Who will score Town’s goals?

[Charnwood]

I tried to fit our players into a 4:4:2 formation and it isn’t easy although I did have Delap & Szmodics as my front two.

It’s easier with 3:5;2 or 4:3:3 but when you start filling the spaces it feels like the club have recruited to stick with 4:2:3:1 as a permanent set up.

I’d be interested who you think would fill midfield in a 4:4:2 line up.

[rossi]

4-4-2
Tuanzebe O Shea Greaves Davis
Hutchinson Morsy Phillips Clarke
Delap Szmodics

3-5-2
Tuanzebe O Shea Greaves
Hutchinson Morsy Phillips Clarke Davis
Delap Szmodics

[ITFC2024]

I've always liked the 3-5-2 formation, and I think it would benefit us in the prem.

[Charnwood]

4-4-2
Tuanzebe O Shea Greaves Davis
Hutchinson Morsy Phillips Clarke
Delap Szmodics

3-5-2
Tuanzebe O Shea Greaves
Hutchinson Morsy Phillips Clarke Davis
Delap Szmodics

I like that 3:5:2 line up Rossi

Does anyone else think it could work ? It would certainly help stop us being overrun in midfield.

[ashfordblue]

I can't see KM dropping his back 4 line he could start a 4-3-3 like Liverpool started with, but Davis must not leave his defensive job and be caught charging upfield and putting pressure on the defence, which is still fragile under pressure, and Villa will exploit Davies with Watkins and Duran we are going to have our hands full defending Villa's attack, and we will be lucky if we get another draw.
I can see a few more qualified premiership players having to come in during the next window if we are going to survive then better quality players have to come in so that we can start taking more control of games rather than chasing like we have been doing, you don't see the top 6 teams chasing games, so the sooner we get more organised and scoring goals the better, we can only hope Muric and our defence are going to be on form and strong its bodies on the line.

[ITFC2024]

I really like Rossi’s 3-5-2 formation as long as Phillips is in the lineup. Phillips can cover for Davis going forward. In most of our games so far, we’ve been over run in the midfield and link up play has struggled.

Delap and Szmodics up front together could certainly increase our scoring chances. In this formation, I’d be fine Hutch playing on the right.

Now all we have to do is convince KM!

[Bluemike]

We can talk all we like, McKenna isn't changing any time soon

[ITFC2024]

Guess we should trust KM’s philosophy. He’s got us where we are.

[Charnwood]

We can talk all we like, McKenna isn't changing any time soon

If we not able to discuss anything that McKenna is unlikely to do the forum will soon grind to standstill.

[Bluemike]

I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, I'm saying he won't be changing his ethos on the set up etc.

[Charnwood]

I'm not saying we shouldn't talk about it, I'm saying he won't be changing his ethos on the set up etc.

I’m pretty sure that’s how we all think Mike. It’s just interesting to me if we have the players that actually fit into other formations as 4:4:2 I was really struggling with.

[Bluemike]

I'm on the same page as you, I probably didn't put it across correctly

[Charnwood]

I'm on the same page as you, I probably didn't put it across correctly

It’s not important mate. I hate it with no game on a Saturday and I have better things to do than watch footie early on a Sunday afternoon as we like to go out for lunch. I don’t mind the late game as it’s 5.30 ko here which I can cope with especially in winter.

I think I’ll watch Arsenal and Leicester this afternoon or just have a lazy one by the pool enjoying the late summer.

[Bluemike]

Yep the timing of tomorrow's game is pants really, just one of the things the Premier League comes with I guess. I'm a traditionalist, 3pm Saturday is footy time, simple as that lol

[ITFC2024]

I fear what will happen if Delap gets injured or suspended. Hirst just doesn’t look like he’s a good back up. I think we’ll need to reinforce the position in January.

[QldBlue]

I fear what will happen if Delap gets injured or suspended. Hirst just doesn’t look like he’s a good back up. I think we’ll need to reinforce the position in January.

