| Midfield 11:09 - Feb 16 with 3692 views | SomethingBlue |
Know it's hard to be concrete about these things in the PL when we look convincing in one game and struggle in the next, but feels like time to roll with Phillips and Cajuste for a while doesn't it? Their performances were a lot of the reason why, until the red card yesterday, that game looked 50/50. Phillips was the best midfielder out there for the first 40 minutes and put in a real shift afterwards – I do think a lot of his work off the ball isn't always appreciated – and it felt a real plus to get 80 very good minutes out of Cajuste. We are more fluent and mobile when both are playing well. Not pensioning Morsy off at all – the big argument for playing him is how crucial to our identity he has been. But games like yesterday show the benefits of having your best players out there. |  |
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| Midfield on 11:13 - Feb 16 with 3628 views | Mullet |
Morsy hasn't been good enough for a while, which is not his fault but if we are serious about surviving he needs to come in and help us see games out where he can cram that intensity into a shorter window.
I've been really disappointed with Phillips because I expected him to play far more. It was nice to see Mass come off the bench and be so useful too. That's the sort of thing we need from the captain now if we are going to improve our chances of survival.
Hopefully we will see more of Godfrey too. I'd expect to see him next game now Axel is out. |  |
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| Midfield on 11:36 - Feb 16 with 3496 views | le2blue |
| Midfield on 11:13 - Feb 16 by Mullet |
Morsy hasn't been good enough for a while, which is not his fault but if we are serious about surviving he needs to come in and help us see games out where he can cram that intensity into a shorter window.
I've been really disappointed with Phillips because I expected him to play far more. It was nice to see Mass come off the bench and be so useful too. That's the sort of thing we need from the captain now if we are going to improve our chances of survival.
Hopefully we will see more of Godfrey too. I'd expect to see him next game now Axel is out. |
I agree on Phillips.I thought Mick Mills made a really good point after the game yesterday, Phillips hasn't played really for two years, so expecting him to come in and be able to be up to speed and impact games was probably a little naive and wishful thinking. It was a risk we had to take because if he could get up to speed faster, we'd have a top player on our hands, but as we've seen it was going to take him a long time to get there physically and mentally. I definitely think he is starting to get there, and we should stick with him and Jens.
Big overhaul in our midfield in the summer, wherever we are playing. Suspect Phillips ends up back at Leeds. |  | | |
| Midfield on 11:36 - Feb 16 with 3490 views | farkenhell |
I said pretty much the same on another thread yesterday. I would like to see Phillips and Cajuste have the next 4 or 5 games together. It must be difficult for Phillips in particular to obtain a level of consistency when he has played the odd game, then misses two or three, then returns with a different midfield partner.
And this is from a huge Morsy fan. | | | |
| Midfield on 11:40 - Feb 16 with 3433 views | farkenhell |
| Midfield on 11:13 - Feb 16 by Mullet |
Morsy hasn't been good enough for a while, which is not his fault but if we are serious about surviving he needs to come in and help us see games out where he can cram that intensity into a shorter window.
I've been really disappointed with Phillips because I expected him to play far more. It was nice to see Mass come off the bench and be so useful too. That's the sort of thing we need from the captain now if we are going to improve our chances of survival.
Hopefully we will see more of Godfrey too. I'd expect to see him next game now Axel is out. |
Agreed. Morsy to replace Cajuste when he runs out of steam.
Also, I think we might have wanted the more attack- minded Godfrey against Spurs regardless of Axel's suspension. | | | |
| Midfield on 12:02 - Feb 16 with 3348 views | melbs_itfc |
| Midfield on 11:40 - Feb 16 by farkenhell |
Agreed. Morsy to replace Cajuste when he runs out of steam.
Also, I think we might have wanted the more attack- minded Godfrey against Spurs regardless of Axel's suspension. |
Shouldn’t that read Morsy to replace Cajuste when he runs out of Cajuste? Errm I’ll get my coat… | | | |
| Midfield on 12:16 - Feb 16 with 3283 views | Kev_W |
Agreed. Morsy's early season strong form has tailed off as both a player and on field leader. The midfield looked solid yesterday and it feels like individually and as a pairing they will improve. If that double pivot works to a genuine PL standard then the potential uplift to the team could make a difference.
