Time for Brooks to step up

[5tannington Blade]

I think if we are to have a chance of the playoffs this year we really need this lad to step up in the last 15 games of this season. We shouldn't heap much pressure on him because of his age and his return from illness but our hopes may rest on him.

The problem for me is that we only seem to get the best out of him when he comes off the bench and he's not necassarily had the same impact from the start. He looked dangerous against Leicester and i think we could do with him playing like that from the off. I think we'll come up against less opponents like Norwich at home where he struggled as more teams will need 3 points against us

 

[Houso]

Forgive me hardy, but...

I think if we are to have a chance of the playoffs this year we really need this lad to step up in the last 15 games of this season. We shouldn't heap much pressure on him because of his age and his return from illness but our hopes may rest on him.

... made me chuckle.

Not to put pressure on the lad, but it's up to him whether we go up or not

 

[Blade for Sale]

I think if we are to have a chance of the playoffs this year we really need this lad to step up in the last 15 games of this season. We shouldn't heap much pressure on him because of his age and his return from illness but our hopes may rest on him.

The problem for me is that we only seem to get the best out of him when he comes off the bench and he's not necassarily had the same impact from the start. He looked dangerous against Leicester and i think we could do with him playing like that from the off. I think we'll come up against less opponents like Norwich at home where he struggled as more teams will need 3 points against us

Sound like a chat I've just had with my 7 year old son. No pressure lad but if you don't find a job by tomorrow we have to sell the house.

 

[Ricky]

I hope he can become a regular starter ASAP. It'll be good news for us if he does.

 

[stringer]

Had no impact at Hillsborough.

 

[ekke287]

 

[HighfieldBlade]

Brooks impressed in the 2nd half at Leicester. So so good to see him back. Every time he gets the ball you just get that feeling of anticipation that he will make things happen. Class player.

 

[Champagneblade]

Question I have about Brooks is whether he is better in Duffy's position or Sharp's.

Conclusion I always come to is that it's a nice problem to have!

You'd kind of want Duffy, Brooks and Sharp on the field at the same time vs QPR in a sense.

Duffy is very much the conductor in the final third and keeps things flowing, similar to what Coutts does in the middle third. But Brooks can make that incisive action, that bit of magic which can give you an overload or a 2 on 1 because he's taken 2 people out of the game. Then you have Billy's finishing.

Without knackering the entire system, I do wonder how we can get the best from these three. You'd also like Leon in there with the right service and he's get more of that with Brooks and Duffy on the field.

As much as we've played 3-4-1-2 with Fleck in the team, could we go one step further and play 3-1-4-2 or 3-3-2-2, however you call it, with Evans being more deep lying and Duffy and Brooks either side attacking?

Or dare I say it, could you even throw in Old school 4-4-2 and push Basham further into midfield alongside Evans and have Brooks and Duffy attacking wide, supported by Baldock and Stevens? You always fear when you come up how your squad will compete with more illustrious peers, but I'd be more than happy with a midfield four when available of Duffy-Evans-Fleck-Brooks and Billy and Leon despite occasional dips have a very respectable 25 league goals between them this season with 15 to go.

Maybe it would make the game too open, but we're after wins. Without some risk, you limit the potential reward.

 

[Antonb]

I would like to see both Duffy and Brooks play at the same time, ie Leeds away. They destroyed them last 20 mins

 

[Chali 2na]

We shouldn't heap much pressure on him because of his age and his return from illness but our hopes may rest on him

So naturally, you thought youd start a thread about needing to step up?

 

[blademark]

Largely agree with OP.
I'd also throw in the question as to how we incorporate Brooks, Duffy, and even Holmes, who could also be a big player for us in the run in.? This is where the creativity is going to come from, but struggling to see more than one starting at the minute.

 

[Barney]

In my opinion he's the most technically gifted player we have. When you have a player like him with so much obvious ability, all he needs is consistent starts when he returns from his illness and he will show his talent.

 

[Northyorksblade]

Think I might leave it up to the boss whether he plays all, some, no games.

 

[FTPE]

He can beat men and he can cut in from the wings but if he plays with an in form Duffy, the through balls he'll latch on to will terrify all the teams we have left to play.

 

[Houso]

I have no desire to tinker with the formation, but imagine removing Bash from defence and going with Holmes / Duffy / Brooks behind the striker (with perhaps Fleck and Evans in front of the back four).

 

[originaltrueblade]

Now he is fit again after a very bad illness. It is him that makes it possible that we can playoffs and get promoted. A quality player who needs the right partner to play off

 

[wizadry]

You have to use him wisely because there will be managers and players out there who will want to put one on him to nullify his effect on a game, this is where Wilder and his players will have to help to protect him from the bullies in the game because the refs are nearly all inept.

 

[finlaytheblade]

Wilder already stated Brooks
, is a long way off playing a full game he will be used wisely maybe starting the odd game but not playing longer than planned.Coming on as sub is the most likely scenario but he will be used to best effect for him and the club.
Yes he is a game changer and winner but let's not put too much pressure on him,opposing teams will single him out for rough treatment and he will need protection from that.

 

[Ricky]

Ideally, we'll get Leon back to his best and play Brooks alongside him with Duffy (or Holmes) behind them.

To me that looks like our outstanding option.

