Team v Birmingham

[Guest Bagarri]

...for everyone calling for Fletcher to partner Rhodes on Friday - isn't he still suspended?

[Guest Arnold]

29 minutes ago, Bagarri said:

...for everyone calling for Fletcher to partner Rhodes on Friday - isn't he still suspended?

Yeah 3 game ban. Friday will be his 3rd game 

[Holmowl]

2 hours ago, Southie_Owl said:

 

Carlos is a student of football and there's no way that he won't have seen this. I feel that Forestieri doesn't want to start as a left midfielder and I don't think we'll see it again. However on the left side behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 would still be great for Forestieri to get space and to cut inside, and I think he wouldn't complain about being there either. It's a surprise that at a time when most teams are playing

4-2-3-1 that Carlos has never started with this formation. There must be something about it that he doesn't like that other managers do

 

But I'm sure you don't believe that ANY player dictates where he will and won't play? 

 

FF has had Nuhiu, Joao, Hooper, Fletcher, Winnall and now Rhodes as a twin-strike partner, over 50 matches, and the team averages a tad over one goal per game. By contrast, his and the team's record with him wide left, in around 12 matches is fantastic. It's not a difficult conversation to have between manager and player. 

 

I completely fail to understand this preference thing anyway. He was in a different class playing there. Unstoppable. He got so much ball, in so much space, facing the oppos goal. He scored, we won, we were exciting....how could he not have enjoyed that?

 

Compare that role to him having a 6'3 CB right up behind him in the congested centre, with us getting the ball to him pretty rarely.

[lee81]

[lee81]

[mcmigo]

I would start Winnall ahead of Rhodes.  I just think Winnall has had a fantastic season and so we should look to capture that seam of good form whilst he still has it.

 

Rhodes will be here for the rest of his career, no rush to get him in the team when he is still rusty,

[Rogers]

Any news on Lees & Hooper

[Holmowl]

1 minute ago, mcmigo said:

I would start Winnall ahead of Rhodes.  I just think Winnall has had a fantastic season and so we should look to capture that seam of good form whilst he still has it.

 

Rhodes will be here for the rest of his career, no rush to get him in the team when he is still rusty,

 

I understand you thinking that, but take a look at his fitness record. He is freakily fit and injury free. Plays 40+ matches every season.

 

And if he managed 96 minutes unscathed then no reason he shouldn't play again 7 days later. 

 

I want him to start (and finish) all 18 matches, and hopefully an additional 3 matches in May.

[spike1867]

3 hours ago, lee81 said:

I went with Palmer and Wallace on the right but this is how I feel we should line up at home. 4 banks of players giving us depth, Rhodes furthest forward and Hooper linking up. Width from the fullbacks who have some insurance in Hutchinson. Abdi or Bannan in the centre of the 3. I think we need some fresh ideas and something teams won't have seen from us, so I'd also go with Abdi. However if it was to be Bannan then he'd surely affect the game more so much further forward. He could even drop into the left of that 3 and FF push on.

 

Away from home you move a forward out and put someone in alongside Hutchinson.That would be Lee when fit. The system barely changes. I do wonder if Reach has the engine to play the role alongside Hutchinson. He would provide good cover in the defensive triangles with the CB and LB too. He also has a habit of popping up everywhere like KL (see Bristol C last week).

 

We've played 4-2-3-1 before, numerous times last season to good effect if I recall. It's not alien to us.  

 

Time to rattle a few cages.  If we can pick up some momentum and put in some high profile resounding wins I wonder if some of the teams above us might get a little twitchy. 

 

[Southie_Owl]

5 hours ago, Holmowl said:

 

But I'm sure you don't believe that ANY player dictates where he will and won't play? 

 

FF has had Nuhiu, Joao, Hooper, Fletcher, Winnall and now Rhodes as a twin-strike partner, over 50 matches, and the team averages a tad over one goal per game. By contrast, his and the team's record with him wide left, in around 12 matches is fantastic. It's not a difficult conversation to have between manager and player. 

 

I completely fail to understand this preference thing anyway. He was in a different class playing there. Unstoppable. He got so much ball, in so much space, facing the oppos goal. He scored, we won, we were exciting....how could he not have enjoyed that?

 

Compare that role to him having a 6'3 CB right up behind him in the congested centre, with us getting the ball to him pretty rarely.

 

No I don't think players should dictate where they want to play - but I believe it happens.
Interestingly Neymar has a clause in his contract at Barcelona that says he must not dispute the coach's choice regarding his position on the pitch. Which makes you wonder why they had to include that if it never happens with players 

 

We may have scored more goals when FF was on the left, but I guess Carlos is thinking more about how many goals we concede when FF is on the left.
I think he feels it's better having Reach there and protecting the left back better than FF would if he played there too often. But I agree that I would prefer us to be more attack minded than defensive 

 

As you say maybe FF is actually happy playing as a left sided midfielder, but this season even Bannan has been played there ahead of him. So either it's Carlos being too defensive or FF not wanting to play there. 

