Ellis simms (8 Viewers)

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I’m just listening to last nights post-match and BTA confirmed he was playing through injuries throughout last season.

Significantly, it corroborates @Jimmy87 intel which confirmed all 3 of our strikers were dealing with significant knocks at the tail end of last season.

Last season was the statistical outlier for Simms and BTA so I’m not surprised that they’re doing much better. I didn’t expect to BTA to ‘pop off’ to the extent he has to be honest. This season may also be an outlier for BTA for all the right reasons.

BTA is playing so well, there’s a serious consideration as to how we reintegrate Rudoni in the team. He’s obviously a starter but do we continue with 4-4-2 or does BTA revert to one of the wings?

To answer that you probably first have to decide what our best starting 11 is, and I admit that I’m not sure. Ignoring the shape for a moment I’d suggest:

Rushworth
MVE
Thomas
Kitch
Dasilva
Grimes
Torp
Rudoni
Wright
Saka
BTA

How you set these up is pretty flexible.

 

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[Earlsdon_Skyblue1]

I’m just listening to last nights post-match and BTA confirmed he was playing through injuries throughout last season.

Significantly, it corroborates @Jimmy87 intel which confirmed all 3 of our strikers were dealing with significant knocks at the tail end of last season.

Last season was the statistical outlier for Simms and BTA so I’m not surprised that they’re doing much better. I didn’t expect to BTA to ‘pop off’ to the extent he has to be honest. This season may also be an outlier for BTA for all the right reasons.

BTA is playing so well, there’s a serious consideration as to how we reintegrate Rudoni in the team. He’s obviously a starter but do we continue with 4-4-2 or does BTA revert to one of the wings?

Like I said in another thread, we have some great competition for places. Who would have thought we would be having to strategise how to get Rudoni back in the team.

BTA is just a menace at the moment. When he took that second goal I didn't even think for a second that he would miss it.

We are a pleasure to watch.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

BTA and Haji upfront…

we haven’t played that have we?
BTA has always been on the wing

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

To answer that you probably first have to decide what our best starting 11 is, and I admit that I’m not sure. Ignoring the shape for a moment I’d suggest:

Rushworth
MVE
Thomas
Kitch
Dasilva
Grimes
Torp
Rudoni
Wright
Saka
BTA

How you set these up is pretty flexible.

I prefer EMC but there’s a good case to play Sakamoto if Rudoni has a free role from one of the wings.

Last night was Sakamoto’s best performance this season imo, an impact player from the bench is his niche.

If you’re 1 or 2-0 up, the last player the opposition wants to see is Sakamoto. The guy is tricky and doesn’t stop running.

For similar reasons, it’s why Lampard has kept Allen on board. Definitely not a ‘Top 6’ starter, but is a brilliant player to bring off the bench because he wins so many second balls with his energy.

They are both Duracell bunnies.

 

[SkyBlueMatt]

Great game from him last night, the pass for his 2nd assist was perfect. He should have had a goal but he is impacting games and you can see his confidence building.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I prefer EMC but there’s a good case to play Sakamoto if Rudoni has a free role from one of the wings.

Last night was Sakamoto’s best performance this season imo, an impact player from the bench is his niche.

If you’re 1 or 2-0 up, the last player the opposition wants to see is Sakamoto. The guy is tricky and doesn’t stop running.

For similar reasons, it’s why Lampard has kept Allen on board. Definitely not a ‘Top 6’ starter, but is a brilliant player to bring off the bench because he wins so many second balls with his energy.

They are both Duracell bunnies.

This is the thing isn’t it, it’s my gut feeling but then seems harsh to omit EMC. Saka looks in better form to me recently so he edges it.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

This is the thing isn’t it, it’s my gut feeling but then seems harsh to omit EMC. Saka looks in better form to me recently so he edges it.

Honestly? None of them are in form. We need more goals from them. At some point, the goals will slow down from Torp, BTA and Haji. Particularly, some of BTA and Torp’s goals have been low xG and that’s only sustainable for so long.

I think last nights flirtation with 3 ATB is a precursor for playing 5-3-2 more often this season. Last season we had a lot of joy with 5-3-2.

