I'm quite optimistic about some of the new players that have been brought in. Abe has pedigree, Moreno and Vitor have some strong experionce/potential and Waghorn is a fantastic prospect. I'm just now a bit concerned that we have no idea what our best formation or side is - and could be ten games into the season, with very few points, before we get anywhere near to knowing that.
For me, Sousa's passing and moving whilst being solid at the back philosophy means we should play:
Weale
Hobbs Zayatte
Lamey Berner
Abe Wellens
King
Gallagher Fryatt Waghorn
However, as we don't have a balance in midfield that we can be sure of the temptation is to play 4-4-2 and get Dyer, N'Guessan and Howard in to tick the pace and height boxes - when it was clear from last years success that howard and n'guessan were bit parts in our best side, at the very most. Sousa seems to have 'unlearned' all that since his arrival. Moreno is another complicating factor as Sousa seems to want to pick him, but he's not good enough in defence and hasn't been considered for midfield in favour of oakley, wellens or King yet. Abe will surely start - so there's a headache about which 2 or 3 midfielders make the best combination.
All in all, i think it's a tricky few weeks for Sousa and he'll need a bit of luck to find his right side and get the points ticking over.
it's all well and good having eight midfielders on the books. but if we don't have a regular shape for them to fit into then we are going to be inconsistent by definition, in both selection and effectiveness.
For me, Sousa's passing and moving whilst being solid at the back philosophy means we should play:
Weale
Hobbs Zayatte
Lamey Berner
Abe Wellens
King
Gallagher Fryatt Waghorn
However, as we don't have a balance in midfield that we can be sure of the temptation is to play 4-4-2 and get Dyer, N'Guessan and Howard in to tick the pace and height boxes - when it was clear from last years success that howard and n'guessan were bit parts in our best side, at the very most. Sousa seems to have 'unlearned' all that since his arrival. Moreno is another complicating factor as Sousa seems to want to pick him, but he's not good enough in defence and hasn't been considered for midfield in favour of oakley, wellens or King yet. Abe will surely start - so there's a headache about which 2 or 3 midfielders make the best combination.
All in all, i think it's a tricky few weeks for Sousa and he'll need a bit of luck to find his right side and get the points ticking over.
it's all well and good having eight midfielders on the books. but if we don't have a regular shape for them to fit into then we are going to be inconsistent by definition, in both selection and effectiveness.
