SHA Small Heath Alliance

Or maybe formation change
Front 3 - Gray - Priske - Vicente
Midfield 3 - Solis - Paik - Iwata/Doyle depending on home or away

Way too much space in midfield and way too static overall

If he’s playing as a number 9 I would agree he is worth playing due to the goals he scores but don’t think he brings enough the overall team as a 10.

Haribo

Snoop

Haribo

Super Hans

Physicality is more than just height though.

Also Juke is 6'1.

C'mon, none of them have particularly big frames, they're all similar in build to most of our players.

So you maybe mean desire? Nous? Competitiveness?

Mental traits?

They're all bulkier than our front 4 and use it - Stansfield is the only one of our front four who looks to put himself about and he's bumped off the ball really easily by defenders.

I mean, technically Ducksch has size but he plays like he is a skinny midget.

Nah, I'm not having it that they are bulkier.

Dykes was as big and strong as any of Boros front three. Priske is taller and has a similar frame to all three (judging by multiple social media images), Ducksch is taller, and has a decent frame, even Gray is listed as being a similar height... yet we've had similar problems all season.

The only one, to me, who looks a cut above, in flashes, has been Priske.

And yes, Ducksch has goals, but that's more down to flashes of skill, rather than dominating anyone.

For me, it's either mental, coaching, skill, or a combination... I think this constant moaning about size, pace, height, is all a bit lazy, and covering up for a lack of coaching.

Yes, like I said - Ducksch just doesn't use his size at all. He's not likely to change either now he is in his 30s.
With Gray, you are again conflating height with bulk.
Don't disagree about Priske - he's still getting used to it but has the size, and will probably add a bit more bulk as he adjusts. He joined us from the Swedish pre-season though - he's presumably still getting to full fitness and adjusting to a much more physical league.
Vicente looks pretty good

Dykes was good for us in terms of physicality, the problem was everything else. He's not going to dominate anyone but he also seems happy to mix it up at times and uses his body well.

ForeverFrancis

Bagel

ForeverFrancis

Nat

WelshBlue

I'm not sure he's worth the game price: yes he scores but we can't win a midfield battle against better teams with him in there.

Bloke can create or score a goal out of nothing.

It's absolute madness to be pointing the finger at him. Literal madness.

I totally understand that point of view and he now has 9 goals .

However he is conundrum , often it's like playing with ten men .He wandered around the pitch last night hardly touching the ball , apart from the 2 secs that he got two shots off ,and one ends up in back of the net.

How is that different to Stansfield?

If you can't see the difference between what Stansfield and Ducksch offer to the team , perhaps start watching cricket ?

Even better watch last night's goal back .There is no way Ducksch runs off the defenders shoulder with pace and gets to the touchline .While there is no way Stansfield opens his body up ,and uses the pace of the ball to 'pass' his shot into the corner of the net from that far out .

My point is that Stansfield did nothing but create a goal. Ducksch did nothing but score a goal. For the rest of the game it was like playing without them.

The wingers are also an issue. The benefit of inside wingers is they can cut inside and shoot. Gray and Roberts don’t do that so much so you might as well play them conventionally so they can put in crosses quicker.

Do you have eyeballs?

Roberts scored vs Leeds doing exactly that. He cuts in at every opportunity he can.

Dimi has scored vs Watford and Southampton in consecutive games doing the same.

Snoop

Haribo

Snoop

Haribo

Super Hans

Physicality is more than just height though.

Also Juke is 6'1.

C'mon, none of them have particularly big frames, they're all similar in build to most of our players.

So you maybe mean desire? Nous? Competitiveness?

Mental traits?

They're all bulkier than our front 4 and use it - Stansfield is the only one of our front four who looks to put himself about and he's bumped off the ball really easily by defenders.

I mean, technically Ducksch has size but he plays like he is a skinny midget.

Nah, I'm not having it that they are bulkier.

Dykes was as big and strong as any of Boros front three. Priske is taller and has a similar frame to all three (judging by multiple social media images), Ducksch is taller, and has a decent frame, even Gray is listed as being a similar height... yet we've had similar problems all season.

The only one, to me, who looks a cut above, in flashes, has been Priske.

And yes, Ducksch has goals, but that's more down to flashes of skill, rather than dominating anyone.

For me, it's either mental, coaching, skill, or a combination... I think this constant moaning about size, pace, height, is all a bit lazy, and covering up for a lack of coaching.

Yes, like I said - Ducksch just doesn't use his size at all.

Let's be honest he is as weak as a Settlers powder and tries to avoid any physical contact with the opposition defenders.

Last night he was bowled over with straight legs and his arms by his side .

He went down like a bowling pin, somebody by us shouted " strike" and everybody started laughing .

The highlight of my night TBF 🤣

All this fecking crap about 9 or 10.

Its banal, boring shows a complete lack of understanding about the actual game.

We signed a player called Alfie May, tried to play him in a role he couldn't play.

We signed Duschke who had scored over 50 goals in the Bundesleague at better than 1 in 3 games.

We have seen he most clinical one or two touch finisher we've had in eons. A guy who has the vision to thread a ball though the eye of a needle for a team mate.

Too many are ignoring what he can do as well as anyone in the division, focusing on what he can't do.

It's effing barmy.

Irs like signing Dugarry and say he can't run.

Play to the guys undoubtedly strengths, I personally think Priscke could be an ideal foil in some games Stansfield in others and Stansfield and Duschke too as a pairing.

Duschke will be better next season, as will Neumann, Wagner Priscke Carlos and Solis and Osman if we sign them

We should be salivating at that though not whining about irrelevant numbers

Brian Boru

I don’t understand why he’s played as the deeper forward. Get him leading the line, move Jay out wide and Patrick in the hole.

Was this serious?

shows a complete lack of understanding about the actual game.

Brian Boru

I don’t understand why he’s played as the deeper forward. Get him leading the line, move Jay out wide and Patrick in the hole.

I know we have played badly but just randomly moving the same players around to positions they don’t suit isn’t going to help.

Tandy

Do you have eyeballs?

Roberts scored vs Leeds doing exactly that. He cuts in at every opportunity he can.

Dimi has scored vs Watford and Southampton in consecutive games doing the same.

Roberts must average less than a shot a game. I don’t think it’s really his game. Playing in the middle would allow him to thread more through balls, playing on the left he can cross quicker. Presumably Vicente will secure the right wing role so we’ll have to find another role for him anyway.

Nat

WelshBlue

I'm not sure he's worth the game price: yes he scores but we can't win a midfield battle against better teams with him in there.

Bloke can create or score a goal out of nothing.

It's absolute madness to be pointing the finger at him. Literal madness.

As far as im concerned our front 2 should be Ducksch and whoever works best with him

quark

As far as im concerned our front 2 should be Ducksch and whoever works best with him

Yep.

If that means dropping Stansfield for Priske, sticking one of the many 'tricky' forwards we have as a false nine, or even bringing back Kyogo you are right I think.

evanio

Don’t get messing about with facts on here.

More ill informed opinion is what we need.

The facts you refer to are incorrect, because he has created more than one goal this season.

More informed opinion is what we actually need.