[betterthanbaird]

I think that today perfectly illustrated the problem with Pulis' preferred selections. We have 2 capable central defenders pretending to be full backs. They are both good defensively and add a threat at set pieces due to their ability in the air but if we have to try to break teams down neither are capable of creating anything on the flanks. It therefore falls to our wide men to get crosses in rather than being in close support to Rondon who is left isolated in the middle. We looked far more threatening when Brunt came on at left back and was able to offer an additional attacking threat. It's a real dilemma - do we want to be solid defensively and dangerous at set pieces or do we want full backs that offer more pace and attacking threat while leaving us more exposed at the back? I know which I'd prefer to watch but not sure whether we would be as successful. Today also showed that we need to spend money on a quality attacking midfielder - neither Morrison nor Brunt are good enough in that role.

Nyom is a full back not a centre back and if we played him on the right I think he'd pose a decent attacking threat so hopefully we'll go into next season with this back 4:

New Left Back - Evans - Dawson - Nyom