Cocu to stay.
Style? Not all that dissimilar to what we have now but with more of an Ajax style to it than the PSV like style of this season. We have proven we can cut teams open with rapier like moves. Trouble is we don't do it often enough. Who remembers Bird to Coldplay, deft flick on half way to Sibley who advanced to the edge of the area before putting Knight in to score. Most of the time the tempo of the ball circulation is too slow and merely allows the oppo to organise their defences. Cocu wants a possession based game. Trouble is, most of our possession is among our back 5. That is pretty much PSV. The Ajax style is, again possession based BUT they like to play in the oppo's half, preferably in and around their box and the ball circulation tempo is high. Not a million miles away from the way Citeh play.
Further I'd like more movement off the ball. Following the old adage "when not in possession, get in position". Our back 4 pass among themselves so often because our forward players are not in a position where they would have time and space to do anything so, rather than play them into trouble, the man in possession decides to go backwards again.
I'd also like to see us do what teams do to us. Press us into hurrying and making mistakes. It's exactly what both WBA and the DYS did recently. When we had the ball they were all over us like a rash. When they had it they had 3 team mates in forward positions ready and willing to take the ball in oodles of space. Pass the ball and move into a good position to get it back IN SPACE. We back off, we don't pressure and that means we make life easy, especially for the better sides. Even Birmingham put the pressure on us and forced us into mistakes. We gave them time and room. Fortunately they weren't good enough to take advantage of it.
Then, I'd like the full backs to get into positions where, when they are on the open side and play switches, having moved inside, making the pitch "smaller" they have sussed out the angle to and distance from the winger so they can a) intercept the ball or b) immediately put in a telling tackle or c) put the winger under pressure and force him to do something. Also I'd like them to cut out/stop way more crosses than they do.
Going forward I'd like to see more going down the outside and putting in a good cross.
That is what I want. I fully expect to see more of the same. Possession for possession's sake. The odd rapier like attack as described above but they will, again, be few and far between. Backing off, Standing off and little pressure on the oppo.
Players?
Keepers: Hamer has gone. I think Mitchell might follow. Roos to stay and fight for the #1 spot with the new keeper. That might frighten some of you but the keeper who ousted Carson is still in there. He lost "it" earlier this season, then Hamer had a mare and Roos was back with 2 MOTM displays and then getting a head knock after 12 minutes at Brum. Ravas to be #3, possibly out on loan with a recall clause.
RB: Wisdom 1st choice with Bogle as cover and possibly also playing a more forward role
RCB: te Wierik with Davies, Wiz and Evans as cover
LCB: would be great to see Clarke back permanently but any return is likely to be another loan. Failing that we have Bielik. We saw his issues with the DM role last season and I fancy him to have a run at LCD. Foz as cover.
LB: I fancy Buchanan to get the nod. Foz as cover. Lowe on loan. Malone gone.
RDM: Bird has made a case for keeping the role. Evans as cover
LDM: I think we'll see Rooney there but I'd play him sparingly. His last 6 games were between 3 and 5 out of 10 performances. I can see him and Shinnie sharing the role. especially in the Sat/Tues/Sat weeks
CM: Sibley will make that role his own. Lawro, if he's still here, can be cover as I think he'd do better there than out wide
LM: Lawro if he's still here or Knight or maybe even JML.
RM: Waggy, Marriott, Holmes, Whittaker
CF: Martin, if here. Waggy and Hector-Ingram pushing each other for the shirt or,of course Jack the lad.
Ins? New keeper. Clarke? A midfield destroyer in the Seth lad mould Striker? possibly not if JHI steps up to the plate and Jack is fit and firing.
Outs? any player whose name I haven't mentioned.
Carson
Jozefzoon
Bennett