Boubacar Kamara

[Meanwood Villa]

I don't pretend to have much tactical knowhow but is there any way Pau could play DM? Or would we lose too much of his positive impact at CB? This is assuming he ever gets off the bench again.

[mallo]

Pretty terrible news - can see Tielemans doing a job as DM until we work out how to play without him. Hope I'm not assuming too much.

[Somniloquism]

Pretty terrible news - can see Tielemans doing a job as DM until we work out how to play without him. Hope I'm not assuming too much.

I can't, keep him further forward where his final pass can work and his lack of tackle doesn't endanger us as much.

[Rigadon]

Tielemans would be a disaster in that role I reckon.  It’s got to be either Tim (promising kid but big risk) or an experienced head like McGinn.  It’ll be really interesting to see what Emery does: stick with the same shape and move players about, or try something else.  I’d guess the former. 

I’m less confident of top 4 now which is a bummer.  We’ve been so unlucky this season with injuries.

[PaulWinch again]

If you’re playing Tielemans in that area of the pitch you’re changing the role. His not going to do the tackling and break up play that Kamara does. He could absolutely work as a deep lying playmaker, but if Pau comes back at some point I’m not sure you need that role because Pau is so excellent at passing from deep. You’d also need to get other players to share the defensive responsibilities more.

[Drummond]

We haven't seen enough of Iroegbunam to really know whether he can step in or not, I'd guess in training, Emery may start using him more and looking to see if he 'gets it' about the system and what's expected of him.

Emery has often commented about players adapting to his methods, Diaby last week was the latest one he mentioned in that regard.

So, Kamara is pretty unique, and I'd imagine we may consider a system change rather than expecting one player to step into his shoes.

I think that's a good idea, but it does seem with Unai that it's 4-4-2 or bust. Of course there's flexibility within that, but I'd go with a proper 4-3-3 now, something like:

Emi

Cash Carlos Torres Digne/Moreno

McGinn Luiz Tielemans

Bailey/Diaby Watkins Ramsey

That's still a very, very good team. Our problem is we've basically reverted to 1981 era football, with a first 11 and two subs.

That last point is a concern.

In Emery's first match against ManUtd, when we won 3-1 our lineup was:

             Martinez
Cash   Konsa   Mings Digne
      Luiz Dendoncker  Ramsey
     Bailey Watkins Buendia

I remember the thing that struck me that day was that we clearly played 4-3-3 in possession and moved immediately to a 4-4-2 out of it.

McGinn 70, Kamara 78, Ings and Young 79, and Sanson 90 were the subs used (Augustinsson, Chambers, Bednarek and Olsen were unused)

Of those 20, 3/4 are injured and 6 aren't with us any more and (at least) 1 isn't wanted.

We have Carlos, Lenglet, Moreno, Torres, Diaby, Zaniolo, Duran and Iroegbunam in the squad (or fucking injured).

I guess what I'm saying is that we have better replacements like-for-like. and we were able to get some good results. I think Emery can do it again and before letting Dendoncker go, he'll have had a plan for what to do if Kamara was out.

[Risso]

I'm not sure Drummond. Back then, Ings was at least useful as a sub coming on, and is better than the no striker option we have now.

In that older team above, Kamara would obviously start for Dendoncker, and you'd choose between either Tielemans or Buendia. So in terms of players able to make a difference, back then if Unai had picked our best 11, you'd have say Buendia and Ings able to come off the bench in attacking positions. Young as reserve  right back, and Ramsey also on the bench. If you say that Torres is fit now, we've got Lenglet as back up, and either Moreno or Digne depending on who starts. The only attacking player capable of making a difference is Diaby, and he's been out of form for so long he almost always doesn't. After that, it's either untried kids or rubbish like Zaniolo.

So I don't think there's much in it between the two teams in terms of subs, basically.

[kippaxvilla2]

I’m almost certain it will be the tried, tested and failed format of mcginn playing as a defensive midfielder instead.

