How David Moyes will navigate the striker position, especially in the absence of Michail Antonio tonight will be telling.
Antonio, a player with undeniable impact, can be a handful for any defence on his day, despite occasional inconsistencies. However, when he’s not in the lineup, there’s a noticeable dip in our attacking potency. This scenario has now set the stage for us to witness Moyes “plan B” in the forward line.
Dany Ings, although a talented striker, seems ill-fitted for the specific demands of playing in Moyes’ system. He often ends up isolated tactically, lacking the necessary support to truly shine. This predicament leaves us with two viable options, as far as I can see.
Moyes’s plan B? Bowen could be used as a striker in Germany.
One possibility is a tactical shift, where Moyes could potentially deploy Jarrod Bowen as the central striker. Bowen’s versatility and skill set make him a strong contender for this role. He has shown the ability to adapt and take on different positions effectively, providing a different attacking option up front. That move would see Mohammed Kudus move onto the right wing, where I’m sure Moyes would prefer him.
On the other hand, there’s an exciting prospect in Divin Mubama, who’s been waiting patiently in the wings. The Freiburg clash could be the perfect stage for him to step up and showcase his talent, but I think it’s unlikely.
Moyes answer to the striker position tonight, could hold the key to his decision on who get’s used against Newcastle.
A bit ‘out there’ I know, but I could see Soucek doing a job as a target man for the following reasons:
1. He is tall and scores a lot with his head.
2. He is physically pretty strong, so should be able to hold defenders off.
3. He’s not a great central midfielder – fact. He lacks speed, positional awareness and passing range.
It would then mean a midfield three of Paqueta (as a 10), Alvarez (as a 6) and JWP (as an 8), with Bowen right and Kudus left.
Yummy!
This is where Moyes has closed off his own options for me. He has never given Mubama any minutes as a sub so far this season, so it’s unlikely he will start him tonight. Will he sub him on? Don’t know, but I like the Bowen/Kudus move personally.