Right back options

[ianlfc]

So when do we expect Trent back ? And in the meantime who can play there ? Neco seems to have got the nod now Milly is injured . Could the Greek fella play right back?

[Kev0909]

Fabinho? matip coming back into the team, and williams play along side him?
in the champions league that is, then obviously phillips

people seem to forget fabinho has played there, before he played CB

not ideal but what can you do

Or he'll do what you said start robertson/greek there

[miller0863]

Either Tsimikas or at a push Robbo would be better than Neco.
Sorry he just ain’t good enough.

[Kev0909]

Either Tsimikas or at a push Robbo would be better than Neco.
Sorry he just ain’t good enough.

Think he's ok but his confidence will be shot especially now, so yeah

[ianlfc]

We could've had even Henderson as a option if the midfielders weren't all bloody injured as well.

[jr81]

Think he's ok but his confidence will be shot especially now, so yeah

He is young and is playing for his national team as well so he must have something about him.
However the last 2 games were not good from him. He looks nervous on the ball and today he hit it too long too often.
Also caught out of position a bit. Maybe lacking confidence. But right now I don't think we can afford to play him.

[southernboy]

The Greek didn’t exactly cover himself in glory in midweek.

I really wish we’d kept Hoever. That’s not with the benefit of hindsight, I said it at time. He always looked assured at RB or RCB. instead we kept Van de Berg, who has never looked close to playing in the first team.

[Insidious]

Think we should persist with Neco during this difficult time.

There are players who need a rest - Wijnaldum surely being one - and if you shift someone into the right-back slot who normally plays in midfield, it means we have to "find" an extra midfielder from our list, at a time when Milner, Keita, Ox and Thiago are all missing and Henderson is only just back.

If you have to make a tactical tweak by trying to channel more play down the left to put him under less pressure, drop a little more or encourage him to act as a right-wing-back and tuck Robbo across a bit so we have a defensive "three" to cover when the ball goes forward on the right side of the pitch, do so - but don't place any more strain on our limited options at a time when a bunch are out and Fabinho will be playing as centre-back a fair bit.

[miller0863]

That opening sentence just fills me with dread Sid.

[CCTV]

Trent, Milner, Fabinho, Neco, Hendo for me

[Insidious]

That opening sentence just fills me with dread Sid.

I can't say I love it especially, but with Trent and Milner out I don't want to be dragging Fabinho away from centre-back or midfield, nor dragging Henderson out of midfield, nor putting Robertson or Tsimikas out there and narrowing our play due to the propensity of a left-footer to want to cut inside.

There must be ways to accommodate him until we have one or two back.

[Nineteenx]

Play Fabinho there until Trent's back, Neco's nowhere near ready

[stevie harkness]

Good to Neco having a better game.

Confidence is key and he's had a torrid time recently but maybe he's got the mental strength.

[CCTV]

He kind of balled Salah out when he had his chance to hit it, Salah had jumped in on it putting him off.
He's settling into the side :D

[ianlfc]

We're all over the moon for Neco. If he never plays a game for us again at least he has tonight to look on for the rest of his life.
The lucky lucky bugger.

[miller0863]

Have to admit I thought he wasn’t going to be able to produce the kind of all round performance he did tonight.
Jurgen said they had long talks since Brighton and Hendo coached him through brilliantly. He wasn’t caught out of position or wrong side once.
I hope that’s the step he needed to make and not a blip

[Kev0909]

Brilliant tonight from the lad, alot of players would fold under pressure after having dodgy games

Well played neco!

[ianlfc]

Fingers crossed Trent could be back for Sunday.
Talk about another huge boost at a valuable time.

[Insidious]

Good to Neco having a better game.

Confidence is key and he's had a torrid time recently but maybe he's got the mental strength.

He played well!

It also helped (NB not trying to take anything away from him) to have Henderson positioned in the way he was - it affords the right-back (whoever it is) that little bit more wiggle-room as Hendo is so good at filling in, covering, minimising damage from vacated space and so on.

Wolves will be a tougher test physically, but let's hope Neco manages until Trent is back.

[dicko1969]

Fabinho was motm

Great games from the trio of teenagers
And the GK too
Seems like he is better at kicking.

[stevie harkness]

Good to see Trent back but Neco will have learned a lot from his run in the side.

Whatever his short-comings and lack of experience it looks like he's able to handle the mental pressure again and he carried that early yellow around his neck.