If McCallum has pulled his hamstring

Just wondering. If we are now two left wing backs down to long term injury..

After last night performance ( and other ones too)... Can we still play 3 at back.. Dickie, DeWisj, Dunne with Barbet as a LWB.

Those who understand tactics could help me out here please

 

Well yes, Barbet as LWB would be an option. I'm pretty sure Kakay has played on the left at some point, but I'm not sure we'd want that. Has Odebaju played on the left side? I believe he has. Also, Dunne is a lefty. I feel we would miss Barbet in the back three more than Dunne.

But, as you say, the other option is to go to a more traditional 4 at the back.

Last night, in the second half, Ball basically became an additional defender as he sat either right in front or in the back line, especially after McCallum went off. I don't think Dom gets enough credit for how diverse he is and how many roles he gets chucked into for us. He's an underrated player at QPR. He has played as CB for us in the past and looked good. Not sure if he has played RB for us?

With McCallum and Wallace unavailable, I might go with

Odebaju - Dickie - Dunne - Barbet
Ball - Johanssen (both of them holding and defending in turns, supplying the forward players)
Adomah - Chair - Willock
Dykes or Austin or Gray

Another thought... we have to think about pace in defence, because we often get outpaced. I think Odebaju and Barbet are the fastest runners. So Barbet should be in the centre for pace. Dunne and Dickie are not that fast. Odebaju would be able to track back more with 4 at the back. So maybe Dunne at LB?

It's tricky!

One more thought. I actually think Willock could do a job at LWB. Good pace, not bad when he tracks back and defends. Can squeak out of tricky pressure when in possession.

 

I'm not convinced Odubajo would work in a back four. All the comments from fans from his previous clubs - and from what I've seen already - he's strong going forward, but not the strongest defender. I'd prefer Kakay at RB if playing a flat back four. Personally would prefer to stick to back 5 and, as you suggest, either play Barbet LWB or Odubajo at LWB with Kakay/Adomah/Ball filling in at RWB.

 

I reckon Odubajo or Barbet are the main alternatives staying with a back 3 though the latter needs to go outside more and stop cutting in all the time. But I wonder also if Duke McKenna could play there.

 

Any news on McCallum?

 

Not heard anything... worrying

 

Found a tweet from McCallum....
"Hopefully a minor setback and will come back stronger".


Reading a lot into just 9 words... But my interpretation is that it sounds like a pull not a tear...so not going back to Norwich...but out for several weeks.


So we are going to be very light in the LWB position

 

Yup, from that quote alone it sounds like 4-6 weeks maybe.......very frustrating.

Squads going to be really stretched the next few weeks.

 

Pretty certain we’ll go Moses LWB and Kakay RWB. I think Moses could well be left footed as he tends to cut inside a lot.

 

Didn't Moses have a mare at Orient when he came on 2nd half and played left wing back?

No reason why Barbet wouldn't fill in that role with Dunne coming into a back 3 of Dickie, BFD and Dunne.........

 

Think Barbet would do a job at LWB but one reason why he shouldn't go there is that Barbet at LWB weakens us in central defense where he does a fantastic job not just on the left side but often clearing up centrally or over on the right side when Dickie or De Vijs have been beaten. I hope to see Moses at LWB and Albert at RWB if he can manage another start, otherwise Kakay RWB. With a bit of luck McCallum is ok to start anyway.

 

I really hope that's not what we go with. I'd much rather Barbet at LWB and Adomah ar RWB.

 

I guess we will keep three centre backs.

Dunne will replace Barbet who will play as the left wing back.

 

Yes and Yes to both points!

 

Any news when Wallace will be fit to play?

 

No news at all on him at the moment ! Anyone to replace him apart from Kakay. Bloke has looked like a disaster zone this season , literally look like conceding whenever there's an attack down his side.

 

A pity as we would really welcome him back.

Let’s hope that he recover soon!