Team vs Soton

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wimborne cherries

First Team
Well then, for a first time in a while Eddie actually has the luxury of some tough decisions! I think the back 4 will stay the same unless Smith is 100% however I would like to see Stacey keep his place, he had a solid game Sunday imo.

Would love to see a 4-3-3 with Cook and Lerma, Billing just behind or does Eddie see him more advanced than Jeff? Every time I think back to Soton away in recent years, it’s been how easy we’ve been bullied in the middle and had to play their way. That midfield 3 will be extremely hard to play against and Soton will be in for a hell of a battle.

Front 3 of Fraser - Wilson - King. With that midfield, there shouldn’t have to be an awful lot of tracking back and also gives L Cook the license to get abit more forward which I think we would all love to see.

Hope Eddie doesn’t play to their strengths and match them by doing 3 at the back.

Any thoughts? Certainly some nice dilemmas to finally have!

UTCIAD
 
That would be the side I’d love to see.

Having abandoned three at the back after twenty mins last time and having to embarrass Mepham so much in the process I would be very surprised if we do it again and expose him to that Dnjepo getting in behind him.

I think nobody would sit deep, the three in mid would be compact and in a line and advance when ball was their side. billing left, Lerma middle and Cook right with Fraser and King dropping next to them when times get tough.
 
I feel like the midfield 3 of Bill, Jeff and Cook would be best with Lerma behind the other two, covering for whichever fullback had advanced or breaking up play.

That said, having Cook deeper gives you the Xabi Alonso style passing from deep.

Having Billing deep gives you a massive **************************** to try and get past.

Having Billing advanced gives you those incredible long shots.

Having Cook advanced gives you creativity.

Does having Jeff advanced have any benefits in anyone's opinion (genuine question!)?
 
Yeah that's exactly what i was thinking too. Just please for the love of god no Back 3. There was a period last season where it was the best formation available to us, given that we had no fullbacks to choose from, but we don't have that problem now.
 
I can also see EH bringing in Lerma for Solanke and Fraser for H Wilson. Solid centre midfield, pace on the wings when attacking supporting Callum and a midfield five when defending. It's a good looking team structure.
 
If we go with a midfield 3, I’d play Billing and Lerma slightly higher so they can do the pressing and burst into the box. Lewis Cook could then pull the strings from a slightly deeper role. On Sunday, Cook was the one dropping deep to give a passing outlet for the back 4.

The thing is Eddie never plays a midfield 3. He’s more attached to playing 2 in midfield than he is playing 2 up front. Maybe he’ll change his mind now we have athletic midfielders like Billing and Lerma who can drive forward but I’m certain the tactical choice will be, as ever, 4-4-2 or 3-4-3
 
Tinpot Club said:
If we go with a midfield 3, I’d play Billing and Lerma slightly higher so they can do the pressing and burst into the box. Lewis Cook could then pull the strings from a slightly deeper role. On Sunday, Cook was the one dropping deep to give a passing outlet for the back 4.

The thing is Eddie never plays a midfield 3. He’s more attached to playing 2 in midfield than he is playing 2 up front. Maybe he’ll change his mind now we have athletic midfielders like Billing and Lerma who can drive forward but I’m certain the tactical choice will be, as ever, 4-4-2 or 3-4-3
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I’m certainly more in this camp in regards to Lewis Cook. Yes get him forward, but he’s not a number 10. He has always played deeper for England. That deeper role he gets to pull the strings.

The only issue I have is the Fraser-Wilson-King front three was woeful against Sheffield United.

Wilson plays better with a 10 in behind him too, which is another conundrum.

I’d start with the midfield three but if it’s not working I’d want to introduce that number 10 again in either a Solanke or King form.
 
cherrycarl2004 said:
Feels so refreshing to have these problems instead of the team and formation picking itself. But for me it has to be 4-4-2 Same team apart from H.Wilson dropped for wee man. Get the goals early and bring Jeff on for a striker for solidity.
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Will probably change my mind half a dozen times between now and Friday towards this.

I wouldn’t mind either way.
 
Don't expect to see many if any changes from the team that Started on Sunday. Fraser coming on and turning the game, might have earnt him a start over Harry Wilson. A fit Adam Smith would probably come in for Jack Stacey.
 
cockbeard said:
Smash defenders into retaliating and get them on yellows?? Also he does finds space both for himself and others around the box
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I’ve often felt Jeff looks better when we are pushing forward late on. His shooting is usually rubbish but you are right he does find space.

When he signed, Eddie highlighted his qualities as a box to box midfielder rather than purely defensive player. In a 2 man midfield, it’s a bit risky to play a box to box player. In a 3, you need runners from deep and I think both Jeff and Billing are more suited to that than a deep lying play maker like Lewis.
 
Smith/Stacey-----Cook-----Ake-----Rico
------------------------L Cook-----------------------
---------------Lerma--------Billing---------------
------C Wilson-------Solanke------King-----

Bring Wee man on as impact sub again.
 
DJ said:
I’m certainly more in this camp in regards to Lewis Cook. Yes get him forward, but he’s not a number 10. He has always played deeper for England. That deeper role he gets to pull the strings.

The only issue I have is the Fraser-Wilson-King front three was woeful against Sheffield United.

Wilson plays better with a 10 in behind him too, which is another conundrum.

I’d start with the midfield three but if it’s not working I’d want to introduce that number 10 again in either a Solanke or King form.
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Agree I still have nightmares about that front three playing together after that showing, honestly think there is just not enough creativity in that trio to operate as a front three. Solanke has to start in the ten spot to provide a link and an extra attacking body imo, just can’t see us threatening with that front three and I think Southampton are vulnerable defensively so we should attack the game.
 
Waz afcb said:
Agree I still have nightmares about that front three playing together after that showing, honestly think there is just not enough creativity in that trio to operate as a front three. Solanke has to start in the ten spot to provide a link and an extra attacking body imo, just can’t see us threatening with that front three and I think Southampton are vulnerable defensively so we should attack the game.
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I’m not sure Solanke could be considered creative though. I agree that the King-Wilson-Fraser front 3 hasn’t convinced but away from home with space to attack it ought to be more effective.

Personally I think that front 3, with Lerma and Billing pressing high and Lewis Cook dictating play behind could be extremely attacking. But as I said previously, I don’t think Eddie likes the 4-3-3 system and I doubt we’ve trained it at all.
 
Tinpot Club said:
I’m not sure Solanke could be considered creative though. I agree that the King-Wilson-Fraser front 3 hasn’t convinced but away from home with space to attack it ought to be more effective.

Personally I think that front 3, with Lerma and Billing pressing high and Lewis Cook dictating play behind could be extremely attacking. But as I said previously, I don’t think Eddie likes the 4-3-3 system and I doubt we’ve trained it at all.
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It’s all about opinions but I think Solanke has shown that he most definitely has the ability to be that creative link in the number 10 spot.
 
stuseddon said:
Smith/Stacey-----Cook-----Ake-----Rico
------------------------L Cook-----------------------
---------------Lerma--------Billing---------------
------C Wilson-------Solanke------King-----

Bring Wee man on as impact sub again.
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I would go with this I think. Fraser has been poor this season but did well coming on at the weekend. So let him do the same against Stains. Certainly I like having Solanke there, he linked very well against Everton, did a lot of the donkey work so Callum and Josh could do their thing.
 
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