Who is the one player that could make us tick?

We haven't got a player worth building a formation around.

Mads is the only player of Championship standard. Williams and Collins at a push too perhaps.

Benson ought to be the man. But he isn't really, is he?

 

Personally, I’d swap them for Shirley Bassey….

 

Recently, the two central midfielders have been asked to operate just 5 yards in front of the defence. This leaves a huge gap between them and the forwards and nobody to link the two. Furthermore, both Kane and Benson's first thought when they get the ball is to either pass it back to a defender or even worse, TURN and pass it back to a defender instead of trying to look forward.

I first noticed this in the first half of the Charlton game but duff changed things at half time and both operated more as "proper" central midfielders and we looked much better for it. Now it seems that this is how he is asking them to play for 90 minutes.

By playing tippy tappy in such a congested area, it is easy for opposition to press as they only need to use their forwards and maybe one midfielder so they either win the ball deep in our defensive third, or when the inevitable hoof comes, they've still got plenty of players back to deal with it.

For me, we only need Connell to "sit". He is capable of breaking up play but also has enough quality to play decent forward balls. Kane and Benson can then have authority to play further forward with wingbacks bombing up each flank.

 

Last year, Kane was getting rave reviews about his performances for Oxford in this league (and some were slaughtering the club for not bringing him back off the back of them reviews).
So, my question to this forum is why does Kane not perform for us?
Is it he just doesn’t suit our style, is it he just doesn’t fit the club or is it the coaching?

 

He was also one of Pikeys better players when he was there. Done sod all for us in all the time he's been here.

 

There’s some that say Kane is our best midfielder - I don’t see where they’re looking. As I said on another thread, he slows the game down so much, which when you’re as slow as we are takes some doing.

Take a touch, turn sideways, play it backwards. He retains possession a lot, but we go absolutely nowhere.

Benson looks like he’s walking through treacle half the time but I’d have him over Kane atm.

Connell is obviously Duff’s whipping boy and scapegoat, but for me you play him, maybe have both Kane and Benson in front of him playing higher up than they have been. He’s going to play a back three no matter what so go 3-5-2 rather than 3-4-3. Start Cole with one of Aitchison or Norwood and have the other available off the bench. Alternate on a horses for courses basis. Benson and maybe Kane could get up to support them having Connell as the insurance behind.

That will unfortunately mean Josh Martin gets absolutely nowhere near the team. Oh dear. I’ll cope.

 

Can’t disagree with that TBH, it’s why I raised the question.

 

Turns out, the answer is Jordan Williams!