***OMT Tottenham Hotspur v Liverpool***

[Bishop]

I suppose the debate around Gray is what his best position is, when it comes to men’s senior football, he has barely played in midfield. He was the right back in his one season at Leeds, and for us has been played at RB, CB, LB and in various CM roles. It really is time for the sake of his own development, where he chooses, or is given, a specialised role and focuses on it.

I don't think we will find this out this season. It looks like he's the cover RB and we have a lot of options in midfield many of which you would have to expect to be ahead of him (and they should be).

Once Porro is back, we might see Gray getting the end of matches when hopefully we are already in control and want to rest the likes of Fernandes/Bentancur/Tonali.

 

[P.D.]

It’s the same issue I was raising around Tonali after the weekend, he is dropping deep to compensate for Bentancur. Once Fernandes came on, it released his average position 10 yards further up the pitch. Bergvall for me has a similar profile to Tonali, they are both box to box ball carriers, but Tonali is a better passer. For me, the make-up of the midfield should be Fernandes or Gray as the 6 and Tonali or Bergvall as the 8, the entire dynamic of the midfield and balance of the entire team changes with those pairings.

Seems crazy we spend £200m on a new midfield pair then play them out of position, we should build the formation and tactics around them being in their best positions. You saw last night as soon as Fernandes went deeper and Maddison was in the 10 position we looked so much better balanced.

 

[P.D.]

I suppose the debate around Gray is what his best position is, when it comes to men’s senior football, he has barely played in midfield. He was the right back in his one season at Leeds, and for us has been played at RB, CB, LB and in various CM roles. It really is time for the sake of his own development, where he chooses, or is given, a specialised role and focuses on it.

I don't think he's good enough to be a first choice RB for a top club and from everything I've heard he'd rather play in midfield. Wouldn't surprise me if asks to leave next summer if he just plays RB all the time.

Another strange one, we pay £40m for one of the most promising midfield prospects in the country and play him out of position. I hope there's a long term plan to at least try him in midfield, maybe he'll learn a lot at RB that will make him a better midfielder.

 

[thfcsteff]

It's no wonder why we can't score goals

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Likewise!!!

 

[Zavod 311]

Football intelligence.
Many professionals lack this quality.
That is what drives a team forward.

we're certainly one of the lowest footballing IQ teams out there

 

[Benny_Lad]

Seems crazy we spend £200m on a new midfield pair then play them out of position, we should build the formation and tactics around them being in their best positions. You saw last night as soon as Fernandes went deeper and Maddison was in the 10 position we looked so much better balanced.

Having listened to pretty much all of RDZ interviews and pressers I think he knows this. He just hasn’t had a 10 fit and ready.

As soon as Madders is fully fit (I hope he starts Saturday) RDZ will have to choose 2 from 3 in midfield. And then they rotate around knocks and tiredness.

You add full time Maddison and bring Porro back into that team and the goal potential goes up. Still need a competent striker of course.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

He won't offer the things you would want from a 10. He's not going to link the midfield to the striker and you suggest that striker is Solanke What's even the point?

Solanke has no nose for goals, no hunger to score. No ability to shift the ball and get his shot off. So we play Marmoush who isn't a provider to provide to Solanke who isn't a goal scorer.

Which is fine, but again given we did not sign another 9 we are literally left with Solanke and given the lack of goals and goalscorers he will figure in the side this season

 

[Bishop]

Which is fine, but again given we did not sign another 9 we are literally left with Solanke and given the lack of goals and goalscorers he will figure in the side this season

I get why you think that's the best option, I just worry that no goals Solanke will be more of a net negative than a net positive. Yes he's a physical presence but if he isn't scoring or actively helping us score he's just a body on the pitch contributing nothing and making the overall team weaker.

 

[MartyFunkhouser]

I get why you think that's the best option, I just worry that no goals Solanke will be more of a net negative than a net positive. Yes he's a physical presence but if he isn't scoring or actively helping us score he's just a body on the pitch contributing nothing and making the overall team weaker.

I would take Solankes 1 in 3 from his first season in a heartbeat especially considering he is the only 9 on the books