So how do we beat Blackburn?

[Oldsparkey]

Another chance to do his job for him - as if he'd listen anyway. What system and what players should he start with?

Those cup wins over Swansea and again over Stoke on the weekend would seem to suggest we should set up to contain them. Having said that and although much better than us, Blackburn have had a patchy last dozen league games - they've only won 3 of the 12 and lost 6 of them.

Will Slade go for his trademark 4-4-2 system, or Is the answer a 5 man midfield with a lone striker up top? That may be a bit of a rhetorical question given Doyle is now on board and he surely can't afford to bench Jones again - can he?

I think he'll go for Jones / Doyle partnership up front and the Manga / Morrison pair in the middle at the back. I can't see him changing from the Peltier / Malone fullback pairing either.

That leaves the midfield 4 - now where have we heard that before? Is it time for Whitts and/or Gunnar to sit this one out? I don't think Slade is radical enough to break them up at the moment but the time must surely be neasr if we get any more of the same.

I'd go for Adeyemi to inject energy as a serious option to add some pace to the pedestrian performances we've been watching of late, but if he came in, who's going to provide the width? Noone must be favourite, but with McAleny and O'Keefe no to consider, this is the decision that will prove crucial if we're to compete effectively in the middle of the park.

 

[hampshire Blue]

Too many 'ifs' to consider in this question.

If we are going to hoof the ball forward at every opportunity then Jones must play.

If we try to play real football in a 4 2 3 1 setup then I would bench Jones and play Doyle.

If Slade hadn't been appointed we wouldn't be in this mess.

My choice would be

Marshall

Peltier
Manga
Connolly
Fabio

Adeyemi
Gunnarson

Harris
McAleny
Noone

Doyle


Irrelevant question because Mr. Potato Head won't change.

 

[Hilts24]

Marshall Peltier Connelly Manga Fabio John Ralls Adeyemi Whitts Doyle Jones.

The only reason Whitts would be in is for set pieces.

Id play John and Fabio as wing backs allowing a 3 man central midfield and 2 up front.

We cant drop Jones.

 

[Stevoldinho]

Marshall Peltier Connelly Manga Fabio John Ralls Adeyemi Whitts Doyle Jones.

The only reason Whitts would be in is for set pieces.

Id play John and Fabio as wing backs allowing a 3 man central midfield and 2 up front.

We cant drop Jones.

I'd love to see that given a go.

The prick will play 4-4-2 with Peltier, manga, Morrison, Malone, no one, Gunnar, Whitts, Mclennie (or whatever) jones Doyle.
We'll smash the ball at jones and our wingers will stand on the touch line and watch it happen.
Due to kings pace we'll probably defend deep and let a confident Blackburn side have 60% + of the ball.
I hope him and Trollope prove me wrong though as I can't waste many more nights watching what the useless **** calls football.

 

[Oldsparkey]

The prick will play 4-4-2 with Peltier, manga, Morrison, Malone, no one, Gunnar, Whitts, Mclennie (or whatever) jones Doyle.
We'll smash the ball at jones and our wingers will stand on the touch line and watch it happen.
Due to kings pace we'll probably defend deep and let a confident Blackburn side have 60% + of the ball.

Sadly I think you're right, much the same lineup I suggested he'd pick in the OP. The guy just will not admit it isn't working and wont change until it does.

Unless Trollope exerts a huge amount of input - very unlikely this early in his time here - I doubt Slade will discard the Whitts/Gunnar combo in the middle that from memory he's played every game. It's the one consistent thing he's stuck with - other selections orbiting around that slow and ineffective midfield partnership.

He is also bound to play his own personal imports in the hope more than belief that it'll somehow work and he'll be vindicated.

Although he's far from the finished article, at least Adeyemi brings energy and exudes some passion for the cause instead of strolling around the pitch waiting for someone else to do something.

This current setup and selection policy is the mark of a manager either without perception of the real problem or one who is just too stubborn to admit it. Blackburn will "burn" that likely team selection of his. He'll be out of his depth how to change it during the game unless Trollope pushes Young out of the way and screams in Slade's ear " for Christ's sake do something about it".