Seems like McKenna believes in him although after our efforts to sign a striker came to nothing in the last window, this is where we are and it’s def the weakest position depth-wise. In fairness, Hirst hasn’t had much opportunity to test himself at this level and maybe he’ll rise to the challenge. Plus we’ve got other proven goal scorers in the squad and if we stay on our trajectory I think it’s just a matter of time before they open their account. Pretty sure there’ll be some back-room wheeling and dealing going on already to line up someone for the January window.

[hallamblue]

We still haven’t as yet, used the tired and trusted formation up front that has served us so well. Agree there are, have been injuries to confound this, and maybe some players are nots showing up in training to warrant getting picked. But the formation of

Hirst

Broadhead /OH
Chaplin
Burns

Brought goals. Hirst has an almost telepathic understanding with those front three in what ever formation. Sever not yet tried that.

Hirst is a far different type of front man to Delap. I still feel McKenna is starting with the wrong striker up front. Hirst is a brilliant hold up player and chases down and occupy defenders. He wears them out!, creates space for the other three, which is why we had goals from other players. By contrast Delap is a young gun, who is power, pace and running AT defences. If you note most of his goals have come from him running from middle section of the pitch and getting his hot off. I think he’d be far more effective coming in against a tried defence on 70 mins. Playing Hirst first would lay the ground for Delap to reap havoc. Yes Delap has so far done really well and is a helluva prospect, but I can’t help feel we are missing a trick by not using Hirst first. Theses PL defenders will start to work out Delap preferred mode of attack and adjust accordingly. We need to mic it up a bit and add some guile to our front line. Hirst provides this.

[Bluemike]

Can't agree with you there, no way is he starting with the wrong Striker, Delap has been incredible.

[rossi]

We still haven’t as yet, used the tired and trusted formation up front that has served us so well. Agree there are, have been injuries to confound this, and maybe some players are nots showing up in training to warrant getting picked. But the formation of

Hirst

Broadhead /OH
Chaplin
Burns

Brought goals. Hirst has an almost telepathic understanding with those front three in what ever formation. Sever not yet tried that.

Hirst is a far different type of front man to Delap. I still feel McKenna is starting with the wrong striker up front. Hirst is a brilliant hold up player and chases down and occupy defenders. He wears them out!, creates space for the other three, which is why we had goals from other players. By contrast Delap is a young gun, who is power, pace and running AT defences. If you note most of his goals have come from him running from middle section of the pitch and getting his hot off. I think he’d be far more effective coming in against a tried defence on 70 mins. Playing Hirst first would lay the ground for Delap to reap havoc. Yes Delap has so far done really well and is a helluva prospect, but I can’t help feel we are missing a trick by not using Hirst first. Theses PL defenders will start to work out Delap preferred mode of attack and adjust accordingly. We need to mic it up a bit and add some guile to our front line. Hirst provides this.

It's true that combination of players led to goals, Liz, but remember that was in the Championship.

I know that KM wanted to have 2 players for every position at his disposal, but I'm convinced that we didn't pay what we paid for Delap, Hutchinson, Ogbene, Clarke, Szmodics just to have them sit on the bench for long periods - no, it's my guess that KM viewed them as better options in the PL to what he already had.

[hallamblue]

It is a known fact tgst he wants 2 players for every position. Interestingly, I've just had my physio friend round and his friend is one of the 1st team physios, and he said there's a board up on the wall in a room that has every position listed and underneath the players for those positions.

For the number 10 position there is no longer Chaplins name listed.... He says he'll probably go back to Pompey. I think there will be other casualties in the January window and next summer as we look to continue to upgrade.

[Bluemike]

Crikey that's a bit harsh not having his name on the board for all to see isn't it ? I actually thought Chaplin would still have a fair bit to offer by way of cameos etc.

[ITFC2024]

I fear what will happen if Delap gets injured or suspended. Hirst just doesn’t look like he’s a good back up. I think we’ll need to reinforce the position in January.

