Puncheon was brilliant against Utd, but I just don't think we can afford to leave Ramirez on the bench. And I'm not a huge fan of playing Lallana in the middle three. So really sorry Punch, but I think I'd have you making way. I'd be inclined to stick with Lambert as the lone striker, but I wouldn't be fussed if it was J-Rod. I do want him to get some game time there, and he's presumably eager to impress.
Wigan didn't get much until we dissolved into a very sloppy looking 442, which was meant to give us more attacking threat, but just let Wigan control the game. We know not to do that again and we do have players who can combat a high, pressing game. We're not full of mega-pace, but we do have players who can pick the gaps between the lines and thread the ball through. -----------------Davis Clyne-----Fonte-----Yoshida-----Fox ---------Morgan-----JWP ---------------Ramirez Mayuka-----------------------Lallana ---------------Lambert If I were a shade braver, I'd swap Davis for Gazzaniga, Fox for Shaw and Lambert for Rodriguez. I guess Adkins knows best on those. Puncheon is a bit predictable. Only really does inside and Paul Lambert will be wise to it. Teams like Man U might take these things for granted, but teams without such quality won't. Mayuka has pace too and is more likely to break away from Villa. Ramirez, Lallana, Lambert and the 2 CMs are all capable of defence-splitting balls, so we really need the options running on to them. To play like a really good team, we'll need to start thinking like a good team because Paul Lambert will have the easy avenues covered, pretty much like Martinez did.
Very attacking team, but balanced. This would be my selection as Gaston must play no10 not on the wing, Mayuka will add the quality on the wing that Punch lacks and Lallana is in his preferred position
Bit off-topic of sorts, but what did Gaston have on his shirt against Arsenal? His forename or surname?
Agree that I think the right midfield option is up for grabs. Puncheon & Clyne have decent understanding going forward but were exposed badly at Arsenal. Guly has been ok, but is he good enough? Mayuka above who is an unknown will add pace but can he defend? Then we have Chaplow who will add great energy but lacks quality on the ball. Finally Davis may well be able to play here and add a better defensive ability and allow more of a free reign to Ramirez and Lallana.
Why is it that South American [or maybe Latin American] players have this tradition of being called by their first name or some nickname..? Incidentally, I heard the name Ramirez being called this evening for Chelsea. Made me sit up for a moment.
Have you seen the length of some of their surnames?? Plus, they often have about twenty to choose from.
Even if he's not settled yet, I back Gaston to have too much quality for Villa. We'll benefit from his unknown quantity too. Reckon he'll get off the mark, whether with a goal(s) or assist(s), or both. As for our defence, is it technically that bad? It's bad because it has made a number of costly mistakes so far - these are uncharacteristic, and almost certainly the product of nerves. If you erased Clyne's slip against United, and Fox's bizarre header against City, we'd have got two points. Delete the two own goals against Arsenal, and we'd have been more in it at least. And that's not counting the two stupid penalties we've given away, which thankfully didn't cost us. These are definitely isolated, nerve-ridden errors that won't (hopefully) happen every week. Jose's misjudgement of error against Wigan was pure stupid decision making. Can't remember which Chelsea player gave that short nod back to Cech at the weekend, but Zamora should have scored that, and that would be a loss for Chelsea, but doubt they would class their defence as crap because of it. Yes, regular mistakes make a defence crap, but if you take those away so far, they haven't done too badly, and we'd have ponts on the board - a few lapse markings etc., but then again, that's how goals are scored week in and week out, and will always happen. Wigan let's chalk down to us underestimating, and still adjusting. Villa is where we should see whether our defence really is as crap as we all think.
Doubt it, but that shouldn't matter a great deal. Lallana can't defend either and no one questions him on the wing. Clyne is an excellent one on one defender. Without the support of the fullback, the winger doesn't get past him. I'd hope we'd see enough of the play to keep their fullbacks mostly in their own half.
This will be the ultimate test so far of Nigel's uncanny ability to get the team to bounce straight back after a defeat. He's never had to deal with four in a row, though.
I think you will find the average Chelsea fan does not rate Luiz as much as Cahill , he always ****s it up . Chelseas defence is not crap but Luiz should not be there ahead of Cahill .
One thing I noticed against Arsenal, Ramirez was given a completely free role, he was bloody everywhere. I think Adkins just said to him, get hold of the ball and do what you do best. He was getting it deep and then driving forward, whats good is when he does that teams know he's quality so they will probably try and get two players on him which will create space for others to get involved. But, I also noticed he likes playing these very effective through balls into the front man, sadly are front man doesn't have any pace to get onto the ball so this is where Adkins makes the call. Lambert or Rodriguez? Either way I am very much looking forward to this game, it's time like these where the players can make a name for themselves!
Yes, but choose countless examples already this season (well, two) - eg. Williams for Swansea (vs Villa), and Skrtel (against City). While not denying we need to strengthen in January, if we can cut out those absoilutely bloody infuriating mistakes, then perhaps the defence can come good. I'll admit, if these mistakes keep coming and keep costing us points, then the defence is patently not up to the job; but so far, you can almost excuse the errors (bar Jose's) as down to the nerves brought on by those opening fixtures.
My team would be: Davis Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Fox Schneiderlin, JWP Ramirez Puncheon, Rodriguez, Lallana Davis has palyed well but was porr against Arsenal and so is the one to lose out to Ramirez, who I do not believe was bought in to play on the right. I think he will lay at the tip of the midfiel three, behind the forntman. Score: 3-1. We've clearly got goals in us and we just need to cut out lapses in concentration that have been so costly, and I think we will, although I can't see us keeping a clean sheet ever again at the moment! How Yoshida and Ramirez play is going to be crucial I think. Come on saints, first win please!
I agree mostly - is your inclusion of Mayuka based on the 15 minutes we saw of him against United? I don't feel that I've seen enough (aside the YouTube videos that don't count) to see him start before Puncheon.
I think even if Hooiveld is fit enough for Saturday, he'll start with Yoshida. Adkins was always going to be looking for an excuse to drop either Fonte or Hooiveld and the circumstances mean that he can now do this the easy way.
