As usual nothing about team selection from Slavi in today's press conference. He seems to have pretty much settled on the starting eleven he wants to see get a run of games. However, he will be forced to make a couple of changes for tomorrow. Nando is the first obvious one. Don't know if he was actually eligible given that we pulled him back from 'Boro half way through his loan deal but whatever, he's out anyway with a 1 game ban after his red card at Leeds. His likely replacement is Stearman who returned from his 'sabatical' to be on the bench midweek. Luke Garbutt is doubtful after coming off injured in the same game and Slavi's probable choice to come on instead of him is his favourite Kaka. Personally I hope not - Alex seems to do better when coming on as a sub - and I'd go for Hyndman. Tunnicliffe is an option but it's the left side that needs filling and bringing him in would mean switching others around - weird in a way when we've got so many left footers (7 lefties finished the game against Leeds!) The only other change will be Parker for O'Hara (who is really suffering a dip in form). So the starting line-up: .......................Lonergan................. .............Madl......Stearman....Burn... ..Fredericks....Baird...Parker...Hyndman.. ..........................Cairney...... ................Dembele....McCormack...
Sounds like Garbutt might be fit.So I think you are close to the line up with Garbutt in for Hyndman. Obviously they now have Rhodes who is always a threat, along with Downing and Leadbitter and a good goalkeeper, so getting 3 points today will be difficult, although Fulham do have a good record against them. Think Fulham will have to be at their best to even get a point.
Local boy (well, from Surrey) Charles Breakspear is the man in charge today. We've never seen him before however and like loads of them this year, he's just finding his feet in the Championship. Clearly out to impress the bosses, Charles has enjoyed himself handing out 118 yellows and 2 reds in his 28 games across the Leagues so far.
I'm Glad Stearman looks like he is going to be given a chance under SJ, if we go forward with 3 at the back Inext season I'm honestly happy with Burn, Stearman and Madl... Throw in Ream and I don't have an issue with our centre backs, now wide players / wing backs are a totally different story!
For a team set up to defend we quite simply didn’t. Boro played a couple of guys down each wing, only one in the middle and we did not respond – our so called wing backs did absolutely no work at the back with the consequence that the CBs (Stearman and Burn) got pulled wide time after time. Could go on ad nauseum and no doubt will later. For now, suffice to say we were all over the place for the full 90 plus minutes. So many players today either did not understand their role or couldn’t be a***d to follow instructions. The only ones out of the 14 that surfaced and who came out with any credit were Parker and Madl.
We were never up to the standard required to compete, as C58 only players with credit were Madl and Parker. I'd have to say Jokanovic got outclassed tactics wise. C58's correct about or wing backs exposing our CBs. I think Jokanovic pushing the wingbacks more forward he was hoping to push the likes of Downing back with them but that didn't happen. Interesting no Match Stats on Match Report yet.
Watched the match today, and lets face it we are nowhere near a top half finish' club, when we have a win we hear that we are getting there, no way with this squad struggling to avoid relegation again ?
Slavi has had a right blast at them in the local paper: “We didn’t have the power to recuperate ourselves,” Jokanovic said. “We don’t have the personality to change our situation during the game. If we start with a problem, we don’t show quality personality or desire to change it." “It’s like everything is done, but it’s not done. We need to fight from the first to the last minute to win the game.We were weak in the defensive line and we allowed them to make chances by slicing and missing simple challenges. It’s not a question of tactics. If you’re making these kind of unnecessary mistakes then you will lose the game.” “We are a depressive place and I need to lift their heads to continue to push and try and win some points." Source: http://www.westlondonsport.com/fulh...ulhams-weak-personality-but-defends-stearman? Don't disagree with any of that but sorry Slavi, you picked the wrong team, the wrong formation and (arguably) the wrong subs today. Tunnicliffe was like a fish out of water - and I know how this is going to sound but I did say in my original post playing him on the left would be a mistake. Okay it wasn't as a direct replacement for Garbutt, although it might as well have been since Garbutt was in dreamland most of the time. And I know Tunnicliffe moved to right wing half. However on the left he was for that first crucial 20 minutes.
Although I like the wing back system and it has worked well for us recently I certainly would not have played against a team with two of the strongest wingers in the division in Admoah and Downing, though this may have been forced due to injuries.
