I can't see Townsend being so alert, fizzing balls into space and linking up with a fluid attack. I can't see it. He does not have the footballing brain to fit that type of system, and he certainly does not have the finishing or killer pass in him. I hope I am wrong, but last season he was only good enough to go on loan. All of Townsends problems come to a head in the final third. That is where these killers thrive. He lacks confidence there.
Take his shooting. It was awful, so he shoots les probably due to instruction. But now he's stopped shooting when he SHOULD shoot! That is part of that decision making and intelligence. He got it wrong both ways: First he took too many shots too far away..And when he changes up his game, he stops taking shots when he is much closer.
IMO if you remove Lennon and Townsend, it will really help out Soldado and Walker. There is no click, they are on different wavelengths and have had vastly different coaching. We seem to be on opposite ends, where I blame the Townsends, and you blame the slow build up from midfield.
Perhaps both of us are right. However I think my opinion is correct, because the clean sheets the midfield were a big part of winning battles and retaining possession. We have the base IMO, we just lack intelligence on the wings to capitalize.