| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing 09:09 - Oct 18 with 1064 views | cbower |
They are both undoubtedly talented players with very different skillsets. However, are they an effective midfield pivot? Do they dovetail well enough? Are their skillsets complimentary? Myself, I fear not.
In their pomp, Morsy and Luongo were close on perfect together. They both worked hard, covered immense amounts of ground, offered some attacking threat, covered for marauding full backs, especially Mass for Davis, and offered clear leadership on the pitch.
In this current pairing it's just not happening. I'll put my tin hat on here, but the problem for me is Cajuste. His silky smooth turns are a joy to watch and they can turn defence into attack in the blink of an eye. Yet for me, that's just not enough. He gets caught in possession far too often, lacks defensive discipline and simply goes missing for periods in a game. Maybe in a three man midfield you could get away with it a bit more but in a two it leaves you horribly exposed. Add to that after 60-70 minutes he is visibly shot most games and I think it's a problem for us, especially against better teams away from home.
Matusiwa is, therefore, at times having to do too much work in there for one player. He did not have is best game last night, was similarly caught in possession too often but he simply has to start for me and a more complimentary partner than Cajuste is required. Is that Nunez? Maybe? Should a three be used in some games? Maybe, but that would depart from McKenna's style.
You can see why we chased Hackney so hard, he offered that box to box coverage of the pitch that the pairing of Matusiwa and Cajuste just do not. Sky map of where he touched the ball last night showed precisely this.
Perhaps I am wrong, but the things that worried me about Cajuste in the Premier League last season have not gone away. Classy moments are not enough overall.
Any one think any different? I'd be interested in hearing what people see.
[Post edited 18 Oct 9:15]
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:14 - Oct 18 with 1009 views | naa |
I agree with this completely. I said in the summer that Cajuste is a lovely player but doesn't fit into the role we put him in.
He'll do well in this division at home against the lesser teams but away against the top teams I think you'll get more of what happened last night. |  | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:20 - Oct 18 with 961 views | mrshallisfit |
He us a passenger too much of the time. Needs to be dropped | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:21 - Oct 18 with 949 views | HighgateBlue |
Nunez in for Cajuste...? |  | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:26 - Oct 18 with 919 views | cbower |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:21 - Oct 18 by HighgateBlue |
Nunez in for Cajuste...? |
That would be where I would start. Matusiwa suspended for Tuesday I think so there'll be a short term forced change anyway. | |
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:41 - Oct 18 with 854 views | franz_tyson |
I've never been a Cajuste fan and I've never understood the awed gushfest surrounding him. I think he's very average at most midfield attributes, but an absolutely Bobby Dazzler at rolling/spinning a close opponent and carrying the ball 20 or so yards unchallenged. Thing is .... he can only do the fancy things 2 or 3 times in a game and that's it. For me, it's not worthy of the praise he gets.
Also, his energy levels are bloody awful. I thought he started the game strong yesterday ( like a lot of occasions) and showed a bit of physicality and a nice run.... then just fizzled out. Like always. It's not like he's playing 90 + mins every game. He plays 30 mins and another 30 mins as a luxury before he's subbed..... so why does he get knackered so easily? Or does he care enough?
He's actually not a bad player and at the level he deserves to be. If he was an up and coming 22 year old I'd be excited about him as you'd think there's more to come and he'd get better, but he should be at his peak now and he' looks like all you're going to get from him is a classy 20 minute showboat. Maybe he would be better as a sub.
Next game he starts, I want to be wrong about him, but he fizzles out so easily and there's rarely an end product. Matusiwa has to work overtime next to him and that's not fair on Matusiwa. | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:52 - Oct 18 with 805 views | Bramidan |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:41 - Oct 18 by franz_tyson |
I've never been a Cajuste fan and I've never understood the awed gushfest surrounding him. I think he's very average at most midfield attributes, but an absolutely Bobby Dazzler at rolling/spinning a close opponent and carrying the ball 20 or so yards unchallenged. Thing is .... he can only do the fancy things 2 or 3 times in a game and that's it. For me, it's not worthy of the praise he gets.
Also, his energy levels are bloody awful. I thought he started the game strong yesterday ( like a lot of occasions) and showed a bit of physicality and a nice run.... then just fizzled out. Like always. It's not like he's playing 90 + mins every game. He plays 30 mins and another 30 mins as a luxury before he's subbed..... so why does he get knackered so easily? Or does he care enough?
He's actually not a bad player and at the level he deserves to be. If he was an up and coming 22 year old I'd be excited about him as you'd think there's more to come and he'd get better, but he should be at his peak now and he' looks like all you're going to get from him is a classy 20 minute showboat. Maybe he would be better as a sub.
Next game he starts, I want to be wrong about him, but he fizzles out so easily and there's rarely an end product. Matusiwa has to work overtime next to him and that's not fair on Matusiwa. |
When their player got booked for bringing him down he actually should have released the ball much earlier, we had a wide man completely open.
One or two flashes of brilliance turning a defender but nothing after that, last night the ball wasn’t sticking and he lost possession numerous times.
He’s never, in my opinion, been a game changer and I don’t think he is strong enough.
Luxury player who we can’t afford to carry in the championship. | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:56 - Oct 18 with 776 views | FrimleyBlue |
I do think our midfield combinations only suit a 3 man midfield
I don't see a two of any of our choices that imo would work well enough together.
