.......would you include him against Fulham? If so, which of Harris or Noone would you drop to accommodate him? He seems to have been a bit forgotten recently, but his absence from the side since he came off with that injury at Watford been a major contributing factor in the tentative tippy-tappy midfield rubbish we've seen since then. Since he's been out, we've witnessed 5 Championship games with zero wins, 2 very poor draws and 3 pathetic defeats in that time. His directness is something we're missing, but just who should make way for him?
He needs to come straight back in. I'd be inclined to drop Whits for him and play Adeyemi and Gunnar. Could even play a midfield 4 of Ralls, Gunnar, Ade, Noone with Pilks given the free role that isn't suiting Noone at all. We'd have impact from the bench in Harris, Whits, Alf. We need to start passing the ball better and a total midfield transformation is required if it's going to happen imo. The dilemma we've been discussing for the last 4 seasons is that Whits does **** all in open play for the majority of the time but his set plays are responsible for a third of our goals apparently. Will a better overall side score more? Or will we stop scoring the goals which are just about keeping us of the bottom of the table. I don't really care to be honest, I'd just like us to try something different to the **** we've had to endure in recent weeks.
Id play Jones up front and play Pilkington as an additional midfielder. Ralls and Adeyemi to keep their places.
Pilks......Whitts........Noone Ralls.........Adeyemi The team I'd play based on the Colchester game. Whitts is too slow and ineffective in a holding midfield role. He scored all his goals under Jones in a more advanced role. I also think that Gunner is too slow. Harris to come on later and challenge a weary defense with pace!
Despite his limitations, Whitts has to play until we find someone better in his role. When he went off v Colchester we had no one capable of receiving the ball, holding it and making a successful pass - even though it was slow and probably backwards or sideways. After his departure, in the main we just hoofed it from the back and hoped someone got hold of it and did something constructive. This rarely happened and gave them the opportunity of using their small but nippy forwards to press us at the back. Even though he started in a more advanced role by the second half he was operating around the half way line at best - set plays excepted - but still helped in us keeping the ball. I would go for 5 in midfield with Pilks and Noone out wide, Gunnar, Whitts and Adeyemi. KWJ up top and hope he has his energetic head on, not the lethargic one we see so often. If Revell signs might we see him start? However, is Pilks fully fit? He hasn't played a full game since his injury so is unlikely to go straight back in. If he is on the bench then either Ralls or Harris to start. I would be more inclined to Ralls to begin with. Fulham swamped us in midfield at their place - as have many other teams - so we would be more prepared in that area with Ralls with the option of bringing Pilks and Harris on when needed.
Says in WM today that he isn't fit. I recall people from Norwich mentioning his injury problems when we signed him. I'd agree with BFB that City need 5 in midfield. Playing 4-4-2 has been playing into the opposition hands who know how easy it has been to cut straight through the paper thin and slow, midfield pairing of Gunnarrsson & Whittingham.
I also doubt Pilks ability to get straight back on the pitch after his injury for a full 90 minute thrash. He was unfit when he came to us and it showed. It took him a good half dozen games to get anywhere near up to speed and his influence grew from there. His directness has been sorely missed this past half dozen games and his forward runs were starting to remind me of Mutch. I'd like to see him back, but a slot in the starting lineup may be a step too far right now. I honestly can't see Slade doing anything other than a straightforward 4-4-2 for this home game even though he experimented with just the one up against Colchester. If he does go for something along those lines though, I'd be tempted to take a chance on Pilks if he's actually over the injury even if not fully match fit. A 5 man midfield of Gunnar, Adeyemi, Whitts, Pilks and Harris out wide for me, with Kenwyne up top. Noone off the bench would be my card up the sleeve. (but I bet we get a 4-4-2 with Feruz alongside Kenwyne if he' signed in time, or ALF if he's not)
Then if he does then our chances of not losing go from 50% to 10%. Fulham are far better than their league position and will expose City's pitiful central midfield if there are just the 2 usual suspects playing there.
With all due respect Bluey and Glam, the problem when Whitts went off in the Colchester game wasn't just his absence on the pitch. It was far more to do with Le Fondre replacing him and us going back to a 4-4-2. I wasn't there on the night to get the wider perspective, but the change was obvious watching on the tele - it was another Dinosaur Slade decision at his best. Whitts is the best we've got in the vision and passing stakes. Playing him further forward in a 5 man midfield set up is the way to go as demonstrated in that game. Will Slade ever see the light?
