| See now - I don't think Akpom works 06:28 - Oct 1 with 1714 views | Warkystache |
He was a passenger last night. He needs to be played a lot further up, like Boro did. He was dropping back to help the defence.
Greaves looked like he and the rest of the team have never met before. I'd prefer Kipre and O'Shea on Sunday. McAteer is weak on the right, but then so was Egeli and he wasted that free-kick. Ben Johnson must wonder what he has to do.
They defend as though their lives depend on it, yet have far weaker players than us. We still look like a team of individuals. I thought Jack Clarke, Matisuwa and Leif were our best players. Nunez needs Cajuste beside him.
Sammie looks like a fish out of water. It's puzzling. We have the components, but it's almost like they're the wrong ones, just shine a bit more sparkly. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:03 - Oct 1 with 1384 views | BlueOura |
Agree on Akpom and your overall assessment, not on Greaves though. I though he was arguably our best player last night. |  | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:16 - Oct 1 with 1326 views | Nutkins_Return |
Akpom couldnt get himself into the game last night. Wasn't his night but he's looked sharp in some other cameos. It will come for him but Szmodics will come back in.
Greaves was MOTM last night for me. First half rescued us out of a situation. Second half made a goal saving challenge. He was moving us up the pitch on the ball as well coming out with it. [Post edited 1 Oct 7:37]
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:23 - Oct 1 with 1270 views | FrimleyBlue |
I know sometimes it can feel that it can be overplayed how invisible someone is, but I must say if i hadn't seen the lineup i genuinly wouldn't have known he was playing, he just didn't seem to do anything. That 10 position with the way we play, we can't really afford to wait for someone to get upto speed with it. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:24 - Oct 1 with 1271 views | itfcsuth |
Akpom doesn’t look like a 10 to me - doesn’t really seem to possess that flair for the role.
I think there is a player there, but I think he has to be a number 9. |  | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:27 - Oct 1 with 1246 views | FrimleyBlue |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:24 - Oct 1 by itfcsuth |
Akpom doesn’t look like a 10 to me - doesn’t really seem to possess that flair for the role.
I think there is a player there, but I think he has to be a number 9. |
Yeah im not sure how he can be seen as anything other than a 9 tbh | |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:41 - Oct 1 with 1178 views | Nutkins_Return |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:24 - Oct 1 by itfcsuth |
Akpom doesn’t look like a 10 to me - doesn’t really seem to possess that flair for the role.
I think there is a player there, but I think he has to be a number 9. |
He is a 10. He was keen to come to us in part because of how we play the 10 role and it being where he wants to play. He isn't a 9 though provides a bit of additional cover if it was needed.
Akpom played 10 for Boro and scored 29 goals in his last season there. | |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:42 - Oct 1 with 1146 views | Swansea_Blue |
The was one moment in the 2nd half when Akpom looked to run onto a ball where he caused them some problems. That’s the player he was at Boro. The rest of the time he played with his back to goal for simple layoffs. Walton could do that. It’s so frustrating. We’ve got some excellent players, but it’s not clicking. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:54 - Oct 1 with 1104 views | BlueOura |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:42 - Oct 1 by Swansea_Blue |
The was one moment in the 2nd half when Akpom looked to run onto a ball where he caused them some problems. That’s the player he was at Boro. The rest of the time he played with his back to goal for simple layoffs. Walton could do that. It’s so frustrating. We’ve got some excellent players, but it’s not clicking. |
He just doesn't look mobile enough to play 10, constantly gets caught on the ball and doesn't seem able to turn away from anybody to create space. I don't know if it's a fitness issue but he has been pretty underwhelming so far.
I know he won the penalty last night but his overall assist/goal threat has been pretty much non-existent. | | | |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:56 - Oct 1 with 1088 views | Herbivore |
There was a point in the first half where I genuinely forgot he was playing. He needs to do a lot more. Even when Chappers wasn't having a great game, he used to buzz around everywhere and offer for the ball. Szmodics does similar. Akpom just seemed to waft about, happy for the game to pass him by. That said, he won us the crucial pen, but if he's going to play regularly he's got to offer way more than he did last night. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:58 - Oct 1 with 1073 views | grow_our_own |
Agreed Akpom looks neat and tidy, generally keeps possession, but in easy, non-threatening areas. Too many backwards passes. Playing him as striker will force him to do it where it matters. I expect his hold-up play would be excellent. The pen he won was a rare attacking foray, and the first chance he's created in four games. | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 08:06 - Oct 1 with 1033 views | homer_123 |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:41 - Oct 1 by Nutkins_Return |
He is a 10. He was keen to come to us in part because of how we play the 10 role and it being where he wants to play. He isn't a 9 though provides a bit of additional cover if it was needed.