We’re already managing EMC’s minutes and Sakamoto isn’t the biggest goal threat. So perhaps we’ll see 5-3-2 as the fixtures become more congested.

 

[Speedie's Head]

We need Simmo to be performing like this if we want to go up, it's great to see the fight and the desire back. We need all three of the strikers, Haji and BTA can't carry us for the whole season by themselves.

 

[Speedie's Head]

Great game from him last night, the pass for his 2nd assist was perfect. He should have had a goal but he is impacting games and you can see his confidence building.

It was a lovely ball, possibly/probably a foul though.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Honestly? None of them are in form. We need more goals from them. At some point, the goals will slow down from Torp, BTA and Haji. Particularly, some of BTA and Torp’s goals have been low xG and that’s only sustainable for so long.

I think last nights flirtation with 3 ATB is a precursor for playing 5-3-2 more often this season. Last season we had a lot of joy with 5-3-2.

We’re already managing EMC’s minutes and Sakamoto isn’t the biggest goal threat. So perhaps we’ll see 5-3-2 as the fixtures become more congested.

We can’t forget the impact of Rudoni in all of this I suppose.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

We can’t forget the impact of Rudoni in all of this I suppose.

Exactly. Rudoni played v well in the 5-3-2 because he had a free role.

You can’t ignore BTA’s form either and he isn’t really a winger. As the fixtures mount, Lampard will probably switch from his default 4-2-3-1 more often. Last night was a curveball and I raised an eyebrow when I was told the team.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Exactly. Rudoni played v well in the 5-3-2 because he had a free role.

You can’t ignore BTA’s form either and he isn’t really a winger. As the fixtures mount, Lampard will probably switch from his default 4-2-3-1 more often. Last night was a curveball and I raised an eyebrow when I was told the team.

I could see the rationale behind it and it proved to be sensible. We have to manage the small squad carefully and that system relieves the wide players of duty for a bit.

 

[TomRad85]

I could see the rationale behind it and it proved to be sensible. We have to manage the small squad carefully and that system relieves the wide players of duty for a bit.

Elite tactician

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

I could see the rationale behind it and it proved to be sensible. We have to manage the small squad carefully and that system relieves the wide players of duty for a bit.

I agreeably agree!

The change was justified and thought we kept Pompey at arms length. Had we won 3-0, no one would’ve had any complaints. That 2 minutes of madness almost cost us and Kitching made an error for their goal.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

I agreeably agree!

The change was justified and thought we kept Pompey at arms length. Had we won 3-0, no one would’ve had any complaints. That 2 minutes of madness almost cost us and Kitching made an error for their goal.

He owes Rushworth a couple of drinks, along with @clint van damme who jinxed it minutes prior. It also allowed us to see Woolf play a full 90 and I was pleased with how he did.

Frankly if you’d told me Rudoni would be out for 5 games and we’d win all of them I’d find it hard to believe. Him being available will make a big difference to Lampard’s options.

 

[TomRad85]

He owes Rushworth a couple of drinks, along with @clint van damme who jinxed it minutes prior. It also allowed us to see Woolf play a full 90 and I was pleased with how he did.

Frankly if you’d told me Rudoni would be out for 5 games and we’d win all of them I’d find it hard to believe. Him being available will make a big difference to Lampard’s options.

The rest of the division coping that we're going to drop off realising we've got the best AM in the league to come back into the team.

 

[Evo1883]

I wonder what we will do in january

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

The rest of the division coping that we're going to drop off realising we've got the best AM in the league to come back into the team.

Add those idiotic commentators from last night going ‘not sure about this midfield against stronger opposition’.

As they say in Scotland, ‘get it right up ye’

 

[TomRad85]

Add those idiotic commentators from last night going ‘not sure about this midfield against stronger opposition’.

As they say in Scotland, ‘get it right up ye’

Rudoni, Torp and Grimes is the best midfield in the league, i did wonder what the heck they were smoking.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Add those idiotic commentators from last night going ‘not sure about this midfield against stronger opposition’.

