Leaving aside the questions that may be raised about some teams seemingly having more favourable fixtures, how do people think that Redknapp will deal with this and how should he deal with it? The two aren't necessarily connected! Should we make any changes from the side that beat Swanea, injuries permitting and if so, how much consideration should be given to the Norwich game on Monday?
I believe Harry has already said he will juggle the squad over these two games. Mind you, I think he's said that in the past and not done it, so we'll wait and see on that one. Contrary to the majority on this board, I wasn't as impressed with the performance in the Swansea game and thought at times we looked distinctly average. Parker is showing signs of wear and tear and Sandro doesn't look fully fit to me and didn't do enough to justify his selection ahead of Jake Livermore. Gallas and Ledley are both nowhere near capable of doing 2 games and 3 days, and I suspect Adebayor may struggle to do that also. So, I can see Livermore and Sandro rotating and I can see Kaboul as the only CD who will play in both games. Possibly Saha starting ahead of Ade on monday.
If we're going to (finally) rotate, the obvious changes will be: Kaboul & Gallas vs Sunderland, Kaboul & King vs Norwich Lennon as a sub vs Sunderland, as a starter vs Norwich Livermore to come on for one of Parker or Sandro vs Sunderland, to start in place of one of them vs Norwich
Maybe Krancjar and VDV alternating as well. Friedel, Modric, Bale, Walker, Kaboul and Benny are likely to have to play both games? Also one of Parker, Sandro and Livermore will play twice.
I think that Kranjcar would do very well in van der Vaart's role HD, but I'm not sure that Redknapp's even considered it. He seems to have played him in every other appropriate position, yet I can't remember the Croatian being asked to play what looks to me like his natural role.
how amazing is that PNP, we have all been banging on about him being the nearest thing to a replacement ever since the pair joined us ..when VDV needs a rest.....but yet Harry never does that...why could that be? yet he thinks he can replace the lightning quick Bale or play a disciplined game in the centre of the park(which he cant by the way) i might be mistaken but did he not play in the VDV role against Bolton and Stoke.in our fist CL qualifying campaign, when he got the winner in both?
Given we've been playing a 4-2-3-1 formation of late, another consideration could be giving Dos Santos a cameo against in one of the games (if we're in a position to make a risky experiment) given that's the role he's played for the Mexican team for a few years and it would give Bale or VDV a rest for the last ten minutes or so - in the extremely unlikely event 'Arry ever decides to play him, of course.
I can remember Kranjcar scoring the winner at the Britannia, Dona. [video=youtube;MmYTmLn1Djs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmYTmLn1Djs[/video] He came on against Bolton to score the winner last season. [video=dailymotion;xgxeqj]http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xgxeqj_niko-kranjcar-vs-bolton-720p-05-02-2011_sport[/video] Fantastic finish. I think we lost the other game to them, though.
The way that we set up against Swansea was basically a 4-3-3 in my opinion, Croydon. Dos Santos wide on the right of the front 3 in that system would fit right in, if he actually put some work in and closed down. He's not even getting bench time now, though.
Sunderland team: Friedel Walker Kaboul King BAE Livermore Parker VDV Modric Bale Ade Norwich team: Friedel Walker Kaboul Gallas BAE Lennon Sandro Modric Bale Defoe Saha Most players getting a rest, but not a lot we can do for the full backs and Bale.
they both look very similar to the Spurs teams to me <run> sorry just trying to get into the holiday spirit.
Keep it as is for Sunderland. Swap VDV for Saha, Sandro for Lennon, Gallas for King(?) on Monday against Norwich and go 442.
It's a shame Tommy Hudd is injured, as he could have swapped into Modric's role, and given the Croatian a break for one of the games (or at least come on as a sub if things are going well.)
