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southbankbornnbred 1:34 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Onsideman - Antonio played as a wide attacking player for Nottingham Forest, as we all know. He's played that position (usually down the right, but not always) probably more often than striker.

I watched him destroy QPR (I think it was) a few years back playing out wide on the left. They couldn't cope with his strength, speed and aggression cutting in from the left. The right back just bounced off him.

Admittedly, it was a Championship game.

I have no idea whether these changes would work. But the thread is about what we'd do on Sunday. One thing is for certain, I wouldn't go with the same. So, for me, that rules out a front line of Benrahma-Antonio-Bowen. Mix it up, go a bit anarchic (so we're less predictable) - and start the big Italian.

North Bank 1:27 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Unless we learn to move the ball earlier, preferably first time and to one of our players then the system we play is irrelevant

onsideman 1:26 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

I don't think the "one touch" observation is the key. I'm not sure Antonio has the discipline to play in that formation and he could be easily marked out of the game imho.

That said, lumping long balls up to him through the middle isn't the answer either. For Dunk on Sunday read Mings next week

southbankbornnbred 1:24 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Good point - he only started two.

But it is at least 'partly' down to Benny (as well as every other player) that we haven't scored or had an assist.
Anybody can talk about the moment they 'nearly' did something. Ultimately, you have to deliver. Benny, Antonio, Bowen - it applies to them all.

He has been in the starting XI twice, and as one of our more attacking players. Sure, he's played OK - and I'm not one to dig him out like others (I think he's an OK player and seemingly getting better).

But saying he's been OK compared to others so far this season is like being the most handsome man in the burns unit. If I'm honest, I've still never seen Benrahma dominate a game for us.

Sure, play him. Start him, by all means. But at some point he - like everybody else - has to deliver. Not promise.

fraser 1:18 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

He only started two, scored a goal which was wrongly disallowed and put one on a plate for Soucek which he should have scored, not to mention the free kick which Soucek should have buried the rebound..

Not really down to him that we haven't scored

southbankbornnbred 1:11 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

And I get that is harsh on Benrahma, who has played OK so far. But even though he has played OK, we've lost all three games he's started and we haven't scored a goal.

Something has to give. Maybe it's Benny, maybe it's Antonio. Bowen needs to refind his form, too. But surely 'the' crucial change is to start a £35m striker?

We can't just go with the same line-up. It was atrocious on Sunday.

southbankbornnbred 1:04 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Doesn't change my view at all - that 'one touch' observation about Antonio was after we were 2-0 down and before he was substituted. So it's the briefest of windows when Scamacca and Antonio were both on the pitch. Plus, we were already losing badly, heads were down and other players were god awful.

The context is really important.

Start the pair of them (with Bowen in the other wide slot, if we insist on this 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation) and direct Antonio to get closer to Scamacca and run/play off him. I think the pair of them could create havoc with their size and strength, and Antonio's supposed speed). We have few other options, attacking-wise.

Of course, it relies on having a midfield trio that can hold the ball and spot a run/pass better than we have done. So I'd also think about Downes for Soucek to see whether we can hold possession for longer than a split second.

Soucek does all of his best work off the ball. With it, he's a bit rabbit in headlights. If Moyes genuinely thinks (as he appears to) that we have to transition to being more of a possession-based side, then he's got to think about how we hold and rotate the ball better in the key area of the pitch (central midfield) where 60% of play passes through. I have no idea whether Downes alongside Rice and Fornals/Lanzini is the solution to that - but we have to try something different.

The biggest offence Moyes can be accused of is not changing things enough. If we go with more of the same on Sunday, the result will most likely be the same.

I'd like to see us try a front three of Antonio-Scamacca-Bowen and ask them to be a bit anarchic: get close to each other, get the wider guys to switch wings every now and then - and get physical with defenders.

We have to try to something different. More of the same is bottom of the league.

onsideman 12:50 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

southbank...

You may not feel the same about that proposal if you watch what Geo highlights here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PW4RmUi3WRg

southbankbornnbred 12:44 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Haha!

That tickled me. If that's an option, I'm in.

Coffee 12:43 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

I'd postpone the game by six months.

southbankbornnbred 12:42 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

I'd also think about having Antonio as one of the two wide men alongside Scamacca.

It's a tough one, because Benrahma has actually played OK in a poor team so far this season. But I'd probably start a front three of Antonio, Scamacca and Bowen.

If that trio don't have goals in them, then we really are fucked.

southbankbornnbred 12:39 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Got to play the big fella upfront.

The side needs a new talisman and someone around whom we can build a bit of momentum and kick-start a moribund season. Strikers do that more than anybody else, because their currency (we hope!) is goals.

I want to see Scamacca start. We've just spent £35m on him, we haven't scored a goal in the Prem yet and he's sat with his arse on the bench. Sure, he won't last the 90 minutes (especially if he starts on Thursday). So tell him to go out and give Villa's defence hell for 60 minutes. Build it from there.

boleyn8420 12:39 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Well 4 changes worked wonders for Man Utd last night didn't it. So lets start with 4/5 changes.

Areola

Kehrer Zouma Ogbonna Emerson

Rice Downes

Bowen Benrahma Cornet

Scamacca

Bring Antonio and Soucek if we need a goal or Fornals and Coufal if we have scored, you know, a, something that happens in football to win games, the round thing goes over the line, an actual fucking goal and haven't let one in.

Razzle 12:26 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Starting 11 for Villa
Billy 'The Fish' Thompson
Brown Fox
Rex Finlay
Invisible Striker Johnny X
Terry Jackson
Shakin' Stevens
Mick Hucknall
The Queen Mother
The Archbishop of Canterbury
Professor Wolfgang Schnell
Wing and Wong, the Siamese Twins
Bobby Cunt

dealcanvey 12:07 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Can see Moyes changing the system. Maybe reverting to a back 3 but I dont see him changing personnel around.

Too much change for him. Send him over the edge.

RoyalDocksGK 9:57 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Fabianski

Johnson Zouma Ogbonna Kehrer Emerson

Lanzini Downes Rice

Bowen Scamacca

Tomshardware 9:51 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Zouma has been running like he's got a turd in his kecks.

pdbis 9:49 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Moyes might be better working from home.

easthammer 1:45 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

.......................Fabianski

........Zouma ......Kehrer........Ogbonna

Coufal..............................................Emerson

.............Soucek............Rice

.......Bowen............Antonio...........Cornet

Maybe Samacca for Antonio if he scores again on Thursday

easthammer 1:45 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

Eerie Descent 12:38 Tue Aug 23
Re: Team vs Villa | What would you change?

happygilmore 9:49 Mon Aug 22
If there is a team that has looked worse than us , it's Villa under SG.

So why give them a sniff by starting Downes & Emerson???

I know you don't support West Ham, so you obviously haven't seen any West Ham games this season. I know you're thick, but I assume you're not blind, so you can't have.

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