How can RLB add more attacking threat and might he change formation? #onthewhistle LIVE

Sunderland Echo

Phil Smith and BBC Radio Newcastle's Nick Barnes answer questions from Sunderland fans at The Bridge Hotel Vaults

Transcript

00:00If we get more of a goal threat in the team, should we try Meyenda on the right wing?

00:04I mean, I think this is a really interesting one.

00:06He played on the right, didn't he?

00:07Put in a back five, yeah.

00:09I think it's interesting because I do think that Odinga has been one of our most dangerous players.

00:15I think maybe the secret is maybe when Ray Nildo's back and you feel a little bit more comfortable

00:19with the defensive cover he offers.

00:23But I do think I would like to see, although he's blown a little bit hot and cold, as you said,

00:28I think getting Odinga in the team more is going to be one big way that we can have an additional attack and threat.

00:34Meyenda, I'm not sure where his head is at the minute in terms of he starts the season

00:39and suddenly he's not first choice and he's on the bench, he's come on a couple of times.

00:45Because potentially I think there's a real player there and I'd like to see more of him.

00:51But it's difficult, isn't it?

00:54Because we want to see more of Broby.

00:56Isidore, rightfully, I suppose, it's his at the minute because he's got the goals,

01:01the few goals they have got.

01:04And Meyenda is still relatively young and naive, a little bit raw, playing at this level.

01:10So the front three, those three, there's a question mark over each of them.

01:15But what degree do you say, at what level do each of these earn the right to start the games

01:21at the moment Isidore's earned it because he's been here the longest in one sense.

01:24And the challenge is what we said after the Man United game that, you know, the problem

01:28is the foundation we've got as a team at the moment is our defensive strength.

01:31And the more attackers you put in, the more attack-minded players in, the more you undo

01:35those strengths as well.

01:36So it is a definite balance, isn't it?

01:38And I'll give Isidore his credit as well.

01:39He's a good defender.

01:40When you watch set pieces, quite a lot of the time is Isidore's clearing the ball.

01:46So he does get, so I think that's a little bit lost sometimes.

01:48You think Isidore is this fancy down at the front.

01:51But actually, when you look at corners and things, quite a lot of the time the ball's

01:55dropping to Isidore and Isidore is clearing it.

01:58Okay, last one.

02:00Do you ever envisage RLB playing two strikers this season or is 4-4-2 dead in the modern era?

02:05I mean, it's definitely not, but I would suggest it probably is for a team trying to survive.

02:10Well, it's interesting because after the game on Saturday, it said they'd played 4-4-2.

02:14And I'm thinking, really?

02:18So he'll occasionally drop in that the formation goes to 4-4-2.

02:21But I'm thinking, well, you've only got one striker on the pitch.

02:24So I know he pushes someone further up.

02:27So he's not averse to playing it.

02:30But he's very stuck in his ways in terms of, he's very conservative with the small C.

02:36Because he'll always tell you about the defence.

02:38He likes a back four.

02:39And he prefers one up front.

02:41He doesn't want to lose.

02:42He doesn't want to sacrifice midfielders.

02:44He wants to make sure he's got the balance in the middle and so on.

02:46So I think he's very conservative.

02:47But I think people say he has, people, this other complaint that's thrown at coaches is

02:53they've never got a plan B.

02:55But I think he has got a plan B.

02:56And I think he proved that on Saturday.

02:57So he can change things and it will make a difference.

03:01But I'm not sure he's ever, he's not a coach that is going to adopt 4-4-2 on a regular basis.

03:10I mean, he did do it last year.

03:11But I think it was different in the championship.

03:13And what he would always say is we play 4-4-2 out of possession.

03:16So he would always say that that is one of our formations.

03:18But I think he'll play two up front at times this season.

03:21But he'll be with a back three and not with a back four.

03:23I think that's just realistically where we're at.

03:25But he will definitely do it within games.

03:26Because he did do it at Burnley, didn't he, when Mark E.

03:29Who came on before he disappeared.

03:31Bless him.

03:32So I do think we'll see it.

03:33But more likely to be with a back three.

03:36So there we go.

03:36That's it.

03:37Thank you so much for coming down.

03:39We were amazed.

03:40We were amazed.

03:40People came.

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