As they say in Scotland, ‘get it right up ye’

We’ve played Leicester and most of the teams we’ve played would be higher up the table had we not beaten them.

Watford is a game is a game we need to be winning and that gives us another opportunity to extend our lead at the top.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

We’ve played Leicester and most of the teams we’ve played would be higher up the table had we not beaten them.

Watford is a game is a game we need to be winning and that gives us another opportunity to extend our lead at the top.

Millwall would be top had they beaten us for example. People have the parachute blinkers on and haven’t woken up to the fact that maybe the best 3 teams in the league right now aren’t the relegated clubs.

 

[TomRad85]

I wonder what we will do in january

2 players, both with at least potential to play Premier League level, would be my guess. A winger who can go either side and a midfielder, either an AM or an allrounder.

 

[Mucca Mad Boys]

Millwall would be top had they beaten us for example. People have the parachute blinkers on and haven’t woken up to the fact that maybe the best 3 teams in the league right now aren’t the relegated clubs.

Millwall played well against us. That game isn’t what a typical 4-0 looks like. They went for it at 2-0, we caught them out and they continued pushing, 4. They've gone on to beat WBA and Stoke convincingly at home, so this result is arguably our most impressive to date.

With the promoted teams, I’m most surprised at Ipswich. They are massively underperforming and their hierarchy could make a painful decision to sack McKenna. With Southampton, Will Still was always going to go one of two ways (v well or v badly). Leicester are one to watch because the quality is there and they're not losing - personally, I think they'll drop off but there's the risk that their underlying numbers pick up.

The big surprise for me was Sheff U. Getting rid of Wilder was a big mistake in the first place and bringing him back was arguably a bigger one - his authority as a manager must be shot (like Lampard in his second spell at Chelsea).

 

[SBT]

This is the thing isn’t it, it’s my gut feeling but then seems harsh to omit EMC. Saka looks in better form to me recently so he edges it.

I think Lampard in his time here has generally started EMC whenever he has the opportunity.

Given that EMC usually has to come off at some point in any given game, I would expect it to be him and BTA on either flank, with Sakamoto coming on for cameos. Which, let’s be honest, sounds fucking great right now.

 

[Brighton Sky Blue]

Millwall played well against us. That game isn’t what a typical 4-0 looks like. They went for it at 2-0, we caught them out and they continued pushing, 4. They've gone on to beat WBA and Stoke convincingly at home, so this result is arguably our most impressive to date.

With the promoted teams, I’m most surprised at Ipswich. They are massively underperforming and their hierarchy could make a painful decision to sack McKenna. With Southampton, Will Still was always going to go one of two ways (v well or v badly). Leicester are one to watch because the quality is there and they're not losing - personally, I think they'll drop off but there's the risk that their underlying numbers pick up.

The big surprise for me was Sheff U. Getting rid of Wilder was a big mistake in the first place and bringing him back was arguably a bigger one - his authority as a manager must be shot (like Lampard in his second spell at Chelsea).

Southampton look to be significantly underperforming their data, as do Ipswich to be fair. I haven’t watched much of the former but what I’ve seen of the latter reminds me of how we looked in 23/24 after a squad overhaul where big figures in the dressing room had moved on or lost influence. They look in transition to me.

On paper Lesta have the strongest squad but the worst data of the 3. I actually expect Cifuentes to be gone by Christmas if the indifferent performances continue as they’re under big financial pressure to go up.

 

[Porkchophill]

Can’t fault Simms last night physically more at it , great hustle and vision for BTAs second .. just wish he had a bit more bite in him

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Can’t fault Simms last night physically more at it , great hustle and vision for BTAs second .. just wish he had a bit more bite in him

he certainly had the bite when he flung the centre half round like a ragdoll for the second

 

[mrtrench]

Absolutely delighted that Ellis has his mojo back. He always gave off vibes of having low self-confidence, which is disabilitating and in his case totally unmerited. A great display yesterday and he can kick on further from here.

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Millwall played well against us. That game isn’t what a typical 4-0 looks like. They went for it at 2-0, we caught them out and they continued pushing, 4. They've gone on to beat WBA and Stoke convincingly at home, so this result is arguably our most impressive to date.

