24 Oct 2025 07:02:59
Hello ed1 hope u well. As regards team/ formation for brentford do u think we keep it the same as midweek? i would like to see same players start, obviously frim+isak are going to be replaced.
Not so sure on the formation tho without the ball,442 r 424 whatever way u put it i still think we get played threw in midfield too handy.
it suited against poorish side like frankfurt and Brentford no great shakes but I'd wouldn't be that sure it will work in prem.
{Ed001's Note - I would change it, well we have to due to injury. Isak should not start, Ekitike has to start. Macca is better on the bench too. Other than that, I was not impressed with the set up, but Frankfurt were abysmal, thankfully. I would rather go back to the 4-2-3-1 we used last season, but give Wirtz freedom in the middle and sit the other 2 mids.}
24 Oct 2025 16:46:08
If we only start one 9 and Ekitike is good enough for that role, I'm starting to really question why we signed Isak for £125m and by extension the transfer strategy of the club. It used to be so precise for what we needed to fit our style of play but this summer seemed so profligate.
24 Oct 2025 18:23:12
Babbity you've got to take into consideration cup matches and runs with tight schedules. That is where have 2 strikers pays off. We're lucky to have two extremely talented strikers; imo a good problem to have.
24 Oct 2025 18:29:44
Completely agree with the set up. The 3 goals we got before half time had nothing to do with the set up and then after that frankfurt were beaten. Step in the right direction with player selections tho. Curtis has to keep his place and Salah should stay on the bench for time being.
24 Oct 2025 19:53:20
Shayan, for me, if you're spending £70m+ on a player, it should be someone who starts most games. If you're breaking the league record with £125m, it should be on a guaranteed starter who plays virtually all the games bar the domestic cups. The fact we spent so big on two players effectively competing for the same position concerns me.
On form, Ekitike should be starting which begs the question why we needed to go so big on another striker. The way I see it is either Isak is going to get in the way of Ekitike's development or £125m on Isak is going to be a wasteful signing. I don't recall many situations where a team has two top strikers sharing minutes and it works out for everyone.
It's not just the strikers either. The signing of Frimpong concerns me too. He seems to be a wing-back rather than a right-back. Can he even play in a four? At times, he has seemed like third-choice behind Bradley and an out of position Szoboszlai.
24 Oct 2025 20:01:16
Agree with Ed. We couldn’t control the midfield in the first half. They played straight through our strikers, and we lacked bodies in that area. I’d go with Gakpo, Ekitike, and Chiesa up front, with Wirtz as 10 and Szoboszlai plus Gravenberch/ Jones behind him.
24 Oct 2025 20:48:02
First time we’ve won comfortably. I’d stick
Couldn’t even beat Southampton or Burnley comfortably with the other formation.
24 Oct 2025 23:44:35
It's funny that when people said we needed another DM type like Ederson or Baleba they were vilified because 'we don't need two expensive players for one position as it's a waste of money', but it's ok to have a 70+m striker and a 125m striker for one position and "aren't we lucky to have two great strikers as there's lots of games in a long season"
25 Oct 2025 01:33:08
Once upon a time we had Rush and Dalglish upfront. Would be worth insane money today. Both played upfront.
Hate this either/ or mentality.
Leave it to Slot to manage and enjoy the ride. He has to replace Salah’s goal impact sooner rather than later.
25 Oct 2025 07:34:43
You can never have enough goalscorers.
Was thee biggest advantage we had on our rivals last season imo.
25 Oct 2025 08:54:31
“… against poorish side like Frankfurt or Brentford … “
“…. Couldn’t even beat Southampton or Burnley comfortably …”
Not all the issues are the squad.
25 Oct 2025 10:48:51
StEtienne Dalglish was like a 10 though. Isak and Ekitike both play better as 9s. It is also rare to play two 9s in this day and age as it takes away a body from midfield. If we play 4231, it really is either-or unless we are going to play one of them out of position which then begs the question why we are spending so much on players to play them out of position.
The issue is that Slot hasn't managed the influx of players well at all this season hence the questioning of the club's strategy. It is as clear as mud how he wants us to play this season.
25 Oct 2025 15:56:07
If a modern day team had two players of the calibre of Rush and Dalglish or even Beardsley and Aldridge, they would walk into any side and the manager would sacrifice the body in midfield for the absolute terror they would cause.
This obsession with 433 as the right formula is flawed because no formation is perfect.
But I agree, playing two 9s is suicide.