Philip

No such thing as 4-5-1 anymore. Every team staggers a 5 man midfield so it’s either a 4-1-4-1 like Man City or a 4-2-3-1 which is very popular nowadays. As long as midfielders are given freedom to go forward then we’ll score goals with this formation...just like other teams can score with these formations.

Yep. The signing of another 'engine room' midfielder would give us loads of tactical flexibility. Loads of ways we could mix and match 4-5-1, 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 type systems, with our positionally flexible players like King, L.Cook, Brooks, Fraser able to play between the lines or in central or wide areas. It would also give us less reliance on L.Cook coming back fit and firing immediately, Less reliance on Gosling and Surman, as useful as both can be on their day. And less reliance on Lerma walking a suspension tight-rope as our only physical midfielder. And when paired up those two provide more cover for the defence.

So many up-sides to this. Let's hope it comes off.
 
Yep. The signing of another 'engine room' midfielder would give us loads of tactical flexibility. Loads of ways we could mix and match 4-5-1, 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 type systems, with our positionally flexible players like King, L.Cook, Brooks, Fraser able to play between the lines or in central or wide areas. It would also give us less reliance on L.Cook coming back fit and firing immediately, Less reliance on Gosling and Surman, as useful as both can be on their day. And less reliance on Lerma walking a suspension tight-rope as our only physical midfielder. And when paired up those two provide more cover for the defence.

So many up-sides to this. Let's hope it comes off.
Agreed. Too often last year you saw Lerma scrambling about trying to make up for his central midfield teammates.

All gone quiet on Arter currently?
 
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Sometimes difficult to remember what happened last week but I do recall the Huddersfield match where after we went 2-0 up after about 20 minutes and we thought this was going to be a rout, they then came back into it.

I remember being impressed by Mooy and to be honest their play in general, fortunately they struggled to score goals.

If he's out of favour perhaps Huddersfield will be happy to let him go for a fair price - whatever that is deemed as by both clubs.
 
Just one of many thoughts on DATM...

Remember he was the players' player of the year.

That means either his team mates really rate him (including in training and in the dressing room where we don't see them. )
Or they believe that his reaction to the early days of the new regime had some merit - perhaps they agreed he had a point without necessarily supporting the way he did it.
Or both.

He has a lot of talent - two feet, eye for a pass, good shot, dangerous long throw, etc. If he goes to Bournemouth I think he could do very well under Howe. He would be a good complement to what they have already.
 

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