Worth a bump if for no other reason to see how quickly a player can go from being so good to being so bad. In some people's minds' that is.
Cousins still a good young player learning the game IMHO and one of our best this season and last.
But how we miss a sitting player who retains the ball so protecting the back four whilst buying us time to move up the pitch as well as passing the ball to the more creative players in the final third.
Yes, I'd have Poyet back like a shot.
People forget how bad we were last season. With Poyet in the team we were not all over other teams. We were desperately trying not to concede and trying to nick a goal here and there.
Worth a bump if for no other reason to see how quickly a player can go from being so good to being so bad. In some people's minds' that is.
Cousins still a good young player learning the game IMHO and one of our best this season and last.
But how we miss a sitting player who retains the ball so protecting the back four whilst buying us time to move up the pitch as well as passing the ball to the more creative players in the final third.
Yes, I'd have Poyet back like a shot.
People forget how bad we were last season. With Poyet in the team we were not all over other teams. We were desperately trying not to concede and trying to nick a goal here and there.
Generally players playing a CDM roll don't run the game, that's the midfield infront of his job, Poyets job was to break up the play and move it sidewards or forwards, to move defence into attack.
Poyet is a hell of a lot better of a player than Cousins, Cousins motivation and fitness is very impressive, but his understanding of the game isn't that of Poyet's, nor his tackling/passing calibre.
Cousins and Poyet played together a few times last season wth cousins ahead of Poyet. This suited them both as it allowed Cousins to uses his athleticism and stamina to support the forward players. Cousins has had a few poor games this year, mainly when the opposition have forced him into playing as a winger rather than a left midfielder. However, he is a very gifted and capable footballer who will become a very good player in time. Unfortunately his progress is being hampered by being played in different positions, sometimes three in the same game. Versatility can be a strength but also it can become a burden as he is finding out now. Play him regularly at CM and he will flourish.
Worth a bump if for no other reason to see how quickly a player can go from being so good to being so bad. In some people's minds' that is.
Cousins still a good young player learning the game IMHO and one of our best this season and last.
But how we miss a sitting player who retains the ball so protecting the back four whilst buying us time to move up the pitch as well as passing the ball to the more creative players in the final third.
Yes, I'd have Poyet back like a shot.
People forget how bad we were last season. With Poyet in the team we were not all over other teams. We were desperately trying not to concede and trying to nick a goal here and there.
Bit like this season then?
Cousins looked immense in the first few games I saw him play, Nottingham Forest at home sticks in the mind.
Since then I don't think he has come on at all, and actually looks like he is getting worse.
It is painfully obvious that he is not a winger. Either put him in his proper position, or don't put him in the side for crying out loud.
I posted this on another thread and copied it to the match thread it's about how I think we lack a proper defensive midfielder.
For me part of the problem of how we play stems from the lack of a proper defensive midfielder. We are using buyens in a more holding role but for me he seems to be more of a deeper lying creative playmaker in midfield so I don't think we will see the best of him in this role! Much like with Stephens we didn't see the neat of him until he had cousins playing behind him to free him up. Cousins did this role well for part of last year and the poyet did the same. This would allow buyens to get forward more and the we will be less reliant on Gudmundsson as the only creative spark going forwards. Another point about a defensive midfielder is that one will allow the fullbacks to bomb forwards more as they know that there is someone to drop in and cover their man if they lose the ball high up the pitch... This is why for much of the season Bob has kept the fullbacks back this has stopped Solly and Wiggins from being as effective as we know they can be.. more recently it has seemed bob has allowed the full backs to get forward however there is no coincidence that with no one to drop in and cover for them we have been weaker defensively conceded more goals and Bikey and Ben Haim have looked less comfortable. So how to remedy this? For me a proper defensive midfielder is top of my Jan wish list (after Igors strike partner) but until then I would play cousins in that role. I am aware that he is seen as more of a box to box midfielder now but he has occupied that role well alongside Stephens last year so can do it again.
The trouble is how does this work with the rest of the team
Henderson Solly Bikey TBH Wiggins Cousins Gud Buyens Jackson Igor Tucudean
This is assuming we have an injury free squad.. obviously hendo and Wiggins are out at the moment.
This has meant we have had to push Jackson out to the left which I'm not a great fan of. However I think at the moment we need two at the top so it's either that or drop Jackson which as I am a big fan of Jackson I'm not keen on..
Comments
Poyet is a hell of a lot better of a player than Cousins, Cousins motivation and fitness is very impressive, but his understanding of the game isn't that of Poyet's, nor his tackling/passing calibre.
Nice one Bob.
Give the kid a break and a chance to shine in his preferred position when (if) he gets the chance.
Cousins has had a few poor games this year, mainly when the opposition have forced him into playing as a winger rather than a left midfielder. However, he is a very gifted and capable footballer who will become a very good player in time.
Unfortunately his progress is being hampered by being played in different positions, sometimes three in the same game.
Versatility can be a strength but also it can become a burden as he is finding out now.
Play him regularly at CM and he will flourish.
Cousins looked immense in the first few games I saw him play, Nottingham Forest at home sticks in the mind.
Since then I don't think he has come on at all, and actually looks like he is getting worse.
It is painfully obvious that he is not a winger. Either put him in his proper position, or don't put him in the side for crying out loud.
For me part of the problem of how we play stems from the lack of a proper defensive midfielder. We are using buyens in a more holding role but for me he seems to be more of a deeper lying creative playmaker in midfield so I don't think we will see the best of him in this role! Much like with Stephens we didn't see the neat of him until he had cousins playing behind him to free him up. Cousins did this role well for part of last year and the poyet did the same. This would allow buyens to get forward more and the we will be less reliant on Gudmundsson as the only creative spark going forwards.
Another point about a defensive midfielder is that one will allow the fullbacks to bomb forwards more as they know that there is someone to drop in and cover their man if they lose the ball high up the pitch... This is why for much of the season Bob has kept the fullbacks back this has stopped Solly and Wiggins from being as effective as we know they can be.. more recently it has seemed bob has allowed the full backs to get forward however there is no coincidence that with no one to drop in and cover for them we have been weaker defensively conceded more goals and Bikey and Ben Haim have looked less comfortable.
So how to remedy this? For me a proper defensive midfielder is top of my Jan wish list (after Igors strike partner) but until then I would play cousins in that role. I am aware that he is seen as more of a box to box midfielder now but he has occupied that role well alongside Stephens last year so can do it again.
The trouble is how does this work with the rest of the team
Henderson
Solly Bikey TBH Wiggins
Cousins
Gud Buyens Jackson
Igor Tucudean
This is assuming we have an injury free squad.. obviously hendo and Wiggins are out at the moment.
This has meant we have had to push Jackson out to the left which I'm not a great fan of. However I think at the moment we need two at the top so it's either that or drop Jackson which as I am a big fan of Jackson I'm not keen on..