Akpom played 10 for Boro and scored 29 goals in his last season there. |
He's a perfect ten
But he wears a 29
Keep a little 19 for me! |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 08:28 - Oct 1 with 942 views | Len_Brennan |
It's one thing being a #10 in Middlesbrough & Blackburn sides, when you are being played off the striker, are seen as the main scoring threat in your team & have licence to go wide & cut in, but it's a different thing to be a central #10 as part of a high quality attacking 3 behind a centre forward, in a team which has a very high ranging attacking left back. | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 08:51 - Oct 1 with 828 views | tractorboy1978 |
Neither Akpom or Szmodics can be playing the roles we signed them for surely? They both spend more time in the middle third than the final third when they play in the 10. Being involved in build up play doesn't seem to be either of their games. Szmodics especially needs to be getting in behind and playing off a striker. Chaplin was brilliant at linking play and then arriving late for pull backs. I do worry we've thrown the baby out with the bath water a bit this summer and we look a less functional side for it. | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 08:56 - Oct 1 with 809 views | Swansea_Blue |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:54 - Oct 1 by BlueOura |
He just doesn't look mobile enough to play 10, constantly gets caught on the ball and doesn't seem able to turn away from anybody to create space. I don't know if it's a fitness issue but he has been pretty underwhelming so far.
I know he won the penalty last night but his overall assist/goal threat has been pretty much non-existent. |
I'm sure I saw someone mention that he's missed a lot of pre-season, so it could be that he needs more time to get up to speed. He doesn't look that comfortable playing as a linking player with his back to goal. I thought Sammie and Hurst together were much better at providing support when they came on, largely because they got closer to the player with the ball and were a bit more mobile offering more options. | |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:07 - Oct 1 with 763 views | Devereuxxx |
The frustration so far this season, in my mind, is we're missing players who can pick a lock. Chaplin was great at this last time we were in the Championship, occupying tight spaces and trying to play round the corner, then you had Hutchinson as a direct runner and Broadhead with a bit more guile.
This time around we have Philogene who can go inside or outside on the left, which is proving effective, but the rest of the attack isn't clicking. The right side is particularly blunt. And both Akpom and Szmodics are more of your on the shoulder/late run into a box number 10 rather than being able to pick a lock. Still plenty of time for this to change, but the issue as I see it right now. |  | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:10 - Oct 1 with 755 views | TractorJack |
He was dropping so deep at times, we had too many that wanted the ball to feet and not enough runs in behind. At least Sammie offers a bit more of that. |  | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:21 - Oct 1 with 719 views | cbower |
With the exception of suggesting a place for Ben Johnson I totally agree. Akpom anonymous (penalty aside), Greaves zero positional sense - he's a wanderer and I don't mean when he moves forward, just his general positioning. McAteer has shown so little so far it's hard to believe he can be so limited. Got to give Walle-Egeli time, he's a kid with no experience of the league. Szmodics works so hard but he's never been played in his best position. I also thought Furlong was sloppy and ragged last night. The partnership of Greaves and O'Shea does not inspire me one bit. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:22 - Oct 1 with 711 views | BlueBlood90 |
He's certainly not a natural number 10 and it's not working with him playing in that role.
His positioning looks totally wrong. He never seems to be in a central position to receive the ball and we end up with huge gaps between midfield and attack which is where he's supposed to be operating. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:46 - Oct 1 with 640 views | WolfieAtTheBack |
Said it a few times now, I would love to see Cajuste as the 10 to start games, he has the flair and vision required to pull strings and bring fluidity into the patterns.
Nunez and Azor to fill the midfield two.
Jury is out on Akpom and Smod in the 10 position, they do not work in our system, should they be much further forwards, quite possibly. | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:48 - Oct 1 with 633 views | monty_radio |
I think there could be some mileage with Cajuste as a 10 and Nunez beside Azor further back. Cajuste has the ability to turn his man and to see a pass. | |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:51 - Oct 1 with 624 views | WolfieAtTheBack |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 09:48 - Oct 1 by monty_radio |
I think there could be some mileage with Cajuste as a 10 and Nunez beside Azor further back. Cajuste has the ability to turn his man and to see a pass. |
Exactly, plus Jens played 10 for Napoli as KM once mentioned in his presser(s). | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 10:10 - Oct 1 with 561 views | Rimsy |
We are really missing a proper 10. No one really looks comfortable there. Szmodics is the best we have but it's not really his game. Get Chappers back in Jan. |  |
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| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 10:29 - Oct 1 with 524 views | SWLondonBlue93 |
Szmodics and Akpom seem more like second strikers to me, whereas Chaplin is a proper number ten, and the only player in the McKenna era to nail down that spot. Maybe one of them will work out the role and start banging in the goals, the question is how long will that take? | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 10:30 - Oct 1 with 521 views | Everydayblue |
Personally just think Akpom had a less than perfect game... Nothing to do with him in the 10 role.
He's played in the 10 for half his career.
Don't think he looked up for it, that's all.
Looked a bit livelier after the break, and won the penalty.
My thinking is that KM had words at HT. And asked for more energy.
This is why I like Szmodics in that role.. Despite him not scoring yet this season. He is always up for it. And causes a bit more chaos in and around the box, imo. Just the way he's always buzzing around. In the same way that Chappers was a nuisance, off the ball.
Akpom needs to up it a bit more. In the way Szmodics and Hirst do, in terms of effort.
Both "effort" and "lack of effort", can resonate through a team.
If you want togetherness and trust in one another. Then you have to fight for each other. And leave it all on the pitch.
That's the kind of brotherhood that got us a double promotion. | | | |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 10:59 - Oct 1 with 444 views | itfctilidie |
| See now - I don't think Akpom works on 07:24 - Oct 1 by itfcsuth |
Akpom doesn’t look like a 10 to me - doesn’t really seem to possess that flair for the role.
I think there is a player there, but I think he has to be a number 9. |
Thus can inly mean he is a 10 and definitely not a 9 |  | | |
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