Why doesn't Alex Neil fancy Mulumbu?

[Canaryboy]

This is the one thing that I'm really struggling to understand right now.

Mulumbu was widely acknowledged to have been a major coup for us, just 18 months before grabbing him on a freebie he was being linked to Arsenal and anybody who watches Premier League football a lot knew that he was one of West Brom's best players for several years, 143 appearances in four seasons for them, pretty much their main man until Pulis took over. 

Started against Chelsea and was probably our best player, bossed the midfield and looked a cut above. 

I know that he spent two months out injured and so may not have been fully fit at that stage, but he's been an unused substitute in the three games which have followed (almost a month since that Chelsea game) and has been back from injury for two months now.

Why can't he get a game above Graham Dorrans? Considering Dorrans couldn't get a game above Mulumbu at West Brom?

 

[eatonparkboy]

That is the $64 million dollar question.

Tettey is and looks clumsy and that is apparent in the amount of bookings he has received this season. I'm not sure what Dorrans role is meant to be. And O'Neill only gets picked every other game.

You don't have to be a great tackler to break up play, you just have to be there but you do need something to create play and Mulumbu looked to be the best equipped.

 

[Canaryboy]

I'd probably play Tettey with Mulumbu in all fairness because Mulumbu is capable of being a box to box midfielder. 

Many of the yellows that Tettey gets are 'taking one for the team' rather than clumsy, sometimes its worth a yellow to prevent a counter attack if outnumbered. It was always a myth that Paul Scholes couldn't tackle because he'd often intentionally take one for the team too, if anything he just made a bad challenge look clumsy rather than cynical. 

And it is logical to expect a player whose job it is to defend to get more yellows because they are making more challenges, that's their job. If Tettey was overly clumsy he'd been getting second yellows, but he's never had a red card (in his entire career!), a clear indicator that he collects a lot of yellows intentionally when he can afford to take one but knows how to avoid them when he can't. 

Last season I can even remember a game when Alex Neil called him over to the dugout and whispered in his ear and he got himself booked a couple of minutes later, planning his one game suspension for 5 or 10 yellows to suit the fixture list. 

 

[GJP]

While I considered him to ge a good signing I've never thought of him as being a step up from what we've got. 

My thoughts when we signed Andreu were that if he's really good he'll be straight in the team. It quickly became obvious he wasn't going to be good enough.And although I think Mulumbu is more of an asset than that if he was outstanding he'd have featured more.

Having said that, considering he is an experienced Prem player and because we must be paying him pretty well I'm surprised he hasn't seen a bit more game time.

 

[ZLF]

Many players struggle to get to full match fitness having missed a pre season and he could well be in a catch 22 situation of needing pitch time to catch up but the manager not prepared to play him unfit as he hasnt demonstrated he is significantly better than the options?

As with Hooper Lafferty etc he may just feel that the others offer more / are better;   he sees them every day and is best judged to assess.    I would like to see him with Tettey in the middle though - and given his starts were narrow defeats away at citeh & chelski perhaps we will see 

 

[Canaryboy]

Mulumbu actually had a full pre-season I think, got injured just before the start of the season.

If he is struggling for match fitness then hopefully he'll get a full 90 minutes against Man City in the FA Cup and come make an impact in the second half of the season. 

 

[eatonparkboy]

I'd probably play Tettey with Mulumbu in all fairness because Mulumbu is capable of being a box to box midfielder. 

Many of the yellows that Tettey gets are 'taking one for the team' rather than clumsy, sometimes its worth a yellow to prevent a counter attack if outnumbered. It was always a myth that Paul Scholes couldn't tackle because he'd often intentionally take one for the team too, if anything he just made a bad challenge look clumsy rather than cynical. 

And it is logical to expect a player whose job it is to defend to get more yellows because they are making more challenges, that's their job. If Tettey was overly clumsy he'd been getting second yellows, but he's never had a red card (in his entire career!), a clear indicator that he collects a lot of yellows intentionally when he can afford to take one but knows how to avoid them when he can't. 

