Plus a few other injury worries. Will it be Fletcher or Wickham? (Fletcher hopefully), time to unleash that topper little Italian on them.. Will Mannone even get a game? ............................................................................................. GUS POYET has pledged to field as strong a starting XI as possible in this weekend’s FA Cup third round clash with Leeds United. Sunderland face their fifth game inside a fortnight on Sunday, when Championship Leeds visit the Stadium of Light - the first time the two sides have met in the FA Cup since the Black Cats’ famous Wembley victory in 1973. But Poyet has a number of injury concerns prior to facing the club where he spent 13 months as assistant manager. Lee Cattermole has been ruled out with a groin strain, while Wes Brown will almost certainly not feature either. And with concerns over the likes of Santiago Vergini, Billy Jones and Seb Larsson too, Poyet expects to make changes, albeit he will attempt to keep them to a minimum. “It’s not going to be an experiment or playing a weakened side,” said Poyet today. “I’m going to try to change not too many. “But when I mean not too many, I mean I’m going to try to play the best team I can play from the first-team squad. “Sometimes, we are a little bit harsh when we say if you play Fletch up front and don’t play Connor, it’s one change. “But with that change, you’re talking about Fletcher who didn’t play the other day not because of his form. “It depends on how you make your changes. “Saying that, yes, we’ve got a few problems. “There’s players who’ve been playing with some pain and we need to be careful. “We need to be careful because we don’t want to lose any players for next week. “But we want to put the best team out that we can.” However, Poyet will be boosted by the return of Liam Bridcutt after the midfielder missed yesterday’s 3-2 defeat to Manchester City as he recovered from concussion.
Now this may sound crazy but I'm glad the Cattermole thing is a groin strain. He missed the city game with no news and I was worried someone had sounded us out about selling. Can't afford the game tomorrow unfortunately. Pity as I'd have liked to get there
I would like to see Gus use the players at his disposal in a formation that would suit them, rather than him and his rigid "system".
What do you suggest? 4231? I've been thinking lately that we pretty much play that anyway, as one of our 3 CM is always more advanced and our wingers certainly aren't pushed up enough to make us 433. Gomez has been pushed forward and Giacch did it on Sunday when he replaced him. Larsson and Catts play as the double pivot. His rigid system will be absolutely fine once PVA is back but it's so reliant on attacking full backs on their natural side that I'd look to bring in another LB in jan. The system isn't the problem, the players aren't top quality. You could try another system with these players and I think results would be the same. However, once the full backs start to give us something, I think you'll see Giacch is playing further forward than Catts/Seb, giving us a more obvious 4231.
In a way we do play as you say, but is the assumption that say Catts and Briddo are only suited for one spot in this "system", (based on the fact that Gus only plays one or the other), is the problem, when imo both are better players than some who have been getting regular starts. With our back four creaking a bit with injuries to key players and the glut of recent games, I think at times we need to start with two DM's not one. Its the same up front with one striker meaning no place for Whicks and Fletch, potentiallly our only real goal threats, its either one or the other, (even when playing 6 pointers at home), other than having Fletch up front alone with Whicks out on the wing, which in my opinion is a poor set up, and does not suit either of them. For the Leeds game I would like to see Briddo and Rodwell / AJ/Giacca/ Alvarez/ Fletch
We're strugggling to put a back 4 out Mannone Mavrias Coates Oshea Jones Bridcutt Alvarez Rodwell Giaccherini AJ Fletcher
Are we allowed to play Coates? Personally I'm not bothered if he doesn't play any more for us!! On the plus side... My parents are getting me and the bairn a ticket... Bless them
Get Jones at RB. I don't care who fills in at LB. Need to get jones bombing on down right side to build his confidence. AJ or Ricky on that side, cutting in is crying out for an overlapping run
Given the info in op. I'd go. Vito Jones----O'Shea---Coates----PVA Rodwell Seb--------Giacc Johnson--------------------Alvarez Fletcher PVA has been back in training over week now. His shoulder should be good enough to give him the 60 minutes he needs to put him back in league contention. Saw enough of Giacc and Alvarez against city to want to see more of them playing together.
PVA is back training next Monday I think? Would move JOS to LB if we have any CBs able to cover. Rest Seb and play a 3 of Rod/Brid/Giacch ---------------Pants Billy. seba Wes JOS ----------Liam. Jack Adam. Manu. Ricky -------------Steven
Gus said PVA has been training for while, just had no contact. He's running and fit. When they bleed him back in depends of the defensive situation of the other full backs. "Patrick is ahead of schedule and he is going to be training with us at the beginning of January," he added. "If you see him running you would think he is ready to play but he has not had any contact yet. That's a process, the first push, the first knock. "We thought he needed two weeks of that; now we'll see. Can we afford to give Patrick two weeks? It will depend on the games and it will depend on Billy." Obviously he didn't figure on Vergini picking up a knock. It would be a gamble playing him like. But it looks like playing any of our senior 'fullbacks' is a gamble. Vergini carrying an injury, Rev out completly, Billy playing an unhealthy amount of games since his comeback. Giving a youngster a chance would be most sensible imo, but I think Gus is going to risk somebody.
If Jones, Vergini, PVA & rev are injured and Brown cant play due to 2 many games its got to be this: Pants Buckley Jos Coates Robson Bidcutt Rodwell Alvarez Giacc AJ Fletch Not ideal but they only choice really, Larsson has a knock so I would not risk him either.
I'd try something different and play 442. Vito Jones...Coates...OShea...Robson Alvarez...Bridcutt...Rodwell...Giacc ......Jozy...Fletch.....
Rodwell can play CB. Has Bridcutt been cleared to play? Edit: Just seen there yeah he's back. Vito JoS-----Rodwell----Coates-----Robson Bridcutt Larsson----------Giacc Johnson-------------------------Alvarez Fletcher
