Tomoki Iwata

With Hatate being injured and Turnbull being off it, I’d start Holm and maybe Iwata too.

McGregor is undroppable but he was * too.

 

Aye he may have always been the plan and that's why but not all 7 subs go out at the same time and like I said wasn't as if they were planning on taking off Hatate.

Regardless he took his chance very well and its worked out well for us

 

Iwata seems solid enough but he’s never taken a game by the scruff of the neck and not only can I not see him breaking into the team I cant see him getting many minutes at all. I think he may go the same way as Gucci tbh.

Our two best midfielders are McGregor and Hatate and I would imagine they will play most if not all our games when fit.

Then you have O’Reilly, Holm, Iwata, Turnbull and Kwon all fighting it out for that remaining spot.

MOR and Turnbull fit in better as a 10 and Holm has impressed way more than Iwata has in much less time.

Writing is on the wall for him happy if he proved me wrong though.

 

Was it an option or an obligation to buy that we had on him?

 

Obligation

 

Always found him a solid enough option in midfield, think he's fine for a squad player.

 

Surely he deserves a chance at DM..

Thats why he was bought, no?

 

If BR thinks he's good enough he will get a chance.. I'm not sure deserve has anything to do with it..

 

The issue for him I think is that most games domestically we don't really need to play a proper DM, because we dominate possession so much having someone like McGregor in the 6 role who's an all round better footballer is usually more use to us. For europe we should be playing a more naturally defensive player alongside McGregor, but then it can be a bit of a problem if that player hasn't been seeing a lot of game time to just slot in and perform at their best.

 

I agree with this, iv always felt we should play two DMs in the tough away games.

 

Aye, think that’s it.

I’m sure if he was showing up well enough in training he would play more often. He’s never really shown anything to suggest he should be getting more game time.

 

How can this boy not get a look in that midfield? He isn’t a superstar by any stretch but offers some energy and defensive solidity compared to the other 3 that are playing. Rodgers plays a double pivot plenty and could easily play McGregor, Iwata and O’Riley for now. It would give us a more solid midfield than what we have seen this season so far.

I hoped Turnbull had come good but the reality is he is nowhere near the required level.

 

Very strange as he's mobile and combative with an engine. Something we really lack..

We haven't seen much from him admittedly but by all accounts he's always one of the top trainers as well..

Just must no rate him. I wouldn't be overly surprised if he left still, despite just signing..

 

Poor guy. Signed by a manager he knows, but that one * off, leaving him to hang, and now he has to hope and pray that either a) the new manager finally realizes he needs him or b) said manager gets sacked in a week after a failure to play the best qualified DM at the club causes us to lose.

 

Yeah it seems strange he hasn’t even had a look in since the season started. In his playing time at centre midfield here he done a good job of shoring up our midfield in games against them off the bench.

That is my big fear they we are going to get run over the top off next week. Not so much with quality just physicality and our midfield will just stand by and watch them do it.

 

Bought him now so May as well give him game time or move him on.
We have more than enough bench warmers.

 

Agree with this.

I'm also asking how can he not even get a game at RB now. Bcoz he mishit a clearance v bilbao?

He's still a far better option than Ralston as our back up rb.

That being said, shifting him about positions isn't doing him any favours. He was J League player of the year for a reason so * play him

 

Would like him to get a run.