Last night’s midfield.

[GrahamC]

Matty James & Alex Scott started, Joe Williams was on after 70 or so minutes to replace Scott, HNM on late to replace James.

With Mark Sykes clearly the first choice at RWB (he came straight back in there after suspension) & Andy King a back up, bit part player, that’s obviously what we’ll go with now until at least the January transfer window.

For me that’s a pretty decent set of options, provided we keep them all available for the majority of the games, a fair amount of experience & of potential.

Williams has managed to feature in every league game too, with his management of minutes seeing him used as a sub, rather than sitting them out, a real positive after his first two years with us.

With next week giving us our first spell without a midweek game & an international break coming up, hopefully we will continue to have all 4 to choose from.

Edited September 1, 2022 by GrahamC

[NcnsBcfc]

1 minute ago, GrahamC said:

Matt James & Alex Scott started, Joe Williams was on after 70 or so minutes to replace Scott, HNM on late to replace James.

With Mark Sykes clearly the first choice at RWB (he came straight back in there after suspension) & Andy King a back up, bit part player, that’s obviously what we’ll go with now until at least the January transfer window.

For me that’s a pretty decent set of options, provided we keep them all available for the majority of the games, a fair amount of experience & of potential.

Williams has managed to feature in every league game too, with his management of minutes seeing him used as a sub, rather than sitting them out, a real positive after his first two years with us.

With next week giving us our first spell without a midweek game & an international break coming up, hopefully we will continue to have all 4 to choose from.

Hotch Potch of options at CM isn't it?

Williams still not able to play 2 games in a week. NP annoyed, and frustrated with HNM's refusal to sign a new contract. Leaves Scott, and James (King for cup games) as the only other CM's really.

1 or 2 injuries, and we are struggling. Such is the nature of running on a threadbare squad.

All change next season with the amount of players probably leaving us next summer. A chance to further rebuild and move forward.

[ExiledAjax]

In our current state and set up I think we have to think of Weimann as a midfielder, or at least as a player being used as a midfielder. That only strengthens the options that you set out. I think it's a positive. He'll score fewer goals, but he's still incredibly influential and is a great link between the more traditional two CMs and the two strikers. This is all facilitated by Wells, Conway and Semenyo having strong starts to the season. It allows us to use one of our best players more flexibly.

4 minutes ago, GrahamC said:

Williams has managed to feature in every league game too, with his management of minutes seeing him used as a sub, rather than sitting them out, a real positive after his first two years with us.

This can't be said enough. The combination of a good medical team, and a manager that trusts them and has the discipline to listen to them, is paying dividends.

[GrahamC]

1 minute ago, NcnsBcfc said:

Hotch Potch of options at CM isn't it?

Williams still not able to play 2 games in a week. NP annoyed, and frustrated with HNM's refusal to sign a new contract. Leaves Scott, and James (King for cup games) as the only other CM's really.

1 or 2 injuries, and we are struggling. Such is the nature of running on a threadbare squad.

All change next season with the amount of players probably leaving us next summer. A chance to further rebuild and move forward.

Yep, but that’s pretty much where we are as an entire squad, bar up top where Semenyo, Weimann, Wells, Conway & Martin are all competing for 3 places, & arguably it is 4 for 2, because if Weimann is out it’s unlikely his replacement would come from the other 4.

I’m comfortable with it, James is probably a 35 games a season player, Williams is definitely making progress & so if he managed 35 games too, that’s a huge improvement, Scott is just a bloody genius (overworked due to our circumstances, though) & with HNM, what will be, will be.

The days of us stacking the squad out with far too many options for the same role or anticipating loads of injuries has gone, for several reasons.

At a stretch under the circumstances you describe King has to play 5 or 6 games now, not ideal but that’s the trade off we made in offering him another year, I think.

[spudski]

Imo they'll be fast tracking Dylan Kadji, as they did Scott. We also have Ayman Benorous to come back from injury ( long way off).

Player pathways not being blocked by new signings.

[mozo]

Makes sense to rotate James and Williams and to let Massengo deputise for Scott.

[Davefevs]

1 hour ago, ExiledAjax said:

In our current state and set up I think we have to think of Weimann as a midfielder, or at least as a player being used as a midfielder. That only strengthens the options that you set out. I think it's a positive. He'll score fewer goals, but he's still incredibly influential and is a great link between the more traditional two CMs and the two strikers. This is all facilitated by Wells, Conway and Semenyo having strong starts to the season. It allows us to use one of our best players more flexibly.

This can't be said enough. The combination of a good medical team, and a manager that trusts them and has the discipline to listen to them, is paying dividends.

Sykes can play in central midfield too.

Seeing that we are generally only playing two conventional midfielders, we don’t need too many.

Im sure at some point, Williams will be pushed a bit more re midweek games, Nige alluded to that in this week’s pre-match interview.

[ExiledAjax]

9 minutes ago, Davefevs said:

Sykes can play in central midfield too.

Seeing that we are generally only playing two conventional midfielders, we don’t need too many.

Im sure at some point, Williams will be pushed a bit more re midweek games, Nige alluded to that in this week’s pre-match interview.

Yep Sykes is a good shout. I guess technically Naismith or Vyner could do a shift at CM. But seeing as they're fully occupied at CB that seems unlikely for the moment.

Williams absolutely, this management of him will be intended to be short term. He'll be on a plan to be phased in to playing 2 games a week.