[Tokyo Sexwhale]

Trying to look for the positives:

1.  We did ok without Kamara for most of March and April last year.  Though we did have Mings, Buendia and an in-form Ramsey.
2.  No-one will be buying him in the summer.

[paul_e]

Our shape now is we switch between 442 in defence and 325 in attack, you can see this in almost every attack. The problem recently is that teams have been putting a 5th player inot their defence to man up against us and then sitting with a shielding player or 2 in front to eat up all the space. If they get it right we look a bit uncreative and struggle to create decent chances and that has led to us losing some composure when we get into good positions and not making the most of what we create. Couple that with a defence that is both not as good as the unit we started the season with and that has chopped and changed a lot and we're a bit leakier at the back as well which isn't making for a good combination.


I don't think the problems are down to formation or style though.

[Nii Lamptey]

Pretty terrible news - can see Tielemans doing a job as DM until we work out how to play without him. Hope I'm not assuming too much.

I can't, keep him further forward where his final pass can work and his lack of tackle doesn't endanger us as much.

'Lack of tackle'!?  Did you not see that photo of Youri??   

[chrisw1]

I’m almost certain it will be the tried, tested and failed format of mcginn playing as a defensive midfielder instead.

Failed?  Look at our results when he played there at the end of last season.

[Demitri_C]

Exactly what i was alluding to yesterday that none of us know for sure but i was told to prove that the training is causing the ACL injuries and when i said prove its not the same posters couldnt.

"I think the real reason Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool is because the local police have had a word about his growing obsession with stamping puppies to death, and they've suggested it'd be for the best if he left the country."

Prove it isn't that.

Eh ? 🤔

Prove god doesnt exist

The difference is, I haven't just been telling everyone how he does.

You, on the other hand:

If thats another ACL then we gotta start asming are they being pushed too much during training. You dont have three ACLs in one season. Its unheard of

seem quite positive this is about our training.

The key word "assume"

Definition of assume - suppose to be the case without proof

So how have i been telling everyone exactly based on what you have just quited paulie ?? Oh dear

I know what it means, people are pointing out that:

1. The thing you are "supposing to be the case" is absolute batshit.
2. You are saying 'we' have 'got to start assuming' this, which is enrolling everyone else in your batshit theories.

"We've got to start assuming that the reason Klopp is leaving Liverpool is because of the puppy-stamping thing".

So all i have done is ask the question  not "told" anyone or enforced it on anyone

No, no you haven't just asked the question, you've presented it as more than that, you said:

If thats another ACL then we gotta start asming are they being pushed too much during training. You dont have three ACLs in one season. Its unheard of

And that's why people think you're being stupid.

And that's also the end of my involvement in this, it's up to you if you understand it or not. it's Monday morning and I've already spent far more of my week on this sort of shit than I would like to.

I think this is just silly. Im pretty sure calling someone stupid is against the site rules so i suggest you apologise to me as i havent been rude to you so not sure why you feel the need to ger personal. We are just having a debate thats all so relax.

I havent enforced anyone or said oh yeah the ACLs are 100% caused by what villa or emery is doing just asking the question as one ACL or maybe two but three ?? Yyou can't prove it isnt the case just like I can't prove it. Thats fundamentally the facts of the situation.  All we can do is speculate

Tell you what, why don’t you stop making wild arsed guesses or what you call assumptions and speculation and then people won’t think you’re being daft. Simple really.

If i have broke a forum rule for making a assumption then please point me to the site guidelines as im only interested in having discussions about our club. Whether you think my opinion is daft is irrelevant just as mine is about yours lets just move on all was said yesterday so we dont need to go over the same subject again.

Back on subject

Hopefully mingsy and emi can support kamara on the long road to recovery. Come on kam you got this

[Drummond]

Uh-oh...

[Hookeysmith]

I'm not sure Drummond. Back then, Ings was at least useful as a sub coming on, and is better than the no striker option we have now.

Morgan Rogers says Hi