More flair players needed

[FoxyPalace.com]

After watching Watford its plain to see we need some good quality Midfielder with real skill and flair.

[lcfcsnow]

Flair players in a rigid 442 is near on impossible.

[FoxyPalace.com]

Then change and adapt like all the other teams have!

[Danno]

Flair players with Nigel is impossible. Players have no footballing brain. Absolute idiots

[Tielemans63]

I'd say the opposite. We need someone in the middle to dominate physically, breaking up play, beating the shit out of the opposition thus allowing our other midfielders to do what they're good at. A Wes-style leader for the midfield.

[Col city fan]

I'd say the opposite. We need someone in the middle to dominate physically, breaking up play, beating the shit out of the opposition thus allowing our other midfielders to do what they're good at. A Wes-style leader for the midfield.

Hallelujah..

[Monk]

Flair?

Woooo!

[BlueSi13]

I'd say the opposite. We need someone in the middle to dominate physically, breaking up play, beating the shit out of the opposition thus allowing our other midfielders to do what they're good at. A Wes-style leader for the midfield.

Sol Bamba at defensive midfield would have been perfect for that role IMO.

[Monk]

Sol Bamba at defensive midfield would have been perfect for that role IMO.

:D

[baronfox]

Pearson was outclassed tonight by a better manager. Zola's tactics were far superior.

That's why Pearson needs to be replaced .

Knockaert ,Marshall,King and Schlupp have flair.

[TrentFox]

Hallelujah..

Are you suggesting we need some steel in midfield, Col ???

[MooseBreath]

I don't think it matters whether he's Neil Lennon flavoured or whether he is Muzzy Izzet flavoured or even if he is fooking Robbie Savage flavoured, what we have been crying out for for the last 18 months is a midfield player who possesses the necessary dynamism to really stamp his authority on the game in one way or another. We're far too feeble and absent in there at the minute.

[BOTTLERS]

youve got problems if you start danny drinkwater nice person but terrible player

[KFS]

If someone sat in midfield and smashed their poncy little play maker every time he touched the ball then we would've been alright. Saying that though, I think Matty James did a decent job of closing down. People are lauding Zola saying how well they played, I think we were much more comfortable in possession when it was with James, King and the two CB's. Their number 12 was awful with his hoofed banana passing, wtf was that? At the end of the day, we were beaten by a wonder goal, but for large spells I wouldn't have said that Watford were the passing team, I'm sorry but I can't listen to any more fans arse-licking Zola.

[baronfox]

If someone sat in midfield and smashed their poncy little play maker every time he touched the ball then we would've been alright. Saying that though, I think Matty James did a decent job of closing down. People are lauding Zola saying how well they played, I think we were much more comfortable in possession when it was with James, King and the two CB's. Their number 12 was awful with his hoofed banana passing, wtf was that? At the end of the day, we were beaten by a wonder goal, but for large spells I wouldn't have said that Watford were the passing team, I'm sorry but I can't listen to any more fans arse-licking Zola.

Don't understand this post..I think we were outplayed and outclassed , hence why Watford could get promoted and we can't.

We really struggled to create any decent chances last night. Watford were set up excellently by Zola, they attacked in numbers and kept the ball well. Their full backs were far superior to ours and his system won the day

[smiggy6773]

Been saying this for the last 10 years....creative midfielder who is the general.

Everyone remembers Garry Parker when he was here.....controlled the midfield, with Izzet and Lennon doing the running and battling.

I see Drinkwater as the general, but he needs support.....just my opinion

[kingfox]

If someone sat in midfield and smashed their poncy little play maker every time he touched the ball then we would've been alright. Saying that though, I think Matty James did a decent job of closing down. People are lauding Zola saying how well they played, I think we were much more comfortable in possession when it was with James, King and the two CB's. Their number 12 was awful with his hoofed banana passing, wtf was that? At the end of the day, we were beaten by a wonder goal, but for large spells I wouldn't have said that Watford were the passing team, I'm sorry but I can't listen to any more fans arse-licking Zola.

Have to disagree mate, James and King did well in spells but they have played far better stuff in recent weeks than last night. There was too much space behind them, which then allowed Watford to attack our defence, and carve our defence open, by there strikers getting in behind. Most of their plays started with Chalobah, who then found Abdi and Hogg who then linked with their wide players, or played passes to Vydra and Deeney who then got in behind our defence. De Laet and Konchesky especially couldn't cope with this, they were exposed too often. If we were the better passing side in that game for large spells, then Wood and Schlupp would of got on the ball more, but they didn't, because the midfield simply didn't keep it often enough. I really think we struggled to stray five passes together last night, kept giving it away too much, and playing those stupid lofted chip balls, to Schlupp which never work.

We do the same kind of things too often, and the opposition simply know how to deal with it, it's frustrating to watch.

[chapero82]

352 With knocky at cam da late RM jeff at LM nugent wood up front would be my way and James n drinkwater CDM and I think we would be flying

[inckley fox]

I'd say the opposite. We need someone in the middle to dominate physically, breaking up play, beating the shit out of the opposition thus allowing our other midfielders to do what they're good at. A Wes-style leader for the midfield.

[Leicesterpool]

Neil Danns?

[Guest BlueBrett]

Pearson was outclassed tonight by a better manager. Zola's tactics were far superior.

