Cork tends to sit back but he's good at making himself available to receive the ball and moving it on quickly. I haven't seen enough of Davis to comment on which is better really, but Cork was certainly a vital part of the team last season and he didn't let himself down in the cameos he made in the Olympic squad. Long is a really good striker, very dangerous player. I'd feel much more confident if he was ruled out.
If it were me I would be playing both of them, with Schneiderlin, Davis and Cork making up the middle 3 of the 4-3-3. Cork is quite defensively minded, but is an excellent playmaker and is good at picking incisive passes out of the back.
The Nigel Interview on SaintsPlayer is titled: "Nigel - Everyone Has To Man Up" Is Nigel getting tough on the team....?
With our defensive frailties, going into away games with Cork AND Davis in the team (as well as Morgan) should generally be the way to go, IMO. Not a case or Cork or Davis. It's an extra body to help shield the defence, and a defensively minded body at that.
I suspect he always is. The difference in the second half against spurs wasn't because he was reading them poetry at half time.
----------------Gazza----------------- Clyne---Fonte------Yoshida------Fox -------------Schneiderlin------------- ---------Cork--------Davis----------- ----Ramirez-------------Lallana----- ---------------Lambert--------------- I doubt we will see both Cork and Ramirez starting on Monday night, but this is the team we should be aiming for once everyone is fit I reckon.
That's a nice looking team apart from Fox. I know we don't really have a proven alternative for him, but I'd like to either give Reeves a chance or play Clyne on the left with Richardson on the right.
Reeves didn't exactly cover himself in glory against Leeds though did he? Clyne on the left is a decent alternative.
---------------Gazza----------- ---Clyne--Fonte---Yoshida--Fox--- ---------Schneiderlin---Cork-------- ----Mayuka----Ramirez----Lallana--- ---------------Lambert--------------------
--------------Boruc----------- *Richardson Fonte Yoshida Clyne ----------Schneiderlin--------- -------JWP-------Davis-------- Mayuka----Lambert----Lallana Subs: Gazzaniga, Fox, Hooiveld, Cork, Ramirez, Puncheon, Rodriguez. *if unfit swap with Fox and rotate with Clyne. Put Reeves on bench.
Be interesting to see whether the 'severe punishment' will include being dropped and if it does, who will be playing Davis or Gazza. Strange one because before Boruc got his fitness levels up Gazza was first choice, but since Boruc has been in the team Gazza's been third choice....Goalkeeper roulette continues..
At home, against a team that isn't one of the top 5/6 I would like to see this, but against decent opposition away from home, I think it is too attacking.
I'd only have dropped Gazzaniga when Boruc gained match fitness, something he is yet to do. Now that Boruc is starting I feel like we might as well stick with him. Gazzaniga should still be second choice though.
As I said earlier this week, I would always want an experienced keeper on the bench, if possible. That is not necessarily your second choice keeper. They are rarely going to come on, and when they do it will invariably be in an emergency, and with no prior notice. One minute sat on the bench, the next putting their gloves and taking to the field. So I want an experienced pair of hands in that situation, and it wouldn't surprise me if Nigel feels for the same. So for me, it's first or nothing for Gazzaniga. Not a clean cut, black and white, case of 'you're second in line, so you go on the bench'. Should Boruc get dropped, I'd expect Gazzaniga back in goal, not Davis.
I'm trying to think when the last time we brought a substitute goalkeeper off the bench was. Surely it must have happened once since the FA Cup Final, none coming to mind though. The point being, don't worry too much about whether Gazza or Davis is on the bench, the reason he is putting Davis there is because he is so much more experienced that going through the pre-match preparation every week without playing is a lot easier.
I hadn't considered that in terms of the benched GK and it makes perfect sense. Guess it just depends on whether the punishment for Boruc is being dropped, if not he appears to be Nigels No.1 and I'm sure the more games he gets the better he will get.
