Choudhury

[An Sionnach]

Hamza, Mendy, Albrighton and Amartey have that commendable thing in common, they know their limitations and what they can and cannot do. They give 100% whenever they play and don't do the primadonna act. If some of our players are sulking at the moment for one reason or another, they should get over themselves ,ditch their egos and do what they are paid to do. Just seeing them fighting for every point would lift everybody.

[Finnegan]

21 minutes ago, drumbeat said:

He might be emphasising not losing possession over creativity to the extent that players have become almost scared to pass the ball.

 

I'd personally be very, very surprised if that's how Rodgers goes about things when talking to the squad.

 

Yeah, he wants us to play possession football and to keep the ball as a priority but he also wants us to move it quickly and look for openings. 

 

For me, it always looked right from the start like Puel's focus was too much on not losing the ball. I saw him as a possession based defensive manager, he set us up to keep the ball but he also set us up negatively, possession was a means of defence. Rodgers has illustrated enough times, for me, that he wants us to have possession but positively. A bit like Guardiola (Rodgers) vs. del Bosque (Puel.) Guardiola has spoken fairly critically before about teams that have possession and pass the ball "for the sakes of it", he's always been keen to stress you should be passing with purpose. In the words of Albert Capellas (an absolute genius) - 

 

It is useless to pass the ball to just to pass it. We want to move it from one side to the other so that the opposition loses concentration and as soon as spaces open, put a pass between the lines that allows us to break down opponents. And the algorithms say that if we dominate in this statistic [that of finding penetrative passes between the lines between opponents], you greatly increase the chances of winning a match. There is also Big Data behind this.

 

https://www.canofootball.com/articles/interviews/albert-capellas-in-football-you-have-to-decide-what-runs-the-ball-or-the-player/

 

These are the people Rodgers are inspired by and I don't think he aspires to have us play boring, defensive, negative football. 

 

I don't think the players are scared to take risks because Rodgers doesn't allow them to - they're scared to take risks because of a number of things, the disappointment of the last few seasons, the pressure of poor results, the expectation of the fans that have poured back in to the stadiums bringing so much more demand and presence with them (even if the atmosphere seems shit at times.) These things, collectively, have a massive impact on the psyche of players. The return of fans to stadiums was always going to play a massive part in football in 2021. 

[drumbeat]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

I don't think the players are scared to take risks because Rodgers doesn't allow them to

I'm not suggesting he doesn't allow them to (even my remark about Soyuncu started with "it's almost as if") but that there is some reason for them being so cautious. Perhaps it as a mix of all of the things you mention (and  I hadn't considered the return of fans) but I'm certainly not claiming to know. Maybe we're in the realms of sports psychology (hence my remark about confidence and motivation), I don't know. Maybe BR's tactics are fine, and we have a squad of players more than capable of putting them into action, maybe the problems that we're seeing are in 'in the head' (and I don't dismiss, diminish or demean by that). Maybe that's all we need.

 

I don't think so though. I don't think we're a million miles away from playing well but I do think a bit of change, a reshape or tactical adjustment, is needed too.  

[MonkeyTennis?]

Revisiting this because he's getting a few mentions in the Prem/Newcastle thread. I've always liked Hamza, I think because I first watched him play in person during the Puel era, when he was going through a hot streak of form. 

 

After watching him play against Palace last weekend I was struck by how 'schizophrenic' or inconsistent his playing style can be (for want of a better word) - about half the time he pulls of some incredible tackles, breaks up play fantastically and picks out some excellent, unexpected passes. And then for about half the time he's out of position, reckless, loses the ball and passes directly to the opposition. He's not a consistently middling player (like some we have). He's simultaneously brilliant and weak at the same time. I do wonder if, with the right coaching set-up and game time, he could push on to be the player who sometimes seems to be in there. Because at the moment he's both champions league and championship at the same time. 

Edited 7 October 2021 by MonkeyTennis?

[An Sionnach]

I think we are going to have to double pivot with Ndidi and Soumaré   if we play back four. They should compliment each other well. In the meantime Hamza should stand in for Wilf , he can break up play and Soumaré can move the ball.

[sacreblueits442]

On 05/10/2021 at 15:29, drumbeat said:

I don't think so though. I don't think we're a million miles away from playing well but I do think a bit of change, a reshape or tactical adjustment, is needed too.  

...has Rodgers got that in him!!!

There is a clear lack of being able to address poor runs and as demonstrated on two occasions he couldn't find an answer to stop it. It is a long way to go for this season and he might have an ephiany that allows him to spread some confidence around the team.

   It could just take something like Fuchs turning up in the dressing room to enable these players to reset themselves.  There has been a fundamental change in personalities that would affect the players environment. 

    We have had the points in the bag before our form dropped off, we haven't garnered many points  as yet and in our previous poor runs, we were amassing 1.2 points per game, certainly enough to keep us up this season and staying in the League is the primary function for the next few years.

Edited 7 October 2021 by sacreblueits442

[harpendenfox]

With Wilf out for several games, and a Sunday - midweek - Sunday schedule when we return, feels like we may as well find out a bit more on Hamza. He's so short of game time, so let's see what he can do. If he alternates with Soumare in the DCM role in the weeks ahead, he should get about 3 or 4 games in 4 weeks as we play 7 in 3 weeks (Man United to Leeds). I'm not convinced he has what it takes, but we will never know unless we give him a run, and it's now or never.

