Homepage Article NDiaye Upfront?

[Efcjake]

At this point I'd try anything to get a goal from our striker

 

[pfim]

I think it's a stupid idea. His best qualities are when he's further away from goal and he's operating to try and get to it and us to it. You take that away when he's in the no. 9 role.

I disagree with the notion that the striker options aren't working either as Barry has barely been given a chance. He's started one game in the league and in that start he's been involved in both goals and we won the game. People are writing him off far too early.

I'm not writing him off, but we need more options there. Two is not enough, especially when one of them is Beto.

 

[preposterousvelios]

Putting Ndiaye up top won't change anything unless it's in a drastically different role. He would have the same problem Beto and Barry are having - Isolated, only seeing the ball while competing for hoofs up the field. And he's even less suited to that than either Beto or Barry are.

Backline is the issue and the fact that they all treat the ball like a live hand grenade. Until that changes and we find a way to become more press-resistant we're going to struggle to move the ball around on the floor at the pace we need to, and will keep seeing the hopeless long balls up to the striker.

Would sooner try Ndiaye at 10, give Dibling a start, move KDH back into midfield and play Garner right back.

 

[ToffeeScot]

I'm not writing him off, but we need more options there. Two is not enough, especially when one of them is Beto.

I agree but I don't think that option is Ndiaye and I think we need to give Barry more of an opportunity. Not saying you are but people are acting like he's been given a fair chance when in reality he's been thrown in during the league games aside from Brighton.

Beto looked completely naff when he was getting bit part minutes before under Dyche (arguably still does) but then had an extended period under Moyes when he had his purple patch. I'd like to see Barry given the same opportunity to get a run of games.

 

[roy vernon]

I think, in certain home games, it's worth trying a 4-3-3 with Ndiaye, Grealish and Dibling as the front three and drop Dewsbury-Hall into the middle three alongside Garner and one of Gueye or Rohl. We look a bit vulnerable in midfield at times. I think an extra body in there may help. Away from home we could revert to a 4-2-3-1.

 

[Toffe3m4n]

With Rohl fit..

Pickford

O'Brien -- Keane -- Tarks -- Myko

Rohl ---- Garner ----- KDH

Dibling ---- Ndiaye ---- Grealish​

I've advocated for this previously, certainly worth a go. Trouble is the fact that, with Moyes, the chances are slim to none..

 

[GoldenToffee]

I mean, what's the worst that could happen by trying it? He looks out of his depth just like Beto and Barry also do? You can't just keep playing two utterly incompetent players and blindly hoping they suddenly start to look like professional footballers. Get him up front.

 

[blue61]

Absolutely. It certainly can't be worse. He is also seeing less of the ball at the moment with our Grealish fixation. he would provide smart running and make us a threat I think.

This was patently obvious last night. For the first time in ages, we have the width to stretch teams. But the Moyes plan is just give it to Grealish. So predictable, and also puts emense pressure on Grealish.

 

[Carlito]

If it's true that he played there to good effect at Sheffield Utd, I don't see why he couldn't do a similar job to what the likes of Bowen and Son have done as strikers in the past. He's better at holding the ball up and linking than either Beto or Barry, and he's usually the out-ball whenever the team is under pressure anyway.

 

[Bluewater]

Ndiaye up front is definitely a must try, so that Dibling can start and get us driving at the opposition. Sometimes Grealish holding on to the ball and not passing quickly allows the opposition to get back in position. Dibling and Grealish need to come inside and not hog the touchline. We need three in the middle with two at least bombing on.

Pickford

O'Brien Tarkowski Keane Mykolenko

Alcaraz Gueye Garner

Dibling Ndiaye Grealish.

 

[Brett Angell Delight]

I think he’s a legitimate CF option, but only if we adapt what we do to suit him, i.e play the ball into his feet rather than lumping it up at him. FWIW we shouldn’t be doing the latter to Beto or Barry either, but they’re tall so Moyes obviously thinks otherwise.

Might get to see some more of his dancing feet this way, too, because it certainly looks like he’s been told not to dribble anymore, at the cost of getting Grealish the ball every time we have it.

 

[witchdoc187]

At least he would be able to control the ball and hold it up. Won't be much good punting it up to him though

 

[chopper6]

Sticking him up top then significantly reduces the most dangerous part of his game. Running at players/ dribbling/ ball carrying

It’s a no from me.

But I agree the ST currently is a problem

 

[Roger Milla]

Wouldn't be against if we played a different way. We need a stiker that will be a focal point.

I don't think we're getting the best of him on the right. We will see less from him up top in this team. The fact he's played there elsewhere is irrelevant.

 

[Rudolf Hucker]

I don’t believe that playing Ndiaye or Alcaraz in the middle of a 433 than either Beto or Barry, who are clearly not EPL level.