Nobody covered themselves in glory last Sunday so who do we go for this Sunday? Bradford will definately be lumping balls into the box at every given opportunity and this has always been our achilles heal so we need someone in there to deal with it. Bartley for me with his superior height (and goalscoring threat) would be the better option, however Monk is black and white through and through, hes been there and done that with the Swans and for the big occassion his experience could be essential in rallying the troops and keeping a cool head. So...Monk it is for me - any thoughts?
We're not a charity or old boys club. Bartley has to start. Monk was made to look crap against 'Pool, I mean clueless plus crap. He was the team captain and he appeared to have zero influence on what was going on in front of him during the second half because he was too busy trying figure out which shadow darting around him had the ball. Sadly his time has come and gone. As has been debated on other threads this game is pivotal to our on going development and ability to attract top talent. We play the best we have .... And it's not Monk. Our infamous Achilles heel during our time in lower divisions was our inability to defend any ball crossed into the box in the air from any angle - corners, free kicks etc. Monk was weak link number 1 in that vulnerability. This has not changed. Bartley is bigger, faster, technically better and soooop much better in the air than Monk.
Are you serious Ash! Bloody hell our first cup ever, and you want to put Monk in there? He was responsible for at least two goals at Anfield, sorry you are deluded putting Monk in there, hell these Bradford boys would have a field day with their aerial attack on set pieces! Sorry but I want to win, it's a no brainer, Bartley must start!...................
Well said Yankee, how I saw him second half too, the guy really needs to hang his boots up, or clear off to the lower leagues!.............
Has to be Bartley for me. Monk is starting to show his age now and as Phil says was to blame for goals on the weekend. I think Bartley will be better aerially and Bradford will certainly be chucking balls in the air. But i still think Chico will make it and surprise us all.
Monk everytime.....he was the only defender who never gave up on sunday but was let down by the others including vorm who was not at his best and was left for dead....Tremmel has to play at wembley as he is a more astute keeper who reads the game better than vorm....
Dai i think tremmel has been told by laudrup that barring an injury he will be first on the teamsheet, because he has played every round so far.
Hope so, apart from the Norwich game Tremmel has given me more confidence than Vorm this season. I would rather Monk along side Ash for Wembley, he's been there and done that. More attuned to the sort of player Bradford will play (no offence to Bradford here) and they won't be premier league standard no matter what they have done in previous rounds.
Garry Monk has been a very good servant for us through the years, so has Alan Tate and Leon Britton, but we must use our heads here, and I would think that Sir Michael will go with Bartley, maybe Monk can come on second half if the game is in the bag. Should we recall Alan Tate too?
Exactly. monk is playing his best football and we need his captaincy skills for wembley. I want ash to just concentrate on his defending and not worry what everyone else is doing. Monk every time in an important match and not someone who we are not certain about...bartley and tate on the bench with vorm and if we are comfortable winners give them a cameo roll near the end...
Bartley for sure. Better at defending set pieces and better going forward. And Tremmel will of course start as ML has said long ago.
for the Monk doubters - apart from Sunday (when everyone was rubbish!) when has Gary let us down coming in as cover?
why risk on a player that has not been a regular.....has to be monk every time.....cant take chances in a one off final im afraid...play who you know who will do the job and for his captaincy skills that puts him ahead of any other except chico anyway....
No doubting his commitment when he plays but Sunday he was the senior player of the back 4 and was exposed trying to marshall the defence and play his own game .I'm grateful that Ash was rested because if we had to depend on a central pairing of Monk & Bartley then we'd struggle .Ash & Bartley foe me
