Until we get Aribo back our best midfield is probably Kamara and Sands sitting with Lundstram in front of them

OzzyGersman

Well-Known Member
Title says it all.

I’ve been watching clips of Lundstram from his Sheffield Utd and Oxford United days and quite clearly his best attribute is breaking the lines and running into the box for cut backs and loose balls. He also showed against Hearts that he can have a dig from range.

I’d like Bacuna to get a chance in the role but he’s so out the picture it’s unlikely.

I’d be setting up against Livingston with a midfield of:

Kamara Sands
Lundstram

And encourage Lundstram to get forward and to pick up pockets of space in the opponent’s half.

If Jack is back and ready to go, even better, I’d have him alongside Kamara.

I think we have to play Lundstram, he’s too high an earner not to utilise and with protection from two sitting midfielders I think he can be effective because he carries the ball well and was an attacking force at Sheffield Utd. If we want to offload him now or in the summer the only way we’ll attract suitors who might part with a fee is if he plays football.

 
Title says it all.

I’ve been watching clips of Lundstram from his Sheffield Utd and Oxford United days and quite clearly his best attribute is breaking the lines and running into the box for cut backs and loose balls. He also showed against Hearts that he can have a dig from range.

I’d like Bacuna to get a chance in the role but he’s so out the picture it’s unlikely.

I’d be setting up against Livingston with a midfield of:

Kamara Sands
Lundstram

And encourage Lundstram to get forward and to pick up pockets of space in the opponent’s half.

If Jack is back and ready to go, even better, I’d have him alongside Kamara.

I think we have to play Lundstram, he’s too high an earner not to utilise and with protection from two sitting midfielders I think he can be effective because he carries the ball well and was an attacking force at Sheffield Utd. If we want to offload him now or in the summer the only way we’ll attract suitors who might part with a fee is if he plays football.

Get tae bed Ozzy.
 
In all honesty i’ve given up with Lundstram. I hoped he would do well but he looked hopeless against Aberdeen. I’m not sure of McCann or Lowry’s positions but I wouldn’t be against giving them some game time this season if they can play there. I understand folk are saying they aren’t ready yet but you never know. Hopefully we see a few of these lads tomorrow night.
 
Sands in our strongest midfield? We've jumped the shark on here.
Did you read my post? I meant now - Jack only just started training. Arfield and Davis out.

On Tuesday night our midfield was totally non existent with Hagi. The midfield three I suggested set up with Kamara and Sands sitting is probably the best interim measure until we get our players back, especially Aribo.
 
In this scenario have we only these 3 midfielders fit ? And include the youths in that they must be injured also
 
In all honesty i’ve given up with Lundstram. I hoped he would do well but he looked hopeless against Aberdeen. I’m not sure of McCann or Lowry’s positions but I wouldn’t be against giving them some game time this season if they can play there. I understand folk are saying they aren’t ready yet but you never know. Hopefully we see a few of these lads tomorrow night.
Lundstram would be my first name on the team sheet tomorrow, largely out of desperation to see him put in a good shift, score a goal or two and build from there.

We simply haven’t seen the player he was at Sheffield Utd yet. I feel that if we let him play a more attacking role with freedom, supported by two sitters, we’ll get the best out of him. He excels at running into the box and finishing - he’s had no opportunity to do that here yet.
 
Kamara Davis Arfield

That would be my choice.

However, if we are going by Tuesdays availability.

Kamara Lundstram
Hagi
 
Or Kamara sitting alone like he done in the previous 8 or so games before Pittodrie.
I don’t think that works without Aribo in the team. Aribo is one of our best ball winners and carries the ball in a way that no one else can in our team. If he’s not playing Kamara will just be exposed and besides we need Kamara to cover more ground in the absence of Arfield, Davis and Jack.
 
Lundstram just isn't the player we hoped he'd be or need him to be. Time to end that experiment. I'll give Sands a little longer.

Our midfield (and whole team) look better when we play at a higher intensity. We didn't do that against Aberdeen.
 
How can you possible claim Sands is a better option than Lundstram and Davis

Sands has played 1 game in which he was anonymous in.
Davis is out as far as I’m aware.

Our current available midfielders are: Kamara, Sands, Lundstram, Hagi, McCann, Jack (just started training).

Unless either Arfield or Davis returns for Livi which I think is unlikely, we have to pick amongst them.
 
Kent out suspended.

Kamara Sands
Hagi Lundstram Wright
Morelos

Not for me. Potentially three empty shirts (Wright, Hagi and Lundstram). Hagi central, Lundstram on the bench, Sakala in.

Bacuna not fancied by Gerrard and it looks the same under GvB. What a waste of time this signing has been.
We need to play Bacuna on Friday and give the guy a chance to show what he has. To get consistency I’d be tempted to go pretty much full strength middle to front (with Morelos dropping out to give us a feel for what we have for the old firm game).
 
