A consideration for Kit, with the injury list rapidly mounting is whether to risk his main men. As it is Hutchinson and Matilla are very doubtful. Regardless he must be inclined to give a few from the bench game time, including new boy Tim Ream. I’d see two changes at the back with Ream coming in to partner Burn and Kavanagh taking over at left back. Jumping to the front, there’s a case for keeping the old U21 partnership of Woodrow and Dembele, which by default brings into question the role of McCormack or if indeed whether he has one in this game. As it happens, the last quarter-of-an- hour in the Huddersfield game, when he played behind that pair, was the first time he’s come alive this season. So I’d keep him there. Ideally I’d love Kit to bite his nose and play Hyndman alongside O’Hara … but that’s not going to happen. Equally I desperately want to see LVC playing much further forward; he seems so inhibited playing a deep role. This may be a game then for Kit to take a gamble. Give O’Hara a rest, bring in Tunnicliffe as central midfield defender (which arguably is his preference) and push LVC and Cairney up with McC. So, the starting line-up: ………………Lonergan……………… …Richards…..Ream….Burn…..Kavanagh…. …………….Tunnicliffe… …….LVC…Mc Cormack….Cairney.. ………….Woodrow…Dembele…
This is a match where the result is of vital importance, none more than the managers His intransigence could ultimately be his downfall
Fulham haven't taken any cup games seriously for years so a run out for the fringe players ………………Lonergan……………… …Voser…..Bodurov ...Burgess…..Kavanagh…. …………….Tunnicliffe… …….Cole…Hyndman….Kacaniklic.. ………….Woodrow…Dembele… and probably a very low crowd. 6,360
Reckon they'll bring 2,500 plus. With the tube strike off and the weather not so bad a few less of ours will have an excuse, so 11,640.
Isn't that our first win over Sheffield United in a cup game in 11 attempts? I just couldn't bring myself to go to the Cottage tonight (also had work commitments), but nice to break the hoodoo!
That's the way to do it. MOTM Ryan Tunnicliffe - what a difference in the player and the team. Oozing confidence.
A downside for me was the way some of the crowd were gettting on the back of young Moussa. So it was a real pleasure to see him score his first of the season an our third tonight, albeit in the last minute of stoppage time. If you weren't at the game here is a link to it for your pleasure also: https://mtc.cdn.vine.co/r/videos/F5...mp4?versionId=sIW9oaAiwZC_oGmZ1A8.vxFnehrVDuj_
There were lots of positives in this game. Our passing was good and much quicker, possession must have been 60% + Have to remember it was not a full strength Sheffield side but that game will have done them good. The first red card tackle was totally reckless. I'm so glad Cairney was not injured from that. He came on and played some great football. With our luck on injuries so far I thought the worse. Really enjoyed it - I really want to go to Rotherham now.
Thanks for the link Cottager. It doesn't seem to be working (or maybe it's just my computer), but the thought is appreciated!
A much better second half performance. Our second goal sounded a great move and we'll taken. Any thoughts on tactics, strategy and player positions from any one there? Did McCormack play behind Moussa?
I'd like to know how the Kacaniklic/Pringle combination worked. Were they both staying wide and did that enable McCormack to be be more central for more of the time? That's how I'd like to see us play given the current squad. Also, how did Ream look?
Kaca started wide right and Pringle wide left, although they switched now and again. By and large Kaca stuck to his job of staying wide and in the first half certainly, was a good outlet in receiving the ball. However he didn’t have the beating of their right back or they doubled up on him if that seemed likely. So, on the plus side - made himself available and on the downside - no attacking threat. Pringle? Don’t quite know. A couple of cracking crosses in the first half - one when he was on the right was spectacularly vicious - that we could/should have scored from. He was more industrious than in previous League games and did some good covering for Voser. He went to the left when Cairney came on and played more infield, which meant that on occasion things got a bit congested among him, McCormack and Dembele. Before mentioning McCormack need to first beef up Tunnicliffe’s role. He brought balance, a toughness to the midfield, and his direct forward runs allowed others to find space. Basically he commanded the middle of the field and as a result (I think) McCormack played much further forward. Wouldn’t exactly say Mac played centrally though - he tended to do his usual buzzing across the pitch - but the main difference is that he was in attacking positions when receiving the ball not, as we’ve seen a lot of, in positions just looking to win the ball Tim Ream looked composed, had a bit of pace, read the game well and seemed okay with both feet. Only one sloppy moment when a poor pass put Dan Burn in trouble. I’ve read elsewhere that appearances were deceptive because he wasn’t up against much. Well, my comparison would be how Bodurov lumbered and struggled against the same guys when he came on as Ream’s replacement. That said, Ream isn’t physically big, so time will tell how he copes with some of the more robust characters in the Championship.
It was a good second half and result against a weak Sheffield United team fielding a striker you'd expect to find stepping up to the oche rather than running around for 90 mins. Not sure we can read much in to the result, it wasn't our starting team, although Pringle and Tunnicliffe made their case for the weekend. Pringle's crossing was a highlight, once Smith is back we should get him putting them in over and over. Cairney looked a class above when he came on and pretty much goaded a red card with his trickery. Dembele was poor, generally, although he kept trying and got his luck, seems a better player when he doesn't have to think about it and wasteful when he has time. I was disappointed again with Kaca - as written above he does offer an outlet but he very rarely does anything with the ball. He's is still completely one footed and it makes it easy for the defender, especially when he is over on the right and trying to cut in all the time. If he was going to do it, he would have done it by now - time to let go for me. Ream had a good debut and looks a step up on what we have so far, Voser even had a steady game. Based on the games so far and the respective performances of Tunnicliffe and Christensen, I think the best line up - within the confines of formations Kit knows or wants to play - Ryan comes in to shore up the middle next to O'hara and Pringle and Cairney play out on the wings with McCormack up top alongside one of the others - if the Smith injury is long term then I think we should look at trying to bring in an experienced striker who can head the ball, even just on loan, alongside a new defender.
