I really struggle to understand how anyone can hate our style of play when there are teams playing the game like Swansea. They dive and cheat and time waste and the majority of time the ball isn't even in play. If we played like that I simply wouldn't watch us. It's awful. That we get criticism when there are teams like that out there I find utterly bizarre.
Styles and Matty James in the middle with Kane and Palmer for back up would do me nicely for next season.
Maybe, I don't think our style is particularly suited to a 5 foot nowt technician. He wants legs & graft.
I do not like to see managers coach their players to cheat either, but it is not a case of one or the other. Ideally, I would love to watch my team play like Manchester City, but I recognise that we do not have a Manchester City budget. I simply explained how the Barnsley FC owners and coach have reconciled the practicalities of playing football successfully in a competitive league on a limited budget.
I don’t think the two things are connected, would be my answer. But I’d hate being a Swansea fan even more.
You also said you hate the way we play. I really struggle with that. I understand a preference for a different style of play and I'm aware that the way we play can sometimes degenerate into a game of head tennis, but more often than not it's an open fast game of end to end football or, even better, when we're really on it, a game of goal to halfway line football as we simply stop the opposition from leaving their half, constantly win back possession their half and bear down on their goal like an unstoppable force. There's lots to hate in modern football, but nothing about us surely.
The midfield required for next season depends entirely on who will be in charge. If Ismael is still here we have no need of a ball playing midfielder and require athletic, fast box to boxers. We may as well swap out Woodrow for someone more suited too. Although the next manager will be undoubtedly of a similar philosophy he may not be as extreme. For me the absolute key is sorting out whether our current manager is staying or not so we can recruit accordingly.
He hasn’t played Williams at LWB since Bournemouth away. Ever since that game Styles hasn’t been brought off - I think. He obviously didn’t like what he saw when he started Williams that day. Was taken off at half time.
How many times have you seen Oduor play? Solid wouldn’t be a word I’d associate with him. Seems to be half asleep most of the time and I don’t think he can be trusted to track a man and be aware all the time positionally. That’s why he isn’t getting a look in right now in my opinion. How many times did Struber take him off early? Was it three times? I actually think Oduor would be better further forward as part of the front three, and could see him becoming a CM longer term. I just don’t know at what level.
I feel that would be a very sluggish central midfield. I think we need a fast midfielder next to Styles, a roaming type
Styles has been subbed a number of times since Bournemouth away? You sure? Edit: You’re right. Twice. Not sure who played LWB when he did come off though. Williams? Or did he move Brittain from the right?
I don't think Oduor has played at all this season has he? And in the Norwich programme it said he's played something like 25 minutes for the U23s all season. He must be doing something wrong, but I cant help thinking there is a quality player in there. I take your point on his positioning, but I think a run of games would give him confidence. He needs game time and to learn his place in the team.
He played quite a few up until December, half a dozen starts and a similar amount of sub appearances. He then sat on the bench and didn't get up off it until the play offs when he didn't even make the bench.
Thanks Jay, cant remember that at all! I know what you mean about Val's reluctance/mistrust of playing Styles in CM too, surely worth a shot, especially with Mowatt likely gone?
Forgot the one where it was a five minute cameo. Other than the Rotherham debacle where they all could have come off, we’re only talking about 35 minutes since that Bournemouth away game I think. Proves to me he values Styles too much in that position to put him anywhere else. I think you’ll see a new LWB this Summer (we were rumoured in January) and Styles taking over from the departing Mowatt.
