[baggie82]

For what it's worth I agree we are more successful with Brunt and Gmac in the team. They should be playing alongside Yacob.

[Droitwich Baggie]

Señor Yacob ... Primero

[ripryan1971]

I've just spent 20 minutes going through the stats since the start of 2016/17 to date, including all the games this season.

Yacob has started 28 games from which we have got 36 points. Average of 1.29 points per game which is 49 points per season with him.

Compare that with 20 games he hasn't started from which we have got 19 points. Average of 0.95 points per game which is 36 points per season without him.

That's a huge 13 point swing based on the last 48 premiership matches. Bearing in
mind Yacob has only started once this season and we have played only 2 clubs from the top 5 the difference is probably a bit larger than that as the kind fixture list of 2017/18 swings it further.

49 points last season would have got us 8th as well against 45 points and 10th place finish. Whereas our average without him of 36 points is just 2 points above relegated Hull 

Brilliant Post Baggie82, totally how I feel. First thing Pulis did when he took over, was to bring Yacob back in the team, was a wise move. Now because he's trying to find a better type of midfield player, Yacob has made way but for me he's the best at the club in that role.

Every game I watch and I can't work out what Livermore brings, he can't hold like Yacob, and he can't get forward, some days I think he's as slow as Yacob. So why play him?  Yacob holding, Barry and Greg either side, slightly more forward.

We've got to start getting those clean sheets back, we aren't going to outscore teams every week. This has got to happen next weekend, otherwise could be trouble ahead.

[baggie82]

We've got to start getting those clean sheets back, we aren't going to outscore teams every week. This has got to happen next weekend, otherwise could be trouble ahead.

I think that's a very good point. Pulis has averaged just under a goal a game during his entire premier league managerial career, so unless we start keeping clean sheets we're not going to pick up points consistently. Hence its madness not to pick the best defensive midfielder we have to shield the back four, which is clearly Yacob.

[ripryan1971]

Yeah exactly. The other issue is the set piece goals have dried up. When you have Brunt and Phillips both sitting on the bench we maybe haven't got the quality from those areas.

Sometimes we might only get 1-2 corners and I'm not saying Brunt is perfect, but we all know the quality he produces.

[Black Country Pride]

Too right Yacob should be starting. Absolutely brilliant at what he does and bloody miles better than Livermore (Gardner must have passed on to him whatever blackmail material he had on TP) as a DM.

[Barrington]

It's almost as if, when Pulis splashes a bit of money around, he loses vision of who his most important players are, even when he tries to play the same kind of football. Yacob should never be dropped for the likes of Livermore etc. I don't think it's a myth that we've generally done better things when Yacob has been in the team. It's not too late for Tone to admit that he's got it wrong and bring Yacob back ASAP (like I suggested weeks ago on here).

[tommcneill]

Ive always advocated for Yacob, he is the best at what he does at our club and one of the best in the league

Much prefer him to Livermore

[alex1]

I like Yacob but he is a victim of the club being overloaded with defensive midfielders. Even Pulis doesn't want to play 4 defensive midfielders. I think there should be an absolute maximum of 2 defensive midfielders.
Yacob is great at pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. His problem is that he offers nothing else.  You hardly ever see him playing a 20 metre pass setting up a goalscoring chance, and I can only remember him geting on the score sheet once.
Feel sorry for him, and think he still has a future at the club, but when you have other defensive midfielders with more in their locker, he becomes a bit of a luxury. 

[tuamigos]

I like Yacob but he is a victim of the club being overloaded with defensive midfielders. Even Pulis doesn't want to play 4 defensive midfielders. I think there should be an absolute maximum of 2 defensive midfielders.
Yacob is great at pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. His problem is that he offers nothing else.  You hardly ever see him playing a 20 metre pass setting up a goalscoring chance, and I can only remember him geting on the score sheet once.
Feel sorry for him, and think he still has a future at the club, but when you have other defensive midfielders with more in their locker, he becomes a bit of a luxury.

Like Livermore you mean? 

[alex1]

Like Livermore you mean? 

Livermore offers more going forward, has more of a goal threat, but then, that's not too difficult. 

[baggie82]

Livermore offers more going forward, has more of a goal threat, but then, that's not too difficult.

I'm struggling to recall all those goals and assists Livermore has provided? Strange that.

[seteefeet]

It's almost as if, when Pulis splashes a bit of money around, he loses vision of who his most important players are, even when he tries to play the same kind of football. Yacob should never be dropped for the likes of Livermore etc. I don't think it's a myth that we've generally done better things when Yacob has been in the team. It's not too late for Tone to admit that he's got it wrong and bring Yacob back ASAP (like I suggested weeks ago on here).

