' Anthony Pilkington / Tom Lawrence ? ? '

TWO GOALS FOR PILKINGTON YESTERDAY, BUT IS PILKINGTON BETTER OUT WIDE?

Sunday 28th Feb 2016

South Wales Echo

It's difficult to knock a player who has managed three goals in three outings and Anthony Pilkington is certainly trying the right things in his role as makeshift striker. Indeed, it's hard to fault at some of the interplay he gets involved in with Lex Immers and his growing confidence is showing why there was such hope placed on him when he initially signed.

But there is still the nagging doubt he is not a striker and contains neither quite enough physical presence or an explosion of instinct to say it's more than a short-term fix.

He is getting in the right places and his contribution has been important but it would be interesting to see how Tom Lawrence would perform in the role given how he impressed at this ground for Wales against the Netherlands at the end of last year, with Pilkington still able to join in from wide.

He's shown more than enough physical presence and enough pace to worry defenders

He's shown more than enough physical presence and enough pace to worry defenders

Utter Crap. Pilkington has been excellent so far and has been a revelation since being up front and imo leading the line and one of the leaders in the team now. Also I would say Lawrences best game was out wide against Brighton so why on earth would you swap them.

Why would there be a nagging doubt about someone that's putting in MOM performances and scoring goals? I can't seem to read anything WOL print these days

For me Pilkington is improving all the time

Possibly one of the daftest things i have read for a while. There is nothing i have seen that suggest Tom can play centrally, he is a modern day wide forward and for once our manager is player players in their most effective position.

Pilks has the nastiness and size to be very very good at this position. Unless you are Zlatan or Benzima the big man is dying in favour of movement.

Read this earlier, only buy the WOS when we win, wont even be doing that now, what a load of crap this guy is head of sport he needs to find another line of work, because he talks load of crap, piss poor article.

I won't lie, at one point yesterday I was frustrated that Ralls had been moved out wide, and Gunnar brought in to the middle, just to keep Pilko up top whilst we had three strikers on the bench. It worked out in the end obviously, but for the first 30 minutes it really did frustrate me as I didn't think Ralls was offering us anything out wide.

I won't lie, at one point yesterday I was frustrated that Ralls had been moved out wide, and Gunnar brought in to the middle, just to keep Pilko up top whilst we had three strikers on the bench. It worked out in the end obviously, but for the first 30 minutes it really did frustrate me as I didn't think Ralls was offering us anything out wide.

But of those three only Ameobi has played more than 7 minutes and he is not a one up top centre forward.

Why change a system which is working?

I read better things on here than I do in the Echo/WalesOnline, and truly think I could do a better job than some of their writers - although some are good admittedly.

I agree, Keep the system as it is, Something is working. Pilks is best played in a 433 imo.

Mental article!

We have been transformed since Pilkington has gone up front. Playing centrally allows him to get on the ball more while he stretches defences with runs in behind and works his ass off. He is far superior to Mason in this role and has a good partnership with Immers. Since he has gone up front his goal return has also been decent, actually superior to Tony Watt!

Totally agree. Pilks is real class and is relishing his new role. His partnership with immers is growing stronger every game.We might have three strikers on the bench, but two are unproven at this level and Macheda doesn't put a shift in, ever.

Agree it was a stupid comment. Although defences might start getting Pilks measure once they get used to him playing up top.
Playing Ralls back out wide enabled Malone to be our most effective wide man.He put in a number of excellent crosses.
I assume Slade will go for the same side Sat, but Gunnar does need to up his game.

Agree it was a stupid comment. Although defences might start getting Pilks measure once they get used to him playing up top.
Playing Ralls back out wide enabled Malone to be our most effective wide man.He put in a number of excellent crosses.
I assume Slade will go for the same side Sat, but Gunnar does need to up his game.

I agree with all of the above comments about not changing a winning system but you have made a good comment that AP is benefitting from being an unknown quantity and that won't last for much longer.

As an alternative game changer it might be worth trying Lawrence in that position if we become bogged down by another MK Dons or Rotherham who put 10 men behind the ball.