It's a hell of a gamble, though, and everybody would be on Mowbray's back if it didn't work.
It's a hell of a gamble, though, and everybody would be on Mowbray's back if it didn't work.
Yes they probably would but would McBride offer any less than Gallagher would currently?
Dolan is looking lost now and would seriously look to elliot to provide something different.
If you dont try something different you will never know.
Rankin Costello is fit again,he could provide a spark and again might not.
All I know is that offensively we looked awful on Saturday and I would rather shake things up,than risk another drab display.
I don't think it is a gamble. I think we have all seen more than enough of a centre forward being played on a wing wing. He is completely ineffective. As is Brereton in reality. We are a season in now, and neither isn't even showing any sign that he will ever score on a consistent basis. You can't have 2 of your forwards scoring 3 goals between them all season, that's a gamble.
Mcbride will be like Dolan. Hit and miss. But worth the gamble all the same.
Gallagher is miss miss unfortunately. Obviously never playing him where he can hurt them is a huge factor.
That's my concern with Mcbride.
He will be shoved out wide where he isn't effective. That to me would be the only issue.
The problem Mowbray has, though, is that Armstrong prefers centre-forward and is our leading scorer.
So do we abandon the 4-3-3, or do we have McBride at No. 9 with Armstrong as the support striker in a 4-4-2?
In fact, Mowbray doesn't seem to like 4-4-2 at all, which is why we end up with this notion of a "wide forward".
It worked well in the two big victories, but it has also looked ineffectual quite often.
I just can't see how McBride is going to be pushed ahead of both Brereton and Gallagher.
I always fail to second-guess Mowbray, but my OWN selection might be:
Kaminski
Nyambe Ayala Williams Douglas
Rankin-Costello Holtby Trybull (or Evans or Johnson)
Gallagher Armstrong Brereton.
There is no winger there, but I quite like wingers as 30-minute impact players, anyway, and we have Dolan, Chapman and Elliott to choose from. (I'm assuming Rothwell is unavailable).
I am still baffled by the signing of Elliott. Would TM have got him without promising Liverpool he would get a certain number of games?
It's got to the stage, for me, where Brereton and Gallagher get three more full games - on the principle of s*it or bust.
If it doesn't work, TM will have to swallow his pride and start without them.
Unfortunately, Butterworth and Vale are still not fully fit.
Last edited by AucklandRover; 21-10-2020 at 01:14 AM.
Brereton I still am willing to persevere with but Gallagher for me times up.
Brereton and Gallagher have already had three games too many. We can't keep playing with 9 men