Nottingham Forest - Newcastle United

[wassy04]

Freuler runs more than any other of our players! Not saying both him and Shelvey should play though

Freuler does run a lot as does Shelvey, just neither of them do it very quickly. Glad Kouyate is back but he is slower still.

There in lies the problem, Newcastle have Saint Maximin, Isak, Willock and Almiron who are all lightning fast. We have 2 slow centre backs and a slow central midfield. Been saying for a long time we have little pace in our squad apart from Johnson. Lets see how they cope.

Everyone is aware of the pace issues but given everyone else is injured (at CB) we haven't got a lot of choice.

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Freuler runs more than any other of our players! Not saying both him and Shelvey should play though

Freuler does run a lot as does Shelvey, just neither of them do it very quickly. Glad Kouyate is back but he is slower still.

There in lies the problem, Newcastle have Saint Maximin, Isak, Willock and Almiron who are all lightning fast. We have 2 slow centre backs and a slow central midfield. Been saying for a long time we have little pace in our squad apart from Johnson. Lets see how they cope.

Everyone is aware of the pace issues but given everyone else is injured (at CB) we haven't got a lot of choice.

I know that and it’s certainly not the game to start Niakhate although the collective genius of twitter will still be outraged when Worrall starts on Friday.

More the lack of pace in midfield Im getting at. We aren’t exactly blessed with it in the forward department either.

[wassy04]

Freuler runs more than any other of our players! Not saying both him and Shelvey should play though

Freuler does run a lot as does Shelvey, just neither of them do it very quickly. Glad Kouyate is back but he is slower still.

There in lies the problem, Newcastle have Saint Maximin, Isak, Willock and Almiron who are all lightning fast. We have 2 slow centre backs and a slow central midfield. Been saying for a long time we have little pace in our squad apart from Johnson. Lets see how they cope.

Everyone is aware of the pace issues but given everyone else is injured (at CB) we haven't got a lot of choice.

I know that and it’s certainly not the game to start Niakhate although the collective genius of twitter will still be outraged when Worrall starts on Friday.

More the lack of pace in midfield Im getting at. We aren’t exactly blessed with it in the forward department either.

Are you suggesting we should've invested in faster players then? Taiwo and Dennis have pace in attack, not starting for very different reasons!

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Thats not a discussion for this thread but the short answer in my opinion is Yes.

Dennis does have some pace and I suspect he will start on Friday if Johnson not fit. Lets just say I hope he can use it as an opportunity to show what he is capable of.

[wassy04]

Thats not a discussion for this thread but the short answer in my opinion is Yes.

Dennis does have some pace and I suspect he will start on Friday if Johnson not fit. Lets just say I hope he can use it as an opportunity to show what he is capable of.

I'd be inclined to start Dennis regardless of whether Johnson plays.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

If we are going to start Dennis can we at least start him on the right so he doesn't have to try and cut inside from the left, lose the ball and then fall over like he's been shot.

[wassy04]

If we are going to start Dennis can we at least start him on the right so he doesn't have to try and cut inside from the left, lose the ball and then fall over like he's been shot.

I dont think the side of the pitch is the reason for that! 

I think the key with Dennis is to lower your expectations. He had a classic bit of play last weekend. Sprinted back, did superbly to win it back in our own half. Then dribbled it forward and got tackled almost instantly.

[Tricky]

If we are going to start Dennis can we at least start him on the right so he doesn't have to try and cut inside from the left, lose the ball and then fall over like he's been shot.

I dont think the side of the pitch is the reason for that! 

I think the key with Dennis is to lower your expectations. He had a classic bit of play last weekend. Sprinted back, did superbly to win it back in our own half. Then dribbled it forward and got tackled almost instantly.

For me, there is a bloody good player in Dennis, IF he got it into his head that football is a team game and not a go for glory at every opportunity game.

He does make some very good runs and gets into some good positions, but then tries to go past more opponents again and again and then ends up losing the ball. If he could get it into his game (and head) that take the run so far, then play the ball to a team mate in a better position, I think he could become a top player.

[Sniffer Dog (Admin)]

I mentioned on another thread a few days ago that I am surprised that our coaching staff haven't got a better tune out of him. Surely they can polish him up a bit, why haven't they managed to do it?

[Salvatore Matrecano]

Its hard to tell sometimes. Did Dennis just have the season of his life last year and now reverted to type? Did the move not suit him, does he have other problems (eg Scarpa)? Or maybe you are correct and the coaching staff should have got more.

However we know Cooper can work magic. We also know that it’s possible for the likes of Spence to look sensational last year and be nowhere this. Bowler we bought on the strength of tearing up the Championship now cant get a game in his old relegation threatened side. Dennis is just another example.

Looking forward to seeing his 2 footed shuffle in front of a defender before promptly losing the ball. Trying to remember, Im sure we had another player who did that. Kingsley Black?

[wassy04]

I mentioned on another thread a few days ago that I am surprised that our coaching staff haven't got a better tune out of him. Surely they can polish him up a bit, why haven't they managed to do it?

Probably the same reasons his departure was so (allegedly) well received at Watford. You could tell from his early appearances that what we'd heard was true about his decision making etc.

I think it makes sense to have another go now we're so desperate for options and Wood hasn't worked out.

[Reds73]

If we are going to start Dennis can we at least start him on the right so he doesn't have to try and cut inside from the left, lose the ball and then fall over like he's been shot.

Where you starting Johnno then  sniff ?