so after a bit if ill feeling on the boards after the loss at the weekend lets get back to the team.... at the end of the day its those 11 who are going to do it for us or not. its clear something isn't right, is it the personnel/the system/both? for me its the system more than the personnel so this is how I would line up after the break (with everyone fit and available which i hope everyone will be) stockdale edwards sonko collins cresswell andrews hyam/bowyer bullard scotland/JET carson Chopra why i think this would work: -it will allow the full backs to bomb on down the wings with andrews and hyam sitting deep, filling in, which will hopefully avoid the acres of space which we leave ourselves in -carson will naturally give us more width down the left which is needed massively -bullard needs to get in positions where he can hurt people (goal at millwall). he isnt a tackler who can sit deep and disrupt play. he need to be in and around the box and let him do his on thing. -i would go scotland just in behind chopra picking the ball up, driving at the defence and slipping balls through to chops. obviously he is still playing as a striker so he needs to get in the box to help chopra out. any thoughts on this? what would you go for? i feel we need a change and for me this could be the answer! thanks
Put up this formation (4,2,3,1) the other day with only a few changes. Would put Bullar in the centre of the 3 and put Martin out wide with Carson on the other wing. I can see a few issues - Would the wide men in the 3 give decent cover to our full backs being the main concern. I think we do need the added protection of the defensive two in front of the back 4 who will just sit and break up play. If you have a decent ball player here it will also give us massive vision going forward.
We need a defensive holding midfielder to help shield the back 4 and Hyam has proven to be good in that role when he was given the chance. Why he hasn't even been considered for the bench under PJ is beyond me. I also think that O'Connor can offer us the pace and guile that we are crying out for and again he isn't even in the squad! Martin and Carson can also give us much needed width and pace so I don't really understand why jewell hasn't changed it around sooner! The baffling substitution of healy on Saturday after 20 minutes and the refusal to contemplate dropping Leadboots just proves how stubborn he is. Why wait until we are 2 goals down before making tactical changes albeit half hearted ones. The sign of a decent manager is to realise when things plainly aren't working and seek to change them before any damage is done. We have been sussed out with the Diamond formation and Bullard is playing too deep to cause the opposition any damage. As for Jet he is too lazy and has this annoying couldn't care less attitude.
tractorbhoy, i can see where you are coming from in terms of defensive covers down the wings but having watched josh carson when he played last year he seems to have a great work rate to go with his obvious skills and i think he would happily help cover back. jwm, i totally agree with you on o'connor. i remember the game against leicester in the snow and he was absolutely brilliant. he should definately have been given more of a chance but with the emergence of cresswell i dont see where he would play, but why not give him a go? he's young, hungry and has done the business before!
Portman O'Connor can play as an advanced winger on the left leaving Cressy to concentrate more on his defensive duties. The left hand side will then have an abundance of pace and both players can put in a decent cross. Hyam definately should get the nod over Leadbitter in Midfield and Bullard should be deployed further up the pitch where he can do most of his best work. The team is in need of a tougher spine and pace on the flanks, Scotland and Chopra will score if we supply them with enough chances. Its not rocket science this game really!
yeah i agree he could play left wing but would you not have carson there ahead of him? for me a better option purely because i've seen him more, and he has done well when given the chance. o'connor unfortunately just doesn't look like he is going to be given a chance. same with hyam? i would love to send paul jewell a dvd of when he played a few games for us as I dont think anyone in their right mind would have leadbitter as a holding player above him, the bloke offers nothing!
------------stockdale---------- --sonko-----collins----ingermersion martin--andrews--bowyer--carson --------------bullard----------------- ------choppa---------scotland-------
Kennedy also has done well in the holding role when asked. Having him in the side means we can change things around a bit, like putting him at left back and pushing Cressy forwards if needed. We could also give Wabara a go at right back with Edwards in front.
WCP, Other than dropping Cresswell, which for me is the only player we shouldnt drop then I would be very scared if that team walked out. Great for an attacking team but no full backs and hoping the aging Sonko and Inga are not drawn out of position. Hoping Martin (especially) and Carson can do both offensive and defensive duties. I think I would be a nervous wreck after 20 minutes, let alone 90!
A wise man once told me 'THE BEST FORM OF DEFENCE IS ATTACK' As for Cressy it is a little harsh but thats football......
Stockdale Edwards, Sonko, Collins, Cresswell Andrews, Bowyer/Hyam Carson, Bullard, O'Connor Chopra I think that's the strongest back five we can field, giving us full-backs who can attack and (just about) defend. They'd work well with Carson and O'Connor who are both attack minded and pacy. I'd have Bowyer ahead of Hyam, but bring the young lad in gradually as Bowyer's getting on a bit. This would provide good cover for the full-backs to attack. I think Carson can play on either wing, so I put him on the right to accommodate O'Connor. I don't think Martin is particularly potent when going forward, and what I saw of O'Connor made me think he's the better option. Carson doesn't really require an explanation. Bullard in the attacking midfield role would allow him to play where he is most dangerous, and Chopra is our best striker so has to be in. The players selected should allow us to give Chopra the service required to bang in the goals. For home games, it would be tempting to drop Bowyer for Scotland so as to play with two upfront. Depending on form I guess.
Stockdale Wabara Sonko Collins Cresswell Carson Hyam Andrews JET Chopra Priskin I think we need to start playing youth...and playing together! There is no point in the odd one playing here and there, they need to have a good run in the team, and it should pay off, like it has with Cresswell. Hyam and Carso, when they played last season, showed they have a fantastic future, and look very comfortable on the ball. Both, if treated correctly, will be premiership players. JET, from what i've seen, also has tremendous ability, but a tad in and out of games. Hopefully the "in's" can be more frequent than the "out's". I also think the fromt pairing of Chops and priskin can work. Chops likes to run around and make the runs, whereas Priskin is more of a link up player. I honestly think they would work well together. As for the the ones i've kicked out, Bullard i'd prefer on the bench, to change the game if we are struggling, Leadboots can pi$$ off to Pompey, Scotland is on the way down, and is getting slower and more sluggish each game. Edwards, i'm split on him...has his moments of quality, but then is left so out of position a lot of the times. Bowyer? I've been a big fan of his over the years, but i think time is catching up on him, bless him. This also applies to Kennedy & Healy...they don't bring anything to the team what the young lads can't. That leaves the subs.. A -B, O'connor, Ingimarsson, Martin & Murray.
I think my favoured team would be: Stockdale, Edwards, Sonko, Collins, Cresswell Martin, Bullard, Andrews, Carson, Chopra, JET
An unusually short post from ptc but I would go with that team too. We would need a defensive midfielder on the bench though in case Bullard/Andrews get overrun. I personally think Kennedy should always be on the bench because he can be deployed in a variety of ways
lol I thought so myself, but couldn't really think of anything else to say. But I've thought of something now. I would say hopefully Bullard and Andrews would be pretty good in the middle as a pretty standard flat CM's who are not overly attacking but not overly offensive. I would be a pretty standard 442, with 2 wingers and attacking fullbacks. So far I have not been overly impressed with JET on the wing and have been more impressed if he's played through the middle as an out and out striker.
JET's cross for Chopra's goal on Saturday was pure quality, inch perfect with the outside of his boot, didn't he meg a rover's defender too,(not shown on the Football League Show), before whipping that cross in?? I'd give him a run in the team, the "in and out of games" allegation doesn't bother me, Michael Owen was always "in and out of games" for England, but seemed to turn up in the right position or find that extra yard of pace when it mattered...
