On on on 3 more points at stake Time for change - you can't play like that & expect much else. My team is Smithies - he scares me but makes some good saves and green seems to have a wingspan of 4 ft currently so give him a few games and cross your fingers Ned Right Back , Clint and Hall plus Konchesky Chery (another chance) Faurlin (he started OK then tired sorry I like him) Doughty energy, Fer looked sharpish and a quicker brain / touch than the rest Charlie - on reputation - & love & having to live off scraps Jet or Sandro - whoever is fittest Bench Phillips (it's nearly January so get playing!) Angella Tozser (because reputation from Watford faithful) Jet or Sandro Luongo - we've liked you so far Hoilett (it's nearly January so get playing!) Poulter if fit Plus any other youth that's fit
Charlie is out for at least 4 weeks. --------------------------------Smithies-------------------------------- Ned-----------------Hall-------------------Hill------------Konchesky -----------------Sandro------------------Faurlin----------------------- ----------------------------------Fer-------------------------------------- Phillips---------------------Grego-Cox-------------------------Chery 4-3-3.
Thinking about the same, though I think Ramsey may stick with 4 2 3 1. I wonder how sharp Hoilett and Jet are looking at the moment, and if he'll prefer to give one of them a go as striker.
442 for me. Goal - Bender from Futurama (less error prone than Green) RB - Road Runner (pacey like a Mexican Tony Daley) LB - Speedy Gonzalez (Just like Traore but faster) CB's - Godzilla (good in the air), BA Baracas (cause I pity the fool) CM - Spock (always makes the correct pass), Zebadee (good in the air but does have suspect footwork) Wingers - right - Wonder woman (for personal reasons), Left - Grace Jones (Similar to Henry but harder)Strikers - Lt Worf (strong, good with his elbows & bat'leth), Bruce Forsyth (Cause its nice to see him)
I admit that the recent team selections were rather straight forward to predict (probably also to our opposition). However, had we got a reasonable result against Fulham, I would have proposed that 4-2-3-1 is an efficient system for away matches where we can take advantage of the space on the counter attack, but it is not an effective system for home matches where team come and pack their defence. I would have stated that Charlie needs more suport and would have proposed a 4-4-2 system, with either Mackie, or Polter if fit, as Charlies' attacking partner. Sadly, after the humiliation of last Friday's Fulham match we have to throw this hypothesis into the bin as we do not have Charlie, or even Mackie, and we have a totally deflated team that needs to be literary "resurrected". I have been thinking since Saturday morning on what I would do for this Bolton match and admit that I do not have an obvious solution. I am sure that CR has a big headache, but it is the job he is paid to do and perhaps he may revert to his youth policy? We need to make some changes, but it should not be a revolution. As we cannot play 4-4-2, I would continue to play 4-2-3-1 (which should be 4-3-3 whilst in offensive mode, ie attack). Currently, my thoughts are as follows: --------------------------------Smithies-------------------------------- -----Perch ---------Onuoha--------Hall ---------Konchesky------ -----------------Sandro------------------Faurlin----------------------- Phillips---------------------- --Fer-----------------------Luongo -----------------------------Grego-Cox------------------------- I would certainly rotate the goalies, however I would be cautious with the back four. Unfortunately, Yun is still unavailable but I would re-introduce Hall who played well but was dropped for Angella (twice). The logic is to instill "confidence" into a stable centre back pairing (rotating Onouha, Hall and Angella) rather than move Onuoha to his less effective right back position. If deemed that we we need different full backs, then I would look to the reserves. We certainly need better defensive protection, so I am praying that Sandro will be fit to play one of his handfull of games per season (I think we really need him for this match) and I would play him alongside Ale, who bar the Fulham match, makes us play more fluidly. For the forward position, I only see Grego -Cox as "natural" centre forward who is potentially match fit and I would avoid the temptation of playing a "better player" out of position. As for the attacking midfield, Fer gets his favourite no 10 position and from a group of Phillips, Chery, Luongo and Gladwin, I have picked Phillips and Luongo for the flanks, but here we have some choice. I am interested in your hypotheses plus who actually Chris Ramsey selects, but more imoprtantly how the team actually performs! I quietly "hope" for a for a pleasant suprise, but as they say " it is the hope that kills you!"
