Oulare on the bench at Middlesbrough

I remember hecky playing Bradshaw as a lone striker and I tried telling people this then Bradshaw was no lone striker neither is woodrow but we could play 352 instead of the 343 we keep trying.

 

We’re in agreement on this.

He’s what we need - if he’s fit (and any good)!

 

We could, but we still have the same problem. We need a big fella up front to make it work.

 

I don't think Oulare is going to be the answer per se but his involvement should help the team as a whole and hopefully enable Woodrow - at least - to be more effective.

 

Does anyone actually know when Morris is likely to be fit?

 

No but get ready when he does

 

Schopp suggested he might start training with the squad after the next international break, whenever that is.

 

The front three needs to be at some point tonight Woodrow, Oulare, Iseka or Cole, Iseka, Oulare or Woodrow, Cole, Oulare. If Oulare is fit enough to take part that gives us four strikers. Three of which need to be on the field at any one time.

 

Next qualifiers are the 12th, 15th November. So we're nearly a month away from him even starting training. Probably won't be match fit til Christmas. At least. Bad, bad news.

 

5 more games including tonight. You'd want 3 wins from somewhere otherwise the fat lady might be gargling salt water.

 

Given the fitness record of Oulare and Morris...We're going to have to strengthen in January.

 

He tagged that bit on after saying Mads should be back before that, so I'd guess he might have a shot at playing or being in the squad just after the international break.

But given he said Oulare was out for the foreseeable future.... who knows when they'll return!?!?!?

 

I just hope we're in a position to strengthen.

 

I like your optimism.

 

I once sat Onabudgie, it didn't end well...

 

This could be key IMO. We might be able to play each forward for 45 minutes per game to protect their fitness. The last thing we need is to play either one for the full 90 and increase the risk of injury.

 

Schopp has picked the formation, but there has been no sign of any attacking or defensive shape. Ismael had a plan to negate teams that beat the press or counter attacked. When Struber played wing backs we’d see us shaping like a back 4 without the ball, and use Jordan Williams to sweep up using his extra pace (similar to Kyle Walker for England in a back 3).

But at the moment, I cannot see any sort of basic organisation. Regardless of injuries, goals like the one Reading scored and seeing us carved open by a simple ball over the top time and again is not acceptable.

 

Let's start with a win tonight, one game at a time as Val would say.

 

I did not go to the game and I do not want to comment on things that I have not seen live, but in his post match comments, Schopp seemed to indicate that one of our midfield players had not done what he should have.

 

But watch the goal, and decide what you think. Not sure what a midfielder is meant to do to stop that goal. But once the ball is played over the top, we have brittain trying and failing to get back, because he doesn’t have enough pace. Three centre backs holding a narrow position and the only player to get anywhere near the goal scorer was Collins. I’d love to know what the midfielders are supposed to do to stop that, and why once the ball is played that the defenders didn’t have a plan to counter it.

It’s simply poor planning and organisation and that’s down to the coach.