Can Pool afford to play Dembele away from home for 90 mins.

M

Middxile

Well-known member
He’s usually magic for half an hour. Having him in the side is like going into a bank, with a key to the safe in you pocket. One moment, one pass. Just the same yesterday ; a fabulous finish for 2-0, then anonymity. The Gas ran through him and over him. He jogged about without intent when it was all hands to the pump after we conceded. Away from home he gets no protection from referees, and he’s knocked over routinely. The difference when he was withdrawn was immediate. The Gas were then unable to put real pressure on our back three, Home games are different; the crowd let the Ref know when he is being roughly handled. It’s a fine balance which is probably the difference between winning and losing.
 
Did enough in the first half for me. But quiet game overall. Again was consistently kicked pushed grabbed and shoved with abandon by the opposition.
I think he's better with a free role behind a front two where he can drift into space between opposition defence and midfield. But critch seems to have decided on another rigid formation with a frontish three with two of them acting as pseudo wingers. Critchley needs to just let Kady be Kady and do the things that he does. It's noticeable in the last few games he's been more subdued but he's still got four assists and a goal.
Should have been substituted at around the 55 -60 minute mark to deal with the change in style that brissol had done, and we're getting ever more physical.
The one that needed to come off was Norburn who was an absolute passenger.
 
Middxile said:
He’s usually magic for half an hour. Having him in the side is like going into a bank, with a key to the safe in you pocket. One moment, one pass. Just the same yesterday ; a fabulous finish for 2-0, then anonymity. The Gas ran through him and over him. He jogged about without intent when it was all hands to the pump after we conceded. Away from home he gets no protection from referees, and he’s knocked over routinely. The difference when he was withdrawn was immediate. The Gas were then unable to put real pressure on our back three, Home games are different; the crowd let the Ref know when he is being roughly handled. It’s a fine balance which is probably the difference between winning and losing.
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Interesting thoughts. Personally I don't think we should be playing CJ as wing back, away from home especially, as we are now playing with 3 up top. If you are going to play CJ then he needs to be part of front 3 (which then adds questions about who front 3 should be). We are certainly more secure at the back with Coulson/Gabriel/Lyons playing wing back and we probably offer just as much going forward.

Having said all that who scored the goals yesterday ? :)
 
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Norburn is the first name I would cross off the starting line up. He is not quick, totally one footed and actually slows attacks down by playing the easy ball when an attacking option beckons. The need for a defensive player in that position is obvious, and rather than Connolly, I would suggest that Matty Virtue, now injury free, is a prime candidate.
 
Dembele had a quiet game but still scored and was threatening. Bristol were kicking lumps out of most of our players so the game didn't really suit him but he still did enough. It was a tough game and a good win.
 
Think the recipe away from home may at some stage be Gabriel at right-back, Hamilton tucked inside and Dembele off the bench against tired legs. Especially given the recent formation shift
 
bollieboy said:
Interesting thoughts. Personally I don't think playing CJ as wing back away from home especially as we are now playing with 3 up top. If you are going to play CJ then he needs to be part of front 3 (which then adds questions about who front 3 should be). We are certainly more secure at the back with Coulson/Gabriel/Lyons playing wing back and we probably offer just as much going forward.

Having said all that who scored the goals yesterday ? :)
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I do wonder if Lyons didn't play after Wednesday's exertions.
 
Dembele & Hamilton can’t play at the same time. Play one or the other. Both offer zero defensive / pressing ability.
Yesterday, most of Bristol’s attacking joy came down their left & near enough every time from Dembele losing the ball & CJ being out of position because of the cheap conceding of possession (granted Dembele was roughed up abit by Bristol).
Side point, Casey did well yesterday covering that side of the pitch. When Gabriel came on he shored that side up of the pitch up & Bristol had to resort to knocking it long up the middle.

Anyways back to the original thread - rotate Dembele & Hamilton.
 
