Turkish

would THRIVE in a 4-2-3-1 Expected Goals this Season (Championship 2025/26): Optimistic projection: 8–10 goals Realistic development target: 6–8 goals If struggles continue: 3–5 goals Best Tactical Fit for Downs 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 Ball served into the box and runs in behind Supported by wide players and creative #10

The way i see it is that the issue with 3 at the back isnt that all our centre backs are shit, it's that they're all similar. All ball playing type centre backs who lack leadership, power and pace. Quarsie was meant to be the big, strong, powerful one but he isn't really ready yet, Stephens is meant to be the leader but isn't the other 3 all quite similar. None of them particularly dominant or mobile.

I suspect if we all wrote down what we thought our best team and formation is 90% of people would pick one not far off that, with maybe a few different players, Wellington or Charles in for Manning or Downes for example.

this is the team chatgpt recommended so at least we know AI isn't picking the team Best Formation: 4-2-3-1 (Fluid / Wide Support) Bazunu Jelert / Roerslev Harwood-Bellis Edwards Bree / Manning Downes Jander Fellows Azaz Scienza Armstrong It also says 🧠 Bottom Line Southampton aren’t struggling because a back three is bad. They’re struggling because: ❌ Wrong CB profiles ❌ No real wing-backs ❌ Midfield imbalance ❌ Isolated striker ❌ Championship intensity punishes passive shapes Best fix: 👉 Ditch the back three 👉 Return to 4-2-3-1 / 4-3-3 👉 Build around Downes + creativity + real wingers All things we've said tbf

correct I said all this when he joined and I said that he’d be written off after a few games and people saying we shouldn’t have brought him back, legs are gone etc Entirely predictable from the dickheads on here

I watched the first 30 minutes of the game and wasn’t impressed at all, maybe he got better but didn’t really offer much going forward and got caught out not tracking his man 2-3 times at the back

just turned over as Wellbeck missed his pen.

I only watched it because i saw Dibling was playing, wish i hadn't bothered.

Dibling been pretty poor for Everton so far, not offering much going forward and keeps getting caught ball watching.

Tessem critical of Baz. Another one who just doesn't get how unlucky he is https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/sport/25729826.former-southampton-fc-man-criticises-bazunu-not-bailing-team/

Thiago Silva, a bygone era? He was still playing in the Premier league just over a year ago 😂

been out for a couple of months with a hamstring injury, not that he'd be able to play NYD anyway

Im with you. There has been a narrative that all our centre backs are so shit we have to play with 3. Like you say im no fan of Stephens but he has played over 100 premier league games, Harwood-Bellis has two promotions and an England cap on his CV, he played in a Burnley team which won the title with 101 points and only conceded 35 goals. Wood is competent at this level and we have Edwards and Quarise as our YHGTIers. You cant tell me that 2 of those 5, with two decent CDMs, Eleit and Rostov either side of them as full backs allowing us to play Fellows, Azaz and Scienza at an attacking 3 would do worse than the shambles we see every week defensively.

that isn't what i said.

It's a real shame for him really as if he wasn't so unlucky he'd probably be back at Man City by now and we'd be 100m sheets richer. I guess his lucks got to change soon.