Naby Keita

[Lee909]

Watch VVD and de vrij get exposed badly if thats the line up

[VladimirIlyich]

 

That is a good enough XI to challenge for the league, the only players we’d actually need to replace would be Moreno and Karius.

Who is that Clyne fella?

[The Acolyte]

Watch VVD and de vrij get exposed badly if thats the line up

Why? Do you think Keita and Goretzka are not defensive enough? Can't be any worse than what we currently have.

[Captain Turdseye]

 

That is a good enough XI to challenge for the league, the only players we’d actually need to replace would be Moreno and Karius.

Years of experience on this forum have taught me that as soon as a mock-up team like this gets posted things start to go downhill fast.

[stringvest]

Any team without Lallana in it is no good to me.

[Elite]

Where the fuck is Hendo?

[Ginny]

Years of experience on this forum have taught me that as soon as a mock-up team like this gets posted things start to go downhill fast.

Especially with Karius in goal

[Jay86]

Watch VVD and de vrij get exposed badly if thats the line up

Keita and Goretzka are really good in defensive situations, as long as they both have an ounce of tactical nous then one will always be there protecting the back 4.

[Jay86]

Especially with Karius in goal

We 100% need a new keeper I just don’t think we’ll get one in January and depending on who’s available next summer I’m not even sure we can get anyone who’ll complement the way we play then either.

[Lee909]

Keita and Goretzka are really good in defensive situations, as long as they both have an ounce of tactical nous then one will always be there protecting the back 4.

Both are far better going forward than sitting back. Keita is far closer to a Coutinho than a Kante. They'll offer mo more protection than we have now

[Jay86]

Both are far better going forward than sitting back. Keita is far closer to a Coutinho than a Kante. They'll offer mo more protection than we have now

I agree they’re both better going forward but they’re both intelligent footballers which is the most important attribute whilst sitting back, you need to see danger signs early and be clever enough to plug gaps when they appear. Which both do really well, Keita is literally one of the most rounded midfielders I’ve seen for years. He’s very good at intercepting and just getting a toe in when needed, Goretzka offers similar but is more powerful whilst doing it.

 

I actually don’t think you need a designated DM the way we play, we defend and win the ball back as a whole unit. With a quicker Centre Back like Van Dijk we can squeeze up the pitch another 5 yards knowing he can match most strikers for pace. Where does the DM position himself if our Centre Backs are on the half way line? As long as one is ready to pick up any runners from the oppo midfield your protected, I just don’t think any of our current midfield is aware enough to stay with the runners. They switch off way too easily. A top sweeper keeper is essential aswell, in which Karius helps a lot more than Mignolet because he does actually leave his goal line to intercept, you’ll notice how much higher we do play when Karius is in.

[The_Goat]

Years of experience on this forum have taught me that as soon as a mock-up team like this gets posted things start to go downhill fast.

 

agreed, its like something a kid would post

[Jairzinho]

Mignolet

TAA Lovren Klavan Moreno

Henderson

Wijnaldum Grujic

AOC Ings Lallana

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ne Moe Imya]

Where the fuck is Hendo?

 

He's playing left.

 

Left out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now where did I leave my coat?

[aRdja]

I agree they’re both better going forward but they’re both intelligent footballers which is the most important attribute whilst sitting back, you need to see danger signs early and be clever enough to plug gaps when they appear. Which both do really well, Keita is literally one of the most rounded midfielders I’ve seen for years. He’s very good at intercepting and just getting a toe in when needed, Goretzka offers similar but is more powerful whilst doing it.

 

I actually don’t think you need a designated DM the way we play, we defend and win the ball back as a whole unit. With a quicker Centre Back like Van Dijk we can squeeze up the pitch another 5 yards knowing he can match most strikers for pace. Where does the DM position himself if our Centre Backs are on the half way line? As long as one is ready to pick up any runners from the oppo midfield your protected, I just don’t think any of our current midfield is aware enough to stay with the runners. They switch off way too easily. A top sweeper keeper is essential aswell, in which Karius helps a lot more than Mignolet because he does actually leave his goal line to intercept, you’ll notice how much higher we do play when Karius is in.