The man that sees these players everyday might know best....
I agree with this but he also got it wrong on Tuesday night. That’s quite fair to say.

The midfield had zero grip on the game but for a 10/15 minute period in the first half and Sakala should have started.
 
We need to play Bacuna on Friday and give the guy a chance to show what he has. To get consistency I’d be tempted to go pretty much full strength middle to front (with Morelos dropping out to give us a feel for what we have for the old firm game).

You can’t judge Bacuna against pub material. Full strength team on Friday required as we’ve just had a break and the players looked miles off it at Pittodrie.

I’d have Sands in over Lundstram.
 
One of the main reasons why I’m suggesting Lundstram over Hagi at the top of a midfield triangle is because Hagi has had chances there and despite scoring on Tuesday just doesn’t take control of the game.

Like I said I’d be happy for Bacuna to get a shot there but it’s unlikely because he’s barely had a kick under Gio. I think Lundstram could be decent in that advanced midfield role based on his performances in England. Like I said one of his best attributes is timing his runs into the box yet we have never really set up our midfield to play to this strength.
 
These are the situations where we should have been blooding the likes of Kelly, the guy is 21 I believe and has played enough SPFL games to understand what it's all about. From the little game time he's had with us I'd say he looked more than capable of doing a job.
 
Hagi needs to play, and I think our management team will play him far more often than not.

We'll mix things up depending upon the type of game we're expecting. The midfield of Kamara, Aribo and Hagi that we saw at home against St Mirren wouldn't be used in games where we won't expect quite as much possession in advanced areas, for example.

I wouldn't get too hung up on a "best" midfield. We'll see variation in there more than anywhere else on the pitch.
 
Hagi needs to play, and I think our management team will play him far more often than not.

We'll mix things up depending upon the type of game we're expecting. The midfield of Kamara, Aribo and Hagi that we saw at home against St Mirren wouldn't be used in games where we won't expect quite as much possession in advanced areas, for example.

I wouldn't get too hung up on a "best" midfield. We'll see variation in there more than anywhere else on the pitch.
I would avoid playing Hagi in midfield from now on. It’s like playing with a man down. I’d keep him in the front three when he is played.
 
I’d expect there to be changes tomorrow, even then can’t see Lundstram in the 11.

Jack will start, probably Sands also.
 
Worth noting that we're allowed to change shape...

Guys like Sakala, Itten, Bacuna sitting on the bench would all offer more going forward than Lundstram / Sands (presumably).
 
OP. Worst idea ever.

I’m still not over him laughing at miscontrolling a pass out for a shy 25 yards from goal when we are down to 10 men and couldnt get out on Tuesday.
 
I would avoid playing Hagi in midfield from now on. It’s like playing with a man down. I’d keep him in the front three when he is played.

I don't see how the view of him being like a man down can be justified at all.

But I'm kinda bored of debating about Hagi so I'll stop there. The manager seems to rate him far higher than most of our fans do, that's all that really matters.
 
From what I've seen Bacuna is far better than Lundstram in an attacking sense.

Hopefully we see him tomorrow and he takes his chance.
 
Title says it all.

I’ve been watching clips of Lundstram from his Sheffield Utd and Oxford United days and quite clearly his best attribute is breaking the lines and running into the box for cut backs and loose balls. He also showed against Hearts that he can have a dig from range.

I’d like Bacuna to get a chance in the role but he’s so out the picture it’s unlikely.

I’d be setting up against Livingston with a midfield of:

Kamara Sands
Lundstram

And encourage Lundstram to get forward and to pick up pockets of space in the opponent’s half.

If Jack is back and ready to go, even better, I’d have him alongside Kamara.

I think we have to play Lundstram, he’s too high an earner not to utilise and with protection from two sitting midfielders I think he can be effective because he carries the ball well and was an attacking force at Sheffield Utd. If we want to offload him now or in the summer the only way we’ll attract suitors who might part with a fee is if he plays football.



Assuming none of Arfield, Davis and Jack are available, then Kamara and Sands are probably stick ons, with a toss up between Lundstram and Bacuna more advanced.

Hagi cannot play as advanced midfielder because he’s a passenger when the other team has possession and it ends up with the other 2 midfielders being outnumbered, as we saw to our cost on Tuesday night.

I like the way Gio tries to play with just one holding mid, but the other 2 have got to be proper midfielders, like Arfield and Aribo, for example.
They know how to play the role and work hard to regain possession when the opposition have the ball.

Hagi can't do that and the balance is all wrong when he's the 3rd midfielder.
 
