Midfield energy. McAtee and Doyle. Boro v Stoke.

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knowsnowt

knowsnowt

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The energy both these had tonight, v what Norwood and Fleck offer us.

Now in my 31 years on this forum i've never criticised a player, nor questioned a manager, so think i'm allowed one.
McAtee and Doyle must start every game or we're fucked. The boro result tonight was possibly our last chance to address the lack of energy to track back that we so glaringly lack.
Hecky, owd lad. get it sorted, or i'll have to fuck you up next time i see you in Job Lot at Stavely.
 

With you brother!

Time to go all in on the City lads for the rest of the season.

You can swap in Norwood or Berge depending on the game but these guys have been kept on at a club with such a high bar and are rated.

Let’s take the shackles off and let them do their stuff.

6 point ahead and 9 to play has a decent look about it as Boro face a tricky tie with Preston. We can really ramp up the pressure. Imagine they wilt and mess it up the next game. Having to overhaul 6 points with just 8 games left with your main rivals having a game extra. Very difficult all of a sudden.

Let’s do our part. COYRAWW!!!
 
We've seen the McAtee, Norwood, Doyle combo before. Looked awful. Indisciplined, exposed, easily overrun and outworked.

I'm not suggesting it isn't worth trying those two, but I do think whenever we're losing absent players often become "the answer" when in reality, they're not.

None of our players look suited to a flat 3.
Addressing the shape is the place to start.
 
CaptainMorgans said:
We've seen the McAtee, Norwood, Doyle combo before. Looked awful. Indisciplined, exposed, easily overrun and outworked.

I'm not suggesting it isn't worth trying those two, but I do think whenever we're losing absent players often become "the answer" when in reality, they're not.

None of our players look suited to a flat 3.
Addressing the shape is the place to start.
Click to expand...
Norwood has no place in such a formation. He has as much energy as me when our lass asks me if i fancy peeling spuds for chips.
 
knowsnowt said:
Norwood has no place in such a formation. He has as much energy as me when our lass asks me if i fancy peeling spuds for chips.
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What is your suggestion then,

Berge - Doyle - McAtee
?

I think that would be a disaster too.
 
knowsnowt said:
Doyle - Berge - McAtee.
Mcburnie up top and Ndiaye in a free role as the link, with pace to cover.
Click to expand...

I think we'd lose the midfield battle because none of those players roll their sleeves up and battle.

Ndiaye isn't a great link man. He tries to do everything on his own. He's great playing off a front man when he, and players around him, are on it.

We miss players like Duffy and McGoldrick. Genuine link men, who slowed play down at the top of the pitch and allowed us to get forward in numbers.
Berge can play a version of that role, as we saw way back in August / September, but he's given it up.
 
Doyle I'm not still not convinced by and a lot of the the cries for the inclusion of him are based in the poor form as others. He played brilliantly v Spurs but rarely lasts 65 mins in the league. He was as bad as the rest in a lot of the recent league games.

I think McAtee and Ndiaye off McBurnie and a three behind of Doyle, Norwood & someone with some legs...don't know who...not sure Coulibaly is that player really and Fleck/Berge are not either. Chuck Bash in? Not always worked but might have to be an option. Shows the dearth of midfield options.
 
CaptainMorgans said:
I think we'd lose the midfield battle because none of those players roll their sleeves up and battle.

Ndiaye isn't a great link man. He tries to do everything on his own. He's great playing off a front man when he, and players around him, are on it.

We miss players like Duffy and McGoldrick. Genuine link men, who slowed play down at the top of the pitch and allowed us to get forward in numbers.
Berge can play a version of that role, as we saw way back in August / September, but he's given it up.
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Well i'm not going to argue you're wrong. But flack and Norwood aren't the right answer either.
 
Deadbat said:
Doyle I'm not still not convinced by and a lot of the the cries for the inclusion of him are based in the poor form as others. He played brilliantly v Spurs but rarely lasts 65 mins in the league. He was as bad as the rest in a lot of the recent league games.

I think McAtee and Ndiaye off McBurnie and a three behind of Doyle, Norwood & someone with some legs...don't know who...not sure Coulibaly is that player really and Fleck/Berge are not either. Chuck Bash in? Not always worked but might have to be an option. Shows the dearth of midfield options.
Click to expand...

Isn't it nuts we're at a place where we're wondering whether Basham is an answer in midfield?
I don't think he is, by the way.. shows the extent of the issue though.

For what it's worth, I think Coulibaly - through default - might be worth a go as an extra body in there.

Similar to you, I haven't thought a great deal to Doyle in his time here.
 
The fact that Boro drew has really put more pressure on us this game. Come on lads. Really good chance to make the gap 6 points now
 
Norwood been one of the best players in the Championship for the vast majority of the season. Fleck has done sweet fuck all for 3 seasons now. Why are the two being grouped together? Norwood has so much responsibility lumped on him by fans it’s crazy. It’s the two options either side of him that’re the issue. Berge needs to pull his thumb out for starters, when he looked relatively interested earlier in the season we didn’t have this issue. Doyle/McAtee are decent options to have but Hecky doesn’t have a clue how to use them in certain games.
 
We need players that can be aggressive, drive forward and beat a man not this pass it off sideways as soon as an opposition player runs at you. If you can't do sit on the bench.
 