This is what I don't get. Yacob is by far the best suited to Pulisball. No possession, so his erratic passing doesn't show, but his break up play disturbs the oppo's possession, thus protecting the back 4..
I agree with you, I think Pulis has lost track of his best 11 and is shoe-horning players in that are not really suited.
Seen nothing from Livermore to suggest that he offers anything defensively, but is not great going forward either.
Barry can pick a pass, but we have so little of the ball he is mainly chasing shadows and doesn't have the legs of Yacob.
Greg is the only one that could keep him out of the side for me, but that would be if we only played 1 which will never happen.

[The Joust]

Livermore offers more going forward, has more of a goal threat, but then, that's not too difficult.

You're WIDE off the mark there imo

[Hull Baggie]

I like Yacob but he is a victim of the club being overloaded with defensive midfielders. Even Pulis doesn't want to play 4 defensive midfielders. I think there should be an absolute maximum of 2 defensive midfielders.
Yacob is great at pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. His problem is that he offers nothing else.  You hardly ever see him playing a 20 metre pass setting up a goalscoring chance, and I can only remember him geting on the score sheet once.
Feel sorry for him, and think he still has a future at the club, but when you have other defensive midfielders with more in their locker, he becomes a bit of a luxury.

Yacob has scored 2 goals for us, against Arsenal about 3 years ago and Man City in the league cup about 6 weeks ago.

You say he offers nothing else other than pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. What's wrong with that? At least he does find a team mate with the ball.

[ashdoy]

Yacob has scored 2 goals for us, against Arsenal about 3 years ago and Man City in the league cup about 6 weeks ago.

You say he offers nothing else other than pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. What's wrong with that? At least he does find a team mate with the ball.

He still offers more than Livermore!

[baggie53]

Yacob has scored 2 goals for us, against Arsenal about 3 years ago and Man City in the league cup about 6 weeks ago.

You say he offers nothing else other than pinching the ball and feeding a short pass to someone who is more creative. What's wrong with that? At least he does find a team mate with the ball.

When you look at the videos when he played in Argentina he was much more progressive, with a few goals and assists

[mulliganstired]

He still offers more than Livermore!

so does a plank of wood

[Adder]

When you look at the videos when he played in Argentina he was much more progressive, with a few goals and assists

Yes but we have about 5 years of premier league action to go by which is far more intense and higher standard than the Argentine league of 6 or 7 years back.

[baggie53]

Yes but we have about 5 years of premier league action to go by which is far more intense and higher standard than the Argentine league of 6 or 7 years back.

But good enough to break into the Argentina team

[ripryan1971]

I'm just hoping this weekend Pulis just remembers the day he took over, sitting in the stand at West Ham. Half Time going down to the dressing room and bringing on Yacob, who had been frozen out by Irvine. Next game Hull at home 1-0, then a brilliant Yacob display, 0-0 away to Everton. It's exactly what we need Saturday.

[tuamigos]

I 've said it on numerous occasions, if Yacob had another Yard of pace he'd be playing for one of the top six teams in this league.

[Standaman]

The personnel change but the problem remains the same. Defensively Yacob works but the irony of ironies in Pulisball he doesn't work offensively.

Tactically Yacob is a screening defensive midfielder. Typically he breaks up play and covers the oppositions counters when we are attacking. Offensively when he has the ball he is often is starting the move with a short pass and makes himself available for a return ball. That is what he does and he does it very well.

Where things fall down he needs to be partnered with a dynamic box to box midfielder who will take the initial pass and move the ball forward but also is able to recover the ball further up the pitch which allows Yacob to sit deep player. Partner him with anything else and the midfield doesn't work either Yacob is overloaded with defensive work or we don't have the players in the midfield to get us forward.

Under Pulisball that initial 5 yard pass is not what is required. It implies that you will work the ball through the midfield but Pulisball requires the ball to be moved forward quickly but avoiding the central areas of the pitch and this requires a longer pass down the wide channels which is a much more difficult ball to get right, Yacob is the player least likely to do this.

The current midfield 3 does not work nor did what proceeded it, we seem to have no combination that works with the head coach's tactics. Bringing Yacob in solves one problem but leaves us with another who to partner him with?  I don't like any of the options particularly.

[Adder]

I'll also say that IF he is better than Barry defensively it's marginal....but when it comes to passing ability and doing something constructive it's no contest. They can't both play and it has to be Barry who gets the nod. For our team structure and mobility I don't think it's a choice between Yacob and Livermore as has been suggested, it's a choice between Yacob and Barry.

[baggie82]

I'll also say that IF he is better than Barry defensively it's marginal....but when it comes to passing ability and doing something constructive it's no contest.

I disagree 110%. You only have to look at Barry weak effort to close down and block Fernandinho's goal last weekend which he turned his back on. Yacob is comfortably the best defensive midfielder we have and one of the best in the league at shielding the back four and breaking-up play.