Could Garrido be the answer?

[Suffolk Canary]

An unlikely answer, i admit, but he could give us the balance we need.  

As we lack any kind of left sided midfielder, central strikers are forced out on the left wing (Grabban, Laffs) which they obviously don't enjoy or perform well in. As they naturally gravitate towards the centre, it means Olsson effectively has to be a left back and left winger. Brighton saw we could be weak on the counter attack and they exploited it well to be fair to them.

Having Garrido at LB, and pushing up Olsson to Left Mid (which he's more than capable of doing) would give us a very secure left flank. Not only would this prevent goals, but Olsson knows how to whip a ball in to the box (better than Grabban anyway), so if anything it would probably lead to us scoring more!   Anyone agree? 

 

[The Great Mass Debater]

Yes, I agree and have been saying it for quite a while - 'The Roeder approach' to the left flank. Garrido would be an excellent left back at this level and is only not first choice because Olsson is better. We sold all our left wingers which means Olsson is probably the best option for the left wing wit Redmond on the right.

Dont agree with playing strikers on the wing, or central midfielders. Baffling this would be ex-winger Adams' approach.

 

[SussexYellow]

Well if O'Neill is carrying an injury and with Johnson out next week, if I am not mistaken we are down to our last two senior central midfielders - Howson and Tettey. And we thought we were overloaded in that department!

So yes could be an option, and could be one for next week!

 

[ZLF]

Any truth in the rumours that Tettey was seen on crutches too?   To be honest GON looked ok for his very short stint on yest so suspect he will be available next week.

Personally I dont think Olsson is good enough to play in midfield - his passing and crossing lack quality and accuracy and his commitment to left back means I think he is simply better left out (why promote an underperformer to another area of the pitch??)     

I agree with bringing Garrido in,  but much prefer lafferty or a loan signing to be the wide left midfiled option 

 

[ZLF]

Also If we are down on numbers in cm I would expect to see Whittaker step in

 

[SussexYellow]

A bit harsh on Olsson there ZLF. I think he has played for Sweden higher up the pitch, and played well.

If Tettey and O'Neill are both struggling for fitness I can not see them both starting. Which may limit the formations we can play, so I think we can assume we will see the favoured 442 again next Saturday. Lafferty on the left is probably a good shout.

 

[eatonparkboy]

I hope Hooper plays next game and would like to see a better crosser of the ball from the left than Ollson. I don't go along with the theory that Murphy is too young and fragile. Over the last few games, our full backs have been got at and we have conceded when Turner gets pulled out of position.

I am in a mood to suggest Garrido at LB, Murphy at LW and Ollson at left CB. Teams don't play two up front and I think Ollson can cover. I think it is worth a try.

 

[Lowestoft Canary]

I wonder what garrido has to do to get a chance he can't be in poorer form than the current defence

 

[Din]

I said before the game yesterday that I'd like to see Olsson in left midfield and Garrido left back. It could definitely work. Unfortunately though I think if Adams was going to try it he would've done it by now.

 

[GazzaTCC]

We have two issues (I'm being generous here) lack of leaders on the pitch, step forward Gary O'Neil, and no wide left player. Olsson may be one possible option, with Garrido at left back, or, go three at the back with five in midfield and two up front.

 

[GJP]

Considering how often Olsson fails to produce quality in the final third I don't really like the idea of him playing wide left.

I don't really know what Garrido has done or not done to be so far out of the picture. If Olsson was playing really well then fair enough but he's not. He's been average at best for quite some time now and there's seemingly no pressure on his place.

Again, as I've done before, I go back to the 10 game unbeaten run. It was a long time ago now but we've never managed to be as solid since. Whittaker, Turner, Bassong and Garrido.

While Garrido lacks the pace of Olsson I think it is quite clear that he is a bit more of a thinking player than Olsson and I wonder if he could give us a bit more quality and help us tighten up defensively.

 

[ZLF]

 or, go three at the back with five in midfield and two up front.

This is something I have wondered about - esp at home where we tend to be on the front foot for most of the game.

It may actually mean we have more defenders and better attackers rather than relying on the full backs bombing on and producing sub standard crosses (Olsson) or running into Redmonds space (martin/whittaker) and have three defenders who dont get forward  and may also play to martins preference - martin turner garrido across the back?

In the middle two natural wide and a no 10 and two strikers (although we have to hope hooper and jerome can make a partnership work) would give pitch wide attacking threat and keep the ability to get men forward 

 

[digsb]

I'm a big fan of Garrido - and I think he has been subject to a lot of unfair criticism from certain quarters.  He isn't the best full-back in the world, but then if he was he wouldn't be playing for us.  He isn't as quick as Ollson, mind, but I can't remember him ever letting us down.  I was surprised that he was dropped as soon as Ollson's ban after his red against Wolves was up.  

I've never understood why he has only rarely been allowed to take free kicks/corners either.

As to why we haven't seen him in a while, and whether he is the answer, I'm pretty sure Neil's programme notes on Saturday stated that he has just started training again after a slight injury.

I'd like to see him, along with our other Spanish defenders start together as soon as possible.  If FIFA Ultimate Team has taught me anything, it is that playing players of the same nationality results in good chemistry

 

[Personal Trainer]

I think Ollson has always shown a lack of spatial awareness, even at his former Club, whereas Garrido, despite lacking Ollson's pace, always seemed to be aware of what was going on around him in the way that Adam Drury did. The latter was more like a sheepdog herding his opponent into an area of least damage.

 

[Yellow Fever]

I'd also like to see Garrido given a chance, as Olsson seems to have lost form of late. Lafferty played on the left all of his time at Palermo and I think that it allows him to use his pace as well as playing two strikers without having to go for the outdated 4-4-2 (or the diamond). Jerome can also play on the left of a 4-2-3-1 though, which could allow Hooper to start in the same formation. There are options available, so let's try something different.