I think the same side as against West Brom - I doubt Clyne and Yoshida will be fully fit and ready, anyway. In the long term, however, I would like to see: Boruc Clyne Yoshida Lovren Shaw Wanyama Schneiderlin Rodriguez Lambert Lallana Osvaldo Bench: Chambers, Fonte, Cork, Ramirez, Puncheon, Guly, Mayuka. If there's a bit of paranoia over having no goalie, then swap Guly with Davis. Send Gazzaniga and JWP on loan to respective Championship clubs and let them excel. I would still like a winger in as Lallana looks like a weak option in the front 6. At the moment I wouldn't want another CB as Lovren looks good and Yoshida is good too, and Fonte and Hooiveld aren't bad. Another CB would mean one of JF or JH would have to go, which I wouldn't want but neither are great options - I'm hoping that Fonte's performance yesterday was a blip and that Hooiveld can put in more consistent performances, like in patches of the second half of last season i.e. Man City at home.
Yes we won lat week but it wasn't like we hammered them five nil. Play our strongest team possible is what I think.
No. I'm not suggesting anything really. I just find it incredible in both good and bad ways that we can't find room for Cork. The shame of it is that he must be on the fringes of the England team and if he doesn't play it will ruin his chances.
Boruc Chambers Lovren Yoshida Shaw Wanyama Schneiderlin Ramirez Lambert Rodriguez Osvaldo For Lmbaert to be in the hole, which I think he'd be excellent in, Ramirez has to go wide, which I think he could do well in. Osvaldo will play presumably, pleanty of time to fit in surely? Also Clyne in if he's fit, don't know the extent of his injury.
Saturday was a good defensive performance however Rickie was far too isolated. Our best XI Players: Boruc Clyne Maya Lovren Shaw Schneiderlin Wanyama Gaston Rodriguez Lambert Osvaldo Against Sunderland: Boruc Clyne Maya Lovren Shaw Schneiderlin Wanyama Gaston Rodriguez Lambert Lallana Bench: Davis, Chambers, Fonte, Osvaldo, JWP, Puncheon, Cork
Think we will scare the s**t out of Sunderland with a double sub on 70 with Gaston and Daniel. Think they'll be on same wavelength and Gaston will be like a new signing.
I would start with Osvaldo (if match fit)...then sub him (hopefully, to rapturous applause after 70 min), but note a few would bring him on as a sub. Be interesting to see what happens on Saturday....will depend on his condition I suppose and on how quickly he can adapt to the team style. Mavericks can be fun if they occasionally do the unexpected, but our game is based on teamwork....don't want a horrible gap to appear because Ossie doesn't know where he is supposed to be.
----------------------------Boruc--------------------------- Clyne/Chambers-------Maya--------Lovren---------Shaw -----------Schneiderlin----------Wanyama--------------- Lallana---------------Gaston----------------Rodreuigez -------------------Lambert-------------------------------- Bench: K Davis, Clyne/Chambers, Cork, Hoiveld, Punch, Mayuka, Osvaldo Really struggling to cram people on bench. Think our bench could do without a CB/FB? With cork there who can cover RB but also CB, or if a CB gets injured push wanyama back to CB and cork at CDM? This year I think we will have a good cup team!
http://www.sunderlandecho.com/sport/sunderland-afc/bardsley-suspended-by-sunderland-1-5967527 Oops Also... Referee: L Mason Assistants: A Halliday, S Long Fourth Official: S Hooper
Cork wasn't our second best player at all. Schneiderlin covered the most ground in the league, made the most tackles and interceptions. Lambert got 15 goals and created more chances for team mates than any player in the league other than Suarez and Silva. I think you mean Cork was your second favourite player. Lambert and Schneiderlin were our best two players comfortably. Cork wasn't anywhere close to being our second best player.
If you want to call him the 3rd best player then fine. But he certainly wasn't the 2nd best. I find it laughable how Lambert's contribution just gets completely ignored. We'd still be in League One without him. He was clearly our best attacker then and still is now by a long way. Maybe I'm pushing it with the league one comment but I don't think we'd have reached the Premier league yet without him. We'd be stuck mid-table in the Championship at best even if we made several other signings.
