The Matt Grimes problem? (3 Viewers)

[petch86]

Don’t think you need the profile of the whole team to be battlers, but I hear ya. You need a decent amount of them and I agree Grimes is not that guy.

You need the middle to be battlers then a few star players allowed to do their thing. Unfortunately I feel we have neither

 

[CCFC96]

Today was THE game for Grimes. We seen him dictate the play home and away most games last season. Thought he started well but got worse as the game went on when things were not happening for us. His dead ball deliveries were pants aswell. It could be like playing with 10 next week at Man City if he starts as we are going to need runners and legs to ultimately dig in as we will be under the cosh. I’d throw Hamer in-can’t do any worse as it’s another free hit. Only thing in regards to Gus is I hope he hasn’t been signed on the basis of what he has done for us instead of what he can do for us. Hoping it’s the later.

People say this but last season we absolutely also could not break down a low block. Hull twice, Oxford at home, Wednesday at home. As several have said it’s tactical, we work the ball out wide and then whip crosses in for 3 massive centre halves to head clear.

Rudoni drags himself out wide far too often so the striker gets isolated and even with solid hold up, there’s nothing there to play off.

I imagine we’ll be 5 back going forward similar to how we played when Lampard first joined post Pompey result.

Rushworth

MvE Thomas Amenda Pinnock JDS

Yirenkyi Frank/Grimes Hamer/Rudoni

Cherif Awoniyi

 

[petch86]

If that happens we've had a stinker of a transfer window as we've not brought in players for that formation. And will be too lightweight in the middle.

 

[CCFC96]

I think you’re making a mistake comparing the premier league with the championship. The PL does not have the same unpredictability. Today was a damaging result for confidence and simply just mathematically.

The prem does have that unpredictability to be fair. United lost to Hull, Brentford stuck 4 past spurs, Bournemouth nearly got a win at the etihad. That was one week.

 

[Jamesimus]

You need the middle to be battlers then a few star players allowed to do their thing. Unfortunately I feel we have neither

Yirenkyi and Onyeka look like battlers, albeit the former is very young. Hamer could battle if the games were only 10 minutes long.

 

[TomRad85]

People say this but last season we absolutely also could not break down a low block. Hull twice, Oxford at home, Wednesday at home. As several have said it’s tactical, we work the ball out wide and then whip crosses in for 3 massive centre halves to head clear.

Rudoni drags himself out wide far too often so the striker gets isolated and even with solid hold up, there’s nothing there to play off.

I imagine we’ll be 5 back going forward similar to how we played when Lampard first joined post Pompey result.

Rushworth

MvE Thomas Amenda Pinnock JDS

Yirenkyi Frank/Grimes Hamer/Rudoni

Cherif Awoniyi

Could EMC play off Taiwo with freedom to float wide? Feel like he could do that.
Also be tempted to try Tchaouna RWB as MvE has been diabolical.

 

[CCFC96]

Could EMC play off Taiwo with freedom to float wide? Feel like who could do that.
Also be tempted to try Tchaouna RWB as MvE has been diabolical.

Tbf I don’t hate the idea of EMC or Rudi playing off the striker. Just not BTA

 

[jto123]

Im not making that mistake at all.
Im Just not going to write the season off after 1 bad result and 1 that was totally expected.

I was responding to your point that we dropped points to the worst teams in the championship last year. The leeway to make up those points in the championship is completely different in the PL. We will be lucky to get 3 points all season against the top 6 in the PL. Not the case in the championship.

 

[petch86]

Yirenkyi and Onyeka look like battlers, albeit the former is very young. Hamer could battle if the games were only 10 minutes long.

Headless chickens at time.

 

[Jamesimus]

Headless chickens at time.

Also can’t argue with that

 

[clint van damme]

I was responding to your point that we dropped points to the worst teams in the championship last year. The leeway to make up those points in the championship is completely different in the PL. We will be lucky to get 3 points all season against the top 6 in the PL. Not the case in the championship.

Of course its more difficult. But football would not be the sport it is if it was that predictable that every result went the way it should.

Theres a long way to go yet, carry on like yesterday and we're doomed, but I dont see that being allowed to happen.

 

[Londonccfcfan]

You need the middle to be battlers then a few star players allowed to do their thing. Unfortunately I feel we have neither

We have Onyenka and Yirenchi. That imo is almost perfect.

 

[Jamesimus]

Headless chickens at time.

There’s definitely something to be said about the paradoxical nature of “headless chicken” comments.

If fans don’t see players running around a lot; they’d say they weren’t battling. Likewise if you see players running around a lot battling, some fans will say “headless chicken”.

The reality is Grimes is the kind of player that definitely needs one / maybe two players next to him that will be the “headless chicken” and try and get stuck in.

 

[jto123]

Of course its more difficult. But football would not be the sport it is if it was that predictable that every result went the way it should.

Theres a long way to go yet, carry on like yesterday and we're doomed, but I dont see that being allowed to happen.

Maybe I’m just more cynical about the PL than you. I just think that unpredictable nature is less and less in the top league.

