Since Matty James went back and Kane was injured we've been short on obvious alternatives in central midfield. When Val wanted a different option at first he went for Halme. That had some success but limited creativity, particularly if we were chasing the game. Latterly he's brought Williams on at wing back and moved Brittain into the centre. He's even tried Jasper Moon. Ask a Barnsley fan what they'd do and the most common answer would be Williams to left wing back and Styles into the centre. Val's never done it. Not once. Why do we think that is?
I've been having that discussion with more than one person since the final whistle yesterday. The only conclusion I can draw is that Big Val knows a lot more about football than I do so he must have his reasons. But I'm fcked if I know what they are, as I think Styles is completely wasted at left back.
Because we also don’t have another left footer to fill that gap. I know he sometimes takes Styles off and puts Williams there but I think he prefers the balance of Styles being a lefty.
Problem area all season for me. No one really grabbed the shirt alongside Mowatt. Not knocking Palmer, he’s a young lad and a work in progress. I wouldn’t go so far as to say ‘best of a bad bunch’, but probably the strongest we had to choose from. With Mowatt off, for we need two strong new signings in the middle. One a ball winner, one a ball player.
To v little effect I'd argue. I also reckon central midfield isn't *that* critical to us so you lose more putting him centrally than you do Brittain.
IMHO it has a lot more to do with Val not rating Styles in midfield than it does him not rating Williams at left wing back. I'm not claiming Williams is a good left wing back, but if we had a good one I don't believe that would see Styles being moved to midfield, I think it would see him dropped from the team.
Williams and Brittain swapping is more like a straight swap, putting JW in for Styles isn’t and would leave the Midfield exposed having both CB & JW driving forward as wing backs
What sort of player do we need in central midfield in Ismael's system and way of playing. Do we need a player to act as the general, to receive balls and pass them on, directing play and probing for holes in the opposition defenses? Or is that a pointless misuse of talent when most balls are hit over the heads of the midfield players to the front three, and most of our creativity comes from our wing backs. Are our midfield players there to direct play, or are they there to try to win the ball back high on the pitch, and having done that job, to direct play from further forward. I believe that Ismael's system is a more radical change than many have given him credit for. It comes from a study of the way that most goals are scored. Most goal do not come from good passing moves from deep in your own half, and that is particularly true when you do not have the budget to acquire players with that level of ability. No, most goals come from winning the ball back in the opponents half, and catching them out when they are transitioning to their attacking shape. I do not like how Ismael has decided to play the game. In fact, I hate it. However, there is no doubt that he has been successful, in spite of the result against Swansea.
He obviously doesn't think Clarke Oduor is good enough either, which is a shame. He'd be ideal to go LWB with Styles moving central.
We have to think that maybe Struber was right about not playing Oduor given that Val hasn't either. Needs to go out on loan and get the games under his belt imo.
One of the biggest surprises for me has been the lack of game time for Odour. Every time I’ve seen him he’s looked solid. Can only assume he doesn’t ‘train well’
I,m with you, just don,t get the williams for palmer and brittain into midfield thing, styles is by far a more creative player than brittain, square pegs in round holes i think...
I think as well as JW being more effective on the right, I think Ismael treats the positions in the midfield 4 almost like a defensive line in rugby. He’ll move a wing back inside one place, but sees anything further to that as too big a change. If mowatt had had to go off, we’d have seen Styles move inside. Could also see Brittain as more of a defensive midfielder than styles
