Dave Sutton's barnet wrote:
Playing in deeper central midfield, Mark Davies is diligent but he really isn't a tackler. Out wide, he's too isolated and struggles to combine the attacking need to get involved with the defensive necessity to help his full-back. He's much better, the best we have, as the most attacking member of a three-man central midfield.
At the moment that role seems to belong to Pratley, who played the first half v Fulham and 82 minutes at Newcastle. That level of exposure when playing two games in three days indicates that unlike this site's armchair quarterbacks (including me), the manager doesn't appear to believe Tuncay can play that position, even when we're forced to play Mavies deeper due to the absence of Holden and Muamba.
In Easter extremis, Coyle still didn't trust Tuncay. There must be a reason for that. We'll have to guess in the absence of an explanation (understandable, considering it would presumably either be "He's not good enough" or "I don't like him", either of which would provoke howls of derision from the man-management experts).
In his absence, he's become the new Andranik Pele.
It is baffling.I dont agree with Boris re Mavis(he has one strong suit,running on the ball and one effective position behind the striker) so playing him deeper to accomodate Pratley makes him less effective. I dont think Mavis has a great engine so for me I'd rather see him alternating with Tuncay and or Pratley in the more advanced role and not necessarily for 90 mins. However if Vela is too young,S Davis too injured, Pratley too limited,Ream too it would mean Knight playing, then I suppose there is no alternative.
Tuncay could/should still be used as an alternative to Pratley whether starting or as a sub. Again I dont agree with Boris. Tuncay has worked hard, looked fit and looked sparky/creative in the brief spells I've seen him particularly when he has come off the right wing and played behind the striker which he seems instinctively to want to do.He has far more versatility than the 3 forward players on the bench on Monday so having those three there ahead of him makes no sense at all. Youre only realistically going to use two of them.I suppose you could argue Ryo can cover the same positions but it commits you to keeping both wide men on.
Bottom line is I see no point having NGog as a sub. He wont change a game,Tuncay to me has always looked like he could at least create something and we're crying out for that.
