With bent having a decent game last night tracking back well, making himself a pain for the Liverpool center backs and starting to show abit of fight for his position would you start him against west brom or would a fit Mitroglou be given his first start?
049:gif
If needed I'd like to see Mitroglu come on for the last 1/2 hour, Bent should be able to do a job against WBA
Mitroglou from the start please.
Bent did well but I cannot wait to see the Greek and Holtby linking up.
Got to be Mitroglou imo. He'll give us the hold up play when we smash it out which Bent really doesn't.
What's wrong with playing both?
Quote from: Andy S on February 13, 2014, 12:10:43 PM
What's wrong with playing both?
Who would you drop to accommodate them both?
Quote from: Andy S on February 13, 2014, 12:10:43 PM
What's wrong with playing both?
We lose the midfield battle if we go two up front.
Both is possible against West Brom, as they play 442 under Pepe Mel I believe.
However, I'd rather take control of the midfield with three in there (Kvist holding to support the defence with the extra attacker) than play both Bent and Mitroglou. It has to be the Greek for me as he's a much more all-round forward.
Quote from: H4usuallysitting on February 13, 2014, 11:58:35 AM
If needed I'd like to see Mitroglu come on for the last 1/2 hour, Bent should be able to do a job against WBA
So......last game of the season, Kostas comes on to play his first full game. We win 10-o and get relegated. Why don't we contact Roy and ask him if he's though about recalling John Terry, then how about Bent? There is only one option that will work against WBA: Kasami up front for 30 minutes, then bring on Kostas.
I don't rate Bent purely because he doesn't win a single header as he jumps to early every time. Get Mitroglou on from the start no messing about. We need a win and with his hold up play and aerial threat + strength him and Holtby should be able to create chances. This is a must win game a draw wont be enough so Rene must treat it that way.
Got to start Mitroglou if he's fit but Bent to come off the bench in the second half when we're hopefully leading 049:gif
Can't play both as that would leave just Sidwell/Kvist and Holtby in the middle which would leave us too exposed. Holtby simply HAS to play.
Mitroglou - even if it's only for 45mins - he could get us a very important goal.
Quote from: SKSW6 on February 13, 2014, 12:04:39 PM
Got to be Mitroglou imo. He'll give us the hold up play when we smash it out which Bent really doesn't.
I think the problem is less about Bent's deficiencies as a hold up player and more about the rest of the team's abilities to play balls into his runs. The rest of the team need to figure out that he's not Berba and start maximizing the talents that he has.
It's somewhat like with Dembele the 1st and, more recently, Kieran. Once we begin to stop asking them to be something that they really are not, then there is this "revelation". I don't contend that he's our savior, but he can be far more effective if the rest of the team, and management, play to his strengths.
if we lose the wba game (god forbid) i think we would be 10/1 on to be relegated on betfair (currently 1.40). almost a certainty. there is no coming back from that. so do we just park the triple decker bus and play 6-4-0 like we did against man u or do we just go for 'no risk no reward' and play 2 upfront. bent and the greek and go for 3 pts?
start kostas imo
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on February 13, 2014, 02:37:53 PM
Quote from: SKSW6 on February 13, 2014, 12:04:39 PM
Got to be Mitroglou imo. He'll give us the hold up play when we smash it out which Bent really doesn't.
I think the problem is less about Bent's deficiencies as a hold up player and more about the rest of the team's abilities to play balls into his runs.
No he really is that bad at holding the ball up.
As someone pointed out in another thread, Rene seems to want to use all of his signings straight away (except Cole). So I'd assume that Mitroglu will go from the start, especially as he now seems match fit (add that to the teen days between now and the W.B.A game)
Quote from: nixie-ffc on February 13, 2014, 02:43:01 PM
if we lose the wba game (god forbid) i think we would be 10/1 on to be relegated on betfair (currently 1.40). almost a certainty. there is no coming back from that. so do we just park the triple decker bus and play 6-4-0 like we did against man u or do we just go for 'no risk no reward' and play 2 upfront. bent and the greek and go for 3 pts?
that does not even make sense why would the odds get bigger when we lose another game it would shorten.
and yes bent has done better these last 2 games but has to be mitroglou for me we dont often spend 12 mill on a players so fingers crossed he is good
Quote from: ltd-ffc on February 13, 2014, 02:55:50 PM
Quote from: nixie-ffc on February 13, 2014, 02:43:01 PM
if we lose the wba game (god forbid) i think we would be 10/1 on to be relegated on betfair (currently 1.40). almost a certainty. there is no coming back from that. so do we just park the triple decker bus and play 6-4-0 like we did against man u or do we just go for 'no risk no reward' and play 2 upfront. bent and the greek and go for 3 pts?
that does not even make sense why would the odds get bigger when we lose another game it would shorten.
and yes bent has done better these last 2 games but has to be mitroglou for me we dont often spend 12 mill on a players so fingers crossed he is good
He said 10/1 on, which means 1/10. So they would shorten.
Although he ran about a bit and created a bit of space (which we had nobody to exploit) I was unconvinced by Bent.
With the better stuff now (belatedly) being supplied by Holtby & co. any front man would look better than before. Bent's control is, to my eyes, poor and I would fervently hope that Mitroglou would be a much better bet.
Mitroglou has to start if he is fit. I want to see how he links with Holtby.
Quote from: Julius Geezer on February 13, 2014, 02:50:51 PM
Quote from: ToodlesMcToot on February 13, 2014, 02:37:53 PM
Quote from: SKSW6 on February 13, 2014, 12:04:39 PM
Got to be Mitroglou imo. He'll give us the hold up play when we smash it out which Bent really doesn't.
I think the problem is less about Bent's deficiencies as a hold up player and more about the rest of the team's abilities to play balls into his runs.
No he really is that bad at holding the ball up.
You missed my point. He isn't and never has been a striker who should hold the ball. So why should he be good at it. We're wasting money if that he was we're renting him for. The team needs to be playing balls into his runs if he is ever to be effective. In fact, he showed much better last night when we were attempting to do just that.
Still has zero composure in front of goal.
Whatever way you look at it, he isn't good enough.
If we had a competent striker, games could be affected from early on.
Some people are suggesting it was his best game last night so far, yet I saw several good pieces of passing and movement throughout the team let down by his Sunday League touch.
The attempt to skin Cissoko in the second half was embarrassing!
Bent will still improve with more game time - and increased match fitness with playing.
But Mitro has to have a chance to start, maybe they might start together sometimes.
I have spoken to my Greek mate who keeps in touch with Greek football. It was my Greek mate that first alerted me that he was linked with Fulham. He says that Mitroglou is used to playing as a lone forward, he is strong, pacey (without being fast) and can hold up the ball. He also believes that he could score 8-10 goals for us before the end of the season.
I will take that.
The problem with Bent this season is that he seems to have lost his clinical touch, he has had many very good chances that he has not put away which undermines a lot of the rationale of starting with him. I'd rather go with Greek, he seems full of confidence popping in two goals from distance for the U21's and has a week an half to practice with the team and for the team to understand his strengths. Might be another Pog come to rescue out season.
For the record, I have nothing against starting Mitroglu. In fact, I welcome it.
I only have issues with criticizing Bent for not being good enough holding up play. It's just not his game. His first touch has been pretty woeful by and large and he's wasted his fair share of opportunities to be sure.
With more playing time, I have no doubt that he'd improve and that our revamped midfield would provide the opportunities for improvement.
Mitroglou from the start if he's ready. How is this even a question?
You don't pay 12M at the deadline to start Darren Bent when Mitroglou is ready to go. /thread