Samir or Lundstram? Or neither?

[@samjohnson77]

So... as per Marvin Sordell's horrific attempt at a tackle on Friday we find ourselves with a Midfield quandary.
One I'm not too worried about as it shows the depth of our team.

Yes Couttsy will be a huge miss but we have a squad of players chomping at the bit to be a part of what is happening at our club at the minute!

Options could be;

Lundstram (CDM) AKA... the Coutts role
Fleck (CM)
Duffy (CAM)

Carruthers (CM)
Fleck (CM)
Duffy (CAM)

Fleck (CM)
Duffy (CM)
Brooks (CAM)

To be honest - I'd be happy with any of the above 3. When Stearman is back why can't we shove Bash into Midfield??

So many options.

I know its very, very, very, very shit about Couttsy but let's not panic. Our Lord Saviour knows what to do.

 

[s8bladelee]

I like the attacking flair option 3 offers.

 

[SwissBlade]

I’m glad someone asked this question...

 

[BushBlade]

I’m glad someone asked this question...

If only we'd discussed it over the weekend.

 

[SwissBlade]

If only we'd discussed it over the weekend.

Or today

 

[spongebobblade]

More a case of when Baldock is back Bash can move forward. Like most I’m happy to go with Wilder as usual. We will miss Coutts but we aren’t a one man team. Whoever plays that role needs our total backing. They may not have Coutts ability but as long as they give 100% we can’t ask for anymore

 

[spongebobblade]

Or today

Bugger...
Have I missed something?

 

[Jan Age]

For me when Baldock is back move bash in to midfield. Until then stick with Lundstram.

Carruthers is very talented but is not a replacement for Coutts. He lacks the focus to play in that position, doesn’t track back, loses the ball trying something fancy and constantly goes down looking for a free kick.

I can cope with trying something fancy or going down when done on the edge of our opposition box but not on the edge of our own when what we actually want is someone who receives the ball, stays on his feet, keeps it simple and passes it off this setting up another attack.

 

[Tynemouth Blade]

 

[RammyBlade]

Option 2 for me - I would use Duffy as our replacement for Coutts and put Samir in Duffy's position. I think Duffy is capable of the role of receiving from the backs and making the passes we need - although whether he has the stamina to last 90 minutes is debatable. Samir is a flair player who can move all over the pitch beating men and creating space and chances for the 2 up front ......

 

[JordoBlade]

I'd put Duffy in Coutts position and fill Duffy's with Brooks.

 

[Tunstall Fred]

Stearman in midfield tomorrow night,went past Shirecliffe on 33 bus,saw it with my own eyes,hope nobody from Fulham reads this and gives away our secret weapon

 

[blade too long]

we are in the happy position of having several good options available
Knill will have a big say in the way forward, thank god chris only listens to him

watch him rest duffy and fleck and play carruthers lundstram and brooks
and we win 4-0

hes that good

 

[TarquinDelouche]

Is Coutts injured like?

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Ipswich game Fleck played the deep role,id expect him to play there now for foreseable future,rest of the positions in midfield that game were Duffy and Lundstram.

I really dont want Lundstram in that deep role,he panics and loses the ball when closed down.

Its a basterd conundrum to have.

 

[Berlin Blade]

I'm surprised how few United fans are aware the roles our midfielders have. Coutts isn't a CDM. Him and Fleck play exactly the same role on either side of the midfield. They both defend, they both attack. If our build up play is moving down the right, Coutts is the one to get on the ball and Fleck's role is to drop slightly deeper and cover Coutts. If the ball is then transitioned to the left, Fleck looks to get forward more and probe, with Coutts dropping back slightly to cover him. That's how we accommodate the overlapping centre halves on either flank, giving us an extra man out wide without sacrificing in other attacking areas. That's also how we press teams so high up the pitch, because we edge forward like that and suffocate teams, and it works effectively because Fleck's left footed and Coutts is right footed, and when we lose possesion, we're only light on one flank and don't get overloaded often. This is because of Fleck and Coutts knowing exactly when to go and when to sit.

