Did Traore put in more of a defensive shift than Seri and Morton usually do, or did he just stand out to the naked eye defensively because it was surprising to see it from an attacking player like him? I do think this is the one big selection decision. Back four will surely stay the same but Morton is a very good player and to keep it unchanged would be quite an unbalanced setup. LR said he went with it because he thought we'd dominate possession against Preston, will the same be true against WBA? Not sure; they were a good possession side when they played us last season so maybe not. I think if we'd not won the last game there's no way he'd pick the same 11 for this one, so I hope he still doesn't.
We just have to keep a clean sheet in the first half, not conceed a goal in the second and nick a goal anytime and i think we'll do fine.
As I always say, horses for courses. Steve Bruce had this weird superstition that you can’t change a winning team. Well, Preston and WBA are two entirely different teams that will pose us very different problems. For me, Morton back in, Twine out.
That’s a good point, he just seemed to get about the pitch more so than Morton has done IMO so far. Read the game very well so contributed a number of very good interceptions, let alone the last ditch tackle. Makes for a hard decision which good teams at this level always have. So I’m not complaining
Morton has been good all season, Traore has been inconsistent. I'd have Morton back in for that reason. Twine has been improving game by game and his off the ball work gives us more than people realise. For me it's Delap up top. Philogene and Lokilo either side, Twine tucked in behind Delap, Morton and Seri in the middle. Coyle, Jones, Macca and Greaves at the back, Allsop in goal.
Should also say, with the attention they're bound to give Philogene, it's Delap, Lokilo and Twine's turn to exploit that and step up with the goal threat.
I'd keep Twine in for his off the ball work rate against Preston alone. He absolutely ran and ran all game.
That means either Lokilo goes left and Traore goes right (I hope not) OR We use Lokilo right and Allahyar or Sinik take their chance on the left (I hope so). I'd like to see Sinik given a go after his recent promising cameo. I'd even give Vinagre a go there to be fair.
I’m suddenly a lot less optimistic. Guess the team now picks itself with Twine and Lokilo out wide and Traore behind Delap
Unless Morton doesn't start, then Traore goes middle and someone else goes wide... I'd rather play a winger in the left than any combination of Twine or Traore in a wide position.
Twine is meant to be our creative outlet and all he’s been praised for so far is his work rate. It’s a bare minimum
Is Rosenior being straight up here? WBA will definitely plan hard for Jaden and if he was going to be absent, the smart thing would be to not mention it and **** with their plans. But as he's announced he's out through a 'minor muscle injury' maybe there's a double psyche and he will play? However, I can't imagine Rosenior engaging in such mind games, thus I think he is injured by which seems like tactical folly announcing it and supporting the prep of our opponents.