Our best form of the season just before the World Cup had Doyle and Norwood at the base with ndiye and berge behind McFlurry

I have no idea where berge is playing or meant to be playoff right now but how we are setting up is not being brave like hecky is asking the players to be.

I would also add that fleck and berge need to earn the shirt off Doyle and mcatee and not the other way round.
 
true99blade said:
Norwood been one of the best players in the Championship for the vast majority of the season. Fleck has done sweet fuck all for 3 seasons now. Why are the two being grouped together? Norwood has so much responsibility lumped on him by fans it’s crazy. It’s the two options either side of him that’re the issue. Berge needs to pull his thumb out for starters, when he looked relatively interested earlier in the season we didn’t have this issue. Doyle/McAtee are decent options to have but Hecky doesn’t have a clue how to use them in certain games.
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With more energy in the team Norwood is priceless, but lofting 50m passes with fleck on that side to cover if it goes to shit leaves us fucked. if Fleck isn't in there then Doyle or Mcatee have to be. And i wouldn't play either of those runnig at a defence with Norwood to cover. It's suicidal.
 
Couilbaily looks to have a good engine and he keeps the ball ticking over, doesn’t hold it too long. Loses concentration and not sure I would be trying him out against Sunderland but defo starter on Sunday in the cup
 
true99blade said:
Norwood been one of the best players in the Championship for the vast majority of the season. Fleck has done sweet fuck all for 3 seasons now. Why are the two being grouped together? Norwood has so much responsibility lumped on him by fans it’s crazy. It’s the two options either side of him that’re the issue. Berge needs to pull his thumb out for starters, when he looked relatively interested earlier in the season we didn’t have this issue. Doyle/McAtee are decent options to have but Hecky doesn’t have a clue how to use them in certain games.
Click to expand...
Whilst Norwood has put in some good performances this season, he also lacks the drive required from a midfielder when we are chasing games. When there’s a clear space in front of him he doesn’t attack it and put the opposition on the back foot. He’s great at knocking balls sideways and out to the wings where there isn’t as much threat as straight down the middle. In a nutshell, and only in my opinion, he’s good at ball retention but lacks creativity.
 
The best team performance this side of Crimbo was the Spurs game. Doyle and McAtee really came of age in that game and ran the show in midfield. I feel Hecky’s biggest mistake this season was not having the balls to keep that same line up against Blackburn. Not only did the City lads shine, but Baldock and Osborn were so effective at right and left back and Anel was a colossus in the middle of the back three. Unfortunately for Us, Hecky threw all that FA excitement straight in the bin at Blackburn. My only hope is that he plays that same “weakened” FA cup team on Sunday.
 
Deadbat said:
Doyle I'm not still not convinced by and a lot of the the cries for the inclusion of him are based in the poor form as others. He played brilliantly v Spurs but rarely lasts 65 mins in the league. He was as bad as the rest in a lot of the recent league games.

I think McAtee and Ndiaye off McBurnie and a three behind of Doyle, Norwood & someone with some legs...don't know who...not sure Coulibaly is that player really and Fleck/Berge are not either. Chuck Bash in? Not always worked but might have to be an option. Shows the dearth of midfield options.
Click to expand...
I can’t believe that you’re contemplating Bash as a midfield option over Berge or Doyle. He’s been 2 secs behind the pace and looked liked giving away a goal or getting a red card in every game since he came back from injury (save for the Spurs game) That’s been 9 months now? (Longer?) and that’s when he’s been playing in a position tailor made for him.

I do like the idea of a 3-2-1 (Ted Rodgers) formation. But do we think we’ll see a back 4? (Xmas tree)
 
CarlMcBlade said:
The best team performance this side of Crimbo was the Spurs game. Doyle and McAtee really came of age in that game and ran the show in midfield. I feel Hecky’s biggest mistake this season was not having the balls to keep that same line up against Blackburn. Not only did the City lads shine, but Baldock and Osborn were so effective at right and left back and Anel was a colossus in the middle of the back three. Unfortunately for Us, Hecky threw all that FA excitement straight in the bin at Blackburn. My only hope is that he plays that same “weakened” FA cup team on Sunday.
Click to expand...
I agree, we played brilliantly against Spurs. It has to be a different approach in the league for me though. We have to be the dominant team and impose ourselves.
 
CaptainMorgans said:
We've seen the McAtee, Norwood, Doyle combo before. Looked awful. Indisciplined, exposed, easily overrun and outworked.
Click to expand...
When was this? Genuine question. I don’t think they’ve played that much together.

We were learnt to believe they both McAtee and Doyle could play a more advanced role. I’d probably have Doyle and Norwood together and McAtee further forward, possible alongside Ndiaye, inverted behind McBurnie.
 
Champagneblade said:
When was this? Genuine question. I don’t think they’ve played that much together.

We were learnt to believe they both McAtee and Doyle could play a more advanced role. I’d probably have Doyle and Norwood together and McAtee further forward, possible alongside Ndiaye, inverted behind McBurnie.
Click to expand...

Blackpool at home is the one that stands out.
 
Opposition managers have commented several times about changing their tactics to combat Norwood and it’s working, so play Doyle as well as Norwood, not instead of Norwood, and we still have an outlet. Keep McAtee for impact as a sub.
 

I think the wing backs are the important bit of the equation here. If they could take their defensive duties more seriously, we wouldn’t be so exposed down the flanks. Bogle and Lowe damage the defensive structure of the team because they’re crap defenders.
 
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