It will be interesting to see if FF ever starts wide left again even when we're at home to teams like Burton, when you'd think we can afford to be more adventurous. 

Edited February 6, 2017 by Southie_Owl

[pazowl55]

                     Westwood 

                 Lees       Loovens 

Hunt                                           Reach 

                    Hutchinson 

Wallace          Bannan         Forestieri

               Winnall     Rhodes     

[since59owe]

On 2/4/2017 at 00:19, Southie_Owl said:

Westwood

 

Palmer/Hunt

Lees

Loovens

Fox

 

Abdi

Hutchinson 

Bannan

 

McManaman 

Rhodes

Forestieri 

My choice, but CC ...

[twolaptops]

Carlos............PLAY TWO UP TOP.................and one should NOT be FF...................Winnall/Rhodes.........Hooper/Rhodes...........Hooper/Winnall

[sheriwozgod]

Assuming Lees is fit but Hooper isnt 

 

Westwood

 

Sasso

Lees 

Loovens

Fox

 

McManaman

Hutchinson

Abdi

Forestieri

 

Winnall

Rhodes

 

Wildsmith

Hunt

Pudil

Reach

Bannan

Wallace

Buckley

 

Something has to give , its time some of these players got a proper chance , we have i think 5 games in 15 days so instead of CC bemoaning a hectic schedule like he usually does , how about he  FULLY utilises our squad over the next few weeks.

Edited February 6, 2017 by sheriwozgod

[james o connor]

On 2/4/2017 at 00:07, Think tank said:

Westwood

 

Palmer ( neither choice is appealing)

Lees

Loovens

Fox

 

Mcmanaman

Hutchinson

Abdi

FF

 

Rhodes

Winnall

 

 

 

I agree with you 100% but not a cat in hells chance will he go with that 

[Sultan_Pepper]

On 04/02/2017 at 01:20, CS5swfc said:

.                 Westwood

.        Lees    Loovens     Hutch

. Hunt                                   Reach

.             Abdi          Bannan            

.                     Fessi

.         Rhodes       Winnall 

 

 

 

Hutch central at the back and maybe Hooper for Winnall but I like the look of that. I'd love to see what FF can do central and running at people

[Ballmeist]

1 hour ago, pazowl55 said:

                     Westwood 

                 Lees       Loovens 

Hunt                                           Reach 

                    Hutchinson 

Wallace          Bannan         Forestieri

               Winnall     Rhodes     

 

Other than a potential Bannan / Abdi swap, this is the team he should play.

 

Instead he'll start with Pudil (awful form), Reach on the left (no creativity) and FF up front, and he'll stand there scratching his head wondering why its not working at half time.

 

[striker]

11 hours ago, Southie_Owl said:

 

Carlos is a student of football and there's no way that he won't have seen this. I feel that Forestieri doesn't want to start as a left midfielder and I don't think we'll see it again. However on the left side behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 would still be great for Forestieri to get space and to cut inside, and I think he wouldn't complain about being there either. It's a surprise that at a time when most teams are playing

4-2-3-1 that Carlos has never started with this formation. There must be something about it that he doesn't like that other managers do

I hate this formation, much prefer to out and out strikers, but I said at the start of the season that i was surprised that he hasn't lined up like this as he has bought all the players to fit into this system. Against sides who play this system and overload midfield, would have thought we would match up man for man, it's not like we exploit the space down the wings is it!

 

 

[Mollymae's Dad]

In Carlos we should trust

 

Would love to see Hooper back though, hope he doesnt take long to get back to match fitness

 

[Southie_Owl]

5 minutes ago, striker said:

I hate this formation, much prefer to out and out strikers, but I said at the start of the season that i was surprised that he hasn't lined up like this as he has bought all the players to fit into this system. Against sides who play this system and overload midfield, would have thought we would match up man for man, it's not like we exploit the space down the wings is it!

 

 

 

Im not a massive fan of the formation either and actually get tired of seeing every team use it these days, but I'm with you that the players we have seem to suit it. To have two wingers in a 4-4-2 they should be quick and out pace full backs to get crosses in, but Reach and Wallace rarely have the speed to get past defences and rather they realise they haven't got the pace and cut inside and play it across the middle or backwards. 

So even Reach and Wallace behind a striker in a 4-2-3-1 would be better than in a 4-4-2. But it seems carlos doesn't mind our wide players not being that fast and prefers them sitting in position to protect our defence (is my guess!)