Selection dilemmas

[Salopian 1]

We are playing well below our best - everyone agrees on this, and many feel that we have an imbalance on the field.

We are playing Tettey as a defensive cover in front of the back four, but yesterday we could have lost from high crosses from wide - other teams will have noted this other vulnerability. I have to say that while McGovern is probably more agile than Ruddy, the latter does seem to deal with crosses rather better. The other vulnerability is to pace, with Martin and Whittaker too slow.

Many will feel that our best back four currently would be Pinto, Bennett, Klose, Olsson - perhaps we do not have to wait long before this combination is selected. If these play, we have an other dilemma. We have several good midfielders, but which ones do we pick?

a) If the defence is more secure, can we afford to drop Tettey, or play him further forward?

b) There is some overlap between Wes, Pritchard, Howson and Dorrans. (There are also Mulumbu, Godfrey and Thompson, etc.) Perhaps Wes and Pritchard are alternatives for the same forward position, and we can''t afford to play both together.

c) If we are to play 4.4.2, who are to comprise the midfield four? Presumably AN will want to play at least one winger, probably one of the Murphy twins. Are the remainder to be some combination of Brady, Howson, Dorrans orTettey? We are wasting the talents of Howson if we play him on the wing, where he he less effective. He has fine control, picks a good pass and has several good shots in his locker, but from on on the wing?

d) AN seems inclined to use a Murphy on the left wing, although with Olsson and Brady both available they would perform on the left presumably. There is no comparable person for the right wing except Canos, but then we would have to choose between Dorrans and Howson and Tettey!

The two big issues would seem to be:

1) How can we improve our defensive capacity? Possibly Ruddy returning could leave us less vulnerable to crosses, especially if Klose is partnered with Bennett. If we can, could we pick two creative/attacking midfielders and use two wingers.

2) Are we settled with one striker and a number 10, whether Wes or Pritchard? Will the striker be the rather inconsistent Jerome (although he has scored 3 in 6)? If we do pick two creative midfielders, (as in point 1.), would there be as much need for a number 10, given that we would also have two wingers. There could be a case for having two strikers. (This does not seem the way of AN!)

It has to be admitted that this is all speculation, and injuries, suspensions or loss of form could remove some of the dilemma, but we now have approaching a full staff and we have the leaking goals possibility. I''m sure that AN is thinking about this, even if it doesn''t keep him awake at night!

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

Seems Ruddy is the latest player to boost his reputation by not being in the team. Why is it players suddenly become vastly improved when they''re missing for a little while? Is it because fans remember they weren''t actually deserving of all the critisism and scapegoating they were getting in the first place?

A lot of what I remember reading on here about Ruddy over the last couple of seasons is how he is poor at commanding his area and dealing with corners/crosses.... Amazing what a few weeks out of the team can do...

[STAN 29]

You can''t really blame the players for looking lost on occasion.

Neil seems intent on changing tactics/personnel on a weekly basis. Obviously we''ve been unlucky with injuries this season but it has been the same story since his arrival.

Under Lambert we played fast counter attacking football, under Hughton we played defensive football.

What''s Neils style of football?

[Bill 1,788]

Under Lambert we played fast counter attacking footballWhen is an attack an attack, and when is it counter attacking ?

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

That''s an easy one - for some, it is whichever can be used as a stick to beat the club with…

[Bill 1,788]

What''s Neils style of football?Why not make your own mind up whilst you watch the game. It is allowed.

[SwindonCanary 455]

What''s Neils style of football?  Well against Cardiff Russ Martin said we had to be patient, To me it seemed out attacking was far too slow in their approach. 

[Iwans Big Toe 312]

[quote user="Fiery Zac"]Seems Ruddy is the latest player to boost his reputation by not being in the team. Why is it players suddenly become vastly improved when they''re missing for a little while? Is it because fans remember they weren''t actually deserving of all the critisism and scapegoating they were getting in the first place?

