Pouso

sporaddick

Anyone seen him play in the reserves? If so, what do you reckon?

Apart from the bit part he played against Portsmouth when he was clearly not match fit I haven't been able to see anything of him now that the reserves play at Gravesend.

I know when he came in he was described as a combative midfielder but South Americans are usually technically good and good passers of the ball. Could he be the missing link we are looking for in the centre when he is fit or is that just wishful thinking?

AFKABartram

i'll admit i've not seen any more than you, but the impression i got of him was he was more of a tidy player, than a creative player to be honest.

I've said before, if we are to get any decent creativity then we are relying on Ambrose, Romm, Thomas and Reid to supply the goods from wide. If Reid gets has a run and gets proper fit, maybe he can move more central, but i can't see it at this moment in time.

sporaddick

I know what you mean but I wasn't sure how much his game was affected by his lack of fitness - just doing the simple things!

It really is a problem - not sure if there is such a thing as a fit lean Reid - Ambrose is just too lightweight although not without skill and he can hit a mean volley. Romm again is infuriatingly frustrating - final ball is usually just not good enough he seems to panic the nearer he gets to the goal! Thomas will hopefully continue to improve but doesn't really help us as a fixture in the centre of the pitch.

I was hoping that having already got Faye in to do the enforcer job that Pouso might be a bit more creative but oh well!

Ketman

Interesting really that we have still to see a lot of Dowie's signings still to have a long run whilst staying fit spell in the team. Of the ones that have thus far Carson & Faye have been excellent only JFH has dis-appointed. Traore, Reid, Pouso, Diawarra, all potentially could yet prove to be great signings. Plus we have yet to see Gibbs & Walton.

Henry Irving

Pouso is meant to be a passing player who can "ping" the ball about as well as being able to put his foot in. The reason he is on loan is that you don't know if a south American player will be able to settle in the Uk or be able to cope with Prem football. Did he play for the ressies this week?

razil

Last year we played with an attacking midfielder and wingers in a 451, for the first part of the season this worked well, however we got found out, or some keys players went off form, or whatever explanation you want to offer.

I think it would be a good idea to have the 'Murphy option' for when we play 451, but I don't think we have that player in the squad anymore. Another problem was we relied on it too much last year and it that sense became a bit one dimensional..

R

sporaddick

Henry - pinging the ball about sounds good to me as long as he is pinging it to our players!

He did play for the reserves but I don't know anyone who can get to them these days - used to go regularly myself and knew about 10 others who went regularly/randomly who don't go now either so no info on his performances thus far apart from what can be gleaned form the o/s.

AFKABartram

I suspect most of the 'pinging' will be made in a sideways, controlling manner with the motive being ball retention. I do not think he will have much attacking thrust to him, so i don't expect many defence spilling passes.

More than happy to be proved wrong though.

sporaddick

I suppose the topical question is?

Is he better than Bryan Hughes there?

Slow down! Slow down! Not all at once!

Barn Door Varney

[cite] razil:[/cite]Last year we played with an attacking midfielder and wingers in a 451, for the first part of the season this worked well, however we got found out, or some keys players went off form, or whatever explanation you want to offer.

I think it would be a good idea to have the 'Murphy option' for when we play 451, but I don't think we have that player in the squad anymore. Another problem was we relied on it too much last year and it that sense became a bit one dimensional..

R

I don't see why either Ambrose couldn't play in that role. I think one of the reasons the 4-5-1 went a bit pear was Murphy's lack of mobility made him easy to mark out of the game. While Ambrose may not be as good at picking out inch perfect passes, he has shown that he is able to take players on at pace. i also think that he is much better when he plays through the middle and he himself has said that he prefers playing there.

For Saturday I'd go for a 4-3-3. Faye, Ambrose and Kish (or Pouso if fit) in the middle. Romedahl, DB and Thomas up front

razil

I'm not sure Ambrose is that mobile either (mind you he has been carrying a knock, and tends to get played on left or right of midfield), he's so lightweight too and I'm not sure he's skilled enough either, other than that I like him.... he is one of several options I guess.

At home I'd be more inclined to play 442 with two wingers, and say Pouso and Faye in the middle, 2 up front.

Hey but what do I know

R)

Oakster

Razil - I think I made the right decision in my days as CIFC Chairman to turn down your application to be our First Team Manager - Rick Baker was a better choice

although to be honest our "Brian Clough" was Riscardo - I remember his first game in charge of CIFC when he selected 12 outfield players & the sole word written on his clipboard during the first 90 minutes was DEFENCE underlined about 4 times

razil

you been on the funny fags again? So give us your team then baldy?? Rumour as I hear it is you only used to get in the team cos you picked yourself.....

T

Thomas can play down the middle as the attacking player in a 5 man midfield. He's a different type of solution in that he can run at centrebacks to create rather than pass his way pass the back 4.

reserves

I watched Pouso in the reserves, didn't notice it was him until I saw a team sheet, he did not stand out whatsover, cut the defence open once, but not good enough for the prem on this showing. First touch wasn't that tidy. Ambrose, Pouso and Thomas all played in midfield but couldn't break down a generally poor Fulham side.

Ashton had a terrible terrible game, missed balls as they bounced over his head etc.. looked like he was kinda limping, may have been injured, otherwise I would have suggested moving HH into DB and putting him left back.

To sum up, Pouso is not currently the answer to our creative midfield problems, before the reserve game I would have said Ambrose was the answer but he really didn't impress either. However my team for Watford would be:


_________Carson
Young Fortune Diawara HH
Romm Faye Kish Thomas
_______ Ambrose
________ D. Bent