Team for Rotherham, Oct 15th

[Katie Borkins 1]

Would be harsh to drop Dorrans when he has been excellent in the last few games - winning the ball and great distribution.

You could push him forward as more of a central midfielder and then play Brady wide left. That would be more likely than dropping Dorrans to pick Murphy.

[lake district canary 4,531]

Ok, on topic, which all of a sudden seems to be important to the op (there''s a first time for everything) - its a long time before the next match and fitness/fatigue from international players may play a part so I think we should keep Tettey, Wes and maybe Jerome rested for this one, saving them for Fulham.  Brady young enough to cope with the games. The defenders and gk will have to cope....   Rotherham will be no pushover, so -             McGovernPinto Martin Klose Olsson       Howson Dorrans Ja Murphy Pritchard Brady              Oliveira

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Why the f would we drop Jerome? He''s been playing well recently and scored in our last game.

[Barbe bleu 823]

Guys, rather than express for the millionth time your opinion on LDC why not comment on why you think Tettey and Jerome should play rather than be rested?

I have never met lakey and never will so your opinion of him does not matter to me at all, but I would like to learn more about my team. I suspect that I am not alone.

[Thisisbabyish 0]

I have no choice but to take in what you say you post every 30 seconds, over 9,600 posts and you joined 6 months after me.

Its just to get a rise out of people, you wouldn''t do it in the street so I can''t fathom why you would do it here.

I''m angry as I''m fed up of having to skip through your BS to find decent fans opinions, it''s so tedious and boring but you love it.

Sorry Hans I''ve over stepped the mark but everyone has a breaking point and usually I keep my mouth shut but it''s every single day with this guy. I understand not to rise to it so will leave him too it and just observe from now on.

It''s just sad as decent fans with thoughtful insights into our club have been driven from this board and replaced with people just trying to massage their ego.

Sign of the times I guess

[Six Pack 93]

Did anyone actually see the Rotherham vs Newcastle game ?

Don''t be deceived by their lowly position Rotherham are a lot better than you think.

Put away the experimentation. We need Hoolahan for this one as well - thats if you want to win. 

 

Also Brady - one fluke goal and the clueless have their b4lls blown off. If Josh was better at defending he''d be in long ago.

[Katie Borkins 1]

Staying on topic then Lakey, what are the reasons why you would drop Jerome for Oliviera?

[Crabbycanary3 994]

On one particular point. I can see absolutely no reason, or benefit, for leaving Jerome out, for the next game. If I was to call that idea anything, it would be ridiculous.

[king canary 7,605]

We won''t drop Jerome- he''s scoring pretty freely at the moment.

I can see an argument for taking Tettey out for Howson though. The Dorrans/Howson combo has worked pretty well when we''ve used it and someone like Tettey might be more suited to an away trip to Fulham.

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

Only an idiot would drop Hoolahan and Jerome.

[westcoastcanary 173]

Unlike littleyellowbirdie''s suggestion, which got politely ignored apart from a mild comment from Bor, LDC''s team is well balanced, and gives us a chance to see what two very promising-looking players can do when given starts in their prime positions. The only real issue is whether the best policy is to keep fielding your notionally best, most proven, team until changes are forced on you by injury, exhaustion or whatever. LDC is for looking at more than just the next fixture, and trying to maximise benefit from all the resources available to the manager. Since that is an approach adopted by many top class managers facing demanding playing schedules, I would have thought it deserves proper discussion rather than undeserved scorn and ridicule from the usual thread-wreckers. 

[morty 0]

[quote user="Hoola Han Solo"]Only an idiot would drop Hoolahan and Jerome.[/quote]Or someone who didn''t see the match on Saturday.Both were outstanding.

[Van wink 2,994]

With a squad of the depth and quality that we have it wouldn''t be a bad idea to use it. Not wholesale changes but bringing fringe players into a wining side under the control of the manager is much more favourable than being forced into changes due to injuries, suspensions etc. A good manager will manage his squad not just his "first team" .

[Crabbycanary3 994]

Using just CamJam as an example. Here we have a player clearly in form, scoring goals (!), he won''t be knackered, having no game for 2 weeks. What sort of message would it put out to Cam Jam, and also for the rest of the team, that it looks like we think Rotherham is an easy fixture, saving everyone for the Fulham game? Doesn''t make sense to drop him.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Katie Borkins"]Staying on topic then Lakey, what are the reasons why you would drop Jerome for Oliviera?[/quote]The game on Tuesday against Fulham will require top performances from our best team to get the three points. That''s not to say that we don''t need a strong team for Rotherham, but Oliveira has to be given responsibility sooner or later, so why not start him against Rotherham. Jerome would be on the bench if needed.  I said the same for previous matches, but equally you could start Jerome and take him off as soon as possible to save him for Tuesday. It''s just that Oliveira needs to be given a chance at some stage imo.  It''s not unfair on Jerome, just getting best use out of the forces available. 

