was one between the players and coaches in the last couple of days apparently. It is suggested the players prefer to play with four at the back. They were talking about this on BT Sport earlier.

 

[SuperGran]

There was one between the players and coaches in the last couple of days apparently. It is suggested the players prefer to play with four at the back. They were talking about this on BT Sport earlier.

Thanks id missed that good man management

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

Possibly, although it didn’t work particularly well against Albion! I’d play him there ahead of Kilman though (again not a knock on him as we hung him out to dry a bit tonight and he’s played well as a centre-half).

That’s the question I was trying to ask - ‘Would you go with Saiss ahead of Kilman in that position?’ - I just wasn’t clear in my post.

(I would too! Also not a knock on Kilman)

 

[Aimless Balls]

I thought Semedo was good outside of about 10 tragic seconds, from the sloppy touch to the floppy fish attempt to take a pen. But then Neves jumped into a nutmeg and Coady stood frozen, they could’ve bailed out Semedo on the play but they didn’t.

 

[JOSWolf]

That’s the question I was trying to ask - ‘Would you go with Saiss ahead of Kilman in that position?’ - I just wasn’t clear in my post.

(I would too! Also not a knock on Kilman)

I would put Saiss there ahead of Kilman if none of the others are fit. I like Kilman but he looked all at sea for parts of tonight which isnt his fault. He had to play unless Hoever had played there. Would love to know if anyone knows when Ait Nouri and Marcal are back. Marcal in particular looks very solid but is a shame he is so injury prone.

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

I know some arent sure but I would like to see Donck partnering Boly with Semedo and Jonny either side. I personally though Donck did well when he stood in for Boly when he was injured a while back. Would mean us utilising Vitinha and Otasowie more in midfield but dont forget we could use Saiss there as well if need be.

Looks a solid enough back 4 on paper in all fairness, I’m just not sure it’s the time to drop Coady.

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

I would put Saiss there ahead of Kilman if none of the others are fit. I like Kilman but he looked all at sea for parts of tonight which isnt his fault. He had to play unless Hoever had played there. Would love to know if anyone knows when Ait Nouri and Marcal are back. Marcal in particular looks very solid but is a shame he is so injury prone.

I agree. Positionally he wasn’t coping for the first part of the game but in all fairness he grew into it. He’s definitely a CB though.

Marcal we could do with ASAP if we’re going with a back four.

 

[JOSWolf]

Looks a solid enough back 4 on paper in all fairness, I’m just not sure it’s the time to drop Coady.

Yep. May not be the right time yet. Big test again on Sunday. Ideally hope Vardy is still out for Leicester. Leicester vulnerable defensively themselves if their defeat at the weekend to Leeds is anything to go by.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Meeting, Schmeeting. For the entire first half it looked like our players had never met before. We tried to give up a goal 30 seconds into the match, and again every couple minutes until the only air-clearing meeting that mattered, the meeting of whistle to lips for the red pen.

 

[Brixton Wanderer]

Yep. May not be the right time yet. Big test again on Sunday. Ideally hope Vardy is still out for Leicester. Leicester vulnerable defensively themselves if their defeat at the weekend to Leeds is anything to go by.

It is. It’s going to be another open game I reckon but tonight is something we can build on.

I think Vardy’s out - fingers crossed!

 

[WickedWolfie]

Succinct
I’m a fan of that...

Shouldn't you have said brief rather than succinct???

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

I have to say that I look at the palace performance now and wonder if the players didn't put the effort in in order to get what they wanted.

He was poor for the goal, but somebody has to cover him better once he's one on one, not really sure if it was Coady or Neves, but neither reacted quickly enough.

Go through most of our goals in a back 4 and it is one of two themes.
1) set pieces.
2) Gaps between full backs, centre halfs and the midfield being too big.
If we are going to stick with this back 4; then number 2 needs sorting.

 

[SakosRightFoot]

He was poor for the goal, but somebody has to cover him better once he's one on one, not really sure if it was Coady or Neves, but neither reacted quickly enough.

