Based on this:

I believe Pardew would rather play another youngster or a senior member out of position then Guthrie Im afraid

 

I dont think we can avoid playing Guthrie to be honest (if the quote is true) its just a matter of making sure he plays central, not out wide.

 

I was thinking of either of these yeah. We've got another week (and a bit more) of guess work still though.

Looking forward to Ferguson getting a good game in!

 

I cant see Pardew playing with 3centre mids, so that ends the possibility of Guthrie in centre mid. Unless ofcorse the injury curse strikes again

 

the team are off for this week
so any new formation would only have next week to be worked on

 

Putting Guthrie on wide right is a waste as he alway's drifts inside.

 

Thing is, Barton does that too but he does it in a good way in that he covers so much ground. If we can teach Guthrie to play like Barton on the right, the cutting in wouldnt be an issue. But if we are to play him wide right, we still have no one to play wide left. This is why we should have kept Routledge IMO.

 

If we play Guthrie he has to be central. Last year he played well in the middle, good incisive balls, quite often playing defence splitting balls. Best/Lovenkrands would feed off this well.
definitely should of, at least, had a call back clause in Rout's loan deal.

 

Barton has a better final ball than Guthrie.

Routledge final ball wasnt good but he was a better Right wing than Guthrie,

 

I think the original line up is a decent call, big strong players (minus Guthrie, though he and Tiote can pick a pass)

 

i agree we should have kept routledge
decent back up imo
and the ability to stretch a game when you need to

 

Surely Pardew should have seen what we can all see that the squad is threadbare.

 

I like this.

But I think I would go for:

-----------Harps----------
Saylor--Willo--Colo----Fergi
Simp---Nolan-Tiote---Smith
-------Shola--Best--------

OR

-----------Harps----------
Simp---Willo--Colo---Saylor
-----------Tiote-----------
Best---Nolan-Guthrie--Smith
----------Ameobi----------

With Best and Smith cutting in

 

Isnt Smith out for the rest of the season?


I think we're going to struggle at the Britannia without our creative players. A draw would be a good result.

 

Smith's out for the season, I think Tiote and Guthrie will be creative enough (and Ferguson) its just a matter of beating the Stoke defence, which we will have to match physically. Also if Guthrie plays we have a more natural set piece taker and Tiote can sit back at set pieces rather than take them and leave us open on the counter-attack.

 

Yes I'm sure he is with a broken ankle.

I thought Ireland was due back but that doesnt seem the case.

Does anyone know when he is back?

 

Match after Stoke it looks like. Well, Pards said this morning definitely not Stoke.

 

All we know is he's definitely out of Stoke, surely Wolves is a certainty? If he cant recover from a thigh strain in a month and that wasnt even the injury he had when we signed him, he isnt worth it?

 

I think Mike poached Everton's HR staff...

 

Cheers guys.

Like De Kuip 02 I think we will struggle against Stoke.

It's hard work getting those 40 points.