Gio gave Aberdeen far, far too much respect the other night. Sands should have been the sole sitter in front of the back 4, Kamara in the box to box Arfield role and Hagi in the middle to front Aribo role. Instead we played 2 sitting midfielders who barely crossed the halfway line and Hagi supporting Morelos too high up the pitch which then ceded the entire midfield area to Aberdeen. To compound the mistake both full backs were then held back too and contributed zero. This invited the press and pressure they applied, left us with only long balls out from the back which we invariably lost, stretched our lines too thin between the 6 playing defensively and the 4 attacking players resulting in no fluidity and turnovers of possession, and gave all of the momentum, even after we scored, to Aberdeen.

The individual midfield selections weren't necessarily wrong, how they were setup and asked to play was more to blame imo. It was far too similar to Gerrard picking Jack, Kamara, Davis (3 excellent players) in his early seasons with 2 of the 3 holding and wondering why we weren't creating chances whilst dominating games as we should've (minus the domination part the other night). If we set up the exact same way against Celtic, instead of actually giving them something to think about, we will just give them free possession, more confidence and the licence to attack at will. That is a recipe for disaster imo as in Europe whenever they were pressed high they crumbled. Sitting off any team in Scotland is not the answer and rarely beneficial for us.
 
Title says it all.

I’ve been watching clips of Lundstram from his Sheffield Utd and Oxford United days and quite clearly his best attribute is breaking the lines and running into the box for cut backs and loose balls. He also showed against Hearts that he can have a dig from range.

I’d like Bacuna to get a chance in the role but he’s so out the picture it’s unlikely.

I’d be setting up against Livingston with a midfield of:

Kamara Sands
Lundstram

And encourage Lundstram to get forward and to pick up pockets of space in the opponent’s half.

If Jack is back and ready to go, even better, I’d have him alongside Kamara.

I think we have to play Lundstram, he’s too high an earner not to utilise and with protection from two sitting midfielders I think he can be effective because he carries the ball well and was an attacking force at Sheffield Utd. If we want to offload him now or in the summer the only way we’ll attract suitors who might part with a fee is if he plays football.

Yes, let's go with a back 5 as well.:rolleyes:
 
I don't see how the view of him being like a man down can be justified at all.

But I'm kinda bored of debating about Hagi so I'll stop there. The manager seems to rate him far higher than most of our fans do, that's all that really matters.

He's far more effective when he's not the 3rd midfielder, like Tuesday night.

He plays better with Aribo in the side as the attacking mid imo.
 
Assuming none of Arfield, Davis and Jack are available, then Kamara and Sands are probably stick ons, with a toss up between Lundstram and Bacuna more advanced.

Hagi cannot play as advanced midfielder because he’s a passenger when the other team has possession and it ends up with the other 2 midfielders being outnumbered, as we saw to our cost on Tuesday night.

I like the way Gio tries to play with just one holding mid, but the other 2 have got to be proper midfielders, like Arfield and Aribo, for example.
They know how to play the role and work hard to regain possession when the opposition have the ball.

Hagi can't do that and the balance is all wrong when he's the 3rd midfielder.
This is the point I’m trying to make basically. Totally agree we get outnumbered and dominated in midfield when Hagi is at the top of the diamond in Aribo’s absence.
 
Is it beyond reasonable to suggest a 4-4-2 against Livi and Ross County while Aribo and Arfield are out?

If Morelos is out as well maybe Itten or Roofe with Sakala up front? Preferably Roofe and Sakala.
 
Is it beyond reasonable to suggest a 4-4-2 against Livi and Ross County while Aribo and Arfield are out?

If Morelos is out as well maybe Itten or Roofe with Sakala up front? Preferably Roofe and Sakala.
Think it’s highly unlikely under our new Dutch management. Did he ever set up that way at Feyenoord?

I think we’d have been more likely to see that under Gerrard as he flirted with a 4-4-2 at times. We finished one game away this season, either against St Johnstone or St Mirren, with a 4-4-2 with Patterson in right midfield ahead of Tav.
 
We can all pick a team and especially after points are dropped. But I don't see Lundstram in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Maybe in a 4-3-3.

I remain surprised slightly that the other night neither Lundstram nor Bacuna started when so many midfielders were out. I still shake my head a bit at our recent recruitment. Who did we sign when we were ahead that improved the team?
 
Lundstram would be my first name on the team sheet tomorrow, largely out of desperation to see him put in a good shift, score a goal or two and build from there.

We simply haven’t seen the player he was at Sheffield Utd yet. I feel that if we let him play a more attacking role with freedom, supported by two sitters, we’ll get the best out of him. He excels at running into the box and finishing - he’s had no opportunity to do that here yet.
He scored 8 goals at Sheffield… hardly groundbreaking for something he “excels” at.
 
How anyone can judge Sands after one game is beyond me.
Is no one taking into account it was the guy’s first game.? Add to the fact the majority of his new teammates were posted missing for most of the night.
By god, we’re a hard crowd.
 
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