I like Cols suggestion, the only possible difference would be if Polter is fit start him in place of RGC because I don't think he has the bulk to play up top on his own as a target man thus would be unable to hold the ball up long enough to bring Fer, Phillps and Chery into the game. Otherwise that is a side that should be more than good enough to win......how many times has that been said already this season?
My team --------------------------------Green-------------------------------- ---------Onuoha--------Angella-------Hall ---------Konchesky------ -----------------Sandro------------------Faurlin----------------------- ---------------------------Luongo----------------------------------- Phillips---------------------Fer-----------------------Chery Just shows I have no knowledge or tactical sense
All of the first elevens above are very interesting, but they are somewhat similar in that they are a "variations of a theme", ie chose from the fit and capable players available! However, I seem to be totally out of line with the consensus (well actually every poster to date) in that Perch will dropped and Ned will play right back. This means "experimenting" with a new centre back options of either Hall-Hill or Angella-Hall... and I wonder if I have missed something? Is Perch injured? Is Perch that bad that he need to be dropped? Is Onuoha the weakest link at centre back? If we want to strenghten the right back positon, why not try Darnel Furlong?, etc.
OK. I can accept that as a very good reason not to play Furlong on Saturday! So we only have options of Perch or Onuoha for right back.
Generally I like Ned, and him and Hall seemed ok, however a lot of goals/chances/mistakes seem to come from that side of defence, which you can also hold Perch to account for!!! Also have to think that the defensive mids haven't been doing their job. Ned has played RB before and hardly covered himself in glory, I don't really know between Ned or Perch at RB (with Furlong out on loan and Diakite seemingly nowhere near close to getting a chance) but something needs to be sorted soon with the whole defensive unit, nobody seems to know what they are supposed to be doing, maybe some coaching
I wouldn't be too upset with that Beth (apart from the 'keeper)! His dropping of the ball from the corner prior to the first goal was the straw that broke etc. That made Smithies against Blackburn look acceptable! However, what I would prefer, although not possible, is to bring the loanees back home & play:- Smithies Harriman or Furlong, ANO, Hall, The K man (not Konchelsky) Luongo, Doughty, Faurlin, ANO (probably Phillips, but can't we do better?) Chery, Fer Play them in any system that you like! IF Polter was fit I would include him instead of my second ANO & hope they found a system that fitted! Alternatively, lets get back to drawing them out of a hat!
I think Ned is at least as good a RB as CB on the main defensive part of the job. Playing him there allows us to use Hill''s leadership and experience now we really need it, at CB. Ned is usually not so effective getting forward, but then Perch hasn't been much either.
CR's biggest **** up was starting the new signings when we had won three on the spin. If I were Hall and the others dropped I would be get-the-next-bus-livid. Squad morale should be the manager's first priority. Play well, win three games and then get dropped: Not good.
As an alternative we could always go for the revolutionary 2-8-0 formation, something like Smithies Ned, Hall Phillips, Sandro, Faulin, Henry, Doughty, Fer, Luongo, Chery
A short epilogue to this thread. Chris Ramsey selected the team below with the only substitution to bring on Sandro for Fer. --------------------------------Green-------------------------------- ----Onuoha ------Angella--------Hall ---------Konchesky--- -----------------Henry -----------------Tozser--------------------- ----Phillips--------------------Fer---------------------Chery---- ---------------------------------JET---------------------------------- The choice of goal keeper was against general opinion on this thread, as was the defensive midfield paring of Henry and Tozser. But well done for foreseeing the back four. It will be interesting what conclusions CR draws from the experience. The choice and performance of JET was very refreshing. It will be interesting to speculate, after the internatiional break, on the team choice for the next match at Birmingham (away).
