Josh Passley at right midfield?

[FPT]

I appreciate the defensive job Ryan Tunnicliffe does, but he's provided very little going forward, it's almost as though we're playing with a lopsided formation.

What I propose is, we place Josh Passley ahead of Sascha Riether. Passley has more pace and power than Tunnicliffe, meaning he can provide a similar burst to Richardson on the other side. Naturally being a right back, Passley has got energy and the work rate to bomb up and down the pitch, providing to the counter attack as well as dropping in to create almost a 5 man defence and Riether as a right sided centre back.

-------Stekelenburg
Riether Heitinga Burn Riise
Passley Sidwell Kvist Richardson
----------Holtby
---------Mitroglou

Just a thought, in an ideal world Ashkan Dejagah can do that job but Rene clearly doesn't think the defensive discipline is there.

[Moussa Dembele the 3rd]

What about Kasami? Surely he's better than Passley.

[FPT]

What about Kasami? Surely he's better than Passley.

Same as Tunnicliffe, clearly not a wide midfielder, Kasami has little impact out wide. Passley can actually beat his man around the outside and get crosses into the box.

[Moussa Dembele the 3rd]

Ok I see where you're going. Could work given our current tactical set up.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I'm waiting for the team to hash out a bit before assuming too much about it's make up. Playing these past two games - and going forward to the Chelsea and Man City matches - required special tactics and personnel. The main body of the remainder of our games will give us a better idea how Rene intends to play and how our roster will be used.

I'm hopeful that Ashkan will find his way back into the 1st team with a little less pressure to defend at all costs.

[ToodlesMcToot]

I don't have anything against a Passley experiment at RM, but I don't think Rene has the luxury of experimentation with the "winnable" games. Will certainly be interesting to see how the 1st eleven evolves over the remainder of the season.

[ltd-ffc]

agree with toodles askan first dont think we should risk passley if we were still in the cup the could of well be worth a try

[valdeingruo]

I am with Toodles on this one, we have no idea how offensive Tunncliffe is, as the only matches we have seen him are two where defense is the only mindset. The true indicators of our new squad will be at West Brom etc.

[MasterHaynes]

Tunnicliffe by his own admo=ission is not a wide player, but does more experience than Josh, I was a bit disapointed that Josh was not given more freedom in the cup games to make forward runs, he seemed a bit shackled and kept having to pass to Parker 5-10 yards away. I think Josh would have been worth a shot there if we had had no improvement in performance but the team is performing and settled and I think Tunnicliffe has earned the right to the place. I don't think he would let anyone down if he had to come on from the bench should either Tunnicliffe or Reither had to go off so maybe a place on the bench. I'd still like to see him play alongside Burn, he looked right at home playing the Hughes roll(with pace!)in the U18's with Burns height and Josh speed and strength they could make a formidable partnership.

[EJL]

What about Kasami? Surely he's better than Passley.

Same as Tunnicliffe, clearly not a wide midfielder, Kasami has little impact out wide. Passley can actually beat his man around the outside and get crosses into the box.

Showed very little of that over 210 minutes against Sheffield United.

[jmh]

What I propose is, we place Josh Passley ahead of Sascha Riether. Passley has more pace and power than Tunnicliffe, meaning he can provide a similar burst to Richardson on the other side. Naturally being a right back, Passley has got energy and the work rate to bomb up and down the pitch, providing to the counter attack as well as dropping in to create almost a 5 man defence and Riether as a right sided centre back.

Has Passley ever played midfield?  Richardson in front of Riise works so well because Richardson is naturally a midfielder.  It's not like we just picked any left back and played him at midfield and it worked out - it wouldn't work just to, say, play Briggs (when healthy) in front of Richardson, for example.

[Walsh]

may I ask what games you're going off when saying he doesn't make an impact going forward? I'm sure the only two games he's played are United and Liverpool and I'm sure he has been told to play as a second right back, I don't think you can judge Ryan until he actually gets to play wide right rather than a second right back.

[Humbled]

Passley has been our brightest up n coming player this season to have play in the 1st team. Dembele will be a class act when he embeds into the 1st team squad permanently but as of yet has only had a few minutes.
I wouldn't play him right midfield though.
Tunnicliffe has surprised me big time, I am totally against central players playing out wide but he has done very well in the past 2 games. He can run, he works hard and is very good defensive cover. Also, against Liverpool (especially in the 1st half) showed he can get up there and get involved in an attacking sense also.

[FPT]

may I ask what games you're going off when saying he doesn't make an impact going forward? I'm sure the only two games he's played are United and Liverpool and I'm sure he has been told to play as a second right back, I don't think you can judge Ryan until he actually gets to play wide right rather than a second right back.

I watched him at Ipswich, Millwall away and Charlton away. Of course, he's only 21 but he's also technically limited, no different to Scott Parker in that sense.

I don't want to take away from his defensive contribution, he's been fantastic but as I say, he's provided very little going forward as of yet, and even if he does get a chance in the middle, at this juncture he won't improve upon what we have. I think his defensive solidity is gaining him points when he provides little else than that. See Kieran Richardson, he is allowed to get forward, but doesn't, and barring that shot in the first couple of minutes against Liverpool, provides very little when he does.

[Jack Fulham]

What about Kasami? Surely he's better than Passley.

Same as Tunnicliffe, clearly not a wide midfielder, Kasami has little impact out wide. Passley can actually beat his man around the outside and get crosses into the box.

Showed very little of that over 210 minutes against Sheffield United.

Anyone that has watched him for U18's or U21's will know that he is. Wouldn't say he's the greatest crosser though, likes to get to byline and cut it back. I think most our players showed very little over 210 minutes vs Sheff Utd.

[FPT]

What I propose is, we place Josh Passley ahead of Sascha Riether. Passley has more pace and power than Tunnicliffe, meaning he can provide a similar burst to Richardson on the other side. Naturally being a right back, Passley has got energy and the work rate to bomb up and down the pitch, providing to the counter attack as well as dropping in to create almost a 5 man defence and Riether as a right sided centre back.

Has Passley ever played midfield?  Richardson in front of Riise works so well because Richardson is naturally a midfielder.  It's not like we just picked any left back and played him at midfield and it worked out - it wouldn't work just to, say, play Briggs (when healthy) in front of Richardson, for example.

Yes, especially with Alex Brister back from injury, he'll slot ahead of him. Happened vs. Chelsea the other week.

[FPT]

Just tweeted by Josh Passley:

Right midfield (with three thought bubbles)

[Black, White and Fred]

is he reading the forum??

[valdeingruo]

is he reading the forum??

I would imagine the younger players would be more keen to look at this and other pages.

[FPT]

is he reading the forum??

I would imagine the younger players would be more keen to look at this and other pages.

That or he searched "Josh Passley" in Twitter so he can see what people are saying. I took the debate to Twitter too.