----------Bettinelli--------- Grimmer-----Bodurov----Hutchinson----Stafylidis-- Fofana----Hyndman-----Christensen---- ------Ruiz--------McCormack ---------Rodallega Think I'd rest Parker and bring in Hyndman and not sure depending on fitness Williams on for Ruiz and Woodrow on for Rodallega in second half after 60 minutes.
I agree with your selection. Some would say it is a time for using more of the squad but I want these three points and I think that team has the best opportunity to get them.
Isn't Stafylidis out due to yellow cards tomorrow? Otherwise I'd agree other than Fofana as I've heard little positive and think he is getting game time as a condition of his loan. I'd welcome any comment on his general play and contribution so far.
Based solely on the Bournemouth game, Fofana adds athleticism and muscle to the midfield, has the ability to run with the ball, but - as with many young, skilful players - has a tendency to hold onto the ball for too long. He is far from being a waste of a shirt, but I wouldn't see him as an automatic starter either. As for the starting line up, I thought our problems on Boxing Day were due to formation: the midfield three weren't providing much defensive cover for the full backs, and McCormack was too deep and too wide. He should either play much closer to Hugo or take Hugo's place as the main striker. I doubt that will happen this time though. Maybe the return of Kacaniklic will give Kit more confidence in playing wingers as wingers. Resting Parker would be good, with Hyndman the ideal cover. Burn for Bodorov and Kavanagh or Burn for Stafilidis could be worth considering if fatigue or suspensions are a factor. To freshen things up tired legs further forward could make way for one or more from Williams, Roberts, Eisfeld or David. How's this: Bettinelli Grimmer....Bodorov....Hutchinson....Kavanagh Christianson....Hyndman....Forfana Roberts....McCormack....Williams
morning all. Back from the break, the 606 mobile site has been down so I've not been able to contribute. I think your heart is ruling your head Captain with the selection above. I'd love to see it though. I would change Ruiz and Parker. Bring in Williams and Hyndman. It would be a good end to a disappointing year to get the 3 points tonight.
Kit needs to use some imagination and more of the squad. It seems that we try to play the same 11 week in week out no matter the opponent. It doesn't work. Ruiz looks uninterested, Hugo looks tired, Parker can play at most 3 games a month... Hyndman for Parker, Woodrow for Hugo and Williams or Eisfield or Roberts for Ruiz. Parker and Ruiz are slowing things down too much. Bournemouth needed 2-3 passes to get in our half and we needed about 10.
My selection: Bettinelli Grimmer....Bodorov....Hutchinson....Stafylidis LVC....Hyndman....Fofana McCormack....Rodallega....Williams For the record, I think for a suspension it was five yellow cards by 30 November, or ten by the second Sunday in April. So Staf should be available to play.
Awful once more. We got Brighton while they are bouncing back from managerial change. Kit dropped Ruiz but scared to try something different by dropping Parker. Too slow, poor passing, Hugo very wasteful, McC wasted...
Pretty dire again - we really missed Christiansen tonight. Team was a mess, no width, no off ball positioning and gave the ball away far too easily, passed back, tippy tappy going no-where football - and no organisation what so ever. I don't know what Kit is doing. We seem to have a few good games, then a bad one, get a reaction and have a good one then back to bad. I don't like the lumping balls to Hugo, they rarely come off. I don't know, so disappointed. It's Kits first transfer window. We need to keep Christiansen and some of these good potential young players and strengthen this squad with some solid experienced players and ones that will give us some options to change when it is clearly not working in a match like tonight.
What upsets me is we lost to a poor side. Blackpool Huddersfield and Sheff Wed played better against us than Brighton. The whole of our midfield was non existent tonight. I couldn't fathom what tactics if any Kit had instructed, apart from keep possession let the opposition get back into position before you try attacking them, make sure you all pass to Scott Parker 5 times before you pass the ball forward over the halfway line. McCormack had got so frustrated that he ended up in defense trying to take the ball off the back-four to start attacks. It was terrible.