[alanf0x]

Should have got rid in the summer tbh. No wonder we are struggling if we are pinning our hopes on him pulling the strings against utd!!!! 

[Webbo]

Now Newcastle have all that Saudi money he could be their first big money signing. 

[Lambert09]

I was surprised by his position on the pitch to be honest. He seemed to be playing a lot further forward than I expected. 
 

Brendan clearly doesn’t want him just screening the back 4 

[deep blue]

1 hour ago, alanf0x said:

Should have got rid in the summer tbh. No wonder we are struggling if we are pinning our hopes on him pulling the strings against utd!!!! 

He isn't, and won't be expected to be, the player to pull the strings a la Tielemans, nor is he a direct replacement for Ndidi.  His most effective role is as a midfield disrupter of the opposition, a role he filled well and to good effect against CP.  It's something that's been needed for a while in our team.  We've been weak and overrun in most games recently and need some aggression in midfield.

 

My view is that we need a 3 man midfield and, in the absence of Ndidi, Hamza should continue as the midfield destroyer, supplemented by Tielemans and Soumare (or maybe even KDH).

[sacreblueits442]

1 hour ago, harpendenfox said:

With Wilf out for several games, and a Sunday - midweek - Sunday schedule when we return, feels like we may as well find out a bit more on Hamza. He's so short of game time, so let's see what he can do. If he alternates with Soumare in the DCM role in the weeks ahead, he should get about 3 or 4 games in 4 weeks as we play 7 in 3 weeks (Man United to Leeds). I'm not convinced he has what it takes, but we will never know unless we give him a run, and it's now or never.

....but if we continue to play him as action man, then we will continue to get the same result!!!

What we seem to want is not what he does well, and therefore to pressgang him into playing a role which reduces his efforts to ridicule then once again, a poor managerial decision is ruining a player's game and popularity.

  I read a post this morning, if I remember correctly, it was from @cruzFOXsaying we need to simplify his role and do copious drills in that role in order to improve his contribution to the team. We cannot keep seeing him flying across the pitch trying to chase everyone down, it smacks of poor coaching and a lack of understanding of the individual player. 

[jmono84]

Put him behind Tielemans and Soumare in a 3 and his only job is to try and win that ball back when the oppo come into our final third.

 

Once Ndidi is back I’d even consider have them both playing a double pivot role in a 4231 if our defensive woes continue.

 

Hamza has the potential to be a great DM if he can improve his positioning and develop on the ball.

[enmac]

1 hour ago, Webbo said:

Now Newcastle have all that Saudi money he could be their first big money signing. 

Surely they'll be buying CL players? 

[Webbo]

3 minutes ago, enmac said:

Surely they'll be buying CL players? 

Exactly.

[enmac]

2 hours ago, Webbo said:

Exactly

[Julian Joachim Jr Shabadoo]

Reckon we could squeeze £90m off them now, will settle for £87m

[majaco]

Played well.  When he is called upon he does a good job,  He could make an effective right back long term; unfortunately for him, we have three very good ones.  Fortunately for us, with them all being injured, we could turn to Choudhury,

[GingerrrFox]

 

5 hours ago, majaco said:

Played well.  When he is called upon he does a good job,  He could make an effective right back long term; unfortunately for him, we have three very good ones.  Fortunately for us, with them all being injured, we could turn to Choudhury,

Think you are right regarding Hamza at right back. He’s best when the game is in front of him, at right back it’s all inside him or straight ahead so makes the game easier for him. He’s got pace and can run for days. If he was comfortable with the switch and being recognised as a right back. We could run with Pereira/JJ/Thomas/Choudhury as full backs long term. 

[filthyfox]

I rate him... I think that is an important opinion.

[OhYesNdidi]

3 hours ago, GingerrrFox said:

 

Think you are right regarding Hamza at right back. He’s best when the game is in front of him, at right back it’s all inside him or straight ahead so makes the game easier for him. He’s got pace and can run for days. If he was comfortable with the switch and being recognised as a right back. We could run with Pereira/JJ/Thomas/Choudhury as full backs long term. 

I’m sure he could make a fine RB, just not for us. We don’t just need someone who can defend, we need someone who’s willing to get forward, make forward runs, overlaps/under laps and be comfortable in the oppositions half. The difference between our left hand side and our right hand side in the first half was chalk and cheese. Not having ago, he was solid but I tbink the club and himself should look at parting ways in the summer, while we can hopefully still get a decent fee 

[rico]

Contract extension?

[Ric Flair]

21 minutes ago, rico said:

Contract extension?

If so, I hope its considerably less than the 60k a week we currently pay him.

[Bert]

22 minutes ago, rico said:

Contract extension?

Where’s this come from? 

[moore_94]

31 minutes ago, rico said:

Contract extension?

Only reason I could really think of keeping him is because he can be registered for European football without taking a place from someone else

 

Had a couple of good games this season but I can't really see how we need him going forward (apart from the above)