 

[ninian opinion]

The only reason Whitts would be in is for set pieces.


.

That means playing ten men in effect. City get so few dead balls plus Whitt'm has not scored from a direct free kick since sept 2013.

Whitt'm can only really play in a 4 man midfield. If that happens then the other midfield players need to work extra hard to make up for Whittm's lethargy.

If City are going to play 2 men up top, then there has to be some width.

Need to combat Gestade and Rhodes or King. Morrison to give it hard to Rudy and Manga to snuf out the other forward.

Conway cannot be allowed to cross or cut in to shoot. City have no full backs of any note except Peltier. Malone is beyond useless, and can't defend. Best bet is to play Connelly out of position.

I'd go

Marshall
Peltier Morrison Manga Connelly
Noone Ralls Adeyami
Mcallaney
Jones Doyle

I will not expect him though to drop Malone, Gunnarsson or Whittingham.

 

[BluefromBridgend]

Point taken regarding Malone but Connolly is a fish out of water at left back - remember the roasting he had against Boro? Since then when at full back he has been on the right with Brayford (whilst with us) on the left. Can Peltier play left? However, I don't see Malone being dropped just yet.

Whoever is at right back will need to clamp down on Conway and not give him any space to cut inside. We all know that but do Slade and our current crop of players?

 

[ninian opinion]

Yes I recall in horror that Boro goal but Connelly was left stranded, and they only then scored because our 2 centre backs were still ambling back from a wasted free kick in Boro's penalty area.

I'd play Gunnarrsson, Ralls or even Gabbidon at full back ahead of Malone.

Anybody going to pick Whitt'm and Gunnarrsson together

 

[BluefromBridgend]

Nin - my memory is that Connolly was given a tough time by Adomah for most of the game and did little to stop him.

In answer to your question - Russell Slade

 

[BluefromBridgend]

Tonight's ref is one Brendan Malone from Wiltshire. Related to our left back? Who knows.

From what I can see this is only his 14th Championship game in 5 seasons of Football League refereeing, mostly 1st and 2nd division games so a bit of a step up for him.

Never been the ref with us before but has done a few Newport games. Averages 2.5 yellows per game and not many reds.

Tonight could be the biggest crowd he has reffed in front of (declared attendance versus how many actually there of course!!!). There were 17.7k for the Reading game he did at the end of January.

A postal worker as a day job, from his photos he looks a little on the "portly" side. Hope his mobility belies his appearance!!!

The refs we have had lately have been as poor as our play, let's hope we both a better game tonight. They don't think much of him at Southend and Gillingham.

 

[Oldsparkey]

Marshall Peltier Connelly Manga Fabio John Ralls Adeyemi Whitts Doyle Jones.

The only reason Whitts would be in is for set pieces.

Id play John and Fabio as wing backs allowing a 3 man central midfield and 2 up front.

We cant drop Jones.

With Fabio and John as wingbacks, I assume you'd play Peltier in midfield? That could work, but I'd prefer to leave Peltier where he's been playing and move Fabio up instead. Otherwise I'd go with most of that.

Outfield team I think Slade will send out: -

Peltier - Manga - Morrison - Malone
Noone - Gunnar - Whitts - McAleny
...........Doyle - Jones...............

For me, it would be: -

Peltier - Manga - Morrison - John
Fabio - Adeyemi - Whitts - Ralls - Noone
.....................Jones.......................

Tough call on Doyle and some would say Gunnar as well, but we need to try something different before time runs out.

 

[BluefromBridgend]

Certainly more solid in midfield Sparks although I have not been impressed by Fabio's cameo midfield roles to date - chicken with head cut off springs to mind. Also, Slade said there is some doubt about his fitness so may be a non-starter anyway. I would be more inclined to put Noone on the right (he's got to come good soon), Ralls on the left and O'Keefe as part of the middle 3 but with a clearly defined job not aimlessly wandering as he has done so far.

