First half was awful again. Let's start with the formation that finished the game and actually try to take a lead rather than changing to chase the game. We might still lose, but I'd rather we lose trying to win.
Not good enough in midfield to play 4-4-2 or inventive enough to play 4-5-1. Our only decent formation is 4-3-3 but we can’t play that without Isgroves pace and energy. In short we are ******.
Anything other than one up top. We looked more threatening with Thiam and Bradshaw in the second half tonight.
Seriously think Hecky should consider Williams and Bird in Midfield playing the simplified roll we saw Hourihane and Brownhill play. Hammill and Barnes wide with McCarthy back supporting Hammill. Bradshaw and Thiam upfront.
Thiam looked 10 million miles off the pace when he started against The blunts and Cardiff Looked slow, lethargic and not physically fit enough (admittedly playing on his own). Looks more energetic and focused coming off the bench. I’d be tempted to try Hedges myself.
Maybe so but if I’m playing Devil’s Advocate then I’d argue that at 2-0 down at HT and bringing on three substitutes then we had little or nothing to lose and could afford to go for it as worse case scenario is that we lose but by a greater margin. Reading on the other hand are 2-0 up at HT with just 45 minutes left to play so this arguably also has an effect on how they approach the second half. I’m not saying that they sat back or were overtly defensive but at the same time they didn’t have to score any further goals provided that they were defensively solid.
I assume you mean Cardiff as Thiam didn't start against Leeds. I thought he did OK first half. Second half he was clearly carrying the knock that kept him out against Leeds. Sounds like he played well when he came on tonight. From the admittedly little I've seen of him he seems to carry more of a threat than Bradshaw. Whether he can turn it into goals is a different matter.
Not injured but unsure where he ranks in the pecking order. Ugbo has had maybe 4 good moments since he's been here with 2 being against spurs, his goal against Sunderland and his shot against Burton for Potts goal. It really is not good enough.
Yes I meant Cardiff. I have seen zero goal threat from him thus far. He fizzes an occasional one high wide and handsome but is too static and lacks any sort of pace. Positionally naïve. Say with a friend who does some scouting for the Cardiff game who thought he was one of the poorest he has pc seen at Championship level in a long time.
I’ve seen nothing in him so far to suggest he can cut it as a forward in the Championship. Looks more suited to cutting in from the wing in a 3 but not sure he has the pace for that at this level. May come good it’s early days but we don’t have the luxury to give him 8-10 games of non contribution as a starter. A bench player for me. I see more in Hedges tbh.