A lot of what I remember reading on here about Ruddy over the last couple of seasons is how he is poor at commanding his area and dealing with corners/crosses.... Amazing what a few weeks out of the team can do...[/quote]Completely agree with your initial sentiment about Ruddy boosting his reputation by not being in the side. From what I have seen so far from McGovern I have very little concern about his competence as a very good goal keeper, especially at the level we are playing (and I''d take MM over Mark Bunn everyday of the week). He looks to be a different type of ''keeper to JR, but different does not mean less capable. Some keepers command their area very well, some have better reflexes and some are quicker than others spotting danger and acting as a sweeper. What we should not forget is that over the last 12/18 months (if not longer) Ruddy has put in some decidedly below average performances, which culminated in Alex Neil dropping him half way through last season. When he got back into the side he did not suddenly start performing like Lev Yashin and has never appeared to get anywhere near the same level of performance as he did under Lambert. Micheal McGovern has just come into the side and has performed well making very few mistakes, and none that I can think of that have led to a goal, so he deserves to continue between the sticks and Ruddy should be made to wait.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

This is what happens when you need strikers and central defenders but just buy more midfielders of a similar ilk..

[Lavanche 0]

[quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]This is what happens when you need strikers and central defenders but just buy more midfielders of a similar ilk..[/quote]

We have 5 spots for midfielders in our current tactics

Pritchard/Jo Murphy - Wes/Naismith - Ja Murphy/Canos

-------------Tettey/Mulumbu-Howson/Dorrans-----------

That does follow modern concept of having 2 players for each position and leaves only long time injured Jarvis out from players that AN has thought to be in range of selection this far, plus Thompson as emergency choise.

We currently have also 2 strikers and 2 emergency choises for that spot and few midfielders that have played that spot.

4 fullbacks, 4 centre backs with 1 emergency choise.

I really find it hard to see where our squad would be unbalanced or position where we have too much choises

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

👆 this is far too sensible a post. Haven''t you been reading this board lately? We don''t have enough strikers, we have too many midfielders, the defenders we have aren''t good enough....

[Ernie 0]

[quote user="Lavanche"][quote user="RUDOLPH HUCKER"]This is what happens when you need strikers and central defenders but just buy more midfielders of a similar ilk..[/quote]

We have 5 spots for midfielders in our current tactics

Pritchard/Jo Murphy - Wes/Naismith - Ja Murphy/Canos

-------------Tettey/Mulumbu-Howson/Dorrans-----------

That does follow modern concept of having 2 players for each position and leaves only long time injured Jarvis out from players that AN has thought to be in range of selection this far, plus Thompson as emergency choise.

We currently have also 2 strikers and 2 emergency choises for that spot and few midfielders that have played that spot.

4 fullbacks, 4 centre backs with 1 emergency choise.

I really find it hard to see where our squad would be unbalanced or position where we have too much choises[/quote]

Or you could say we have 3 RB''s Pinto, Martin, Whittaker possibly 4 if you include Godfrey, 1 LB Olloson but he''s injured and Toffolo''s out on loan. You should include in that midfield list even if injured or on loan Brady, Andreau, Maddison and again poss Godfrey as they are still our players that''s 16 in total!

[If wed only kept Howie.. 3]

Olloson? is he related to Ulf?

[Alex Moss 2,165]

At a wild guess, the back 4 tomorrow night will be Pinto, Martin, Klose, Olsson. Bennett will be on the bench again. Don''t think Brady will be overstretched after his niggle, and it sounds like Olsson is ready to return?. That said, hopefully Brady will be played LAM, his better position than LB, or at least for me that''s where we get far more out of him. Hope Canos gets to play tomorrow also 👍

[Paul101 93]

Did notice that ruddy never performed like he did under lambert anymore

this board was full of people calling for us to try and sign Marshall and scrap ruddy because he was useless

how the rose tinted glasses of the past affect us

I think john is a good but not great keeper who will always have that david james moment in a game in many way like joe hart

[ZLF 271]

I am loving we have selection dilemmas; it shows we have real options and competition for places across all positions bar striker.