Reed got the nod because he is the only defensive midfield option we have without Romeu and glad CP is sticking to a specialist and not put a round peg in a square hole
Reed is in for Romeu who is suspended. Neither you or I watch the players in training, so we can't say who impresses the manager, or know his plan for this game. All I know is that Claude has done enough this season to allow him a bit of slack. He is in the process of building a squad with strength in depth, and you can't do that without rotation.
I want people to be saying where's Reed, why's he not made the team in the next game. These changes are not new, this game is no bigger than Stoke (for Claude at least), so lets just get behind the lads. UTS
I preferred the lineup the Echo listed, before correcting it. They named all the above PLUS Davis, in a 12 man team. I really want to see some safety first defending, against a team that will be pressing high and hard for 90+ minutes. Hojbjerg will need to be quicker at moving the ball on, as, IMO, he has a tendency to dally a bit. Must be more up for it than we were last season, when we just gave the ball away and helped the Bompey cause.
Lots of changes, but all these players have started in the past....we are not a team with the same 11 starters plus a couple of others. The proof of the pudding and all that....
Can't say I am hung up on it, but Merson made a good point (yes, really)....the goalkeeper should be man of the match when one team is a player down for 70 odd minutes.
Reed getting a chance is great. So many moaned youth wasn't given a chance last season. Yet moan he is actually getting a chance now.
I'm feeling strangely confident about today. Must just be me, but there we are. 1-3 with two goals for one goal.
Happy to see Reed. Decent team with options on the bench. I hope for a win, but who cares!? It's nearly christmas
Is it not so obvious that Fonte will be leaving, if so, why not play other players. And Tom, really not sure why you're banging on about Sims. Maybe he is injured, maybe he isn't as good as you think. Or maybe the Puel knows a bit more than you on how to integrate young players... I thought he played well v Everton, but he wasn't that great. Conversely he played like a 19 yo just starting his xareer v Beer. Funny that...
I can't understand why anyone would be having a go at that team. Yoshida has been pretty solid this season, Cedric is back in for Martina, Reed starting hopefully allows us to replace some of Romeu's 'bite', and it doesn't really matter which two players we put up top with Boufal. Although like Tom, I wouldn't mind an extra attacker like Sims on the bench.