collapse collapse

Please donate to help towards the costs of keeping this site going. Thank You.

Recent Topics

Recent Posts

Re: Gordon Cowans by Hopadop
[Today at 09:57:22 PM]


Re: FFP by Risso
[Today at 09:49:37 PM]


Re: Chris Heck - President of Business Operations by Risso
[Today at 09:46:02 PM]


Re: FFP by The Edge
[Today at 09:45:14 PM]


Re: Chris Heck - President of Business Operations by TelfordVilla
[Today at 09:41:43 PM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by FrankyH
[Today at 09:34:28 PM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by dave shelley
[Today at 09:33:06 PM]


Re: Gordon Cowans by markeeeebeeee2005
[Today at 09:23:09 PM]

Follow us on...

Author Topic: Ahmed Elmohamady - released  (Read 91310 times)

Offline peter w

  • Member
  • Posts: 35469
  • Location: Istanbul
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #225 on: July 25, 2017, 10:51:45 AM »
can't really play with two wingers unless the 2 up front is more of a 9 & 10.

Online Brend'Watkins

  • Member
  • *
  • Posts: 21324
  • Location: North Birmingham Clique teritory
  • GM : 20.03.2025
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #226 on: July 25, 2017, 10:52:22 AM »
If we are going to play 4-4-2, then I think we could do with signing a similar type of player to him to play on the left. 

Yep, we're in danger of becoming one sided. Still, better than no sided. 

I think Elmo' will become a favourite and prove to be a very good signing as we take the league by storm this season.

Offline tomd2103

  • Member
  • Posts: 14178
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #227 on: July 25, 2017, 12:29:33 PM »
can't really play with two wingers unless the 2 up front is more of a 9 & 10.

Getting the balance up front is key really if we are to play a front two.  As we saw last season, Kodjia and Hogan up front didn't really work as they are quite similar.  We did, however, look more of a threat on the few occasions when Kodjia was partnered with Gestede and feel that Kodjia may be more suited to playing alongside a target man.  I think Hogan though might benefit from playing alongside a more creative player and hopefully Grealish can really come to the fore this season.   
« Last Edit: July 25, 2017, 03:17:40 PM by tomd2103 »

Offline Matt Collins

  • Member
  • Posts: 10884
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #228 on: July 25, 2017, 12:58:32 PM »
Kodjia is such a livewire that it's hard to work out what suits him best

Agree they didn't look great as a two last year, but hopefully they'll get better support from midfield now

Agree that grealish (and Elmo) should suit Hogan.

Offline peter w

  • Member
  • Posts: 35469
  • Location: Istanbul
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #229 on: July 25, 2017, 01:17:51 PM »
To be fair that's why I'd play hogan ahead of Kodjia - and why we looked better with him. Shifting the ball quickly and then into a finisher made us look a lot sharper and Hogan can finish. Kodjia is a different player and having to try and fit around him probably hindered us in terms of shape last season.

Offline Villatillidie25

  • Member
  • Posts: 503
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #230 on: July 25, 2017, 03:13:55 PM »
To be fair that's why I'd play hogan ahead of Kodjia - and why we looked better with him. Shifting the ball quickly and then into a finisher made us look a lot sharper and Hogan can finish. Kodjia is a different player and having to try and fit around him probably hindered us in terms of shape last season.

It's a difficult one isn't it. We're not really in a position to drop out top scorer for someone who, at best, struggled once he joined us last season (injuries, tactics admittedly are mitigating circumstances). Does Kodjia out wide left work or does it lose upset the balance of the team too much?
Personally, I would look at a midfield of Whelan, Hot Lips, Grealish/Lansbury with Elmo and Kodjia wide and Hogan up top. Even then, that leaves no place for Green, do we try to fit in Jedinak. While we might not be bursting with talent, we do have options to change things up and enough personnel to keep everyone fresh, which will hopefully bode well for next season

Offline tomd2103

  • Member
  • Posts: 14178
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #231 on: July 25, 2017, 03:22:24 PM »
To be fair that's why I'd play hogan ahead of Kodjia - and why we looked better with him. Shifting the ball quickly and then into a finisher made us look a lot sharper and Hogan can finish. Kodjia is a different player and having to try and fit around him probably hindered us in terms of shape last season.