 

[Champagneblade]

Ideally, we'll get Leon back to his best and play Brooks alongside him with Duffy (or Holmes) behind them.

To me that looks like our outstanding option.

Much as I love Basham's versatility and his bombing forward and the whole overlapping centre backs secario, the question still often gets raised as to what he does with the ball when he actually carries it to the final third!

If we were to change formation, it would probably be to one that Chris also likes and that is 4-2-3-1.

Stearman's emergence has given us some comfort that we could play 4 at the back without capitulating.

If we played the below formation, I cannot see a player not included (who is fit) who would be considered in our best XI above these apart from Sharp, on his day:

Blackman
Baldock Stearman O'Connell Stevens
Evans Fleck
Brooks Duffy Holmes
Clarke

 

[Ricky]

Much as I love Basham's versatility and his bombing forward and the whole overlapping centre backs secario, the question still often gets raised as to what he does with the ball when he actually carries it to the final third!

If we were to change formation, it would probably be to one that Chris also likes and that is 4-2-3-1.

Stearman's emergence has given us some comfort that we could play 4 at the back without capitulating.

If we played the below formation, I cannot see a player not included (who is fit) who would be considered in our best XI above these apart from Sharp, on his day:

Blackman
Baldock Stearman O'Connell Stevens
Evans Fleck
Brooks Duffy Holmes
Clarke

That's undoubtedly our best 4-2-3-1 option and I hope we see it at some stage.

 

[5tannington Blade]

Forgive me hardy, but...



... made me chuckle.

Not to put pressure on the lad, but it's up to him whether we go up or not

No - what I am saying is deep down I think we all know we need somebody which has that something special to win us those extra points which the likes of Robert Snodgrass did against us. At no point am I saying we should be broadcasting this to the lad but I think I'm being realistic in that the team is where it should be without somebody special - 8th Place.

 

[grafikhaus]

Not to put pressure on the lad, but it's up to him whether we go up or not

No pressure lad but if you don't find a job by tomorrow we have to sell the house.

Ah, but you know what pressure creates? I know because I read it somewhere...

 

[LondonBlade89]

Much as I love Basham's versatility and his bombing forward and the whole overlapping centre backs secario, the question still often gets raised as to what he does with the ball when he actually carries it to the final third!

I agree. But rather than changing formation, I wonder about trying Ryan Leonard there. Used to be a right back before switching to central midfield at Southend. Wilder has explicitly said that he can cover RCB. Could be a good option.

 

[TarquinDelouche]

If he doesn’t step up in the next game we should take him out back and put him down before he embarrasses himself.

 

[mattbianco1]

Forgive me hardy, but...



... made me chuckle.

Not to put pressure on the lad, but it's up to him whether we go up or not

I thought exactly that.

 

[8lade]

Well I disagree with a lot of what's been said here, it's daft!
WE do not need Brooks to get us in the play offs, we are not 8th because that's as good as we can be without Brooks - we've taken on most of the best teams twice and Wednesday and now we have some of the weaker teams to play, at the end of the season you can say we are where we are on merit. Also let's not forget some of the raggings we've given teams and taken no points!
Brooks gives us an extra dimension but this team I would fully expect to finish 4 to 6 without him as long as we encounter no more bad fortune.

 

[Pierre's PC]

Ah, but you know what pressure creates? I know because I read it somewhere...

View attachment 36982

Sharks?

 

[yorkshirecoast]

I would like to see both Duffy and Brooks play at the same time, ie Leeds away. They destroyed them last 20 mins

Agreed. There have been several games when we have dominated possession but created little. That’s when you need players who can run at defenders and take people on. Brooks and Duffy are the only 2 players we have who can do that consistently.

If we only play one of the two, he is often double marked as Duffy has been several times. Playing them both would give opponents far more to worry about.

 

[CarlMcBlade]

Question I have about Brooks is whether he is better in Duffy's position or Sharp's.

Conclusion I always come to is that it's a nice problem to have!

You'd kind of want Duffy, Brooks and Sharp on the field at the same time vs QPR in a sense.

Duffy is very much the conductor in the final third and keeps things flowing, similar to what Coutts does in the middle third. But Brooks can make that incisive action, that bit of magic which can give you an overload or a 2 on 1 because he's taken 2 people out of the game. Then you have Billy's finishing.

Without knackering the entire system, I do wonder how we can get the best from these three. You'd also like Leon in there with the right service and he's get more of that with Brooks and Duffy on the field.

As much as we've played 3-4-1-2 with Fleck in the team, could we go one step further and play 3-1-4-2 or 3-3-2-2, however you call it, with Evans being more deep lying and Duffy and Brooks either side attacking?

Or dare I say it, could you even throw in Old school 4-4-2 and push Basham further into midfield alongside Evans and have Brooks and Duffy attacking wide, supported by Baldock and Stevens? You always fear when you come up how your squad will compete with more illustrious peers, but I'd be more than happy with a midfield four when available of Duffy-Evans-Fleck-Brooks and Billy and Leon despite occasional dips have a very respectable 25 league goals between them this season with 15 to go.

Maybe it would make the game too open, but we're after wins. Without some risk, you limit the potential reward.

After the Leeds game I’d always play Duffy in Duffy’s position and Sharp in Sharp’s position. The difference with them is the side was so tangible.