Ricardo Pereira

[moore_94]

Just now, inckley fox said:

Who are the two CFs in a 3-5-2? And do you want to see Mavididi as a LWB if Thomas is dropped? I'm not sure on either score.

Daka and Mukasa

 

[inckley fox]

6 minutes ago, moore_94 said:

Daka and Mukasa

 

Well, it's as likely to work as anything else!

 

I understand the temptation to have three at the back. Wing backs, CFs... Not so sure.

[Nods]

7 minutes ago, inckley fox said:

Who are the two CFs in a 3-5-2? And do you want to see Mavididi as a LWB if Thomas is dropped? I'm not sure on either score.

Would probably have Bobby just behind Daka. It's hardly Shinji and Vardy but it'll have to do. Ramsey to take BDCR role when/if fit. I don't particularly want to see Mavididi as anything, if I'm honest.

 

            Begovic

Okoli Lascelles Nelson

              Skipp

       James Winks

Fatawu                Mukasa

            BDCR

                     Daka

 

Wouldn't be playing with wing backs at all. Skipp can offer cover. 

 

Look, it's far from perfect but we have to find a way of occupying the opposition half. That issue and our amateur full backs are why we are on a record run without a clean sheet. I'm not convinced that having Fatawu spending half his time in his own half is making good use of one of our biggest threats either. 

 

But we must find a way of solving this issue of opposition teams playing long diagonals over our full backs, or deep crosses to the back post.

 

I'll caveat I'm massively under qualified to offer tactical thoughts, but it seems there's at least the seed of an idea there which with some polishing could work. 

 

Ultimately we don't have the players for any system to be as effective as we'd like, but I'm trying to think outside the box.

 

Maybe the more simple solution is just to stick and extra centre half at right back.

[Donwebbio]

8 minutes ago, inckley fox said:

Well, it's as likely to work as anything else!

 

I understand the temptation to have three at the back. Wing backs, CFs... Not so sure.

Mukasa's role wouldn't really change in that system. He would stay play as a 10/support striker. The big change would be out wide. I would doubt it would suit Mavididi. Fatawu yes. Aluko has the athleticism to play there on the right. Left would be an issue. It would have to be Thomas and maybe it would suit him with an extra CB sweeping that side.

[Ian Nacho]

Always looks like he's running through treacle. Don't know what's wrong with Aluko. 

[Hales]

Riccy I love you but its time to play Aluko

[sm1]

Aluko must play like Stevie Wonder in training,  if he can't get into this team. I'd play him over Ricky, Okoli or Luke, but successive managers have ignored him.

[Richmondfox]

1 hour ago, Ian Nacho said:

Always looks like he's running through treacle. Don't know what's wrong with Aluko. 

Senior pro & captain and another manger too scared to drop him.  Maybe he thinks he won’t be popular with the fans if he drops him.  Ricardo should drop himself. 

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Unfortunately for the legend he is, and has contributed during the good times, that he’s had contract after contract to this age with his injury record is another example of negligent squad building. 

[Tielemans63]

Stealing a living now. Sorry, but he is. We're not a charity (although we act like one)

[coolhandfox]

2 hours ago, Wasyls Pec Deck said:

Unfortunately for the legend he is, and has contributed during the good times, that he’s had contract after contract to this age with his injury record is another example of negligent squad building. 

Pretty sure he last extended his contract in 2022, when he was still very decent.

[cropstonfox]

35 minutes ago, Tielemans63 said:

Stealing a living now. Sorry, but he is. We're not a charity (although we act like one)

Cooper seen his decline.but was called out as a crap manager for not playing him.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

40 minutes ago, coolhandfox said:

Pretty sure he last extended his contract in 2022, when he was still very decent.

Yea but how old was he and how many bad injuries had he had? 

[South Shire Fox]

Clear from the Enzo days his best position nowadays is CM. Hes not mobile enough to play as full back anymore

[funkyrobot]

1 hour ago, cropstonfox said:

Cooper seen his decline.but was called out as a crap manager for not playing him.

Not entirely true. Cooper was called out as a crap manager simply because that’s what he is. 

[Nods]

4 hours ago, cropstonfox said:

Cooper seen his decline.but was called out as a crap manager for not playing him.

Criticizing Cooper for this is the most wrong I've been about anything following us.

 

So it's worth bearing in mind that sometimes managers see more of players in training than we've seen. Aluko might be a bomb scare. 

 

Even so, as I've repeated too many times on here now, change the formation if that's what it takes.

Edited 8 March by Nods

[DJ Barry Hammond]

10 hours ago, South Shire Fox said:

Clear from the Enzo days his best position nowadays is CM. Hes not mobile enough to play as full back anymore

Ah yes - the sedant position of central midfield 

[DJ Barry Hammond]

15 hours ago, Nods said:

 

'But then we'd have to drop Luke Thomas as well.' Yes. Yes we would.

 

Play a 3-5-2.

 

 

If you’re setting up a 3-5-2 with our available squad, the most natural and obvious solution for the left wing-back slot would be Luke Thomas.

 

He’s a player that has shown he can get up and down the flank for 90 minutes and there’s quality in that left foot of his.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

15 hours ago, Nods said:

 

            Begovic

Okoli Lascelles Nelson

              Skipp

       James Winks

Fatawu                Mukasa

            BDCR

                     Daka

 

Wouldn't be playing with wing backs at all. Skipp can offer cover. 

 

No chance of this working - it would be pure suicide.

 

Now Skipp can’t cover both flanks at the same time, so if he’s filling in at right back, who’s slotting in on the left? 
 

If it’s Nelson… what’s the point of playing 3 centre halves if you’re not trying to keep them playing more centrally? 
 

Also - Wink’s position in this mock up misuses his skillset.

 

He’s naturally suited to being a deep passer looking forward, not a half turn / box crashing midfielder.

[Corky]

He is finished as a full back. His legs have gone, he still tries but cannot do it. Unlike Thomas and Choudhury who have never had it, he still has the ability on the ball but no longer the speed and movement to be effective with it.

 

Move him or don't play him.

[teblin]

18 hours ago, cropstonfox said:

Cooper seen his decline.but was called out as a crap manager for not playing him.

He was just crap anyway. But he got that right.

Edited 8 March by teblin

[lcfc sheff]

I do have this feeling he’s playing with an injury that requires surgery buts he holding off 

[Lambert09]

On 07/03/2026 at 16:55, cropstonfox said:

Cooper seen his decline.but was called out as a crap manager for not playing him.

Or perhaps his decline is partly because his football went stagnant because of cooper, at an age where you simply need to keep playing. 

 

And not just that, his role changed so drastically I think it was always going to be tough to transfer back to a regular right back. He spent a year ignoring defending and not to worry about leaving gaps. It’s hard to undo a lot of that .
 

 

[JimJams]

Why would he hold off on surgery given he's out of contract at the end of the season and so wouldn't be getting it done under the club?

[5waller5]

10 minutes ago, JimJams said:

Why would he hold off on surgery given he's out of contract at the end of the season and so wouldn't be getting it done under the club?

Maybe he’s thinking of retirement?