What is our best attacking line up?

[Going up]

Assuming we get Steve Davies, with Murphy, Flynn, McNulty, Done and Che what is our front line?

It is easy to criticize the coaching staff or manager, but I find it difficult to choose.

Is it 2 at the front? 3? Or 1 with some tucked in just behind?

If we get O'Grady, that only strengthens us, but complicates it.

I feel it has to be Davies, or O'Grady, plus???

 

[KingSlayers]

I'd imagine that a forward 3 would be the strongest because our wingers are pretty good at beating their man, the tough part is who.

I'd experiment with Murphy on the left as usual but in a more advanced starting position, Davies over COG in the central position, and then Done on the right also in a more advanced starting position.

The obvious benefit of this system is that a variety of our players can slot in and out when replacements are needed for injury and resting. Che could play anywhere up front but probably more effective on the left because of his power and pace which makes him effective when cutting inside into the box.

 

[Bladebri]

I'd play Adams and Murphy on the wings, basham in central midfield and done and Davies up front. Gives us 5 attacking players

 

[Barney]

I struggle to understand why we persist with these slightly old and slow target men like O'Grady and Steve Davies, they are good for holding it up but that's about it. I personally think we would benefit more from more pacey players as well as some height for corners/crosses.

 

[wizadry]

I struggle to understand why we persist with these slightly old and slow target men like O'Grady and Steve Davies, they are good for holding it up but that's about it. I personally think we would benefit more from more pacey players as well as some height for corners/crosses.

Because we're in League one and the standard of player you want would propably want to play a tad higher, unless our scouts can pluck some good uns out from somewhere.

 

[Barney]

Because we're in League one and the standard of player you want would propably want to play a tad higher, unless our scouts can pluck some good uns out from somewhere.

Just because we're in league one doesn't form a barrier between us and fast players. Look at MK Dons and Swindon for example, double the pace we had last season with a fraction of the budget..

 

[wizadry]

Just because we're in league one doesn't form a barrier between us and fast players. Look at MK Dons and Swindon for example, double the pace we had last season with a fraction of the budget..

We've less chance of getting them though, especially with us not getting promoted and our scouting system, which has proved to be average at best after this season. Mk plastics and Swindon had a lot of loan players, their scouts did a good job ours didn't. Just as a matter of interest mate, name their pacey players.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

I'd play Adams and Murphy on the wings, basham in central midfield and done and Davies up front. Gives us 5 attacking players

If truth be known . Clough sorts out the CB issue ( which is a thorn in the side for club and fans ) , we actually don't have a bad side . I will go for that above Bladebri. Just need that missing jigsaw midfielder addition.

A few will need shipping out .

UTB

 

[Barney]

We've less chance of getting them though, especially with us not getting promoted and our scouting system, which has proved to be average at best after this season. Mk plastics and Swindon had a lot of loan players, their scouts did a good job ours didn't. Just as a matter of interest mate, name their pacey players.

Swindon - Nathan byrne
Swindon - Yaser kasim
Swindon - Jon obika
Could add luongo to this list as well
Not too sure on gladwin but i'm sure he's a lot faster than any of our strikers
MK - Dele allí
MK - Benik afobe (for most part of season)
MK - Daniel powell

 

[Batemoorblade]

Higdon can assume all 3 foreward positions in a 4-3-3 given his size. It's a huge advantage having him, the opposition defenders getting stuck in his orbit allows the midfield runners to score plenty of goals. All this time nigel has been feeding him to increase his gravitational pull, that man is a genius I'm telling you.

 

[KingSlayers]

We've less chance of getting them though, especially with us not getting promoted and our scouting system, which has proved to be average at best after this season. Mk plastics and Swindon had a lot of loan players, their scouts did a good job ours didn't. Just as a matter of interest mate, name their pacey players.

I think Afobe, Powell, Hall and Green are their fastest players

 

[Bladebri]

If truth be known . Clough sorts out the CB issue ( which is a thorn in the side for club and fans ) , we actually don't have a bad side . I will go for that above Bladebri. Just need that missing jigsaw midfielder addition.

A few will need shipping out .

UTB

Yes some need moving on, I didn't add the midfield or defence, but it would be reed in midfield to finish the four, defence would be Brayford, and you may be surprised at this Flynn thought he did a good job, two central need to be new signings, goalkeeper I would stick with Howard, I know this 9 players will not be everybody's choice. Seems a good team on paper, sure someone will pull it to bits

 

[Barney]

Yes some need moving on, I didn't add the midfield or defence, but it would be reed in midfield to finish the four, defence would be Brayford, and you may be surprised at this Flynn thought he did a good job, two central need to be new signings, goalkeeper I would stick with Howard, I know this 9 players will not be everybody's choice. Seems a good team on paper, sure someone will pull it to bits

Agree mostly but don't think reed is ready for regular first team football at this level. Needs loaning out to develop IMO

 

[Bladebri]

Agree mostly but don't think reed is ready for regular first team football at this level. Needs loaning out to develop IMO

Fair point, but I always feel if you are going to learn some times it's best to jump in the deep end and that's with us.

 

[wizadry]

Swindon - Nathan byrne
Swindon - Yaser kasim
Swindon - Jon obika
Could add luongo to this list as well
Not too sure on gladwin but i'm sure he's a lot faster than any of our strikers
MK - Dele allí
MK - Benik afobe (for most part of season)
MK - Daniel powell

For Swindon i'll give you Byrne, but Kasim didn't have pace and Obika had that much pace on him that McNulty, Baxter and Done all scored more than him.