Townsend is also showing that he is an option for some games and leaves Greaves less exposed than Davis. | | | |
| Midfield on 13:26 - Feb 16 with 3104 views | billlm |
Morsy has been brilliant for our club, but pushing it a bit for a while yet,
Still has a lot to offer,
I've for a while says it needs to be Phillips CAJUSTE,
Morsy adding bite when CAJUSTE goes off,
Also I do think a proper rest for Morsy and when we need him for the last 6-7 games he should have his zip back fingers crossed, |  | | |
| Midfield on 14:06 - Feb 16 with 2941 views | WeWereZombies |
| Midfield on 12:02 - Feb 16 by melbs_itfc |
Shouldn’t that read Morsy to replace Cajuste when he runs out of Cajuste? Errm I’ll get my coat… |
Really, are such comments cajustefied... |  |
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| Midfield on 15:10 - Feb 16 with 2811 views | BlueOura |
I think most will agree with this, Phillips and Cajuste have to start and I'm another big Morsy fan. Cajuste is such a good player, and yet he still seems slightly restrained by the injury and clearly can't play 90 mins week in week out. Imagine how good he would be if he was 100% fully fit! |  | | |
| Midfield on 15:12 - Feb 16 with 2793 views | positivity |
| Midfield on 15:10 - Feb 16 by BlueOura |
I think most will agree with this, Phillips and Cajuste have to start and I'm another big Morsy fan. Cajuste is such a good player, and yet he still seems slightly restrained by the injury and clearly can't play 90 mins week in week out. Imagine how good he would be if he was 100% fully fit! |
if he was 100% fully fit he'd probably be at brentford, so i'm happy to enjoy the bit we get rather than nothing at all! | |
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| Midfield on 16:56 - Feb 16 with 2648 views | WestSussexBlue |
| Midfield on 11:36 - Feb 16 by le2blue |
I agree on Phillips.I thought Mick Mills made a really good point after the game yesterday, Phillips hasn't played really for two years, so expecting him to come in and be able to be up to speed and impact games was probably a little naive and wishful thinking. It was a risk we had to take because if he could get up to speed faster, we'd have a top player on our hands, but as we've seen it was going to take him a long time to get there physically and mentally. I definitely think he is starting to get there, and we should stick with him and Jens.
Big overhaul in our midfield in the summer, wherever we are playing. Suspect Phillips ends up back at Leeds. |
Out of interest, if we agree that Phillips is a top player and starting to return to the player he clearly can be, why would we sell him to Leeds? | | | |
| Midfield on 17:00 - Feb 16 with 2616 views | positivity |
| Midfield on 16:56 - Feb 16 by WestSussexBlue |
Out of interest, if we agree that Phillips is a top player and starting to return to the player he clearly can be, why would we sell him to Leeds? |
i may have missed a whoosh, but phillips is a man city player | |
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| Midfield on 17:01 - Feb 16 with 2609 views | farkenhell |
| Midfield on 16:56 - Feb 16 by WestSussexBlue |
Out of interest, if we agree that Phillips is a top player and starting to return to the player he clearly can be, why would we sell him to Leeds? |
Because he's not our player to sell? | | | |
| Midfield on 20:25 - Feb 16 with 2374 views | WestSussexBlue |
| Midfield on 17:01 - Feb 16 by farkenhell |
Because he's not our player to sell? |
Good point..forgot he’s only here on loan. | | | |
| Midfield on 20:45 - Feb 16 with 2305 views | BanksterDebtSlave |
Morsy is the beating heart of our engine but even the best need time off for a service now and then. |  |
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| Midfield on 11:04 - Feb 17 with 1891 views | IPSWICHFANITFC |
Sometimes I wonder how much the captain's armband is helping Morsy. I know McKenna is respectful and will respect his captain, but at the same time, McKenna is paid a lot of money to make big decisions and those decisions may be bold.
