Owen Coyle Football manager :The Bored Game

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Two weeks with nothing to moan about,not even a lame statement about needing to score more and concede less from our resident football genius. However we've had time to see the stark reality of what we have and the loan transfer window is now open so time for a quick game of "You are the Boss". You have to decide on your starting 11 and preferred formation and prioritise any additions needed to the squad. It's shit or bust time,the team looks lost the fans are on your back blah blah blah.

Anyway here's my stab at the game

Bogdan

Riley Ricketts Knight Loan signing/Ream
Andrews Spearing
CYL Alonso
Eagles
Sordell


So yep back to 451,play your best defender where he can have the most impact.Sign a left back(Danny Higginbotham is available but no idea whether thats a good idea or not) or try Ream there as he is quick and can play football but needs to rebuild his confidence(inevitable after 6 months at Fawlty Towers)

Play Alonso on the left as he might offer some support to the fullback and having spent 2.5 million on him and realised he cant play left back we need to find some use for him(I still reckon a Campo role would work if we used that system because he's spanish and dozy)

Play Eagles behind the striker as he is our most dangerous/creative player if he's allowed to drift about a little and because he cant tackle or support a fulback and try Sordell up front because he is mobile and appears willing to have a go.

Thinking of subs brings home how unbalanced the squad is now Moo has retired and Vela is injured,infact we really need another more defensicve minded midfielder who ideally can play on the left side too.

Mavis and Petrov can have more impact coming on than starting and we should be tighter with this 11 than we are with those two starting,plenty of options for switching to 442 or replacing a tiring front man/man in the hole and keeping 451.

So there you go a team barely alive but we can rebuild them etc,promotion by xmas guaranteed,just get a couple of players in on loan or on frees decide on your best 11 and best system and stick with it.

So what do you reckon?
nb this is you are the manager not what did owen do next so lets try to be positive and make the best of a bad situation. It's at least a week till our next major disappointment so there will be plenty more time to play "guess the manager" and "Has he gone yet" then.

[Dave Sutton's barnet]

Ream at left-back is an interesting idea. Pace, positioning, passing. Might feel like an admission of defeat to play him there. Just don't mention Gerald Cid.

Can see what you mean about Alonso playing further forward, although the interior cynic smiles that two years of Coyle can wreak havoc on a fan's psyche: "play a centre-back at left-back! And a left-back at left midfield! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE STOP CONCEDING!!!!!"

I still think we've got the players to play our way out of this. I'd still go for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 with Spearing giving Andrews (and others) a bit more licence to get forward.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Ream at left-back is an interesting idea. Pace, positioning, passing. Might feel like an admission of defeat to play him there. Just don't mention Gerald Cid.

Can see what you mean about Alonso playing further forward, although the interior cynic smiles that two years of Coyle can wreak havoc on a fan's psyche: "play a centre-back at left-back! And a left-back at left midfield! FOR CHRIST'S SAKE STOP CONCEDING!!!!!"

I still think we've got the players to play our way out of this. I'd still go for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 with Spearing giving Andrews (and others) a bit more licence to get forward.

I said 451 but really it is more like the numbers you used. Spearing an anchor to some extent,Andrews getting forward Nolan style, Eagles and Sordell providing movement and alternating in who is furthest forward. It would just be helpful to have 4 players capable of defending infron of the back 4 when we dont have the ball.When we do have it there should also be some degree of restraint in midfield too so if andrews pushes on alonso may be more likely to cover. It's not just the back 4 that concede the goals it's the way coyle sets up his midfield. Too often it's like watching kids playing next goal wins.

If we are ever going to get value from coyles signing s he may have to concede his mistakes and look at the skills set to select a postion. He would earn more respect doing that than continuing to play them in the position they were signed for and watching them fail.

[Jez]

Apparently Tim Ream was a left back while at college but converted to center back when he became a professional, maybe in an English league he'd be more suited to left back rather than having to up the physicality of his game.

[officer_dibble]

Tim Ream left back? Isnt he left footed?

[bobo the clown]

Tim Ream left back? Isnt he left footed?

[Bruce Rioja]

Go and have a look at Hull's third goal again then tell me once again that Wet Ream might be able to play left back. Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Go and have a look at Hull's third goal again then tell me once again that Wet Ream might be able to play left back. Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans.

I think on that evidence you'd be saying he cant play in the back 4 per se and certainly not centre half. The point is someone so lightweight will never cut it at CH in the UK but with pace and a left foot he could do a decent job at left back. There is also the matter of confidence. At CH he will have a hell of a time trying to recover from his current form. At left back he may have a chance as it's less exposed and less physical.

Not sure we can afford to be giving up on players we paid decent money for hence the need to find useful roles for Alonso and Ream.

[Odelay]

I'm bored already.

[Jakerbeef]

Go and have a look at Hull's third goal again then tell me once again that Wet Ream might be able to play left back. Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans.

Nicking that.

[boltonboris]

Go and have a look at Hull's third goal again then tell me once again that Wet Ream might be able to play left back. Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans.

I think on that evidence you'd be saying he cant play in the back 4 per se and certainly not centre half. The point is someone so lightweight will never cut it at CH in the UK but with pace and a left foot he could do a decent job at left back. There is also the matter of confidence. At CH he will have a hell of a time trying to recover from his current form. At left back he may have a chance as it's less exposed and less physical.

Not sure we can afford to be giving up on players we paid decent money for hence the need to find useful roles for Alonso and Ream.

So, if you can run in a straight line speed in no more than average time you can be a full-back, despite being weak as piss, scared of the ball and with shit positional sense?

He's probably more suited to playing on the right wing than he is of playing anywhere at the back.

[Ianmooreslovechild]

Go and have a look at Hull's third goal again then tell me once again that Wet Ream might be able to play left back. Sweet baby Jesus and the orphans.

I think on that evidence you'd be saying he cant play in the back 4 per se and certainly not centre half. The point is someone so lightweight will never cut it at CH in the UK but with pace and a left foot he could do a decent job at left back. There is also the matter of confidence. At CH he will have a hell of a time trying to recover from his current form. At left back he may have a chance as it's less exposed and less physical.

Not sure we can afford to be giving up on players we paid decent money for hence the need to find useful roles for Alonso and Ream.

So, if you can run in a straight line speed in no more than average time you can be a full-back, despite being weak as piss, scared of the ball and with shit positional sense?
He's probably more suited to playing on the right wing than he is of playing anywhere at the back.

Now you're just being negative.

We have lots of wingers and he's left footed so I dont think yiou're thinking deeply enough about the issue

[boltonboris]

That's what I mean.. He's clearly not suited to being a right winger, but I'd still rather have him there than in the back 4