SHA Small Heath Alliance

Nose of Blue

I think May has to be the forward, Stansfield the No10.

Problem is i suspect May's cleverness and tidy link up play, better all round awareness, is better than Stansfield in the 'hole'. Stansfield is a finisher for me.

Be interesting to see how CD figures it out.

Yep, that's his headache. Then there's Willumsson to consider as I think his link up play is excellent.

Ricky Blotto

Obviously super early days, but it's so important we figure out what to do with them both on the pitch. I'm not sure tonight was the answer.

If anything makes me just a tiny bit nervous, it's this.

We’ve probably had 1 x training session with Stansfield, Wright, Iwata and maybe 2 or 3 with Davies & Gardner-Hickman. The next two weeks will be invaluable for Davies, in structuring his team and tactics for the next wave of games. It’s all good.

Davies comments after the game in the evening mail are slightly concerning in that he states he sees Stansfield as very much spearheading the attack and so where would that leave May because tonight clearly didn’t work for me with May deeper or out wide..

Nose of Blue

Yep, that's his headache. Then there's Willumsson to consider as I think his link up play is excellent.

A nice headache to have. Personally, I’d go with one or the other, not both. I’d see how opponents are neutralising the threat of one, and bring on the other to combat that. It means getting the team being able to adapt to whoever of them is on the pitch. They will both have their parts to play this season.

Ricky Blotto

I wasn't knocking either of them, just the system itself.

For me, you have to keep May doing exactly what he's been doing. Shifting May out to cater for Stansfield seems very wrong.

I think this competition is a great place to be trying things to be honest.

Bluenose27

I agree. I thought May did his best on the wing, but Stansfield was pretty anonymous. For the fee he commanded, you expect more don’t you. Hopefully it’ll come good.

i too worry about this. Stansfield did little. which was like a lot of his performances last season if we are being honest. May was shunted out wide and no longer main man up front. he then shot every time he got the ball. the two of them in the same team doesn't look like its going to work. Davies has a problem to sort. we've spent £15 mil on a player who hasn't actually improved us against a league 2 side. worrying

It's been four days.

sure but you expect to see good signs with a £15 mil signing and the division top scorer and player of the year in the same side

John McCarthy

Nose of Blue

I think May has to be the forward, Stansfield the No10.

Problem is i suspect May's cleverness and tidy link up play, better all round awareness, is better than Stansfield in the 'hole'. Stansfield is a finisher for me.

Be interesting to see how CD figures it out.

Stansfield's best position for us will be on the right hand side of the attack with Laird or Sampsted playing full back and fulfilling that role essentially as a winger so Jay can play more narrow and get into pockets of space to shoot from. That's how I thought it'd be when I saw the team.

Tonight wasn't the answer. May shifting out to the right hand side was really poor, I love the guy already but he's a proper striker, far too greedy to play in that kind of role. Took too many shots when he should've tried to play in someone else. Perhaps Stansfield would have the same issue but I think he's more selfless.

BriHughesy

sure but you expect to see good signs with a £15 mil signing and the division top scorer and player of the year in the same side

Mate you've never been happy about anything. Let's give everything a bit of time and enjoy the fact that whilst we are gelling and playing the best football for pretty much the last fifty years we are still sitting on ten points after four games.

I agree, moving the league one top goal scorer out of position to bring Stanfield in as a 9 does not work. Stansfield will play much better as a 10 or out wide than May. We have seen him do a job in those positions last season.

You do not see top goals scorers in other leagues (Kane and Haaland) being sent out to play wide or as a 10. Alfie's strength is finishing and needs to be a 9.

It was one game, calm down

Petebaldwin

I was surprised Stansfield went up front with May dropping deeper and going out wide. I'd have thought it would be the other way around.

This. May was totally wasted in that position; he’s a goal-scorer. And a very good one.

I’m not advocating playing May out wide but it will happen again especially when Dykes, comes on.

Personally I wasn’t unhappy with May taking on those shots because one of the things that worries me is the goal contributions from out wide.

Wright offered little goal threat and neither does Hansson. If either of these get 8 or more goals this season I’d be shocked. I hope I’m wrong but I can’t see it.