It’s great in theory but in practice it doesn’t always work like that. You would’ve thought Xabi and Gerrard would’ve made a great partnership for example but Rafa hardly ever played them together as a midfield two and for good reasons too as we found out in that first half in Istanbul.

[Jay86]

It’s great in theory but in practice it doesn’t always work like that. You would’ve thought Xabi and Gerrard would’ve made a great partnership for example but Rafa hardly ever played them together as a midfield two and for good reasons too as we found out in that first half in Istanbul.

They’d have been fine together in a two against 90% of the league, it’s against teams where their midfield was arguably better that they’d have struggled ie Pirlo/Gattusso/Kaka. Also in the 4-2-3-1 we played Gerrard would be playing the No.10 or wide right more often than not so the premise is the same, one of Masca and Xabi went either hunting the ball to win it back or one went looking to get on the back but ultimately there was always one holding the middle of the field. Xabi became a master of it when he went to Bayern, he’d plug all sorts of gaps whilst still being the main playmaker. He’d be ideal to have there now.

[Guest]

I thought I'd post this here, just in case there's a link...

 

West Ham defender Reece Oxford is set to complete a surprise move to Bundesliga side RB Leipzig next month.

 

Oxford, 19, has been on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach and has made three league appearances this season.

 

However, RB Leipzig are optimistic of a deal being agreed for an initial 9m Euros (£8m), with the fee potentially rising to 19m (£16.88m) with add ons.

 

West Ham would have to recall the England Under-20 international from Monchengladbach before doing the deal.

 

Leipzig tried to buy Oxford in 2016 but could not agree a fee with the Hammers.

 

Oxford became West Ham's youngest ever player when he made his debut as a 16-year-old in a Europa League qualifying tie against Andorran side Lusitanos in July 2015.

 

New Hammers boss David Moyes had agreed to let Oxford leave on a permanent basis, although it was anticipated he would remain at Monchengladbach.

 

Leipzig were second in the table heading into December but have failed to win any of their last four matches and have slipped to fifth.

 

They have been drawn against Napoli in the last 32 of the Europa League.

[BCM]

What the hell ...... People still have Moreno in at LB in their future line ups, he should be on his way ASAP

[3 Stacks]

Goretzka and Keita are both very forward thinking. I don't think they would work in a two-man midfield.

[Lee909]

I think they'd be good in a 3 though with a ball player to cover behind them.

[El Dangerous]

A ball player you say.......

 

Don't stop moving Naby

All you do is drive me crazy

Weigl, Weigl!

Weigl, Weigl!

 

Goretzka, Weigl Weigl Weigl!

Goretzka ,Weigl Weigl Weigl!

[LF:D]

Goretzka and Keita are both very forward thinking. I don't think they would work in a two-man midfield.

 

He plays in a two man CM for Leipzig now.

 

Although I agree that I don't think Goretzka is the right partner for him.

Weigl is the one I'd like to see.

 

What the hell ...... People still have Moreno in at LB in their future line ups, he should be on his way ASAP

Bar the second half vs Seville, when most of our team were also awful (granted he was the worst), he's been very good this season.

 

Credit where it is due.

[Unrighteous]

Morono hasn't been very good.  He's been less of a calamity, because most of his Lovrenitis hasn't resulted in goals.

[LF:D]

Morono hasn't been very good.  He's been less of a calamity, because most of his Lovrenitis hasn't resulted in goals.

I don't think that's true at all.

 

In the past he was a complete liability.

 

Against Seville he was awful in that 2nd half.

 

But the rest of the season, I think he's been very good.

 

I'll await all these examples of his poor defending this season, bar the Seville game.

[G Richards]

Mane Firmino Salah

Goretzka Weigl Keita

Moreno VVD Gomez TAA

Oblak

 

That would bring number 19 and more besides.

Some of the displaced players would make very good squad men and will have a part to play.