I think we will have one or two surprises for our starting eleven. I'm not at this stage of the week going to try to pick/guess SOD's team but I believe we will see some significant differences. The only time I have seen Steve Davies play live was the ten minutes against Blackpool. I've seen his goals on I-Player but watching the extended bits from the Lesta match, the best bit for me was when he got the ball inside his own half, went back a couple of yards, then left two or three opposition in his wake and played a forty yard pass along the touchline to Wes Burns. Excellent bit of skill and the pass was so accurate. I understand he wants to play up front, but that bit of skill was the nearest I've seen to the "Midfield Tin Opener" that we've been crying out for at City for years. And he will get goals by arriving in the box unseen by defenders. So as a start, that is my first name on the team sheet for Leeds - whether as one behind a lone striker or as midfield, I'm not sure.
It may be crazy, But It might just work Heaton Edwards Bates Carey Cunningham Anderson Kelly Reid Bryan Baldock Burns
My take on this is ; Heaton Skuse Bates Cunningham Bryan Kelly Davies Reid Anderson Baldock Burns But maybe too attack minded? Also not convinced that Bates will be staying with us or even good enough. If we play Fonts, then no better than DMc!
I don't know how much SOD knows about our younger players Shiny, however given our current league position, and the fact we need points and fast I would be hughly surprised if he went with a line up similar to that you have osted above. In my experience new bosses play it safe to begin with and go with the more experienced players, as more often than not they up their game considerably in the first 2 or 3 games of anew managers tenure, after that we may some youngsters introduced, once he has properly assessed them. If he has a fit squad to choose from , I would expect to see the following line up, or something very similar Heaton Foster Bates McManus Cunningham Anderson Kelly Skuse Davies Baldock Stead Subs Gerks Fonts J Wilson Marv R Taylor L Kelly JBryan
Just an observation..though this doesn't surprise me. In last night's Post Andy Stockhausen gave Fontaine 7, equal with his MoM (Burns). Everyone else got 4/5/6/. What's he seeing that none of you seem to see, or the other way round?!!!
We lose McManus on Thursday supcon That's why he's not in my team. Which means SoD really needs to get another CB in pronto and I didn't like the look of my defence
My mistake, I thought he was done after the Leeds game, even more worried he may turn to Tangled feet!!!!
Cider, why would such a line up worry you? McManus aside, I really think he will go along with a line up close to this. Ask yourself if you knew little about our youngsters and were keen to make a good start in you first game, which happened to be a tough away game at Leeds, would you throw 2 or 3 players in with about a dozen games between them? I doubt it. He will go with the older pro's, at least for this game.
Foster, while I rate him he is playing without any confidence. I'm not convinced that Bates is any better than the Fonts. Skuse seems shell shocked and Kelly is an unknown quantity. I put Cunningham at left CB because there is no-one else that I know at the club who I would want there but it would be wasting Greg's attacking assistance from left back. I think you are right about experience - everyone inside football thinks like that so we'll see Carey and Fonts at centre of defence. And lose!
I would love SOD to prove us all wrong and blend some promising looking youth, however I think he will perceive the risk to great, so yes I expect Fonts will play, I just couldn't bring myself to put him in my previous post, but we are so short of CB's, possibly Carey, but not sure of his current fitness levels. I also note that Tangledfeet played the full 90 mins, in the under 21's good win. Surely not!!!!!
If Fonts plays and plays a blinder at Leeds it will just confirm to me that he set out to get rid of Derek McInnes and succeeded. I don't want that ilk at Bristol City.
This isn't my preference but I think he'll choose this on Saturday Heaton Foster Bates Fontaine Bryan Anderson Skuse Kelly Cunningham Baldock Stead subs Gerken J,Wlson Taylor Davies Elliott Burns Reid
I would go along with that apart from swapping Cunningham and Bryan around, he watched Bryan play left wing last night so I expect him to be there.
According to some, we are ****ed anyway so in those circumstances, I would go for the enthusiam of youth PLUS, they play a completely different brand of football, i.e the game as it is supposed to be played - none of this sideways and backwards stuff, 45 minutes of Reid and Burns was enough to establish that...
