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Jesse Ellis Lingard
- Thread starter Matt
- Start date
DapperDan
Steve Chettle
He was our best player on Saturday, our attacking threat ended with him going off. He was brilliant again Spurs too.
PynchonForest
John Robertson
He was directly responsible for their opening goal. He was not our best player.
Viktor
Bee Gees Fan Club member #00001
He definitely was
Notcher
Stuart Pearce
Kouyate was our best player by some way until he burnt out around 60 mins and then probably MGW. He had some nice links at times with MGW but he wasn't close to being our best player.
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Redemption
Chief Eye Roller
The true story of football...
MASE
Up-Front
My thoughts too.
On Lingard, its the old Carvalho conundrum for me, is he waiting for the players around him to get up to his level or is he just not playing well. Alot of the first time stuff aint coming off & off the ball he's a weak link.
Has to play though, he's one of the few players in the squad to have prevailed at this level.
Finding Remo
The artist formerly known as Forest_1865
Should he be given more creative freedom? I can’t think of a team he’s been in that plays like we do, so perhaps he just needs time to find his place.
I also didn’t realise he went to Derby on loan?! Poor lad.
I also didn’t realise he went to Derby on loan?! Poor lad.
Omar Devone Little
Mr Realistic
Been a bit underwhelmed by him I must say although to be fair he clearly was nowhere near match fitness for the first few games and we've been rubbish since.
We now have a core of players who have been there and done it in the Premier League or even the Champions League for a sustained period. Henderson, Boly, Lodi, Freuler, Kouyate, Lingard and Dennis. I think generally this level of experience needs to be the core of the team with other bright talents in the squad fitting in around them.
At this level we just cannot afford, both playing-wise or financially, to have proven, expensive proven top flight players sat twiddling their thumbs while our lads from last year struggle to find out if they're good enough.
We now have a core of players who have been there and done it in the Premier League or even the Champions League for a sustained period. Henderson, Boly, Lodi, Freuler, Kouyate, Lingard and Dennis. I think generally this level of experience needs to be the core of the team with other bright talents in the squad fitting in around them.
At this level we just cannot afford, both playing-wise or financially, to have proven, expensive proven top flight players sat twiddling their thumbs while our lads from last year struggle to find out if they're good enough.
REDDERS78
Jack Armstrong
Personally I think Lingard has got better with each game, as has MGW. Its real conundrum of what to do with those 2, Johnson and an actual striker at this point. Whilst Johnson has not been as involved as Id hoped over 90 minutes he has had a bigger impact than anyone in front of goal.
Which one of the 3 do you drop if we want to accommodate Dennis, Taiwo or Sam though?
Which one of the 3 do you drop if we want to accommodate Dennis, Taiwo or Sam though?
Captain Sinister
Senior doom Monger
...and Birmingham City!
I thin k he has a lot of talent, but I question his motivation.
And I do not agree that he was the best player on Saturday.
Kouyate, Lodi, MGW, all better.
Harvey
Chrissy Cohen
I keep reading the thread title as Jessica Ennis Lingard
Harvey
Chrissy Cohen
Lingard and MGW look to be forming a decent partnership to me but they need a proper striker in front of them for it to really bear fruit.
As much as I love Brennan I would bench him against Leeds and stick Dennis up front.
REDDERS78
Jack Armstrong
I never realised they were related in fairness.
Captain Sinister
Senior doom Monger
Glad I'm not the only one!
Jessica Ennis might have been a better signing actually.
REDDERS78
Jack Armstrong
Id probably be inclined to agree if Im honest.
There's an argument for dropping any of them I guess. As I said in the Leeds thread though I really do want to see Dennis given a start instead of 5 minutes.
Berkshire Red
Jack Armstrong
Thing is, Dennis is more of a wide attacker by all accounts. Doesn't play at his best down the middle. This is probably why we were after Batshuayi.
Harvey
Chrissy Cohen
Yeah true. Awoniyi might be the better option.
Kjetil Osvold's Cat
Kingsley Black
Cook? Could be Worrall or McKenna though arguably on form
I knew what you meant of course, but yeah a 4-2-3-1 would solve the conundrum. Another idea could be Lingard or MGW as a midfielder in a 3-5-2 type system though (Lingard one side of the central pivot be it Yates or Freuler or perhaps Kouyate in more of a holding role, or even Mangala in an all-out ball-playing midfield 3, and O'Brien or Mangala the other side, or perhaps Lingard slightly ahead of a base of 2 midfielders but still playing as a midfielder rather than de facto forward, and meanwhile Gibbs-White as free roaming attacking mid or support striker?). I know everyone is playing the game of what we'd do for the Leeds line-up so I'll throw in an idea. Obviously it's up to Cooper and the more 'out there' the choice the less likely he'd go with the same randomly (so don't expect to see this!) but maybe I'd vote for something like that for the Leeds game,, giving Bade a try as a sweeper even while perhaps keeping Worrall and McKenna in with the task of redeeming themselves a bit re: early season form by keeping it simple and blocking any shots they can, and by moving on the ball to a red shirt as swiftly and smoothly as possible (minimising long balls and dwelling on it if possible, except in emergencies or very risky situations for playing out).
Henderson; Bade; Worrall, McKenna; Williams, Lodi; Kouyate; Lingard, O'Brien; Gibbs-White; Dennis.
Maybe Yates on for Kouyate (and moving O'Brien back into a pair of two) before an hour, and then Taiwo for either Bade or Worrall (depending how they're doing) soon after, switching to the 4-2-3-1 with Dennis one side and Lingard or Gibbs-White the other. Johnson on to play from the right as one of the final subs perhaps (Biancone at right back potentially another, although depending on Worrall's form going forwards he might have a chance as right centre back himself soon especially if in a 3 I'd have thought, and as a curve ball I'll throw in the idea of Julian Larsson as the other to come on on the left or behind the striker.....leaving perhaps Hennessey, Freuler, Cafu and Surridge on the bench although I'm not sure about leaving Toffolo off it completely for example, and this whole plan would be based on Mangala not yet being fully fit and available otherwise he could even be in the first XI, plus making plans for subs and formation changes irrespective of how the game is going would be a bit bizarre to be fair!!).
Cortez the Killer
Impressive member
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Haych
John Robertson
He needs to start, played a great ball to Johnson who then set up LOB for his goal.
He’s the most talented player we have.
He’s the most talented player we have.
Otis Redding
Try A Little Tenderness
I agree, he is, and I think when SC feels that he's reached full match-fitness he will.
There are signs that some of his team-mates are beginning to switch-on to his speed-of-thought, which can make a massive difference to our threat, as demonstrated by O'Brien's goal, as you referred to.
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cheapseats
Grenville Morris
Except for theres one glaring difference between them MACE and thats that Carvalho was a conundrum that has consistently failed to deliver everywhere hes been, and as a result at 25 years old is playing on at club thats probably operating at Championship level. Jesse on the other hand is a "conundrum" who's done it everywhere hes been often at the highest level.
I think your guess is right and thats that the rest of the team is struggling but we are more likely to get there with him on the pitch IMO...
Long Rodney
Youth Team
Jesse has to start.
PynchonForest
John Robertson
I agree. But I would also like to see a bit more work rate from him. Lingard should have the mentality that he has to earn his spot in Qatar. Not certain I've seen that sort of application yet. He's never been a player like O'Brien who buzzes about and so forth, but a bit more immediacy would go a long way. But that ball he played Saturday---that is what he is there for. Let's hope he is up for it.