Hugo Ekitike

[Nineteenx]

if you don't have a certain player available you have to adapt the tactic.

Why trying to put in place a designated playmaker rather than strengthen in the wide forward areas and rely on combination team goals created by the triangles left and right was always a shit idea as I pointed out

It’s also made Ekitike’s movement unsatisfactory as he effectively marks himself a lot and doesn’t move across to either side or look for the ball coming from either side and get good positions in the defenders often enough it’s made him stay with his marker too central to much

I think he needs some games at LFWD with a false 9 and learn to pick up that position more and really drive at and beat the full back

[Nineteenx]

Watching the forwards movement in tonight’s games highlights how woefully inadequate Ekitike’s is at the moment especially in terms of positioning himself to get the run on defenders and making darting runs onto the ball played in

[miller0863]

He gets zero help from the wide positions mind ..

[Nineteenx]

He gets zero help from the wide positions mind ..

I’d like to see Gakpo false 9 giving the 3 CBs no-one to mark always makes them twitchy

Ekitike inside left

I don’t think our wide forwards have been well supported by a full back and mid making a triangle with them either side this season with all the e phases Sloy out in playing through the centre I think that’s fooked Ektike’s movement a bit too

[miller0863]

That might not be a bad shout. Gakpo is a waste of a shirt playing wide left at times. You certainly don’t need a crystal ball to guess what he’s going to do when he receives the ball.

[Steveo]

Yep… Certainly should see less - cut in - shot blocked - lose the ball - counter attack… Rinse…repeat


Just worry that we would be minimising Hugo to accommodate Cody, But I have often thought it was worth a try

[JockStrap]

Needs to find his shooting boots again after a couple of quiet games.

[Kev0909]

Hot and he's cooooold

sooner isak is back the better

[JockStrap]

Hot and he's cooooold

sooner isak is back the better

Yep. Ekitike off the left, Isak central, Frimpong right and Wirtz playing the 10 role. That would do for me.

[Nineteenx]

That might not be a bad shout. Gakpo is a waste of a shirt playing wide left at times. You certainly don’t need a crystal ball to guess what he’s going to do when he receives the ball.

I just hope he tries it at least as it seems to have more potential than what he’s doing now

[Insidious]

Nobody covered themselves in glory last night, but Hugo had a really poor one - a shame given his obvious talent.

How much of it is him being a "languid" player like a Berbatov-type and how much is fitness?

Doesn't look to be at the races at the moment.

[Ravo19]

Agree that he's off the pace at the moment and not as clinical as he looked earlier in season but constant change up front not helping,wide left,number 9,upfront with salah,upfront with wirtz.

[Insidious]

Agree that he's off the pace at the moment and not as clinical as he looked earlier in season but constant change up front not helping,wide left,number 9,upfront with salah,upfront with wirtz.

Agreed - it certainly isn't said to "have a go" at him, but you'd love to see him return to the trajectory he appeared to be on.

Was looking like a Torres-lite and now he looks like something is off, whether it's conditioning or mentally or whatever.

[Ravo19]

My head is mashed with this season and its 90% on slot,playing under his management must have the same effect on the players,im confident that bringing in alonso now would be the lift they need to finish top 4.
Fsg's failure to act is almost as bad as slots management,its obvious that they want a manager they can control.

[jozza800]

Nobody covered themselves in glory last night, but Hugo had a really poor one - a shame given his obvious talent.

How much of it is him being a "languid" player like a Berbatov-type and how much is fitness?

Doesn't look to be at the races at the moment.

It just looks like he's finally being dragged down to Slot level with the rest of them. Even Szoboslai's form has dropped off in the last month. Grav's drop off has been slower compared to Mac's but he's been equally as bad recently.

They got an absolute chasing last night, you could see after 60mins their legs had gone. But Slot waited until the 75th minute before making any changes. Kerkez was ready to drop when he came off.

I do wonder, with Dioigo's passing how much of a pre-season they've had. Or is it that they're just not being worked hard enough in training. The thing is this energy drop off started during the League Cup final / CLR16 last season and it hasn't looked liked returning since.

It is a genuine malaise.

I wonder if one or two will want out if Slot is kept on next season... I'm sure Wirtz, Frimpong, Isak and Ekitike weren't signing up for whatever this season is!