Neves is the one who gets done with the nutmeg. Semedo though was atrocious defending tonight. Watching the highlights back his attempt at stopping Pepe was just plain terrible. He’s not showing him away from goal, he’s not pressing him, he gets caught square then dives in gets done and then outmuscled. For the Pepe chance just before it he’s strolling back as Smith-Rowe is running into our box and pulling back for Pepe with no effort whatsoever to either see the danger or just simply to get back and help

 

[A3wolf]

Would actually be interested to see how it would work in one match with Neto as our Central attacking box to box midfielder. Perhaps in a 2 with Neves..

 

[SingYourHeartsOut]

I have to say that I look at the palace performance now and wonder if the players didn't put the effort in in order to get what they wanted.
Go through most of our goals in a back 4 and it is one of two themes.
1) set pieces.
2) Gaps between full backs, centre halfs and the midfield being too big.
If we are going to stick with this back 4; then number 2 needs sorting.

Sure that's fair. I guess I'd ask if changing the system cost us though. Coady is not used to covering his fullback, he backs off when for me he should provide cover, Neves reacts too slowly to that decision. As you say they need to sort it, but maybe we do also need to stick with one system?

 

[WolfInSheep'sClothing]

Sure that's fair. I guess I'd ask if changing the system cost us though. Coady is not used to covering his fullback, he backs off when for me he should provide cover, Neves reacts too slowly to that decision. As you say they need to sort it, but maybe we do also need to stick with one system?

Yeah I agree. There is no reason why we couldn't get a 4-2-3-1 to work given enough preparation.
Why we decide to **** around half way through the season when half the players have been playing one particular way for 2 years is beyond my comprehension.
Oh well. We move on.

 

[BCWolf]

He will be an enormous player to have back

hoever for coady and kilman to cb on Sunday

I dont see Nuno dropping his Captain, even if it is clear he isnt suited to a back 4.

Jonny and Marcal returning would be fantastic. A back 4 of Marcal - Coady - Boly - Jonny would be very solid.

Kilman isnt suited to playing LB and Hoever still looks a bit light-weight to me.

 

[Aimless Balls]

I’d put Dendoncker in for Coady, Kilman out, Semedo at LB and Hoever in at RB. Semedo/Boly/Donc/Hoever. Donc can play a long ball, adds speed and athleticism in the back line, and he and Willy Boly can handle everything in the air- as an added bonus, they can speak French to one another. I like Semedo on the left, it balances speed/ball carrying with Adama‘s on the right, and Hoever has looked quite good at times without getting destroyed like every other WB/FB in the team has done at some point.

 

[WickedWolfie]

I’d put Dendoncker in for Coady, Kilman out, Semedo at LB and Hoever in at RB. Semedo/Boly/Donc/Hoever. Donc can play a long ball, adds speed and athleticism in the back line, and he and Willy Boly can handle everything in the air- as an added bonus, they can speak French to one another. I like Semedo on the left, it balances speed/ball carrying with Adama‘s on the right, and Hoever has looked quite good at times without getting destroyed like every other WB/FB in the team has done at some point.

Apart from Semedo looking way worse at LB, I assume that you aren't aware that there are three official languages in Belgium and the Donk speaks Flemish (which is basically a variant of Dutch) not French (he may have some ability but.....).

 

[Norwegian Wolf]

If we are going to play 4 at the back, then 3 of the 4 that played there tonight need replacing.

 

[Aimless Balls]

Apart from Semedo looking way worse at LB, I assume that you aren't aware that there are three official languages in Belgium and the Donk speaks Flemish (which is basically a variant of Dutch) not French (he may have some ability but.....).

Well maybe Donc can speak French and Dutch and can communicate with both Willy Boly and Hoever, playing in between the two. And Nelson looked good out left both times he played there.

 

[WickedWolfie]

Well maybe Donc can speak both languages and can communicate with both Willy Boly and Hoever, in between the two. And Nelson looked good out left both times he played there.

He looked bloody awful on the left against Palace.

 

[Ewok vs Wolf]

I'm happy we are going with aback 4 as long term this is obviously the approach Nuno thinks will help us.