 

[petch86]

There’s definitely something to be said about the paradoxical nature of “headless chicken” comments.

If fans don’t see players running around a lot; they’d say they weren’t battling. Likewise if you see players running around a lot battling, some fans will say “headless chicken”.

The reality is Grimes is the kind of player that definitely needs one / maybe two players next to him that will be the “headless chicken” and try and get stuck in.

But at times there's no shape when they go chasing.

Just think when grimes is given the ball in the middle most times the ball is then slowed down too much and instead of trying the odd pass through the lines or quick one touch pass it's another touch then pass sideways. It can look ok but it's never hurting a team playing that way.

 

[thezunigadream]

We just won’t be able to sit back and recycle from the halfway line like we did last year, the pressing will be too much.

Grimes will have to adapt but I’m not certain he will, that’s fine he’s a great player but they all have levels.

Robins was good at calling this (doyle, Westbrooke etc.) and moving on, difficult but maybe necessary.

 

[SBAndy]

The only way it works having Grimes in the team, given the general calibre of opposition, is if we have Onyeka and Yirenkyi either side but also play far far more direct. He’d need to be playing longer and quicker passes to runners up top.

It worked well last year because he was probably the best passer on the pitch in any given game. This season he’ll probably not be in the top 5. It’s a shame but unless we basically sacrifice the rest of the team there’s no room for him.

 

[Nick]

Tbf I don’t hate the idea of EMC or Rudi playing off the striker. Just not BTA

Rudoni drifts out wide too much.

I can't see that working on in the premier League

 

[clint van damme]

Rudoni drifts out wide too much.

I can't see that working on in the premier League

It drives me mad but its definitely under instruction

 

[Fergusons_Beard]

We’ve played 2 games and we’re righting off one of our best players.


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[Fergusons_Beard]

Rudoni drifts out wide too much.

I can't see that working on in the premier League

Absolutely this.

So much space in the middle of the park to get the ball and turn-Rudoni did it once in the first half and it opened up space.

We’ve got to be brave enough to pass through the lines and do it much quicker (something Lampard alluded to in post match interviews).

Same for when fullbacks got the ball on the wings in the oppositions half. Wingers stood still instead of making a run (therefore opening up space for full back to continue run or pass it). All that happened was that it clogged up space and the full back had to pass it back to the CB.

All very slow and ponderous.


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[speedie87]

Anyone know how many Grimes corners we have scored from v Rudoni?

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We just won’t be able to sit back and recycle from the halfway line like we did last year, the pressing will be too much.

Grimes will have to adapt but I’m not certain he will, that’s fine he’s a great player but they all have levels.

Robins was good at calling this (doyle, Westbrooke etc.) and moving on, difficult but maybe necessary.

Not without an obvious replacement.

 

[Warwickhunt]

We were 7 points behind the leaders in the championship after 4 games last season

 

[covboy9]

Grimes plays like his Mrs hasn’t given him a blowy for a year

 

[jto123]

We’ve played 2 games and we’re righting off one of our best players.


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I think it’s more tactical than to do with Grimes (although his set pieces and floating crosses do annoy me). He’s basically playing the same position as the championship which is harming our creativity and not helping us defensively. Great for last season but jury is out on whether it is sustainable in the PL. My instinct is he shouldn’t be starting.

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

The prem does have that unpredictability to be fair. United lost to Hull, Brentford stuck 4 past spurs, Bournemouth nearly got a win at the etihad. That was one week.

Unpredictable for a few games but you more or less who the top 6 will be most seasons

 

[vin10]

Anyone know how many Grimes corners we have scored from v Rudoni?

Not sure but it was frustrating just watching him put the same lobbed ball in everytime

 

[DACMAC]

I tried to check how many goals we had scored from a grimes set piece last seasonafter he floated a load of rubbish in against arsenal. And then lost interest. Thought same yesterday. They lack pace. Contrast torp vs Blackburn.

 

[jimmyhillsbarmyarmy]

Is the reason Grimes is on the ball so much because he is always making himself available, whereas other players aren't. And the reason he slows it down is because those players don't make themselves available to him either?

 

[Skyblue03]

Drops too deep for the ball which then leaves Yirenkyi over ran in the middle. Slows the pace right down and only seems to play sideways and backwards atm. With it difficult enough to create chances we need to take advantage of our set pieces, and his deliveries have been poor

 

[wingy]

And Torp as well. He didn’t dispatch the cross properly which started it all off…

He was being serenaded at the time, what went wrong?

 

[theskyisthelimit]

Grimes probably has the brain for the PL but I think we all knew his legs wouldn't be up to the standard unfortunately.

He is the midfield version of Dwight Gayle or Adam Armstrong. Seems a top class championship player but not at the level for the prem

 

[Hincha]

I’d drop Grimes against Man City and play a 3-4-2-1 of

Amenda-Thomas-Pinnock
MvE-Yirenkyi-Onyeka-Dasilva
Rudoni-EMC
Awoniyi

Think that would give us solidity/legs moving forwards

 

[shmmeee]

We’ve played 2 games and we’re righting off one of our best players.


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Just the one?