nat_canaries

I''d like to see a back 3 this weekend, especially as I can see QPR going with 2 up top, I''d go with: Ruddy Martin, Klose, Bassong Brady, Thompson, Tettey, Olsson Ja Murphy, Jerome, Pritchard

Ffs!!! That sums up our season so far defensively!! Big ask now

It''s on Bein Sport 4 if you know where to find it

Ruddy; Godfrey, Bennett (C), Bassong, Brady; Tettey, Thompson; Jo Murphy, Naismith, Prichard; Oliviera Subs: Jones, Dorrans, Canos, Lafferty, Turner, Morris, Ramsey. Keeping faith with those who have played but still looks strong. Hope Godfrey has a good game and Thompson also, need our young players to be progressing on and not stick out on loan until the end of their contacts.

so it must be Wigan to next wield the axe Should''ve put money on that just been confirmed

I think we''ll go for: Ruddy; Godfrey, Bennett, Bassong, Brady; Thompson, Dorrans; Jo. Murphy, Naismith, Prichard; Oliviera. Hopefully have Canos on the bench to get half hour or so second half and save Prichard''s legs.

Although results in general have been good this season despite a varying level of performances by us, with a distinct lack of clean sheets, could it be time to try a different set up to try and find the right balance for our team. i know this is unlikely and therefore hypothetical but hear me out anyway. With 3 at the back it would give us an spare man when against 2 strikers and would also give the full back extra protection and with the way the go forward is needed in my opinion. It may also see us get the best out of Brady again, as at the start of last season at left back he was bombing forward and performed far better than when on the wing for us and with the 3 at the back his defensive discipline wouldn''t be as much as a problem. I also believe we have the players to suit this system and that it could also help to cover their flaws. With Martin, Bassong and also Olsson, who i feel could play as the left sided CB, all confortable on the ball and would be able to bring the ball out from the back and with Klose, deputized by Bennett, in the centre to provide height and aerial prowess. An example of how we could line up with a back 3 could be: -------------McGovern------------- ----Martin----Klose----Olsson---- -Pinto------------------------Brady- --------Howson--------Tettey-------- --Ja. Murphy--Jerome--Hoolahan-- Murphy and Hoolahan wouldn''t be strictly on the wings with both free to drift around a cut inside and could easily be replaced by Pritchard, Josh, Canos etc or even brady with Olsson pushed out to wing back and placing Bassong in the middle who can be excellent at this level and with 3 at a back a mistake could be less fatal and with the knowledge of this could help him stay calm and not make a mistake in the first place. Anyhow, that will do for know and while i know its a bit of a pointless post as AN wouldn''t play regularly with a back 3 but I thought I''d share my ideas anyway as that''s what this place is for.

I can see AN dropping Hoolahan for this with tettey coming in with the only change, making our starting line up to look like this: McGovern Pinto, Martin, Klose, Olson Tettey, Dorrans Jacob, Howson, Brady Jerome Subs: Ruddy, Bennett, Bassong, Thompson, Hoolahan, Josh, Oliviera

Martin will be my go to CB on it anyway to make up for Klose lack of pace. Do you know if we''ll still get the weekly squad update now we are in Champs or will it just be every now and then? Looking forward to doing Career mode this season as with our squad should be able to improve a lot of our youngsters and still go up unbeaten, if only real life was as simple!!

I''m guessing by Howson''s 75 rating he''s finally been moved back to his CM position rather than RM as seeing him with that 72 rating was criminal!

Getting a good balance to the team will be vital sooner rather than later. Currently we only have 3 defensive minded players in the 11, Martin/Bennett, Klose & Tettey, and Tettey''s positional discipline hasn''t been great this season either. With the fullbacks bombing forward and the other midfielders in attacking and narrow positions it is leaving us too vulnerable to counter attacks with a alarming lack of pace at the back unless Martin is playing at CB. One way way to solve this would be to employ our wing backs as narrow wing backs with tettey dropping in between the CB who would spread out slightly with would give us a solid platform to attack from and would allow us to keep our 5 attacking players on the pitch. With Olson and Pinto both being comfortable on the ball I see no reason why they could not fulfill these rolls with ease. Infront of those it would then be a choice of Howson or Dorrans to connect the play with Hoolahan or Pritchard along side to provide the killer balls and join with the attack. Jacob or Canos would provide the initial width on the right with Brady or Josh on the left. and with Jerome or Oliviera uptop putting pressure or the CB or Gk on the ball to hopefully force them into a mistake or to kick the ball out of play to allow us to keep the ball further up the pitch with the protection of the 5 players behind allowing our forward players to play without so much pressure of losing the ball.