Phillips and Cajuste is the partnership to roll with now. We are running out of games to pick up points. Morsy started the season very well. I think he really stepped up but as others have mentioned, he has tailed off recently. |  |
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| Midfield on 14:19 - Feb 17 with 1696 views | heavyweight |
I did wonder if Morsy's injury was a kind of diplomatic one, to allow him to be replaced and save everyone's feelings slightly.
I'll go for him on the bench next week and not starting another game unless there's an injury or two games in a week. | | | |
| Midfield on 15:41 - Feb 17 with 1510 views | ibbleobble |
The problem with Morsy is that he isn't an ageing pro on his way down, like a Matic. He's an ageing pro who is on his way up and now being asked to perform at a level beyond his peak. Having no PL experience compared to a 300 + game Matic type is an enormous gulf so i can see why we were linked.
Morsy absolutely has a big role to play off the bench with 20 minutes to go when he can afford more touches of the ball or, if ahead, can slow the game down but he shouldn't be starting ahead of Philips or Cajuste from now until May. | | | |
| Midfield on 16:06 - Feb 17 with 1418 views | WeWereZombies |
| Midfield on 15:41 - Feb 17 by ibbleobble |
The problem with Morsy is that he isn't an ageing pro on his way down, like a Matic. He's an ageing pro who is on his way up and now being asked to perform at a level beyond his peak. Having no PL experience compared to a 300 + game Matic type is an enormous gulf so i can see why we were linked.
Morsy absolutely has a big role to play off the bench with 20 minutes to go when he can afford more touches of the ball or, if ahead, can slow the game down but he shouldn't be starting ahead of Philips or Cajuste from now until May. |
However, as this season may be Morsy's one and only chance of the big time I think that gives him a driving appetite for success that Matic just could not match. | |
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| Midfield on 16:27 - Feb 17 with 1357 views | hype313 |
If we want to maximise our potential then Phillips/Cajuste needs to be our midfield pair for the remainder of the season.
We all love Sam, but he's 33 and has been struggling, no slight on him, but him coming off the bench could be a masterstroke.
This league demands younger legs in the middle of the park. |  |
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| Midfield on 16:51 - Feb 17 with 1296 views | Bellevue_Blue |
Lots of good points here and I think it's worth going with the same two again on the weekend, however I don't think Saturday is a good eg for why Phillips is a better option for Morsy. We very rarely recycled possession and drove forward through Phillips or Cajuste. Their job was to be defensively solid and they did that.
Defensively him and Morsy are pretty similar players and it's hard to argue either is better, they both get caught out of possession, they both give away stupid fouls etc etc. It's the attacking phase that I struggle with.
I don't think its a coincidence that Phillips hasn't started any of the games we have won and really it's only Brentford/ Leicester where I can remember him contributing in attacking phases and realistically we need minimum 4 wins in the next 13.
Not an easy task for McKenna to pick one. | | | |
| Midfield on 17:21 - Feb 17 with 1233 views | farkenhell |
| Midfield on 11:40 - Feb 16 by farkenhell |
Agreed. Morsy to replace Cajuste when he runs out of steam.
Also, I think we might have wanted the more attack- minded Godfrey against Spurs regardless of Axel's suspension. |
I've arrived! A downvote from DaveU!!
I feel honoured. I'd like to thank my supporters, family, everyone who knows me, etc, etc... | | | |
| Midfield on 18:05 - Feb 17 with 1142 views | MK1 |
I would still like to see Phillips and Morsy in the central midfield, with Cajuste just in front of them both. It will give them both a bit of protection, but also link the midfield with the forward line at the same time. If Phillips and Morsy are struggling a bit, then Cajuste steps back 5 yards and helps them out when needed. I really don't know why McKenna is so reluctant to try it. Taylor and Luongo to come on for tired legs later. A 4-3-3 formation has to give us a better chance of not conceding, whilst not hurting us to much going forward. It's how I would have been playing all season, but I accept that McKenna knows far better than me, so will obviously back him regardless. |  |
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