This is absolutely spot on, without Simpson boyd wouldn't have scored that cracker at huddersfield, which was a VITAL three points. He also set up Quinn for his goal against burnley if i remember right? However I've got a funny feeling a jay Simpson winner is coming at the weekend
Were you amazed by the Brizzle line up? I was! That's why I'm worried by his apparent fixation on Matty Fryatt, who evidently is way off match fit!
Simpson is the ONLY player we have who is any good at sticking his arse into defenders and holding the ball up. Without him in the side there is a BIG range of playing options that are just not open to us. Might be OK at home, but not away!
Now thats a very good post and i almost agree with you and your team. For me IF the Lesta Watford game ends in a draw then i would simply park the bus and play on the break. Barnsley have to win regardless so they will leave gaps the longer the game goes on. I would play a 5 - 5 formation more or less. Stockdale Chester Faye Hobbs(c) Evans Fathi Elmohamady Meyler Quinn Brady Boyd OR Simpson.
But Meyler plays as the holding midfielder sometimes and he looks better there than any of the others. The problem is we need him slightly further forward too because we haven't got another decent midfielder. That's why he's been tempted to stick Boyd in there and play an extra striker. Boyd struggled against Watford but so did everyone else and it was down to their closing down more than anything. Against Bristol he couldn't trap or pass it properly at all but is that really down to being in midfield? Can a position just suck all the ability out of a good player? I doubt it, I think he just had a bad game. He's got all the attributes to play in midfield so I can see why Bruce keeps trying it. All that said, I'd still be surprised if it isn't the team suggested above.
I was disappointed with the team selections for both Wolves and Brizzle, I hope we get the obvious one for Barnsley.
The 2 home games that Steve Bruce has simply gone for it (Watford and Brizzle) have failed to produce either a goal or a performance. Fathi being dropped on friday was a mistake imo. Starting both Fryatt and Gedo was also a bad error. In saying that the service was also dire. SB will have learned from that hopefully.
It all hinges on the Friday night game about what we have to do, but assuming Watford take something, I'd say we have to go for the jugular right from the off in our best chance of sealing it all off. Even if Watford get a draw, I think inviting pressure onto ourselves by playing for a draw away against a team in desperate need of a win is risky and asking for trouble. I'd go for the win and try and avoid letting them build up any momentum in the match. I think something was made more obvious than ever against Bristol, after watching fryatt and gedo trying to get behind most the game without service, then once Simpson and prozzer came on that direct off the shoulder play seemed to come to a halt. A perfect example of this was when one of our midfielders picked up the ball with his back to goal and played a blind pass into a very large gap between their center backs and their left back, fryatt or gedo would have been moving into that space regardless where as Simpson was about 10 yards in front of their defence and slightly out wide leaving him no chance to reach it and its just trickled through to the box for the goalie to collect. I think Elmo and Boyd have been declining the last few games, looking shattered soon into the second half and could do with a much needed rest, so I'd leave them on the bench for that reason and also to offer a different game plan off the bench if its not working. Stock dale Chester Faye Hobbs Fathi Meyler Evans Quinn Brady Gedo Simpson Play direct with power and pace bursting forwards off the ball in the form of Meyler and Gedo. Try and get behind them and cause problems behind their defence. As others mentioned Barnsley need wins and as such should come at us a bit so this should be perfect to hit them on the break. If they play tight and its not working, bring fryatt, Boyd and koren on for gedo, Simpson and Evans respectively (meyler dropping back to the holding position) which will give us more 'footballing intelligence' and a more slick ball playing side, then attempt to play through them.
Agree with all of this, Elmo's been poor since the international break, I'd have him on the bench and start Rosie at wing back, but agree with the rest of your team.
I think we really depend on our two wings backs and when teams cannot stop them we look a good attacking side, however some teams now know once they stop these two then we hardly create anything so depending on want system SB wants to play then if its 5,3,2 then i would go with Myler, Evans and Quinn and if its not going to plan and he decides to go 4,4,2 then i would go Myler, Evens, Fathi and Quinn. The fact in our Bristol game that SB didnt change the system against Bristol was very disappointing, Quinn who is very influential but only had an average game, Boyd was lost and Myler who didn;t like the holding role, everything about that game in the midfield seemed unbalanced. He as tried Boyd there against Watford and Bristol and it didn't work
Think thats got to be the team and set up. Fryatt and Koren on for impact around 70 min, Fahti for evans around 75
The reason that didn't work is that he dropped back into defense, and the attacking options stayed up front, so we ended up with no midfield which Watford cut through so easily
I see Jay Simpsons name written in the stars for us too, an unlikely hero methinks! He has played well other than the goals deficit. Sorry to TigerRoo but he is due a goal for his hard work though I agree with you about Prozzy!
Whereas I do hope you are right nobody will ever convince me that Simpson has got it at this level. Anyone putting a Hull City shirt on gets my support and I know that any professional footballer, donning his Clubs shirt, will go on to the pitch and give it is all but for quite a few it just isn't enough. McLean gave 110% every game but with little or no end result. The law of averages puts us in with a chance of getting a goal seeing as we haven't scored in our last two but we have no recognized 'striker' available. I personally do not care who scores the goals as long as they are scored but quite a lot have been scored from outside the box by our mid-fielders. Considering our lack of strikers, and injury to Aluko, Steve Bruce and the team have performed a small miracle by getting us to where we are with what we've got. I shall be up at 4.45am (Oz Time) in the morning to cheer Grimsby on in their first leg of the play-offs and 4.45am on Saturday morning (and I never thought I would hear myself saying this) to cheer Nigel Pearson and his Leicester team as they take on Watford. I could be well pissed before City take on Barnsley - I hope so!
Completely agree. Playing two unfit strikers and dropping Fathi was a disaster and resulted in our worst performance of the season against the weakest team in the Championship. Get Fathi back in, put Boyd back up front with Brady, rest a tired Elmo, leave Fryatt and Gedo on the bench, and play a raring to go Rossie at LWB. We need someone who can hit the ball on target with either foot (Brady) up front, and that rules Simpson out. I'd like to see Bruce go for it (no matter what happens to Watford on Friday). Stockdale Chester Faye Hobbs Fathi Meyler Evans Quinn Rosenior Boyd Brady
So why is he listed as "Striker" on the Squad Profile and was SAF "insane" to use him as a striker several times for Man U. reserves. He's the only player on our squad who has even looked like scoring in the past two games. Put him up front and he can take defenders on with his speed and trickery, and unlike Simpson and Fryatt he can hit them with power with either foot and doesnt take forever to get a shot off. "Squad Profiles Player name: Robbie Brady Date of birth: 14 Jan 1992 Nationality: Irish Position: Striker Height: 1.75m
