2019/20 Andre Gomes

[toffeejack]

I think he just needs a water carrier beside him, no surprises he looked far better when we had Gueye in the team. Get someone with legs to cut down his workload and he can be an effective player again.

Exactly, we have a lot of issues, players like him aren't an issue, they just need better players around them. I feel Bernard is similar tbh, we play so slowly and our movement is so crap it makes him look terrible and weak. Of course he's going to be bullied by grock full backs when everything is telegraphed.

3 or 4 top signings help out a lot of players in our squad.

 

[Lanolin]

Exactly, we have a lot of issues, players like him aren't an issue, they just need better players around them. I feel Bernard is similar tbh, we play so slowly and our movement is so crap it makes him look terrible and weak. Of course he's going to be bullied by grock full backs when everything is telegraphed.

3 or 4 top signings help out a lot of players in our squad.

I agree to an extent, but people say this about quite a few players, at which point it stops making sense. People say the strikers can't be blamed for not producing because they get no service, then that the likes of Gomes, Bernard and Iwobi are actually good but don't have enough quality around them. So where do we need the extra quality? That's all the attacking positions boxed off, so where's the issue? Anyone will look better when surrounded by quality because it makes your job easier, but you have to actually show your own quality before you can moan about others. Neither Gomes nor Bernard have done that enough.

 

[toffeejack]

I agree to an extent, but people say this about quite a few players, at which point it stops making sense. People say the strikers can't be blamed for not producing because they get no service, then that the likes of Gomes, Bernard and Iwobi are actually good but don't have enough quality around them. So where do we need the extra quality? That's all the attacking positions boxed off, so where's the issue? Anyone will look better when surrounded by quality because it makes your job easier, but you have to actually show your own quality before you can moan about others. Neither Gomes nor Bernard have done that enough.

Everywhere at the moment haha thats why we'd all happily see 8 or 9 new players.

It's a long term plan and obviously we're not going to fix everything, but two centre mids and an attacker who can get 20 goals could easily see a 4-3-3 with gomes, bernard and richy all flourishing imo, its all about the squad and tactics. They've shown at times they have the quality, unlike some one like iwobi who doesn't even give us a glimpse. That extra quality around them means that they can show their quality more regularly than they are.

I do get your point though, a lot of our problems as we all know stems from buying a load of decent players in different regimes without a plan to play them all together.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

He's been poor since the injury, but the excuse is there. Part of me thinks he was secretly hoping that the season wouldn't restart.

A proper recovery and productive pre-season should see him looking a bit sharper again.

Also, as others have said, he could do with a Gana-esque engine in that central area with him.

 

[toffee-L]

Great performance yesterday, really showed those cloggers in Sheffield United's team how to play football.

It was so good to see him playing with that much self-belief. His passing, control and ball retention were all first class.

I still don't believe he can play in a midfield 2, so Carlo still has decisions to make on that score. In a midfield 3 or a narrow diamond though he can still be a big player for us.

 

[Zatara]

Nah you can't sell Gomes or Gbamin and you have to keep at least two of Delph/Davies/Sigurdsson. We do have to field a team next year and continuity is a thing that matters.

Continuity is great when the players are above average on a game by game basis.

Having dross inconsistent players should not push the continuity buzzword

 

[TheBigIguana]

Continuity is great when the players are above average on a game by game basis.

Having dross inconsistent players should not push the continuity buzzword

For me it isn't a buzzword but rather a real issue we have as we constantly move on players and managers.

 

[andy4efc]

I agree to an extent, but people say this about quite a few players, at which point it stops making sense. People say the strikers can't be blamed for not producing because they get no service, then that the likes of Gomes, Bernard and Iwobi are actually good but don't have enough quality around them. So where do we need the extra quality? That's all the attacking positions boxed off, so where's the issue? Anyone will look better when surrounded by quality because it makes your job easier, but you have to actually show your own quality before you can moan about others. Neither Gomes nor Bernard have done that enough.

Or Iwobi.

I maintain all problems stem from midfield. The extra pressure on the defence because they're doing more defending because the midfield dont run around, dont press, dont keep the ball. We dont create much because the midfield have next to no creativity in it and the players are unable to hold the ball. Bernard who looked a real playe rin 2/3 games soon after Ancelotti came in at home, looks a shadow of what he is capable of and is always going to have consistency problems. Iwobi has done nothing all season. Gomes looks a shadow of his former self and Davies is absolutely abysmal.

