2022/23 Neal Maupay

[MACCA75]

I really can only see him being effective at all if he is played alongside Simms not instead of.
Why did they buy him when he can't fit in to how we played under Frank?

Frank got 2 number tens last January, and then didn’t play a number 10 once - until both had left and then he did.

He bought McNeil - an orthodox left midfielder, to play in a front 3 which he never had done.

Not to mention the 3 defensive midfielders we signed in the summer when we already had 3, and the 2 central defenders when we already had 5.

 

[BlueToff]

Frank got 2 number tens last January, and then didn’t play a number 10 once - until both had left and then he did.

He bought McNeil - an orthodox left midfielder, to play in a front 3 which he never had done.

Not to mention the 3 defensive midfielders we signed in the summer when we already had 3, and the 2 central defenders when we already had 5.

We also can't just say it was Lampard. He and Thelwell signed off on every single deal and worked on targets together. They're both to blame.

As for the CB situation, well you have to remember that inside the first game of the season we'd lost Mina and Godfrey to long-term problems, leaving us with Tarkowski, Keane and Holgate as our CBs, and they wanted to have the option to play with a three.

Coady on loan was a smart acquisition, especially as Holgate then got injured by the 4th game of the season.

Until Holgate came back just before the World Cup, our CB options were Coady, Tark and Keane.

You can moan fairly about our recruitment and I readily do but considering two of our starters got injured inside the first 60 minutes of the season I think criticising them for the CBs, who both cost nothing in fees, is a bit daft if you're ignoring that context.

 

[MACCA75]

We also can't just say it was Lampard. He and Thelwell signed off on every single deal and worked on targets together. They're both to blame.

As for the CB situation, well you have to remember that inside the first game of the season we'd lost Mina and Godfrey to long-term problems, leaving us with Tarkowski, Keane and Holgate as our CBs, and they wanted to have the option to play with a three.

Coady on loan was a smart acquisition, especially as Holgate then got injured by the 4th game of the season.

Until Holgate came back just before the World Cup, our CB options were Coady, Tark and Keane.

You can moan fairly about our recruitment and I readily do but considering two of our starters got injured inside the first 60 minutes of the season I think criticising them for the CBs, who both cost nothing in fees, is a bit daft if you're ignoring that context.

I know it wasn’t just Frank..

Ok mate was just an observation given our lack of forwards

 

[Look to the future]

This could be the game when Maupey comes good. Assist & a goal. I'm dreaming I know!

 

[BlueToff]

I know it wasn’t just Frank..

Ok mate was just an observation given our lack of forwards

Our lack of forward options is disgraceful and there shouldn't be any reason why they didn't get both in.

But spending almost £30m combined on McNeil and Maupay - even if it's on klarna - is the real issue that's left us looking so bleak.

Frank's taken the can for it. Thelwell's lucky the board are so incompetent that they take more flack than him.

 

[Simon Buttle]

Our lack of forward options is disgraceful and there shouldn't be any reason why they didn't get both in.

But spending almost £30m combined on McNeil and Maupay - even if it's on klarna - is the real issue that's left us looking so bleak.

Frank's taken the can for it. Thelwell's lucky the board are so incompetent that they take more flack than him.

As I have said to you before my main criticism with him is why it has taken him the best part of a year to even start putting some sort of a recruitment team together. Given our previous history it should have been the first thing on his list although I do agree that the Unsworth thing needed sorting out.

 

[Toffee_Loaf]

I was surprised he didn't start Monday. His best attributes have always been his workrate &he needs to work on his finishing I grant you. However while I accept that he won't score many goals, there's a place for him.

In the Moyes years we had forwards like Marcus Bent who's not that dissimilar to Maupay, but it worked because we had midfielders like Cahill who could chip in with goals. In the right system I think Maupay can work. Maybe Gray can be that kind of player for us, but we'll need to run a tight ship to win games

 

[BlueToff]

I was surprised he didn't start Monday. His best attributes have always been his workrate &he needs to work on his finishing I grant you. However while I accept that he won't score many goals, there's a place for him.

In the Moyes years we had forwards like Marcus Bent who's not that dissimilar to Maupay, but it worked because we had midfielders like Cahill who could chip in with goals. In the right system I think Maupay can work. Maybe Gray can be that kind of player for us, but we'll need to run a tight ship to win games

He can't hold the ball up. That's why he didn't start.

 

[Bluebirdie]

Given my 100 percent record for incorrect predictions it's time to change tactics. Maupay not to score a brace today

 

[NewRadical]

If he's being utilised as a target man today I hope he's grown 3ft recently.

 

[Tennessee Blue Mike]

Happy go lucky in a dismal sort of way no support no product.

 

[bluejohn66]

Chance to prove the majority wrong, not holding my breath !!

 

[Bebeto]

Problem with this guy is that he is always static...not making any runs...always with his defender...dcl at least can make runs and hold the ball. So can't do the basics it seems.

 

[joebocop]

Will he ever score another goal?

 

[nsno-chris]

Our recruitment team have again missed the ball. Signing a player who: A - wasn’t really that good, and B - didn’t suit our type of play

I’m sure we just put names in a hat