Consistency / Settled team

[Furious George]

Apologies if this has been discussed elsewhere, but was discussing with a pig yesterday that they've relatively done ok with injuries this season and seem to have a settled side. Got me thinking about us and just worked back through the fixture list to look at our team.

Only once since the 5th November (Brentford) have we named the same starting 11 in consecutive matches (Oldham and then Huddersfield). That covers 18 games.

It hasn't happened this year, and we've changed the starting 11 in the past 12 games.

No blame game here, I've not looked into suspensions, injuries, loan players returning, type of match etc. Having said that, the chopping and changing seems to tie nicely in with the pack mentality on here clammering for players to be replaced regardless of the result....so I guess you could say we get what we deserve.

Edited February 14, 2012 by Furious George

[BRADDAZ]

Its not ideal.

Some of it has been forced, like Ben Marshall & James Tavernier.

Some of it needed, such as return from injury of Gary Madine & Lewis Buxton.

But some of it has not been needed, such as breaking up of the Chris Lines/Jose Semedo partnership, which really has got on my wick since GM did it.

Due to our current form i think GM should revert back to a similar side or as close as possible to a team that was consistantly getting the best results and the best performances, both as a team and individual players.

I think that's why Semedo and Lines should be re-installed immediately and i also think that Morrison and Madine should be the partnerhsip up top. I think it's vital to our automatic promotion chances that our best forward, which is Madine, gets some sort of form going and i think reverting back to the Morrison/Madine partnership may just help him do that. The Madine/O'Grady partnership doesn't work and i feel Ryan Lowe has a much greater impact coming on from the bench than starting games and Clinton has done well lately so i have no problems with him starting games.

Edited February 14, 2012 by BRADDAZ

[Benjani]

Agree with Braddaz - some of the changes have obviously been necessary sue to loans returning and a few injuries (Llera in for Jones for example).

But the sudden dropping of Lines to the bench and replacing him with Prutton (who didn't even make it to the bench for a fair few games over xmas) is one that hasn't done us many favours tbh.

By all accounts Prutton did well when he played in the FA Cup away at Blackpool, but Lines had been a solid part of the team that had hardly seen us lose and move up into 2nd.

The striker issue is a major problem that needs addressing - Madine is on his day easily our best striker and is good all round, but lets be honest he hasn't performed since returning - whether thats fitness I don't know. O'Grady works tirelessly and has scored the odd goal here and there but obviously doesn't work well with Madine as they're too similar.

But apparently all the other strikers love playing alongside O'Grady because of his presence/hold up play and flick ons.

I would still want to see Lowe ahead of Morrison personally.

[since59owe]

Agree with Braddaz - some of the changes have obviously been necessary sue to loans returning and a few injuries (Llera in for Jones for example).

But the sudden dropping of Lines to the bench and replacing him with Prutton (who didn't even make it to the bench for a fair few games over xmas) is one that hasn't done us many favours tbh.

By all accounts Prutton did well when he played in the FA Cup away at Blackpool, but Lines had been a solid part of the team that had hardly seen us lose and move up into 2nd.

The striker issue is a major problem that needs addressing - Madine is on his day easily our best striker and is good all round, but lets be honest he hasn't performed since returning - whether thats fitness I don't know. O'Grady works tirelessly and has scored the odd goal here and there but obviously doesn't work well with Madine as they're too similar.

But apparently all the other strikers love playing alongside O'Grady because of his presence/hold up play and flick ons.

I would still want to see Lowe ahead of Morrison personally.

Tonight is a MASSIVE game 3 points and we're back on track.

[Furious George]

Its not ideal.

Some of it has been forced, like Ben Marshall & James Tavernier.

Some of it needed, such as return from injury of Gary Madine & Lewis Buxton.

But some of it has not been needed, such as breaking up of the Chris Lines/Jose Semedo partnership, which really has got on my wick since GM did it.

Due to our current form i think GM should revert back to a similar side or as close as possible to a team that was consistantly getting the best results and the best performances, both as a team and individual players.

I think that's why Semedo and Lines should be re-installed immediately and i also think that Morrison and Madine should be the partnerhsip up top. I think it's vital to our automatic promotion chances that our best forward, which is Madine, gets some sort of form going and i think reverting back to the Morrison/Madine partnership may just help him do that. The Madine/O'Grady partnership doesn't work and i feel Ryan Lowe has a much greater impact coming on from the bench than starting games and Clinton has done well lately so i have no problems with him starting games.

Good points.

Thinking more of it though, I guess you could split it into changes that are enforced and changes that are in our own hands.

So injuries are to an extent out of our control (unless we are rushing someone back). To some degree we have a say in disciplinary as we should be controlling the players (taking Madine off against Carlisle for instance).

Even the loans - the majority of long term loans usually go back in January. In that situation is either extending the loan, buying or loaning a suitable replacement. The short term loans less so, although these should be high impact players and definitely not warming the bench etc.

12 games without a settled first 11, in the middle of February just causes me a little concern, although as you point out it seems to be a combination of different things rather than just one.

[Guest sal1]

Agree with Braddaz - some of the changes have obviously been necessary sue to loans returning and a few injuries (Llera in for Jones for example).

But the sudden dropping of Lines to the bench and replacing him with Prutton (who didn't even make it to the bench for a fair few games over xmas) is one that hasn't done us many favours tbh.

By all accounts Prutton did well when he played in the FA Cup away at Blackpool, but Lines had been a solid part of the team that had hardly seen us lose and move up into 2nd.

The striker issue is a major problem that needs addressing - Madine is on his day easily our best striker and is good all round, but lets be honest he hasn't performed since returning - whether thats fitness I don't know. O'Grady works tirelessly and has scored the odd goal here and there but obviously doesn't work well with Madine as they're too similar.

But apparently all the other strikers love playing alongside O'Grady because of his presence/hold up play and flick ons.

I would still want to see Lowe ahead of Morrison personally.

.

Me too

Agree too that Madine is our best all round striker when on form but at the moment he isn't on form as you say. If players, whoever they are, are out of sorts they shouldn't be in the starting 11. Ease them back from the bench. Megson said there were no sacred cows. I'd like him to demonstrate it. Madine has been awful of late.

Edited February 14, 2012 by sal1

[Guest barrieowl]

Well said George we need to pick a game plan , pick what he thinks is his best 11 and stick with it win or lose for next 5 games and take it from there .,