At least we will have a plan B off the bench with McAleney, Harris, Doyle and maybe Macheda going forward and Gunnar for midfield and Connolly or Declan at the back.

P.S. Last time Doyle played with tonight's ref in charge he scored 2 as Chesterfield beat Braintree 6 - 0 in the cup so as well as a bit of nepotism with Malone he could have a favourite in Doyle?

 

[Oldsparkey]

Noone is not doing it for me this season Bluey. I've put him in because of what he can do, not what he is doing - a lot like my reasoning for still including Whitts.

Both those players can provide service for a front man and that has to be Jones at the moment - leaving him out would be stupid. If that service is duly supplied, then someone else has to support Jones and pick up the pieces. I honestly see Adeyemi doing just that - there've been several times when he's been given the chance to play when he's been right up there running onto the action, not hanging about to see where the ball bounces before moving his legs.

If Fabio can be relieved of his immediate defensive duties by having Peltier behind him, I can see a lot of mileage in adding his pace to our dreadfully slow supporting midfield players. I realise Slade says he has some niggling injury issue, but you tend to get them more when you're not playing and trying too hard to impress to get another chance. The bloke has had a raw deal from Slade and is clearly not "his man" like Malone for instance.

Whatever, I don't think selecting 5 in midfield is showing Blackburn too much respect as the visiting team. I see it as more of a common sense thing in an effort to get hold of and keep the bloody ball for more than 10 seconds.

Our possession stats have to improve if we're going to get a grip on games - we are hopeless at the moment.

 

[ninian opinion]

Tonight's ref is one Brendan Malone from Wiltshire.

The refs we have had lately have been as poor as our play, let's hope we both a better game tonight. .

City always come up against refs who seem to be wearing the opposition shirt.

The one v Brighton was a shocker. Every 50/50 foul went to Brighton.

It's hard enough playing 11 v 11 but with the oppo having an extra man it's even harder.

 

[BluefromBridgend]

Whatever, I don't think selecting 5 in midfield is showing Blackburn too much respect as the visiting team. I see it as more of a common sense thing in an effort to get hold of and keep the bloody ball for more than 10 seconds.

Our possession stats have to improve if we're going to get a grip on games - we are hopeless at the moment.

So true Sparks. We should be holding training sessions with bars of soap as that is how we seem to treat the match ball.

 

[BluefromBridgend]

City always come up against refs who seem to be wearing the opposition shirt.

The one v Brighton was a shocker. Every 50/50 foul went to Brighton.

It's hard enough playing 11 v 11 but with the oppo having an extra man it's even harder.

I've been saying it ever since Bellers' career with us wound down. We don't have anyone who gets in the referee's ear to try to influence decisions. All the other sides have someone who does it. We don't hence everything appearing to go against us.

 

[ninian opinion]

It's not that we can even bemoan ref's for not giving us spot kicks. It makes me laugh that we have had only one penalty at home all season. Mind you the number of times we're in the opposition box, it's not surprising.

 

[Stevoldinho]

He needs to pick players brave enough to play football. We need to start passing the ball and retaining possession. We also desperately need to get some pace into the side. As for Hilts post.

With Fabio and John as wingbacks, I assume you'd play Peltier in midfield? That could work, but I'd prefer to leave Peltier where he's been playing and move Fabio up instead. Otherwise I'd go with most of that.
.

I'd read it as a 3-5-2 with Peltier in a back 3.

 

[Oldsparkey]

He needs to pick players brave enough to play football. We need to start passing the ball and retaining possession. We also desperately need to get some pace into the side. As for Hilts post.

I'd read it as a 3-5-2 with Peltier in a back 3.

Fck me - that's far too radical for Slade.

We've got about much chance of seeing a 3CB setup as seeing Slade put Kenwyne on the wing......Oh I don't know though.....

 

[Stevoldinho]

Fck me - that's far too radical for Slade.

We've got about much chance of seeing a 3CB setup as seeing Slade put Kenwyne on the wing......Oh I don't know though.....

At least Noone might get onto some of the flick ons next to him then