COD OR PATERSON FOR LW/CAM?

[Unan]

SETTLE IT

[Prinny]

If/when Pato is available I prefer Callum LCF to Nahki Wells, but it's still bad as you take away the space that Callum needs to be effective. At least Callum can press better or offer an outlet to break with. Paterson is better suited to work in tight spaces. LJ said something about how Jamie was good at "wriggling" or "wiggling" or something close IIRC.

Wells actually got in on the right of the box on the rare occasion he was further up the pitch when we got the ball back, and maybe he's the best person we have to be the centre of the three strikers. Want to see it, as Martin is horrible at it as he has to check back all the time! Don't think it's perfect either though as Wells might lose the ball more.

[Davefevs]

Wells is more effective coming off the right, and Antoine from the left imho.

[BLRed]

Drop Martin, shift Wells to the centre where he is most effective. Semenyo out right and pato or cod out left

[Davefevs]

4 minutes ago, BOSRed said:

Drop Martin, shift Wells to the centre where he is most effective. Semenyo out right and pato or cod out left

There is definitely a view that says you don’t have to play a “target man type” in the centre.  Weimann started his career here on his own up top...and was very effective too.

[Midred]

I can never workout why Semenyo always starts on the right as he is more effective on the left.

8 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Wells is more effective coming off the right, and Antoine from the left imho.

 

[Riaz]

We need pato in the middle. We are missing him and our possession play isn’t as good without him 

[eardun]

I’d prefer Wells in the centre so probably a two closer together up top rather than the 3 more spread out. If we are going to play 4-3-3 I would like to see Wells as the man in the middle even if that means resting Martin for the next game or two. Wells won’t score 20 goals stuck out wide and also tracking back; he might if played centrally. 

[Lrrr]

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

There is definitely a view that says you don’t have to play a “target man type” in the centre.  Weimann started his career here on his own up top...and was very effective too.

Would be loving the idea of a Wells, Weimann, Semenyo front 3, the movement and ability to interchange would be excellent

[Engvall’s Splinter]

Play Wells central. Much of a muchness around him in terms of the other personnel. 

[old_eastender]

Pato drifts out of games too easily as it is, the last thing we need is him played left flank where, when played there under LJ he was a spectator for much of the time.

It should be only one of COD/Pato starting and when Walsh is fit I'd like to think neither of them start!

[LondonBristolian]

Paterson ended last season superbly and started this season well but I feel he's back to having to fight for his place again. I feel O'Dowda, Bakinson and Nagy are offering more than him at the moment. Wells does not work as a left winger or Martin as a lone striker so, until players are fit (or Paterson proves his form from the bench), I'd actually like to see Nagy and Bakinson in the middle O'Dowda on the left and Martin and Wells as a front two. Martin can then drop deeper and do what he does well and that might compensate for the lack of an obvious creative force.

That said, I don't think we can make a perfect XI from the players we have available and we could really do with Paterson back playing well and Walsh back to fitness and hopefully showing he can do it at this level. 

[cidered abroad]

2 hours ago, JonDolman said:

I think eventually Semenyo will be our main striker. 

I like the idea of O'Dowda behind the striker and Paterson wide drifting in field. Dasilva then going on overlap. Nice bit of creativity that side and right side can be more direct with Semenyo as we don't have many wide options currently.

I don't really like Wells wide. Don't know about him as main striker because I think Holden likes a main striker who holds it up well. Wells best position is certainly as a main striker though.

And I disagree completely with your first statement.

Goal scoring players are born to do so. Go through all the City strikers that I've seen at City in 70 years and all of them scored goals for fun when they were ten, fifteen, twenty, thirty years of age. Garland scored for fun even in Ashton Park kick arounds when he was ten. Could anyone tell Atyeo how to put the ball in the onion bag?

It is almost impossible to create the scoring instinct. Hone it, polish it but create it? No.

Sam Bell will get shed loads compared with what Semenyo will.

Not saying that Antoine will not be a good team member but goal scoring? Very doubtful.

[Davefevs]

2 hours ago, LondonBristolian said:

Paterson ended last season superbly and started this season well but I feel he's back to having to fight for his place again. I feel O'Dowda, Bakinson and Nagy are offering more than him at the moment. Wells does not work as a left winger or Martin as a lone striker so, until players are fit (or Paterson proves his form from the bench), I'd actually like to see Nagy and Bakinson in the middle O'Dowda on the left and Martin and Wells as a front two. Martin can then drop deeper and do what he does well and that might compensate for the lack of an obvious creative force.

That said, I don't think we can make a perfect XI from the players we have available and we could really do with Paterson back playing well and Walsh back to fitness and hopefully showing he can do it at this level. 

That is when you see Pato at his best.  I think he can get complacent, and knowing his place was secure his levels drop off.  I think (once fit) we will see a resurgent Pato.  Dangle that contract too Dean.

[LondonBristolian]

26 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

That is when you see Pato at his best.  I think he can get complacent, and knowing his place was secure his levels drop off.  I think (once fit) we will see a resurgent Pato.  Dangle that contract too Dean.

Totally agree. I think he's really suffered from a lack of competition for his place. I think it would do him good to fight his way back into the team and hopefully, if Walsh is the player we hope he is, he might push Paterson to perform at his best to keep himself in the team. 

