Will our forwards wake up from their slumbers in time to challenge for the league? | No. Hibernating now

[Paul778]

The coaching debate can go on forever but at 12 years old, I knew I had to find space to make myself available to receive a pass, just as it was instinctive to help a team mate out when he was being pressed. We’ve seen numerous examples of players standing by, as if in a trance as the game passes them by. There’ve been plenty of videos put up to illustrate to those who don’t even notice it during a match

Completely. You move to make space for yourselves and others. It's very easy for teams to low block when every fecker stands still

 

[Vidyoyo]

Bar that Saints game, our front three in general have been woeful. Given their form and output, we are lucky to be in top four because Bruno compensates for them.

In the league, none of our forwards have even hit double figures after 24 games:

Rashford: 8 goals, 8 assists
Martial: 4 goals, 5 assists
Cavani: 6 goals, 2 assists
Greenwood: 1 goal, 1 assist

Of course, the man carrying us:
Bruno: 14 goals, 10 assists

Perhaps time to go back to the diamond? Although without Pogba it might not work as well.

Cavani is never going to carve chances out himself. He needs support and the wide men are so, so off-form.

 

[Annihilate Now!]

Our forward options currently look dire.

We have 4 players and Dan James for 3 positions.

2 of them are woefully out of form, one of them is hot and cold Cavani, one is 19 and one is Dan James.

 

[Zoo]

Dan James would be better on the left then current Martial. Juan Mata has disappeared. Greenwood is trying to find his form. We’re in trouble here.

 

[Vault Dweller]

Disgraceful. Aside from a handful of games, absolutely miles off it this season. Sell Martial too.

 

[arnie_ni]

Our forward options currently look dire.

We have 4 players and Dan James for 3 positions.

We arguably need 3 players.

1.A no.9 because cavani isn't the long term answer.
2.Sell martial and replace
3.Another body (diallo) could be this player

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Perhaps time to go back to the diamond? Although without Pogba it might not work as well.

Cavani is never going to carve chances out himself. He needs support and the wide men are so, so off-form.

I don't see how there's any solution other than wait for the forwards to get back to scoring again, at least not till summer. Calls for Martial to be dropped for Greenwood make no sense because we have to keep rotating. Perhaps we can give James a go, but it makes more sense to wait for Martial to play himself back into form than wait for James to become a much better player overnight.

I hope Bruno keeps scoring and keeps us in top four. And I hope that instead of wasting another season trying to be the best of the rest, we go all out for some quality forwards in the summer who can help us mount a real title challenge.

If Bruno gets injured, we are absolutely screwed.

 

[DickDastardly]

Something is off.

None of them look comfortable with the layout. We see Greenwood and Cavani clashing in the same positions, we see Martial stagnating on the left...

We need to change something. Maybe try 442.

We have zero backup play. Once opposition players get comfortable with our forwards it's done.

We've lost all elements of surprise. Its only the moments of brilliance that keep us in games now.

Given the brainfarts our GK and defense serve each game, its no wonder we're barely picking up points per game.

 

[eire-red]

You can't expect to win when you leave the only forward who looks to link play and create on the bench. Playing Cavani up top, and relying on Martial and Rashford to provide service when both are out of position is just suicide.

I wish Ole would provide some clarity on how we seemed to be finally hitting form from an attacking perspective with our favoured front 3, and Bruno pulling the strings from behind, to benching the one player who brings balance and creativity to the attack. In a must win game as well.

It's beyond sickening to see games like this slip away.

 

[siw2007]

Definitely off today, Greenwood has come into some form but Cavani was anonymous, Rashford was ok but didn’t have any chances on goal, Martial was out of form too.

Apart form some of these being naturally inconsistent, my theory as to why we look clueless at times is because we have overloaded the team with strikers. All of them are skilful players who can go past a player, cross or thread a pass coming from wide positions but by nature they are goal scorers and not particularly creative players. If Fernandes struggles then we look flat and no inspiration in the final third.

Instead of playing three out of the four, we should look to play only two and in place put another creative player in there to support Bruno. I don’t really know who in the team that would be, would have been Mata a few seasons back, perhaps Amad could be that but I think it would give us a better balance and help us create chances for our talented forward players.