I agree with your team but Harry will go with: -----------------Green-------------- Simpson --Onuoha---Dunne-----Hill--- -------- Barton--------Carroll-------- Benayoun------Morrison------Traore ------------------Austin---------------
I agree that this could well be the team. Trouble is, Barton and Carroll together doesn't work and Wigan will be running at our back 4. That's why Henry should start imo.
Henry doesn't necessarily make things defensive, if he has attacking players around him. He can be part of an attacking team with a certain role. He can win the ball in midfield and move it along to attacking players and we'll be attacking all day. If we only have attacking players in midfield, like both Barton and Carroll, we'llbe overrun and barely get a shot on target again. I say Henry or someone of that ilk should be in the middle for all remaining games.
Hes also more than capable of setting the other team up for the best chance of the game, thats my worry. Hes cost us goals, how many has has Carroll cost us for example?
This would be my starting Xl for the away leg....................... please log in to view this image
It's not a three at the back really though. It's still a four at the back with the ball unless Onouha is steaming forward. It's a five or six at the back without the ball. It's the personnel, not the formation that is important in this team selection. This is definitely the team to play for the first 60 minutes that can then be adapted depending on the score and injuries. A Conservative degree of flexibility that guarantee's us a good chance to sneak a lead but not be out of the running in the 2nd leg if we don't.
Nines, I like this on paper but I am not convinced that this "wing-back" formation has worked for us when we have tried to used it (and I believed Harry has seriously considered this). The danger is that whilst defending there are 5 at the back with a weak midfield which means you are perpetually on the back foot and generally (in our case) over-run. I personally much prefer the tried and tested 4-2-3-1 formation and personally would not risk it in such a key match. ...but it is Harry's call.
Peter, I also think that this will be Harry's choice. I could accept as it is "good", although it is not my personal preference. I just hope that Harry does not go for another suprise "out of box" selction that will need major surgery at half-time as then I will be very dissapointed, eg something as below: ---------------Green-------------- Simpson--Dunne--Hill----BAE ------ Barton----Carroll-------- O'Neal-----Morrison------Traore --------------Austin--------------- ie. play Dunne and Hill together as centre halves and with BAE at RB (ie drop Onuoha), plus play someone like O'Neal in midfield. Anyway, it is all speculation and it is not long before we will know. It's Harry's call and "in harry we trust" (?!??)
I quite like the wing back formation, but I do worry that we haven't played it very well whenever we've tried it.
Everyone just looks utterly clueless in it, it would be madness changing to it now. In theory, the formation can work as long as henry isn't playing but nows not the time for it.
5 pints and a bottle of wine each with a QPR supporting client at lunch and suddenly feel really ****ing nervous and cant wait for Friday. Hill at left back and Dunne at CB and Wigan are laughing
With the recent BAE issue and him not playing, the question now is what will Harry choose as his back four (assuming he does not go for the wing back option). I basically see only two only options: Option 1: Simpson --Onuoha---Dunne---Hill Option 2: Simpson --Onuoha---Hill------Yun Option 3: other variant? I much prefer Option 2.
Option 2 for me. Option 3 is rubbish: only two at the back and btw who are "other" and "variant?" EDS players?
Not sure its' the time for change but interested to hear the reasoning behind why it wouldn't work with Henry in the side? I would have thought you needed a defensive midfielder in front of the three who can A protect B, steep back when they get pulled out wide. Unfortunately Henry can't distribute that well which would also be need in that position but we don;t have Steve G.