That's why Pearson needs to be replaced .

Knockaert ,Marshall,King and Schlupp have flair.

The only thing flair about Marshall is his dodgy haircut.

I think we have the option of either going down the flair route or the destroyer route. Either is viable in my opinion if you can get the right players. I suspect Nigel, if he's still here, will go more along the 'workmanlike professional' road though, much to our collective disappointment.

Maybe someone like Colback would represent a sort of half way house between the latter two options which might keep both Nige and the fans happy

[Sven' Thai Bride]

Problem for me was a distinct lack of pace, when they broke we really struggled to catch up, and when we broke it was just too slow, like when Knockaert was nearly through, lacked the pace to run onto it so he threw himself to the floor.

[hornyhollthefox123]

Have to disagree mate, James and King did well in spells but they have played far better stuff in recent weeks than last night. There was too much space behind them, which then allowed Watford to attack our defence, and carve our defence open, by there strikers getting in behind. Most of their plays started with Chalobah, who then found Abdi and Hogg who then linked with their wide players, or played passes to Vydra and Deeney who then got in behind our defence. De Laet and Konchesky especially couldn't cope with this, they were exposed too often. If we were the better passing side in that game for large spells, then Wood and Schlupp would of got on the ball more, but they didn't, because the midfield simply didn't keep it often enough. I really think we struggled to stray five passes together last night, kept giving it away too much, and playing those stupid lofted chip balls, to Schlupp which never work.

We do the same kind of things too often, and the opposition simply know how to deal with it, it's frustrating to watch.

It is frustrating but last night's game was slightly different. Pearson dealt well with Hull at home this year when they played a 3-5-2 as we pressed from the front. We played 4-3-3 in that game but last night's 4-4-2 was still a similar situation. We often pressed as a 4 which inevitably does leave King & James exposed but it means they have far less time to build an attack and less time on the ball.

We had to adopt that approach last night, and it didn't work too badly. They scored a wonder goal and from a knock down at a corner. We then had to chase the game and should have had a penalty when Wood was clipped which could have dramatically altered the last 15 minutes.

But back to flair players.. What exactly is flair?

We have enough in this side to go and get promoted. We saw that for the first 23 games of the season where we played some free flowing fantastic football, and the 'flair' players as you call them (i assume you mean Knockaert, Marshall) were effective. We have been top 6 for 40 games this year, so we clearly do have the ability and consistency to do it.

It may be down to a lack of experience or missed opportunities but the idea of saying we need more 'flair players' is not really related to the fact we've fallen away at the last stage.

[kingfox]

But back to flair players.. What exactly is flair?

We have enough in this side to go and get promoted. We saw that for the first 23 games of the season where we played some free flowing fantastic football, and the 'flair' players as you call them (i assume you mean Knockaert, Marshall) were effective. We have been top 6 for 40 games this year, so we clearly do have the ability and consistency to do it.

It may be down to a lack of experience or missed opportunities but the idea of saying we need more 'flair players' is not really related to the fact we've fallen away at the last stage.

The squad is too inexperienced, like I have mentioned often on other threads, we have the third youngest squad in the football league, and how many of our younger players have even tasted the heights promotion with other teams or a play-off push...hardly none.

They lack mental strength when it comes to the crunch, and they haven't been able to handle it, they have just lost there way at the crucial stage of the season, and if we had more experience and technical ability in midfield, it could of well helped us throughout the whole campaign, not just the first six months of it.

Out wide we need fresher legs and younger players, that left side especially is too direct and too old, Konchesky has had it and Dyer still offers something now and again, but is too direct and his end product isn't good enough. People have banged on about the midfield many times this season, James and King have done well recently, but they really need to be helped by a player or players who are either experienced, or creative/can score goals. Our strikers are not a problem, Wood and Nugent have gone on a drought, but they are both capable of finding the net, while Schlupp is improving and is a work in progress, get rid of Vardy and Futacs, and get in another striker with pace who can find the net, we then would have two options of a target man/goalscorer in Wood and Nugent, and a striker with pace/goalscorer in Schlupp and another signing.

It's all about this creative spark we lack, we fail to get any urgency going like other teams do. Cardiff have this with Kim, Whittingham and Bellamy, Hull have it with Brady and Boyd, Watford have it with Abdi and Hogg, Crystal Palace have it with Williams, while Zaha and Bolasie are dangers from out wide, Brighton have it in Lopez and Orlandi, while they can bring the likes of Buckley and Vicente off the bench, Bolton have it in Mark Davies - we seen what he can do when we had him on loan, while Eagles causes problems from out wide, I didn't know how fast he was until he came down here.

We simply don't have those types of players in our team.

[fleckneymike]

We weren't out fought last night we were out thought.

We could kick the shit out of them all we like but if we continue to string 4 across midfield in a straight line it matters not a jot. Watford played between our table football set up and we had no response. We could play any number of formations but it wont make a blind bit of difference because we are always too flat in terms of shape. Knockaert was given licence to roam but seldom did a ball go forwards towards him, it was always (and has been for some considerable time) back, sideways, forwards to winger, wait for full back overlap, pass. If the overlap isn't on then it's back, sideways, forwards, back, to Wes, hoof. That's it, every match that is it.