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When fit, where does Clarke fit back in?

It’s saying something that Fosu, arguably our best player last season, is struggling to nail a place down.

So how player wise / tactically will we adapt to Clarke’s return?
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Comments

  • I'd say the top of the diamond is currently between Ward and Clarke, see them as similar players

    Bowyer surprisingly said prior to Barnsley that Forest will be wanting Ward back in January so imagine it'll be a straight swap - Fosu is ideal in the sense that he'll be able to come on and run at tiring Defences like he did yesterday yet also wonder if he can do a job supporting Lyle Taylor if Grant were to get injured.

    Sadly is a long season and still see there being cases where we'd love to have Ward | Clarke | Fosu available and fit at the same time yet doubt it'll happen that much
  • Will he even be close to the same player?
  • Both Joe Gomez and Danny Ings have come back from similar type injuries - Clarke is four years older than Ings but dont see it being one of those injuries that'll hinder how he plays... If he was quick then I'd maybe agree but he's another who passes the ball to get it forward rather than relying on his pace
  • He came back from the same injury on his other knee didnt he.

    I "think" Ward came in as cover for Clarke, maybe Ward will be avaliable on a free in January?

    When Ward isn't on loan I would expect a defender to come in and take that loan space.
  • edited October 2018
    Replaces Reeves atm........then Ward when he goes back.
  • I’m sure 1 or 2 of the others will oblige with fresh injuries of their own so maybe not worth too much of a worry...
  • Replaces Reeves atm........then Ward when he goes back.

    I wouldn’t say Clarke’s suited to playing as one of the middle two in the diamond like Reeves is.

    If we stick with the diamond Clarke will provide competition for Ward and Fosu. By the time he’s properly fit Ward could be back at Forest.
  • Didn’t Ward say some pretty damning things about Forest when he first arrived in SE7 ? I’m sure I remember thinking that it was highly unlikely he’d ever play there again.

    This is true, but Forest will probably recall him so they can get a fee for him, rather than let him go for free.

    But, back to the original question. If we were to keep Ward, play a diamond. Clarke plays at the point. Ward plays on the right. On the left, you play Aribo/Fosu. (They're both young, and will need resting during the season.) At the Base, you play either Aribo or Cullen.
  • He works to justify selection and plays well if and when selected. If we lose games when he plays his place is under threat like all the others.
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  • seth plum said:

    He works to justify selection and plays well if and when selected. If we lose games when he plays his place is under threat like all the others.

    You having a laugh, his place would be under threat like all the others.
  • edited October 2018

    Didn’t Ward say some pretty damning things about Forest when he first arrived in SE7 ? I’m sure I remember thinking that it was highly unlikely he’d ever play there again.

    This is true, but Forest will probably recall him so they can get a fee for him, rather than let him go for free.

    But, back to the original question. If we were to keep Ward, play a diamond. Clarke plays at the point. Ward plays on the right. On the left, you play Aribo/Fosu. (They're both young, and will need resting during the season.) At the Base, you play either Aribo or Cullen.
    That could well be true but clubs and his agent will know that he’s highly unlikely ever to pull on the shirt again. On that basis clubs will know Forest want his wages gone and would be daft to offer a fee. Are we paying a percentage of his wages and if we are would there be room in Bowyers budget to pay more. Could be Bowyer is happy to see Ward return once Clarke is fully fit.

  • Didn’t Ward say some pretty damning things about Forest when he first arrived in SE7 ? I’m sure I remember thinking that it was highly unlikely he’d ever play there again.

    This is true, but Forest will probably recall him so they can get a fee for him, rather than let him go for free.

    But, back to the original question. If we were to keep Ward, play a diamond. Clarke plays at the point. Ward plays on the right. On the left, you play Aribo/Fosu. (They're both young, and will need resting during the season.) At the Base, you play either Aribo or Cullen.
    That would be very attacking, the two on the right and left are really central midfielders that move out wide. Fosu especially wouldn’t really be suited to that position.

    Aribo would be wasted sitting in front of the back four, Cullen also looks more of a ball winner Aribo to me. Both are comfortable on the ball but I’d say Cullen is more suited to that holding role.
  • Scoham said:

    Didn’t Ward say some pretty damning things about Forest when he first arrived in SE7 ? I’m sure I remember thinking that it was highly unlikely he’d ever play there again.

    This is true, but Forest will probably recall him so they can get a fee for him, rather than let him go for free.

    But, back to the original question. If we were to keep Ward, play a diamond. Clarke plays at the point. Ward plays on the right. On the left, you play Aribo/Fosu. (They're both young, and will need resting during the season.) At the Base, you play either Aribo or Cullen.
    That would be very attacking, the two on the right and left are really central midfielders that move out wide. Fosu especially wouldn’t really be suited to that position.

    Aribo would be wasted sitting in front of the back four, Cullen also looks more of a ball winner Aribo to me. Both are comfortable on the ball but I’d say Cullen is more suited to that holding role.
    Thats based on the fact that we keep Aribo in January though...
  • It is a long season,later on 2 games a week plus any cup games,the depth of the squad will be tested and Clarke will be given opportunities as injuries and suspensions take their toll.It will be nice to have options and give players a rest.
  • It is a long season,later on 2 games a week plus any cup games,the depth of the squad will be tested and Clarke will be given opportunities as injuries and suspensions take their toll.It will be nice to have options and give players a rest.