That's why replacing Coutts or Fleck in this system is such a difficult task, because the role is 75% in the head for those two. They have an almost telepathic relationship on the pitch and that's why they look so good together. The replacement player has got to be capable of doing all the good things Coutts does going forward but also be very tactically aware.

Really do think that (and i've said from day one) that Lundstram will look like a quality player once he's playing with 10 of our first team round him, rather than either starting games in the cup where we're carrying injured players and players playing out of position like the Leicester game or coming on with 20 minutes to go to hold a lead where his role is literally to quieten the game down. He's never going to look a world beater in those circumstances. I think we're sat on a £5 million pound player here if he settles quickly.

 

[SwitchBLADE Smiles]

Perhaps try CCV there? Have O'Connell, Stearman & Wright as the back 3 whilst Bashambaur is still stuck at right back.

He seems pretty good on the ball & there won't be many that could know him off it. Then there's the added bonus that he won't be able to injure our keeper from the middle of the park . Also a bit of extra height for set pieces. Might be worth considering.

 

[BigBed]

Yay, another silly thread, let's just PANIC!!!!!!! instead.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Perhaps try CCV there? Have O'Connell, Stearman & Wright as the back 3 whilst Bashambaur is still stuck at right back.

He seems pretty good on the ball & there won't be many that could know him off it. Then there's the added bonus that he won't be able to injure our keeper from the middle of the park . Also a bit of extra height for set pieces. Might be worth considering.

His thru ball for Billy's second was quality.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

Well we will live or die by the games he plays,there is only one way to find out,play him,he did do ok against Ipswich.

 

[Scooter_mcgavin]

His thru ball for Billy's second was quality.

I think I'm one of the only few that think he was passing to Duffy, Duffy then dummied it allowing Sharp a clear run on goal.

CCV will get the assist, but for me, the real assist should go to Duffy.

 

[LJBlade]

Perhaps try CCV there? Have O'Connell, Stearman & Wright as the back 3 whilst Bashambaur is still stuck at right back.

He seems pretty good on the ball & there won't be many that could know him off it. Then there's the added bonus that he won't be able to injure our keeper from the middle of the park . Also a bit of extra height for set pieces. Might be worth considering.

Maybe we could try Simon Moore there. He played a cracking ball through for Clarke’s 4th against Hull and he’s also quite tall. Or better yet we could actually try playing one of our centre mid’s there. Crazy I know but it might just work.

 

[EmleyMoorBlade]

I think I'm one of the only few that think he was passing to Duffy, Duffy then dummied it allowing Sharp a clear run on goal.

CCV will get the assist, but for me, the real assist should go to Duffy.

Totally agree mate just watch the highlights again to see Duffy step over the ball and allow it to run the Billy

 

[tomtheblade]

Credit to Duffy as ever, but also that's twice now that CCV has delivered defence splitting passes from the back, both of which have been of significance in the game- vs Burton and against Wolves, which led to the Coady sending off and our subsequent dominance of the league leaders.

Becoming more and more impressed with him as the games progress.

 

[derfblade.3]

Bash for Paul. Sorted. No need to move anyone around.

 

[Smirth]

There’s not a chance Duffy will play as one of the midfield 2.

 

[LJBlade]

Bash for Paul. Sorted. No need to move anyone around.

Apart from having to move Basham that is? Who plays right wing back in the situation?

Personally I’d prefer to move nobody at all and just play a proper central midfielder, like Lundstram, in central midfield.

 

[sheffielder]

Bash for Paul. Sorted. No need to move anyone around.

How is moving bash from cb to midfield not moving anyone about?

 

[tomtheblade]

Wonder how Baldock's doing. No word on him in latest Wilder RS interview as far as i could tell.

 

[Alfreton14Blade]

Wouldn't be shocked if he goes with Samir tomorrow. Fulham are hardly a physical trial.

Whoever it is though, amazing to think that, even in circumstances like this, we've got serious options.

Long gone are the days when some random dwarf was roped in to play centre-half.