It's a difficult one isn't it. We're not really in a position to drop out top scorer for someone who, at best, struggled once he joined us last season (injuries, tactics admittedly are mitigating circumstances). Does Kodjia out wide left work or does it lose upset the balance of the team too much?
Personally, I would look at a midfield of Whelan, Hot Lips, Grealish/Lansbury with Elmo and Kodjia wide and Hogan up top. Even then, that leaves no place for Green, do we try to fit in Jedinak. While we might not be bursting with talent, we do have options to change things up and enough personnel to keep everyone fresh, which will hopefully bode well for next season

From what we saw of him last season, I don't really think Hogan is the sort of forward who can play up front on his own. Playing with someone like Grealish might bring the best out in him though.

I just can't see Kodjia being anywhere near full fitness at the moment and therefore we will have to start with Hogan.   

Offline Matt Collins

  • Member
  • Posts: 10884
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #232 on: July 25, 2017, 05:02:05 PM »
I'd agree about playing up front alone based on what we saw

Except that's exactly what he did for Brentford. But we'd have to adjust our style significantly from last season

Offline OCD

  • Member
  • Posts: 32546
  • Location: Stuck in the middle with you
    • http://www.rightconsultant.com
  • GM : May, 2012
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #233 on: July 25, 2017, 09:57:26 PM »
Hopefully Kodjia and Hogan can develop a partnership with some work.

Offline peter w

  • Member
  • Posts: 35469
  • Location: Istanbul
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #234 on: July 25, 2017, 10:07:24 PM »
If they did we'd win the league comfortably.

Offline brentastonb6

  • Member
  • Posts: 713
  • GM : 28.12.2020
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #235 on: July 26, 2017, 12:17:27 AM »
Hopefully Kodjia and Hogan can develop a partnership with some work.
What was the home game at VP last season when Hogan went off injured ? He and Kodjia showed the shoots of a good partnership prior to him going off

Offline tomd2103

  • Member
  • Posts: 14178
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #236 on: July 26, 2017, 12:49:31 AM »
Hopefully Kodjia and Hogan can develop a partnership with some work.
What was the home game at VP last season when Hogan went off injured ? He and Kodjia showed the shoots of a good partnership prior to him going off

Thinking it might have been Norwich?

Offline SoccerHQ

  • Member
  • Posts: 42391
  • Location: Down, down, deeper and Down.
  • GM : 19.06.2021
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #237 on: July 26, 2017, 08:01:39 AM »
Kodjia is such a livewire that it's hard to work out what suits him best

Agree they didn't look great as a two last year, but hopefully they'll get better support from midfield now

Agree that grealish (and Elmo) should suit Hogan.
To be fair that's why I'd play hogan ahead of Kodjia - and why we looked better with him. Shifting the ball quickly and then into a finisher made us look a lot sharper and Hogan can finish. Kodjia is a different player and having to try and fit around him probably hindered us in terms of shape last season.

We looked totally clueless without Kodjia in the games in January save for one decent half v Preston.

The game he missed v SHA we offered nothing upfront until Gabby came on and started putting himself about.

Kodjia is better as a free spirit so same as last season, one upfront but with much better support out wide (I'd probably go with Green as one option, not sure on the other as Adomah is inconsistant) and much more licence for two of the midfielders to get forward and actually into the opposition penalty area. Too many times last season tactics meant he was completely isolated so had to hold the ball up and try to beat 2-3 men.

Given Gabby seems to be taking football seriously again atm I might actually plump for him to start the Hull game. Hogan just dosen't convince me as a loan striker, QPR and Reading games he could barely hold the ball up. I'd have him prove he deserves a start by scoring a few as an impact sub but assume he'll get the nod due to the massive price tag.

Offline brian green

  • Member
  • Posts: 18350
  • Age: 85
  • Location: Nice France
  • GM : 19.06.2020
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #238 on: July 26, 2017, 08:11:33 AM »
We saw in the second half against Brighton how much better we are as an attacking force when Davis played hold up. Hogan and Kodjia need a pivotal player to play off.  Holding the ball on the edge of the opposition box might even encourage our midfield to make a dart or two.

Online Dave

  • Moderator
  • Member
  • Posts: 41700
  • Location: Bath
  • GM : 04.01.2024
Re: Ahmed Elmohamady - SIGNED
« Reply #239 on: July 26, 2017, 08:16:58 AM »
Hogan just dosen't convince me as a loan striker

Reckon that's going to be McCormack's role this season.

 


SimplePortal 2.3.6 © 2008-2014, SimplePortal