    This 100%

    To have players like pratley, Reeves, Clarke, Fosu, Lapslie on the bench is nothing short of a miracle
  • It is a long season,later on 2 games a week plus any cup games,the depth of the squad will be tested and Clarke will be given opportunities as injuries and suspensions take their toll.It will be nice to have options and give players a rest.

    This 100%

    To have players like pratley, Reeves, Clarke, Fosu, Lapslie on the bench is nothing short of a miracle
    Make the most of it, with most of the squad out of contract in the summer
  • If Bowyer continues with the diamond which I think he will, Clarke will likely come in for Ward. I’m struggling to work out what our strongest team will be when everyone is fit
  • edited October 2018
    Clarke or Fosu?

    £9 plus p&p for each from the museum

    image

    image<
  • Scoham said:

    Didn’t Ward say some pretty damning things about Forest when he first arrived in SE7 ? I’m sure I remember thinking that it was highly unlikely he’d ever play there again.

    This is true, but Forest will probably recall him so they can get a fee for him, rather than let him go for free.

    But, back to the original question. If we were to keep Ward, play a diamond. Clarke plays at the point. Ward plays on the right. On the left, you play Aribo/Fosu. (They're both young, and will need resting during the season.) At the Base, you play either Aribo or Cullen.
    That would be very attacking, the two on the right and left are really central midfielders that move out wide. Fosu especially wouldn’t really be suited to that position.

    Aribo would be wasted sitting in front of the back four, Cullen also looks more of a ball winner Aribo to me. Both are comfortable on the ball but I’d say Cullen is more suited to that holding role.
    Thats based on the fact that we keep Aribo in January though...
    Of course. It also assumes there are no long term injuries, a change of system etc. I would just be surprised if we ever start a game with all 3 of Clarke, Ward and Fosu in a diamond midfield.
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  • cabbles said:

    If Bowyer continues with the diamond which I think he will, Clarke will likely come in for Ward. I’m struggling to work out what our strongest team will be when everyone is fit

    I assume you are discounting JFC. For me it is (in a diamond)

    Steer

    Dijksteel, Bauer, Pearce, Page

    Bielik

    Cullen, Aribo

    Fosu

    KAG, Taylor

    Subs: Phillips, Solly, Pratley, Reeves, Ward, Clarke, Vetokele

    I know Tarique was poor yesterday but he is quality on his day.

    Tough on Solly but I think we saw the real Dijksteel yesterday. Don’t underestimate how much he suffered from the pneumonia in the summer
  • Our best XI, when everyone’s fit (apart from JFC)

    Phillips
    Solly Bauer Pearce Page
    Cullen
    Aribo Clarke
    Fosu
    Taylor Grant
  • I thought Fosu did well yesterday.

    With them pushing forward he defended really well.

    Not as good going forward I agree but we kept a clean sheet.
  • edited October 2018
    wmcf123 said:

    cabbles said:

    If Bowyer continues with the diamond which I think he will, Clarke will likely come in for Ward. I’m struggling to work out what our strongest team will be when everyone is fit

    I assume you are discounting JFC. For me it is (in a diamond)

    Steer

    Dijksteel, Bauer, Pearce, Page

    Bielik

    Cullen, Aribo

    Fosu

    KAG, Taylor

    Subs: Phillips, Solly, Pratley, Reeves, Ward, Clarke, Vetokele

    I know Tarique was poor yesterday but he is quality on his day.

    Tough on Solly but I think we saw the real Dijksteel yesterday. Don’t underestimate how much he suffered from the pneumonia in the summer
    Dijksteel gets ahead of Solly when he shows the ability to contribute going forwards
  • Our best XI, when everyone’s fit (apart from JFC)

    Phillips
    Solly Bauer Pearce Page
    Cullen
    Aribo Clarke
    Fosu
    Taylor Grant

    Clarke that far back? Might as well play Reeves. Bielik is such a good player I'd like him to be in there somewhere. I agree it's (keeper aside) the most arguable of the eleven though. I really do think Reeves is closer to our best XI than many are claiming
  • I was actually thinking this the other day and realised with everyone back we have quite good squad depth for our circumstance and only 3 or 4 names would be nailed on imo.

    I think my team would be

    Steer (if he plays like he did Vs Barnsley)
    Solly Bauer Pearce Page
    JFC Cullen
    Fosu Aribo Taylor
    Grant

    Main difficulties would be leaving out Clarke, Bielik, Reeves and Igor, some bench that would be though along with Naby and Lapslie
  • 4-2-3-1? Move Taylor up front and change that midfield to a diamond.
  • Scoham said:

    4-2-3-1? Move Taylor up front and change that midfield to a diamond.

    Yeah, I feel like Taylor seems to play left wing a lot anyway and seems to prefer running down that left flank, Grant has been a brilliant front man chasing the ball down and pressuring centre back. Basically we have a lot of good midfielders and it's hard to leave any out so I have opted for a formation that would get the best of our bunch in imo.
  • On the bench, then up to him to fight his way in.
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