Seems like McKenna believes in him although after our efforts to sign a striker came to nothing in the last window, this is where we are and it’s def the weakest position depth-wise. In fairness, Hirst hasn’t had much opportunity to test himself at this level and maybe he’ll rise to the challenge. Plus we’ve got other proven goal scorers in the squad and if we stay on our trajectory I think it’s just a matter of time before they open their account. Pretty sure there’ll be some back-room wheeling and dealing going on already to line up someone for the January window.

Yeah, I really hope Hirst is able to adjust and regain full fitness. I think maybe he's still a bit tentative with that hamstring.

I just don't agree that Hirst should start over Delap. Hirst does hold up the ball well, but Delap's explosive runs terrorize defences. If opponents do figure out how to defend him, I think that's when we'll see other players begin to score because Delap will draw defenders out of position.

[hallamblue]

Crikey that's a bit harsh not having his name on the board for all to see isn't it ? I actually thought Chaplin would still have a fair bit to offer by way of cameos etc.

He's just not been given a chance really has he. We'll see what happens

[Ricco]

We have scored 5 goals in the Premier League, Delap has 3 of them, there is no way Hirst gets a sniff while Delap is fit. If the other 3 forwards were contributing a bit more, then Delap's goals may then be less important, but they're not, so he stays. It's his spot unless he has at least half a dozen very poor games or something along those lines.

Delap in the Prem is currently scoring every 153 minutes, Hirst only managed every 255 minutes in the Championship and only every 184 minutes in League 1. Hirst is very much second tier for us now, as are Chaplin, Broadhead and probably Burns. That's not a dig at them, it's the difference between a division where the average squad is worth £590m and one where the average is £65m, we would have recruited unbelievably poorly if they weren't second tier, our forward line has cost us around £80m just in transfer fees.

[hallamblue]

I fully accept you'd don't change things that aren't broke so to speak. But the question to be asked is WHY the other forwards aren't scoring like they did? Yes we're in a higher division ( a big step up), but the reason these forwards were scoring freely before was Hirst was pivotal in creating that movement and space for them. It was notable ( i think from mrmory) that scoring across those forwards stalled once Hirst went out injured last Dec.

At some point, I'd be curious to see if that combination of players could re create it at PL level. As of yet, they've not been played together this season I believe. But agree, as long as Delap keeps banging em in, he stays
(But no one else is scoring!)

[Ricco]

I'd have to politely disagree Hallam, Hirst definitely has his qualities, but I'd wager the four from last season would not have scored as many as this lot, and you have to remember how well they knew each other, there wouldn't be much improvement to come.

I think it's the level up, it's such a leap, Sheffield United and Burnely both scored less than half the goals in the Prem as they had in the Championship.

[hallamblue]

Lol, that's alright Ricco. Certainly no offence taken ....It'll be interesting to see how things innthe squad change/ develop as we go through this season. I fully expect the majority of the promotion squad to gradually be phased out. It's progress / development isn't it and this new regime at the club is running ig like it should be, a business, with no room for sentiment. Us fans need to adapt to that model too (me included).

[ITFC2024]

Well at least Woolfy isn’t even making the bench now!
I kind of feel sad for him.

[hallamblue]

...and Burgess is injured apparently.

[Ricco]

It's a brutal industry isn't it, but I do like how McKenna has given players opportunity to fight for and keep their spots in the past. The players know what they were getting themselves in to at the start of the season, and knew they'd face very talented and expensive new competition for a place in the team.

Having said that, I do feel for Woolfenden too, he has performed just fine this season and he is actually more experienced than O'Shea, albeit in number of professional games played, not particularly what level those games were at. I think O'Shea has done OK, but he looked poor when I watched him for Ireland, I hope he does a Delap and proves me wrong, but I think Woolfenden could be justified in feeling a little hard done by, even though I do think there's a couple of areas of his game that would face big questions in the Premiership (pace and awareness being two).