Last season I can even remember a game when Alex Neil called him over to the dugout and whispered in his ear and he got himself booked a couple of minutes later, planning his one game suspension for 5 or 10 yellows to suit the fixture list. 

In all honesty, I'm not a real Tettey fan. And I disagree about Scholes. i thought he was the worst tackler I have ever seen. I don't know why he even bothered. But although it is destructive, tackling is an art. You very rarely see and good block tackle head on anymore, apart from non league.

 

[Killiecanary]

Agee totally about both Tettey and Scholes Eaton

for me I would have a central midfield two of O'Neil and Mulumbu, with Dorrans and Tettey ready to come on if we need to change / sub.  Hoolahan in the advanced midfield role for most games, with Howson ready to pay in there in some games.  

But agian it demonstrates the strength in depth in midfield that we don't have in ever defence or up front. 

 

[Yellow Fever]

I'm also mystified why Mulumbu doesn't get more game time. He and Mbokani both looked sharp when they came on yesterday. O'Neil has worked hard to take his chance and make it count, but he does have weaknesses as well. He's slower than Mulumbu, who looks stronger in the tackle as well as being better at playing through balls or getting into the box himself as he did for his shot yesterday.

 

[GJP]

But AN may think that O'Neil is smarter positionally, has a cooler head and is better at keeping the ball. Plus, he's a competitor too.

 

[Personal Trainer]

I'm also mystified why Mulumbu doesn't get more game time. He and Mbokani both looked sharp when they came on yesterday. O'Neil has worked hard to take his chance and make it count, but he does have weaknesses as well. He's slower than Mulumbu, who looks stronger in the tackle as well as being better at playing through balls or getting into the box himself as he did for his shot yesterday.

There are 21 more matches (plus just one FA Cup match) to come so I suspect both of them will get the chance to start as injuries and suspensions are inevitable. For the first time in many seasons we do seem to have a bench that offers more than adequate cover.

 

[Fenway Frank]

I can't imagine AN will play the same team for the next two games bearing in mind they are so close to each other. It's up to Mulumbu/ Ofoe etc to take their chance when they get it.

 

[ZLF]

Agree with that FF; probably not much change in the back 4,  mainly in midfield. 

I cant see wes and oneill starting both games;   I would rest Wes so he is fresh for villa and rest gaz at home.  I would like to see mulumbu joining forces with tettey in the middle behind wes against villa and tettey & Oneil behind VOO for spurs.    I suspect thought it will be the consistent Howson who comes though 

 

[It's Character Forming]

Mulumbu did play in pre-season, I think it was the final pre-season game when he was injured.

I think the answer is simply that he hasn't had the time on the pitch to establish himself as a starter yet.  Tettey is IMO a class defensive midfielder, far better than anyone else in the side at making interceptions and tackles in that area.  It's daft to criticise him for getting yellow cards... show me a defensive midfielder in the Prem who doesn't get yellow cards regularly, it just comes with the territory and sometimes it's necessary to make a challenge which will bring a card to stop a threatening break.  Go back 20 years and it was acceptable to take out a player on his way through to goal which now would be a red card, times have changed but higher up the pitch a player can stop a move happening and get away with a yellow card, like it or not.  I'm not saying this explains most of Tettey's yellow cards though - if you're a DM making lots of tackles you aren't going to time all of them perfectly and for those that miss you will get some yellow cards.

I think we've found our best back 4 - actually back 5 - now.  Olsson on the left, Bennet/Basso at CB, RM at right back.  And we've pretty much eliminated the stupid mistakes over the last few games, and are looking much more solid.  It says something that Rudd has been in the team for a few games now and hasn't been overly tested, which is amazing when you look at who we've played.

 

[Dubai Mark]

I agree regarding our back four, even though I do like Brady at LB when Jarvis is in the side too, but its a waste of Brady really. As for RM, sure he probably isnt our best RB........BUT....I just think when he plays RB it seems to give the team added confidence, he is a good under stated leader who I am convinced the other players respect.