[The Dolman Pragmatist]

Pato (with Bentley) has been player of the season for me, and has to come back in when fully fit.  We’ve really missed his and Weimann’s movement in attacking midfield and a midfield three of Bakinson, Nagy and Paterson strikes me as very well-balanced.  Of course, if Paterson plays it would best in a 3-5-2 pattern, and I wonder if we might see that at Rotherham?  That might not happen if Dasilva is still unavailable...

[tin]

Wells has scored all five of his goals this season in the six-yard box. He's the best goalscorer we've got at the moment and he needs to be central, whether as the lone striker in a front three or alongside Martin in a 352. 

Semenyo is most effective on the left side of a three. If we play a 433, Pato gets in on the right ahead of COD. Personally, I love to see us sign a right-sided attacker like Osayi-Samuel in January if Holden wants to play this system most weeks. 

If it boils down to Pato or COD in a midfield three, which I don't want to see when we have Bakinson, Nagy, Williams and Walsh to choose from, COD gets the nod. 

[mozo]

4 hours ago, LondonBristolian said:

Paterson ended last season superbly and started this season well but I feel he's back to having to fight for his place again. I feel O'Dowda, Bakinson and Nagy are offering more than him at the moment. Wells does not work as a left winger or Martin as a lone striker so, until players are fit (or Paterson proves his form from the bench), I'd actually like to see Nagy and Bakinson in the middle O'Dowda on the left and Martin and Wells as a front two. Martin can then drop deeper and do what he does well and that might compensate for the lack of an obvious creative force.

That said, I don't think we can make a perfect XI from the players we have available and we could really do with Paterson back playing well and Walsh back to fitness and hopefully showing he can do it at this level. 

 

2 hours ago, Davefevs said:

That is when you see Pato at his best.  I think he can get complacent, and knowing his place was secure his levels drop off.  I think (once fit) we will see a resurgent Pato.  Dangle that contract too Dean.

I was just coming on to say that I think we have Pato exactly where we want him - fighting for his place and something to prove. I'd initially keep him on the bench and let him showcase his ability as a sub.

[cidered abroad]

6 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Semenyo used to score a lot for the under 18s. He has all the attributes to lead the attack in the future and score goals too imo.

I sincerely hope that you are correct with your forecast. Time will tell but maybe a start tomorrow?

[Wrongagain]

20 hours ago, Riaz said:

We need pato in the middle. We are missing him and our possession play isn’t as good without him 

We might be missing him but where’s the hope when his best skill is in going missing!
Ask Hunty when he’s looking for a target for a throw in or the opposition when magical Pato marks them when it’s our throw in! 

Either he wakes up and shakes up or he has to go! The Derby holiday taught him nothing!

[BigTone]

20 hours ago, Davefevs said:

There is definitely a view that says you don’t have to play a “target man type” in the centre.  Weimann started his career here on his own up top...and was very effective too.

Think we miss Weimann more than we realise 

[BigTone]

9 hours ago, JonDolman said:

Semenyo used to score a lot for the under 18s. He has all the attributes to lead the attack in the future and score goals too imo.

Two different levels of play though. Needs to up his game fairly quick IMO.

[BigTone]

8 hours ago, LondonBristolian said:

Totally agree. I think he's really suffered from a lack of competition for his place. I think it would do him good to fight his way back into the team and hopefully, if Walsh is the player we hope he is, he might push Paterson to perform at his best to keep himself in the team. 

OMG, really what is this love in with Walsh. He's done sweet FA since the day we signed him in January 2018. How is he now the messiah and new Messi ? If he is the player we hope he is then he's had 3 years to prove it. He isn't and needs to be shipped out poste haste.

[LondonBristolian]

2 hours ago, BigTone said:

OMG, really what is this love in with Walsh. He's done sweet FA since the day we signed him in January 2018. How is he now the messiah and new Messi ? If he is the player we hope he is then he's had 3 years to prove it. He isn't and needs to be shipped out poste haste.

I can't speak for anyone else but I certainly don't have a love in with Walsh. I just worry about the facts and reality. And the fact is he was League One player of the season last year and the reality is we do not have another player in the squad who is going to put pressure on Paterson as the creative point of our team. I don't think for a second Walsh is going to be a messiah or Messi. I do think there is a realistic possibility he can put pressure on Paterson for his place and thus get the best of him. I don't think that's hyperbole.

Of course, if we sign another creative player in January I'd be happy with that and I'm fine if Walsh then gets shipped out. But I don't think we get the best out of Paterson when he is under no pressure for his place due to a lack of creativity in the squad. 

[miketh2nd]

2 hours ago, BigTone said:

Think we miss Weimann more than we realise 

Agree and whilst he will miss chances  and can be a bit frustrating .  Sometimes he was too fast/clever thinking not always seen by his team mates with his quick thinking ( e.g how well he linked up with Afobe)   , he will still always be a threat so will drag defenders out of place to create space for team mates . 

[Prinny]

2 hours ago, BigTone said:

OMG, really what is this love in with Walsh. He's done sweet FA since the day we signed him in January 2018. How is he now the messiah and new Messi ? If he is the player we hope he is then he's had 3 years to prove it. He isn't and needs to be shipped out poste haste.

Holden said Walsh was "a major part of the way we want to play" so there's an expectation there that's true.

Ii don't have a great read on Walsh but I expect him to play once he's back because of that.