The radio Lancs summariser praised Dembele. He did however, add a caveat along the lines of - "if it's a tough, physical game, then don't play him etc."
That's one of the things that NC is perhaps referring to when he says he's a young boy and still developing.
He is only small in height & weight & he does tend to go to ground easily. The physicality of L1 is something that he will have to get used to & NC will no doubt know best when & how to use him.
He's a great asset who will only improve under NC & it would be great if we could sign him permanently.
 
585 = never give up said:
The radio Lancs summariser praised Dembele. He did however, add a caveat along the lines of - "if it's a tough, physical game, then don't play him etc."
That's one of the things that NC is perhaps referring to when he says he's a young boy and still developing.
He is only small in height & weight & he does tend to go to ground easily. The physicality of L1 is something that he will have to get used to & NC will no doubt know best when & how to use him.
He's a great asset who will only improve under NC & it would be great if we could sign him permanently.
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Problem is the maj of league one games are tough and physical Dembele is creative he can unlock defences take two defenders out with a pass I’d continue to start him produces moments of magic
 
I think there's certainly questions about some of the players mentality away from home. I think Gabriel in particular is someone who has the character to help change our away form. Maybe Lavery too.
 
tangerinespud said:
Dembele & Hamilton can’t play at the same time. Play one or the other. Both offer zero defensive / pressing ability.
Yesterday, most of Bristol’s attacking joy came down their left & near enough every time from Dembele losing the ball & CJ being out of position because of the cheap conceding of possession (granted Dembele was roughed up abit by Bristol).
Side point, Casey did well yesterday covering that side of the pitch. When Gabriel came on he shored that side up of the pitch up & Bristol had to resort to knocking it long up the middle.

Anyways back to the original thread - rotate Dembele & Hamilton.
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I don't like Hamilton, I think he is all round a really poor footballer. And next season we need better more consistent quality.

Yesterday he was one of our better players and he and Dembele both scored so it doesn't make sense to say we can't have both in the side.

If anything, we didn't need a 3rd centre back and haven't all season because we have 3 or 4 centre backs who are of a higher level quality than League One. And by playing 3 you make them uncomfortable.
 
I wish we would try 442 then you can have Coulson and Gabriel as the full backs, Morgan and Norburn in the middle, CJ and Dembele either side with Rhodes and Murphy up top.
 
tangerinespud said:
Dembele & Hamilton can’t play at the same time. Play one or the other. Both offer zero defensive / pressing ability.
Yesterday, most of Bristol’s attacking joy came down their left & near enough every time from Dembele losing the ball & CJ being out of position because of the cheap conceding of possession (granted Dembele was roughed up abit by Bristol).
Side point, Casey did well yesterday covering that side of the pitch. When Gabriel came on he shored that side up of the pitch up & Bristol had to resort to knocking it long up the middle.

Anyways back to the original thread - rotate Dembele & Hamilton.
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Yeah but they both scored yesterday and we won
 
585 = never give up said:
The radio Lancs summariser praised Dembele. He did however, add a caveat along the lines of - "if it's a tough, physical game, then don't play him etc."
That's one of the things that NC is perhaps referring to when he says he's a young boy and still developing.
He is only small in height & weight & he does tend to go to ground easily. The physicality of L1 is something that he will have to get used to & NC will no doubt know best when & how to use him.
He's a great asset who will only improve under NC & it would be great if we could sign him permanently.
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This is my one concern with Apter getting a chance- does he have the physicality for League One?

He’s great on the ball and will run at a defence, but I can imagine him getting targeted, battered then out injured, which his developing career does not need at this early stage.
 
I don't think I have ever read so much bollocks on a single thread which is saying something on here. Dembele is the 'go to guy' to receive the ball from the defenders as we play out from the back. He can beat two men in a 'phone box. He scored a good goal yesterday. he is probably is involved in most of our goals. A long way from the finished product but I love watching him play.
 
how many times has dembele actually played the full game away from home? Not many would be my guess. He's different to anything else we have so for me he has to start so as we can try strt games on the front foot. But he's an easy player to bring off depending on how the game is going.
 
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