Address the midfield and all of a sudden the defenders look better, the attackers will have more to go off and link with. I'm not saying the defence or attack are perfect, but Digne, who has still had a decent season has been limited in his ability to go forward as he has had nobody to work with.

DCL, Richy, Keane, Braithwaite, Mina, Holgate, Coleman, all have work to do but hell it'll be a lot easier if the midield pulled their weight.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

Part of me wonders how things would've been if Holgate had been played in the pocket between Gomes and the back four with Davies being benched (this is obviously assuming Holgate stayed fit). Pretty much a 4-2-3-1.

Pickford

Keane - Mina/Branthwaite
Sidibe/Coleman -------------------------------------- Digne

Holgate--------
------------Gomes

Walcott/Bernard ---------------------- Richarlison
Sigurdsson

DCL​

 

[Goat]

For me it isn't a buzzword but rather a real issue we have as we constantly move on players and managers.

Why not sell the whole midfield and defence?

Surely it makes perfect sense?

May as well cash in early on Rico as well and Digne.

Ship em all out and buy CRAP.

 

[Lanolin]

Or Iwobi.

I maintain all problems stem from midfield. The extra pressure on the defence because they're doing more defending because the midfield dont run around, dont press, dont keep the ball. We dont create much because the midfield have next to no creativity in it and the players are unable to hold the ball. Bernard who looked a real playe rin 2/3 games soon after Ancelotti came in at home, looks a shadow of what he is capable of and is always going to have consistency problems. Iwobi has done nothing all season. Gomes looks a shadow of his former self and Davies is absolutely abysmal.

Address the midfield and all of a sudden the defenders look better, the attackers will have more to go off and link with. I'm not saying the defence or attack are perfect, but Digne, who has still had a decent season has been limited in his ability to go forward as he has had nobody to work with.

DCL, Richy, Keane, Braithwaite, Mina, Holgate, Coleman, all have work to do but hell it'll be a lot easier if the midield pulled their weight.

Yeah this was my point really. I left Iwobi out of the summing up because it was me that brought him up not the poster I was replying to, but the point was that people say the individuals are fine but are being let down by others, but they're saying it about all the individuals, so it makes no sense. Truth is, Gomes and Bernard had these issues last year when Gana was here too, I can't see them being magically solved by - for example - Hojbjerg coming in. Gomes is great on his day, but he's unbelievably inconsistent, and while I haven't followed his career closely, that appears to be a theme with him from what i've heard. Bernard I just don't think is that good. He's a very 'nice' footballer, the type I want to see playing for us in terms of his touch and skill, but he just doesn't seem to have enough to his game to regularly influence games at this level.

 

[Bkk Andy]

Part of me wonders how things would've been if Holgate had been played in the pocket between Gomes and the back four with Davies being benched (this is obviously assuming Holgate stayed fit). Pretty much a 4-2-3-1.

Pickford

Keane - Mina/Branthwaite
Sidibe/Coleman -------------------------------------- Digne

Holgate--------
------------Gomes

Walcott/Bernard ---------------------- Richarlison
Sigurdsson

DCL​

If we're going to take our best players and play them in the wrong position I want Digne up front and Richarlison in goal.

 

[Abraders]

I agree to an extent, but people say this about quite a few players, at which point it stops making sense. People say the strikers can't be blamed for not producing because they get no service, then that the likes of Gomes, Bernard and Iwobi are actually good but don't have enough quality around them. So where do we need the extra quality? That's all the attacking positions boxed off, so where's the issue? Anyone will look better when surrounded by quality because it makes your job easier, but you have to actually show your own quality before you can moan about others. Neither Gomes nor Bernard have done that enough.

Personally I think most games are won in the central midfield position.

We haven't have a solid midfield for a long time, you could put Aguero up front but if we only make one chance a game then it's going to look poor regardless

 

[Bob Elstone]

Best performance for ages.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

If we're going to take our best players and play them in the wrong position I want Digne up front and Richarlison in goal.

I dunno though.. whenever I've seen Holgate moved up he's looked good. Surely worth a go over Davies?