If it's nunez and azor I feel we'd miss cajusts burst of pace
If its nunez and cajust we miss that dm ankle biter interceptor
Taylor with anyone. Taylor a busy player but not one for a specific role in a two
Humphreys not really part of the side.
But is the issue more about our 10.
Sammy s and akpom aren't deep dropping 10s who can play the ball around. So we miss that third man in midfield creation at times. |  |
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:57 - Oct 18 with 775 views | gainsboroughblue |
Should we look at a midfield three? The number 10 situation worries me, it feels like a ghostly no mans land position for us this season. No goals from that position this season and I can't recall an assist either? We lost that midfield battle last night and then some. |  |
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:09 - Oct 18 with 727 views | franz_tyson |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:57 - Oct 18 by gainsboroughblue |
Should we look at a midfield three? The number 10 situation worries me, it feels like a ghostly no mans land position for us this season. No goals from that position this season and I can't recall an assist either? We lost that midfield battle last night and then some. |
Not like Kieran to rip up the script and change things.
Maybe it's being too simplistic, but I'd prefer a Morsy/ Luongo type midfield duo. Lots of energy tidying up things and offering physicality as well good, solid footballing skills getting the ball to the forward players. Matusiwa fits in.... but dont think Cajuste does and unsure about Nunez.
I really rated Morsy and Luongo as a partnership, but get their days were numbered. Good, unflashy footballers, too. I really thought we'd go looking for a similar pairing, but ended up with Cajuste and Nunez. And Taylor isn't also a good fit
I'd like to see Nunez start with Matusiwa when he's back, though. | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:14 - Oct 18 with 685 views | redrickstuhaart |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:26 - Oct 18 by cbower |
That would be where I would start. Matusiwa suspended for Tuesday I think so there'll be a short term forced change anyway. |
Thats crazy. He has barely made a bad tackle all season.
Last night's yellow was laughable, not even a foul. | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:39 - Oct 18 with 594 views | BloomBlue |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:14 - Oct 18 by redrickstuhaart |
Thats crazy. He has barely made a bad tackle all season.
Last night's yellow was laughable, not even a foul. |
I think Matusiwa's running style can sometimes make his tackles look wrong, when actually they are perfectly time. I've seen this before with other players. Not sure if I can recall precisely all his bookings, but you're correct, 3 of his yellows were perfect tackles and never a yellow. |  | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:44 - Oct 18 with 560 views | stonojnr |
its funny how when we win games, they get lauded as being the best pairing on the pitch in the championship, and lets not forget they played together at Reims, you know that club Kipre is loaned from...so actually theyre ahead of alot of "pairings" in our squad in that respect, and you can see that on the pitch, if you pay attention
but whats the matter couldnt blame Muric, Greaves or McAteer for that one so pick the next random players on the pitch to have a go at.
well Matusiwa is suspended and dont expect Cajuste to start Tuesday (not because of his performance Friday but just to manage his workload across this 3 game block) so who you are going to pick on next ? | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:55 - Oct 18 with 504 views | Westover |
I've not read all the posts but two weeks ago so many people were saying what a great midfield we had and Cajuste was class and to good for the Championship, how different people's opinions are . | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 11:04 - Oct 18 with 466 views | mellowblue |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:21 - Oct 18 by HighgateBlue |
Nunez in for Cajuste...? |
I doubt that Nunez offers any better defensive cover than Cajuste does, but we need to form our include Nunez as he will make the team tick. | | | |
| Nah, I think you're spot on on 11:10 - Oct 18 with 420 views | Dyland |
Not sure it's a pairing thing even, more that he lacks the intensity needed in that role which would be a problem whoever's next to him. |  |
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 11:12 - Oct 18 with 386 views | BloomBlue |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 10:55 - Oct 18 by Westover |
I've not read all the posts but two weeks ago so many people were saying what a great midfield we had and Cajuste was class and to good for the Championship, how different people's opinions are . |
They simply came up against Hackney last night whoes current form is better than those 2 combined.
He dominated that midfield | | | |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 11:25 - Oct 18 with 339 views | LankHenners |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 09:57 - Oct 18 by gainsboroughblue |
Should we look at a midfield three? The number 10 situation worries me, it feels like a ghostly no mans land position for us this season. No goals from that position this season and I can't recall an assist either? We lost that midfield battle last night and then some. |
Going under the radar a bit that the number 10 position is a bit of a problem area for us. Szmodics works so hard but his quality on the ball has been lacking, while Akpom just doesn't look fit. Having Omari in there as someone who could drop deeper to get on the ball, protect it, get free from his marker and drive us up the pitch was a big help but we don't have that profile of player there anymore. Perhaps something that should have been looked at more closely in the summer from a recruitment point of view? |  |
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| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 11:25 - Oct 18 with 338 views | mellowblue |
| Matusiwa and Cajuste are not a pairing on 11:12 - Oct 18 by BloomBlue |
They simply came up against Hackney last night whoes current form is better than those 2 combined.
He dominated that midfield |
also they managed to get players forward collectively and at pace, so that we were overrun in midfield and we were too lightweight elsewhere to deal with it. Philogene is a good footballer but a poor athlete, stamina wise. if he gets up the pitch there is no way he gets back in time to cover a counter. Hackney's form gives other players the confidence to make those runs that sliced us open. I would have started McAteer for his workrate and used Walli for impact when the game was more open late on. | | | |
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