What I'd say was our biggest problem tonight was the defensive line being too high with no pressure on the ball from the forwards or midfielders.
You can't push up the pitch without pressing the ball. I felt sorry for kilman because it was obvious Saka was always running in behind with plenty of space to get into.

 

[Aimless Balls]

He looked bloody awful on the left against Palace.

How was he awful? He was not the problem v palace, there were half a dozen players worse than him. He was fine.

 

[Fenrir_]

A back four worries me with the personnel we have, it could have been game over inside ten minutes tonight. It'll take us to enough results (also think a back three would have) to be absolutely fine but going forward if this is what we're sticking with, the summer transfer window will be one of looking for mainly centre halves

 

[clivewolves]

I'm still not convinced with a back four at the moment with the players we have. If we have to play it I think we need an extra body in midfield. Traore, Neto, Neves and Moutinho couldn't handle Arsenal in the first half and that left a vulnerable defence exposed.

 

[Wagstaffe Was Magic]

If that’s to be the plan, then ..
1. we can’t ask a centre back to play left back. We MUST have one of our left backs fit, and play him there.

2. unpalatable for some but Conor MUST be dropped.

 

[North West Wanderer]

So no one else coming in then according to Spiers. ****ing great! Midfield and defence once again ignored in a transfer window if Spiers is correct.

Not sure why this was quoted!

I know some arent sure but I would like to see Donck partnering Boly with Semedo and Jonny either side. I personally though Donck did well when he stood in for Boly when he was injured a while back. Would mean us utilising Vitinha and Otasowie more in midfield but dont forget we could use Saiss there as well if need be.

So bring in rookies while dropping an England international. Hmm.

If that’s to be the plan, then ..
1. we can’t ask a centre back to play left back. We MUST have one of our left backs fit, and play him there.

2. unpalatable for some but Conor MUST be dropped.

Why MUST he be dropped? What’s your thinking?

I’m yet to be convinced on any thread about why we drop Coady.

I did notice yesterday Coady and Boly swapped sides? Perhaps Coady was better to talk the inexperienced Kilman through the game?

there’s so much more to Coady than the player.

 

[North West Wanderer]

For me, it needs to be about stability. Choose your troops and stick with them, where possible.

we are effectively playing our fifth choice left back in Kilman so I find it hard to be too damning, against an excellent Saka

 

[Dan G WWFC]

Didn't look convincing even against less men. Terrible against 11.

Need left backs back fit ASAP.

Need to find balance in the team.
I'd try something like this in a few weeks when we have some players back.


Rui
Jonny Boly Coady Marcel
Adama Donk Neves Semedo
Neto
Willian

Be very fluid in formations in game. Semedo used to be a winger before moving to fullback and looks better going forward. Use his versatility and pace and add defensive stability with Marcel and Jonny.

If it doesn't work can quickly change to this in game

Rui
Boly Coady Marcel
Semedo Donk Neves Jonny
Adama Willian Neto

 

[pacamac]

I'd still like to see a mix if I'm honest, certain games suit a 4 and certain games suit a 3/5 depending on opponents what players we have available etc.

Think what we need to do is if we are going to use a 4 at the back even semi regularly is get them as drilled with that as they also are/were with the back 3/5. So that probably needs a good run of games with a 4 from now (but without knee jerk switch back to a back 3/5 if a couple of those games don't go to plan).

 

[WickedWolfie]

If that’s to be the plan, then ..
1. we can’t ask a centre back to play left back. We MUST have one of our left backs fit, and play him there.

2. unpalatable for some but Conor MUST be dropped.

I'm inclined to agree.

 

[JOSWolf]

For me, it needs to be about stability. Choose your troops and stick with them, where possible.

we are effectively playing our fifth choice left back in Kilman so I find it hard to be too damning, against an excellent Saka

Agree. No way anyone can blame Kilman. He was playing there out of necessity. What I will say is I would consider Hoever on Sunday instead of Kilman if none of the injured players are back. Hoever at right back and Semedo at left.