[quote user="nat_canaries"]I''d go for: Ruddy, Pinto, Bennett, Klose, Olsson Tettey Ja Murphy, Hoolahan, Brady Oliveira But I recon Alex will go with: McGovern Pinto, Bennett, Klose, Olsson Howson, Tettey Hoolahan, Naismith, Brady Jerome[/quote] Meant to have Howson in the 4 infront of Tettey in the first team

I''d go for: Ruddy, Pinto, Bennett, Klose, Olsson Tettey Ja Murphy, Hoolahan, Brady Oliveira But I recon Alex will go with: McGovern Pinto, Bennett, Klose, Olsson Howson, Tettey Hoolahan, Naismith, Brady Jerome

I saw on the Sky sports transfer zone that Cureton is still available, we''re not that desperate yet...are we??

If the preseason numbers are anything to go but it looks like there could be a few changes: Olsson 3, Klose 4, Bennett 15, Dorrans 16, Pinto 18, Vadis 23, Jacob 25, Josh 26, Maddison 28, Toffolo 31, Canos had 9 but I can''t see that being his final number so who knows.

Anybody know why there''s no Pinto in the 22?

I don''t really see any problem with it, if he''s settled in the area there aren''t many clubs to join and if you''re offered first team football then you''d go for it. And it''s not a case were he''s forced a move from us to go to the binners, we let him go and he''s now trying to resurrect a career for himself and I hope he does well apart from two games on a Sunday.

As the title says, if we had to have a 23 man squad next year, like internationals, who would you have and what would be the starting 11. I''ll go for: Ruddy; Pinto, Dunk(Brighton), Klose, Olsson; Howson, Chabolah(Chelsea), Hughes(Derby); Brady, Bamford(Permanant), Jo Murphy. Rudd, Matthews, Martin, Bennett, Toffolo, Thompson, Dorrans, Hoolahan, Ja Murphy, Maddison, Naismith, Dembele (Fulham).

I''d try to sign Paddy McNair from Man U. Unlikely to break into the side now and always looked a good prospect in my eyes and can also play in midfield which he does for N Ireland I believe. Wouldn''t cost the earth either and could form a good partnership with Klose as he''s got a bit more pace.

If Tettey was to leave we could do worse than bring back Korey Smith. Has improved and done well at Bristol City and has yet to sign a new context which expires in 12 months so wouldn''t be too costly and would bring energy into the middle.

http://www.sxsports.co.uk/sxsports_proddetails.asp?id=1148&option=4612&navid=38&type=l3&l1r= Can''t link on phone but that''s the green and yellow Marcus kit

Going back to the OP, my retained squad if we were to stay up would be: GK-Ruddy, Rudd, (other); RB-Pinto, Martin; CB-Bennett, Klose, (other); LB-Olsson, Tofollo; DM-(other), O''Neil; RM- Redmond, Murphy(s); CM- Howson, Dorrans, (other); LM-Brady, Murphy(s); CAM- Hoolahan, Maddison; ST- (other, other), Jerome

I''d keep with a back 4 seeing as they only play 1 up top, no need for 2 spare CBs. I''d have O''neil sick to ozil all game, trying to stifle him out the game. My line up would be: Ruddy; Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson; O''Neil; Redmond, Howson, Dorrans, Brady; Jerome Jerome''s pace and willing running would hopefully stretch the game and give us an outlet on the counter with Redmond and Brady either side.

Going by who would be in contract next season our squad in July could be: Ruddy, Rudd, Kean; Pinto, Martin, Klose, Bennett, Bassong, Olsson, Toffolo; Howson, Dorrans, Mulumbu, Odjidja, Thompson; Redmond, Jacob, Josh, Brady, Jarvis; Hoolahan, Naismith, Maddison, Andreu; Jerome, Lafferty, RvW. If we were to go down and did absolutely no business in the window that is still a strong squad for that division and would be hopeful of a top 2 finish, although I do think that we could do with a freshen up in the squad with some younger first team ready players bought in. Very hopeful for Maddison and working under Hoolahan for a season or two could do wonders for the boy and could bring a seamless transition when Wes retires.

[quote user="STAN"]My money''s on Huckerby LOL! He was being paraded in his managers tracksuit last week.....................[/quote] He could form a managerial double act with Dion, as our clubs loves employing from the media. I wonder if a big man-little man duo has ever been done in management. And if we suddenly went bust he could always have Carrow Road on homes under the hammer.