[Robbored]

40 minutes ago, ExiledAjax said:

Yep Sykes is a good shout. I guess technically Naismith or Vyner could do a shift at CM. But seeing as they're fully occupied at CB that seems unlikely for the moment.

Williams absolutely, this management of him will be intended to be short term. He'll be on a plan to be phased in to playing 2 games a week.

The question for me is whether Williams’s long standing hamstring issues will ever be fully resolved to the point where he can play two games a week?           

[Ian M]

3 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Im still not sold on James tbh, he doesn't do it for me at all. He's had odd good games but is increasingly losing influence, part Naismith with set peices, and part not always quick enough. I'm not sure what he brings and get that I may be missing 'it'. 

Williams blows hot and cold when he does play.  More consistency would be phenomenal. 

Massengo and Scott are my preferred pairing, but understand why, especially re Massengo contract situation continues to rumble on, that it doesn't float everyone's boat. 

Looking forward to Benarous and Kadji and Owers development tbh. 

King decent emergency back up. 

I think James' performances are a bit deceptive. He doesn't tend to do anything flashy so doesn't catch the eye so much but I tried to watch him a bit closer last night and he was often either in a good position to cut passing lanes or involved in the press that saw us overturning possession. He may not be pacey and chasing people down left, right and centre but I think he makes up for that by almost ghosting into good positions defensively. In possession I think he just keeps us ticking over.

[Red-Robbo]

30 minutes ago, Tafkarmlf said:

Im still not sold on James tbh, he doesn't do it for me at all. He's had odd good games

 

I think James had a pretty good game last night, but he just hasn't 90 intense minutes in him anymore.   Odd to think, we had Wilbs doing it for us at this level aged 37, whereas Andy King looks like a pensioner at 33, James seems to blow after 70 minutes and Danny Simpson ran slower than I do now, at 34.  Maybe they all burned themselves out at Leicester?

[Mr Popodopolous]

Think we have a decent range now, injuries permitting.

Playing Scott in that CM role helps, his best position probably and I was thinking it's a bit of a luxury that we can bring Williams off the bench to help us in that phase of the game..

Even Sykes can play centrally if required, as we do have Tanner and Wilson at RB, RWB to call on. Wasn't he mainly central at Oxford?

[GrahamC]

17 minutes ago, Red-Robbo said:

 

I think James had a pretty good game last night, but he just hasn't 90 intense minutes in him anymore.   Odd to think, we had Wilbs doing it for us at this level aged 37, whereas Andy King looks like a pensioner at 33, James seems to blow after 70 minutes and Danny Simpson ran slower than I do now, at 34.  Maybe they all burned themselves out at Leicester?

Think with James he has a history of injuries & last night was feeling his way back, I’m pretty confident he can still make a decent contribution.

King has had a number of years since he was a regular anywhere now & I don’t think we seriously consider him as anything other than a back up.

Also think central midfield is a pretty intense place to play.

Simpson’s legs had gone, it was an error by Pearson not to spot this.

[The Bard]

3 hours ago, GrahamC said:

Matty James & Alex Scott started, Joe Williams was on after 70 or so minutes to replace Scott, HNM on late to replace James.

With Mark Sykes clearly the first choice at RWB (he came straight back in there after suspension) & Andy King a back up, bit part player, that’s obviously what we’ll go with now until at least the January transfer window.

For me that’s a pretty decent set of options, provided we keep them all available for the majority of the games, a fair amount of experience & of potential.

Williams has managed to feature in every league game too, with his management of minutes seeing him used as a sub, rather than sitting them out, a real positive after his first two years with us.

With next week giving us our first spell without a midweek game & an international break coming up, hopefully we will continue to have all 4 to choose from.

I think James and Scott are the best 2 clearly.  The 2 calmest certainly with a nice mix of youth and experience.

 

[The Bard]

1 hour ago, Ian M said:

I think James' performances are a bit deceptive. He doesn't tend to do anything flashy so doesn't catch the eye so much but I tried to watch him a bit closer last night and he was often either in a good position to cut passing lanes or involved in the press that saw us overturning possession. He may not be pacey and chasing people down left, right and centre but I think he makes up for that by almost ghosting into good positions defensively. In possession I think he just keeps us ticking over.

Well put.  With a similarly intelligent cm partner he'll do well.  Less headless chicken behaviour or silly fouls if caught out of position.James and Scott for me are 1st choice

[italian dave]

4 hours ago, mozo said:

Makes sense to rotate James and Williams and to let Massengo deputise for Scott.

It makes sense in many ways, sure. But it’s a shame: some of our very best midfield performances the past 12 months have been when Scott and Massengo have played together there.

[Lordofthebling]

My choice cm would be Williams and and an on song  Massengo, but Scott is there or there abouts.

James is back up, it's all too slow and backwards... King, as much as he is one of us, I do feel he is back up to the backups.

It's a great problem to have, just wish Han would sign on the dotted line.

 

[Edgy Red]

I thought James and Scott did well last night but i do worry in the games against the better sides, that we will get overun in midfield. Weimann will run all day, but we're basically playing with 2 central midfielders which is fairly rare in the modern game.

Someone mentioned in another post about Naismith and the way he plays being a risk and reward strategy and i think the way we utilise Weimann is similar.

Don't get me wrong, i am really enjoying this new positive approach and hope Nige sticks with it, but i do think we could be in for some very tough games as the season progresses.