Mk plastics i'll give you all 3 and they have ultimately gone up from it, good scouting from their part.

It's also about getting the right balance, you can't just have pace but i do ultimately feel and have to agree with you that we could do with some in the side.

 

[Barney]

For Swindon i'll give you Byrne, but Kasim didn't have pace and Obika had that much pace on him that McNulty, Baxter and Done all scored more than him.

Mk plastics i'll give you all 3 and they have ultimately gone up from it, good scouting from their part.

It's also about getting the right balance, you can't just have pace but i do ultimately feel and have to agree with you that we could do with some in the side.

I just think the first step in solving our problems is for clough to start looking beyond derby and blackpool for players, and for him to realise that he is allowed to sign players over 6ft tall that are not scottish.

 

[Lord Bos of Eckington.]

Yes some need moving on, I didn't add the midfield or defence, but it would be reed in midfield to finish the four, defence would be Brayford, and you may be surprised at this Flynn thought he did a good job, two central need to be new signings, goalkeeper I would stick with Howard, I know this 9 players will not be everybody's choice. Seems a good team on paper, sure someone will pull it to bits

Don't know if you mean Flynn at LB . Reed to me will be a bit part player as will Adams . Both on the bench , i would have thought.

As said many times . If we can get round pegs in round holes , we will be half way there .

The big question - will Clough learn from his mistakes . ( although basic and common sense in football management terms ). Hope he does.

The team and Club , just wants additions in the right places , and a bloody good manager named Clough.

UTB

 

[Bergen Blade]

Yes some need moving on, I didn't add the midfield or defence, but it would be reed in midfield to finish the four, defence would be Brayford, and you may be surprised at this Flynn thought he did a good job, two central need to be new signings, goalkeeper I would stick with Howard, I know this 9 players will not be everybody's choice. Seems a good team on paper, sure someone will pull it to bits

4-4-2 with out and out wingers is very attacking and the two central lads would have a lot of space to cover. Jose Mourinho would say:

If I have a triangle in midfield I will always have an advantage against a pure 4-4-2 where the central midfielders are side by side. That’s because I will always have an extra man. It starts with (French midfielder Claude) Makelele, who is between the lines. If nobody comes to him he can see the whole pitch and has time. If he gets closed down it means one of the two other central midfielders is open. If they are closed down and the other team’s wingers come inside to help, it means there is space now for us on the flank, either for our own wingers or for our full-backs. There is nothing a pure 4-4-2 can do to stop things’.​

 

[Woodwardfan]

Because we're in League one and the standard of player you want would propably want to play a tad higher, unless our scouts can pluck some good uns out from somewhere.

Loanees.

 

[Woodwardfan]

4-4-2 with out and out wingers is very attacking and the two central lads would have a lot of space to cover. Jose Mourinho would say:

triangle in midfield I will always have an advantage against a pure 4-4-2 where the central midfielders are side by side. That’s because I will always have an extra man. It starts with (French midfielder Claude) Makelele, who is between the lines. If nobody comes to him he can see the whole pitch and has time. If he gets closed down it means one of the two other central midfielders is open. If they are closed down and the other team’s wingers come inside to help, it means there is space now for us on the flank, either for our own wingers or for our full-backs. There is nothing a pure 4-4-2 can do to stop things’.​

Unless the full backs are pushed on, then they dominate, especially if the wide midfielders push on at times too.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Murphy Adams Done
Davies

​

 

[Groucho Blade]

Murphy Adams Done
Davies

​

I like that...with Basham and Coutts (or Wallace or AN Other) behind them. 4-2-3-1. It's a progressive line-up and I think it'd work.

 

[Lane Ender]

I struggle to understand why we persist with these slightly old and slow target men like O'Grady and Steve Davies, they are good for holding it up but that's about it. I personally think we would benefit more from more pacey players as well as some height for corners/crosses.

Ogrady is far more mobile than Davies he can hold the ball up but he also willing to run the channels and get behind players.
Stumbling block with COG is we will have to pay money for him.

 

[FTPE]

Attack!
Attack!
Attack, Attack, Attack!

I'd love to see us GO for it this season.

 

[sheffielder]

Personally, if we can get the midfielders in I would either play 442 with two strong tall athletic CM's or a true 433 keeping Murphy and Adams up top (bit like the first 20 minutes of the home game against Swindon)

We don't score because we don't get enough players in the box, so it's more intent than tactics. Hopefully Nige will have seen the last 20 minutes of the Swindon game and seen the way forward.

 

[RedandWhite]

We should be scouting Africa for a Patrick Vieira build, or looting London club academy's.

 

[BushBlade]

We should be scouting Africa for a Patrick Vieira build, or looting London club academy's.

African players would require work permits, which they wouldn't get.

There are some good young players in the London academies but few want to move temporarily up north to play for a L1 side.

 

[BushBlade]

Ogrady is far more mobile than Davies he can hold the ball up but he also willing to run the channels and get behind players.
Stumbling block with COG is we will have to pay money for him.

Paying for players shouldn't be a stumbling block. I keep hearing we're too big for L1 and in the JTW we acted like a big club. We have to continue and see it through, or risk a repeat of the Robson boom and bust season, where ultimately, the money was just wasted.

 

[Lane Ender]

Personally, if we can get the midfielders in I would either play 442 with two strong tall athletic CM's or a true 433 keeping Murphy and Adams up top (bit like the first 20 minutes of the home game against Swindon)

We don't score because we don't get enough players in the box, so it's more intent than tactics. Hopefully Nige will have seen the last 20 minutes of the Swindon game and seen the way forward.

That last 20 mins kept him in a job