O’brien the perfect midfielder

Personally, I think this lad will prove to be our best signing in the transfer window.

Just a shame it's a loan deal as I fully expect him to have a solid season, and then next year the vultures come in and we're back to square one again - similar to Giles/Archer situation this season.

If he impresses (which I think he will), before January, I would try and cut Forest a deal in the window to sign him.

Hopefully we change to 4-3-3 to include him, as I don't think for one minute Carrick will drop one of Howson/Hackney for him.
 
Marvanelli said:
Hopefully we change to 4-3-3 to include him, as I don't think for one minute Carrick will drop one of Howson/Hackney for him.
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O'Brien is fit, he plays, he starts.

Can't see Carrick abandoning his 4-2-3-1 but even short term to shore things up I'd go 4-3-3 and drop the No 10.

Change things up mid game, bring Rogers, McGree, Gilbert, whoever on to make a more attacking set up if needed.

We are very predictable to play against at present, and every other manager in the league knows how we set up, how we play. Surely not a bad thing to tweak things?
 
Marvanelli said:
Personally, I think this lad will prove to be our best signing in the transfer window.

Just a shame it's a loan deal as I fully expect him to have a solid season, and then next year the vultures come in and we're back to square one again - similar to Giles/Archer situation this season.

If he impresses (which I think he will), before January, I would try and cut Forest a deal in the window to sign him.

Hopefully we change to 4-3-3 to include him, as I don't think for one minute Carrick will drop one of Howson/Hackney for him.
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I mean.. we're not there yet, he's played 21 minutes for us and he's already off to Sheffield for £18m!

Nottingham Forrest clearly don't want him.. and I dare say he will be after Premier League football next season (if not before) I'd be surprised if there wasn't an option to buy in there.. but maybe not. Lets see how we get on and hopefully it works out. 2 loans in this season vs 6 equals 1/3 of the heartache.

The £10m deal to Blackburn broke down and they didn't look to resurrect it.. sounds positive for us at least.
 
h_m_boro said:
O'Brien is fit, he plays, he starts.

Can't see Carrick abandoning his 4-2-3-1 but even short term to shore things up I'd go 4-3-3 and drop the No 10.

Change things up mid game, bring Rogers, McGree, Gilbert, whoever on to make a more attacking set up if needed.

We are very predictable to play against at present, and every other manager in the league knows how we set up, how we play. Surely not a bad thing to tweak things?
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I hope this is the plan. Carrick has said himself it’s not necessarily about replacing Akpom but finding ways to get more out of everyone else. Dropping the 10 back into midfield should leave space for Hackney and the front 3 to get into shooting positions while making us more solid at the back. It could also free up Barlaser to do more of what he’s good at when he plays.
 
I'd like to see O'Brien, Hackney and McGree in a midfield three. Three absolute ballers in possession, and the fact of having three bodies in teh middle of the pitch with O'Brien adding a bit of bite that we've lacked could really make us more solid defensively, while increasing our possession, passing and creation from the middle of the park.

It would allow the wingers to play higher up the pitch too, be less worried about tracking back as the extra central cover will allow more bodies when defending the counter.

Anyway O'Brien has to start, has to play every week, give us options in the middle in terms of who plays, who sits, who goes.
 
I was absolutely delighted with this signing. Argubaly the best midfielder in the league season before last - hence why forest splashed out.

He will be in our starting line up no doubt, at the expense of who, i don't know. But he's far too good to be a champ bench warmer.

I'd love us to convert Howson to a right back again and play o'brien and hackney centre mid.
 
BoroMart said:
I'd like to see O'Brien, Hackney and McGree in a midfield three. Three absolute ballers in possession, and the fact of having three bodies in teh middle of the pitch with O'Brien adding a bit of bite that we've lacked could really make us more solid defensively, while increasing our possession, passing and creation from the middle of the park.

It would allow the wingers to play higher up the pitch too, be less worried about tracking back as the extra central cover will allow more bodies when defending the counter.

Anyway O'Brien has to start, has to play every week, give us options in the middle in terms of who plays, who sits, who goes.
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Hackney might get a rest with obrien taking his place OR because obrien is a tackler Carrick might rest howson and choose to have a more dynamic midfielder who has more legs and pace than howson as well as being comfortable with the ball at his feet 🤷‍♂️
 
Good at controlling play and setting a tempo and driving forward. Obviously very early to judge him, as he is coming from the US league, which is a lot slower than the champo. Just needs to settle back into the pace of the championship and we'll see what he can do. I think he will need to improve his goals and assists to be the perfect midfielder!
 
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