With the promoted teams, I’m most surprised at Ipswich. They are massively underperforming and their hierarchy could make a painful decision to sack McKenna. With Southampton, Will Still was always going to go one of two ways (v well or v badly). Leicester are one to watch because the quality is there and they're not losing - personally, I think they'll drop off but there's the risk that their underlying numbers pick up.

The big surprise for me was Sheff U. Getting rid of Wilder was a big mistake in the first place and bringing him back was arguably a bigger one - his authority as a manager must be shot (like Lampard in his second spell at Chelsea).

The main issue with Leicester is they have a very lopsided squad. Significant quality in some areas, but seriously lacking in others.

There's also the added complication of several players quite clearly not particularly wanting to be there.

It'll be interesting to see how they get on. Worth noting that they scored yet again from a long range effort last night. I think that's around half of all their goals so far this season coming from outside the box.

Not a particularly difficult tactic to squash as opposition players will just be instructed to close down earlier. Once that happens it'll be interesting how Cifuentes shifts tactics as it looks like that's all they've got at the minute - that and just hoping Fatawu does something miraculous.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

i

Absolutely delighted that Ellis has his mojo back. He always gave off vibes of having low self-confidence, which is disabilitating and in his case totally unmerited. A great display yesterday and he can kick on further from here.

i actually thought and i think i commented on during the game he seemed to be playing with confidence. i wonder if he did really have an injury last year

 

[Skyblue Bangkok]

The main issue with Leicester is they have a very lopsided squad. Significant quality in some areas, but seriously lacking in others.

There's also the added complication of several players quite clearly not particularly wanting to be there.

It'll be interesting to see how they get on. Worth noting that they scored yet again from a long range effort last night. I think that's around half of all their goals so far this season coming from outside the box.

Not a particularly difficult tactic to squash as opposition players will just be instructed to close them down earlier. Once that happens it'll be interesting how Cifuentes shifts tactics as it looks like that's all they've got at the minute - that and just hoping Fatawu does something miraculous.

Manager at Lesta is average too

The main issue with Leicester is they have a very lopsided squad. Significant quality in some areas, but seriously lacking in others.

There's also the added complication of several players quite clearly not particularly wanting to be there.

It'll be interesting to see how they get on. Worth noting that they scored yet again from a long range effort last night. I think that's around half of all their goals so far this season coming from outside the box.

Not a particularly difficult tactic to squash as opposition players will just be instructed to close down earlier. Once that happens it'll be interesting how Cifuentes shifts tactics as it looks like that's all they've got at the minute - that and just hoping Fatawu does something miraculous.

Don't rate their manger too much.

 

[fatso]

I mean, whoever is the Wright replacement is going to be a step down. As long as they apply themselves correctly, as Simms did, then I think that’s the point. Also, the close control thing… held the ball up really well all night. Wright literally had a ball bounce off his foot 10 yards on Saturday!

Simms had a fantastic opportunity to score last night when Sakamoto put one on a plate for him. I think it went out for a throw in.
These are the chances he should be putting away. Wright did similar late on against Oxford, but if a chance falls for anyone. You would sooner it be Wright or BTA than Simms.

 

[Ccfcisparks]

Simms had a fantastic opportunity to score last night when Sakamoto put one on a plate for him. I think it went out for a throw in.
These are the chances he should be putting away. Wright did similar late on against Oxford, but if a chance falls for anyone. You would sooner it be Wright or BTA than Simms.

it didn’t go out for a throwing. why is it so hard for you to say he had a good game

 

[KenilworthSkyBlue]

Manager at Lesta is average too

Don't rate their manger too much.

He's alright. Did OK at QPR. But lets be honest he was about their 5th choice and he's probably not what they need to get them out of this division.

 

[SBT]

Simms had a fantastic opportunity to score last night when Sakamoto put one on a plate for him. I think it went out for a throw in.
These are the chances he should be putting away. Wright did similar late on against Oxford, but if a chance falls for anyone. You would sooner it be Wright or BTA than Simms.