Just asking strong, middling or weak team vs MK Dons???? (....or shall we just play 11 players called Smith ?) So I will start and you can shoot me down ( I am utilising our knowledge that Ollie wants to play two no10s). Got to say I would worry about this midfield but sure he will rest Luongo and Freeman, they both deserve it and looked a bit jaded against Cardiff. Scowen had a match off recently...but still I probably would not play him from the start ----Lumley---- ----Hall, Ned, Lynch---- Wszoleck/Furlong---Borsyuik--Manning---Bidwell ------Oteh/Eze---Smyth--- --------Sylla------ Bench will include Bright-Samuel, Wheeler, Matt Smith, Scowen
Strongest team, whatever that is. Certainly not Sylla and Borysiuk, we are trying to get rid of them.
I'm generally not in favour of playing weakened teams in Cup games, but there are some fringe players that I would like to see get an outing, so....... -------------------Lumley---------------------- -------Baptiste----Hall----Robinson------- Furlong---Scowen---Cousins---Manning -----------Eze----------------Smyth----------- -------------------Wheeler---------------------
Play the stongest, excepting any in real need of a rest. No other game til 13 January so probably best to keep the regulars ticking over and get a good win under our belt.
Hall needs a full 90, Furlong, Eze, Manning, Smyth, Wheeler and Oteh are all good enough and need minutes. Stroller's eleven might well be spot on or very close. Although, I would probably play Ned and give Rob or Bap a rest, as well as fit Oteh in there somewhere.
I would use the highly tactical tombola choices. Player first, then playing position. It’s been used so far this season.
Same starting 11 as Cardiff game ? We cannot leave Scowen or Robertson out of this side If there are any changes then Pavel in for Cousins If Taarabt wants a game then he’s in
I’d make a few changes without going mad. Let the players who played all the Xmas games have a break as Burton is ridiculously important.
I'd really like to win a cup game for a change so would go for a strong team. It's a tough one though as the Burton game is massive.
Lumley Furlong Hall Lynch Pav Manning Chair Wheeler Bright Washington Sylla As we have all said a mixture of giving the kids some experience, wanting to win the game and worrying about Burton.
I don’t really understand this, we moan on year after year about our pathetic cup record, then people suggest playing inexperienced players and second stringers in order to prepare for the clash against the mighty Burton Albion. Doubtless if we lose against MK Dons, we will then moan about the selection. If Holloway doesn’t play his best available team (some may be injured or knackered, fine, and it would be good to play a youngster or two if they merit the chance, but this would be the same for a league match) he’d better let the fans know in advance. It’s our last chance for a bit of fun this season. I’d love to get a big PL team at Loftus Road for the next round, even if the result is embarrassing.
I agree. We should play our strongest possible team, we should for nearly every match. I wonder whether he will play Smyth on Sat or say he needs a rest after 1 game.
I think he has warned us already Stan...Ollie has said he wants to play two no10s behind a striker, and Birch has said Luongo is tired. and we all expect Lumely to replace Smithies. We must rest Luongo....and possibly Baptiste and Freeman....I would think Hall needs more game time as does Lynch. Ollie has said he wants two no10s behind a striker, so that will be two of the youngsters ( I really do not expect Smyth to start against Burton...so expect him to be one of them) I think the team will be of middling strength...I really think he will try to win the match, and the bench will be strong, incase (when) we go behind
I am very pleased that this thread has been started as I have been pondering what I would personally choose for the FA Cup match against MK Dons. There is a case to play with our strongest or unchanged team, as well as to give our youngsters a start. So it is a real Catch 22 situation. The decider on whether it was the correct or wrong choice will be the result. Ollie has stated his prefered set-up of two no.10's supporting a striker, which I am interpreting as a 3-4-2-1 formation. I would also make the following changes: => maintain the new "tradition" of playing the reserve keeper, so Lumley => allow for Hall to play more with Ned (I would rest Baptiste so partner them with either Robinson or Lynch) => finally rest Luongo after his international travels so play Manning (unfortunately, I fear Borysiuk will be sold or loaned) => play Wszołek as he is rested (at the expense of Cousins which is a bit tough as he played well). => give another chance to Smyth as he deserves it, plus use Oteh and Eze as subs => keep a big guy up front (so rest Smith and give Sylla a chance in this faster set up) So my team would be: --------------------Lumley---------------------- ----------Ned ------Hall----Robinson (or Lynch?) Wszołek--Scowen--Manning---Bidwell--- --------Freeman---------Smyth----------- ----------------------Sylla--------------------- So with my logic I have made 4 field changes and 5 in total!!
I think Ollie may start quite conservatively. With Freeman as no10 and add another midfielder (Manning, Hall, cousins) to Scowen and Luongo.... I do not think we will see the two no10s in the Burton match...I think that ploy will be instigated in the home matches at first... I am only guessing obviously... But I do not think Ollie is as tombola as the rest of you. He has a plan he is trying to implement... Not saying it is a good plan or a winning plan...but he has an Ollie plan... Sent from my STF-L09 using Tapatalk
Fair enough. I am sure they will try their best they always do. Sadly it’s rarely enough. I thought Holloway said he ‘ultimately’ wanted to play with two number 10s, presumably in a 3-6-1 (or 3-4-3), not necessarily this week. If he does give a few a rest I really hope he does not play Sylla and Washington, to give their agents the message to get working. You can almost guarantee that Grego Cox and Petrasso won’t feature, they must hide under an invisibility cloak at training, or be too shy to ask ‘what exactly are you paying me for?’
