Just reading that Cattermole is one yellow card from being banned for the derby. The conundrum for MON is play Cattermole, and risk him getting booked (bare in mind his rep will be against him); or leave him out so he is free for the derby. I would leave him out, no offence to WBA but I think Colback is more than capable of doing a job against them. I think against Newcastle we need Cattermole to keep Cabaye quiet. What do you all think?
Total agree. I'd only drop him if the next game was a vital one off knockout game like the semi or the final. Catts has to play today and play his normal game. I think he will play.
MON has already mentioned this. Personally if it were up to me I'd leave him out today so he's ok for the better midfield that Newcastle have over WBA. Will Marty do it? Well I don't think he will.
leave him out if we lose him for newcastle we will lose... look at the games he isnt there, our midfield has no backbone and has the potentiol to be over run by a strong team...newcastle
I expect him on the bench and a starting 11 of.. MIG BARDO..TURNER..OSHEA..RICHARDSON LARSSON..COLBACK..GARDNER..MCLEAN CAMPBELL..SESS
Play him today and have a bit of faith in the lad to try and stay away from a yellow. If he is missing from the derby then so what our other midfielders should be up to it anyway.
I do generally agree with always playing your best team available but I want Cattermole in this derby so wouldn't risk him. We have a couple of very good central midfielders in colback, Gardner Meyer. Even Seb could go in there if needs be.
Play him. Has become our best midfielder again sincr MON took over. 3 points today and keep the momentum going for next week.
My only worry about Catts is whether he loses his head against the Mags. He didn't play well last time. I do think he's a better player under O'Neill, so I'd play him today and see how he handles himself. If he can produce that controlled aggression we know he's capable of and not get carded, it'll set him up nicely for the trip to the Sports Direct
Yea - I'd play him and let the dice roll where they may... besides it wouldn't be worth protecting him from the Mags game as we might need him against one of the better teams later. go fish
Thing is he will miss two games. So if he plays today and gets booked he misses the Newcastle and Liverpool games I think, but will be available for FA cup game. If he doesn't play today, then plays in the derby and gets booked (almost a certainty) he will miss Liverpool and the FA cup game. It is a dilemma! But I always say play your strongest side and MON is not one for changing for changes sake, so my gut feeling is he will play today and deal with the consequences as necessary.
I really wouldn't want him to miss the derby, he's just what we need in the middle in what will be a very tough game. Personally, I'd be happy if he was rested today.
I would also rest him today and save him for the Newcastle game. While Gardner and Colback are both good footballers I could see them being bullied by the mags' more attritional style, especially in the white-hot atmosphere at the Sports Direct Arena, and we'd need Cattermole in there to help keep Cabaye in check. Even if he made a particular effort to avoid getting booked today it's always a risk, partially because referees tend to be wary of his reputation.
It's funny how you guys almost talk like if he plays, he will miss out on the derby, like he WILL get carded if he plays today. I ain't watched him much like so maybe that's not so far from the truth.
The problem really is that if he plays, MoN can't really tell him to watch himself and avoid being carded, as that can take the sting out of a player during the game and end up with a more ineffective midfielder who would be better off being replaced. Spose you've just got to let him do his usual thing and keep your fingers crossed.