[Hoola Han Solo 448]

"The game on Tuesday against Fulham will require top performances from our best team to get the three points"

So will the game against Rotherham. You simply don''t rest your best players for important league matches.

[hogesar 9,658]

I know it''s my immaturity, but the "why couldn''t your dad just spray it over your mums face" is a real highlight of this thread.

Or, y''know, low-light if you have any self respect and maturity.

[westcoastcanary 0]

[quote user="Crabbycanary3"]Using just CamJam as an example. Here we have a player clearly in form, scoring goals (!), he won''t be knackered, having no game for 2 weeks. What sort of message would it put out to Cam Jam, and also for the rest of the team, that it looks like we think Rotherham is an easy fixture, saving everyone for the Fulham game? Doesn''t make sense to drop him.[/quote]The point that Jerome has anyway two weeks recovery time is a valid one in terms of his condition; that he''s in form and scoring is also relevant, but only one consideration to be weighed against others. Maybe AN (and the rest of us) would also like to be able to say that Oliveira is in form and scoring? LDC''s suggestion was for a starting eleven; it doesn''t rule out having Jerome on the bench.

[morty 0]

[quote user="hogesar"]I know it''s my immaturity, but the "why couldn''t your dad just spray it over your mums face" is a real highlight of this thread.

Or, y''know, low-light if you have any self respect and maturity.

[/quote][:D]

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Hoola Han Solo"]"The game on Tuesday against Fulham will require top performances from our best team to get the three points"

So will the game against Rotherham. You simply don''t rest your best players for important league matches.[/quote]One of the things we have is a great squad. We will need to use it.  Oliveira could well be a great player for us - he needs the chance to show it at some stage and Jerome will be on the bench if needed!  It''s a long season and the amount of effort Jerome puts in will tell on him later in the season if we are not careful.  Three games in a week at the levels of effort he puts in with his physique week will eventually tell on him.  We need to use the squad and keep players involved on match days. We can''t rely on the same basic 11 all season! 

[morty 0]

Never change a winning team, or tinker just for the sake of it.

[Tumbleweed 106]

I like the OP''s team (if I can remember it after a few pages of squabbling in between!) except I would swap Tettey for Howson and give us just that little bit more thrust from midfield. FWIW I think Tettey''s game has gone a bit backwards over the past season or so but that''s another issue. Dorrans looking v strong.

Oliveira for CJ is a really interesting one and I can absolutely see why it makes sense to get him fully involved. If he is to be a genuine stand in or alternative for CJ then we need him given a full or majority of a few games and this one might be a good one to pick with CJ as back up if he hasn''t done the business by say 60 mins. Or go 4-4-2 with both upfront. Better to blood Nelson in in a measured way than bunging him in if CJ gets a knock.

[lake district canary 4,531]

[quote user="Tumbleweed"]Oliveira for CJ is a really interesting one and I can absolutely see why it makes sense to get him fully involved. If he is to be a genuine stand in or alternative for CJ then we need him given a full or majority of a few games and this one might be a good one to pick with CJ as back up if he hasn''t done the business by say 60 mins. Or go 4-4-2 with both upfront. Better to blood Nelson in in a measured way than bunging him in if CJ gets a knock.[/quote]

This. ^^^Jerome will be key to our success, but so will someone else to share the workload.  Oliveira has to contribute and the sooner he gets going, the better.

 

[Crabbycanary3 994]

I know Cam Jam wasn''t meant to be dropped altogether. Just need to start him, and if all is well after say 60 minutes give Oliveira a decent run out.

I just think that would send out the wrong messages, to CJ, the team, the opposition, just to appease a guy, who has admitted he wasn''t fit enough (very recently) so cannot expect/hope to get in a top 2 team.

[Alex Moss 2,165]

We have 2 weeks now where the majority of the players will not be playing, so am not worried about resting Jerome et al. But I think the Oliveira conundrum is a great one to have and I can see the reasons for getting him some game time against Rotherham. Personally I''d stick with Jerome (as much as I want to see Nelson get a full league game), he is at the races and we want to go into the Fulham game on the back of another win. Oliveira will almost certainly get the match against Leeds the following week so no biggy 👍

[king canary 7,605]

The 4-2-3-1 formation is clearly working, plays to our strengths and allows us to get as many of our attacking midfielders on the pitch without sacrificing defensive cover too much. To switch to two up top would be bizarre at this point.

[Feedthewolf 4,846]

My only concern regarding the Jerome/Oliveira situation is if Jerome were to get injured/suspended, Oliveira would be automatically thrust into a starting role that he might not be ready for. I don''t think changing the formation is wise when it''s clearly working, but with two games in three days now might be the time to give Nelson a start – especially if AN decides that either Rotherham or Fulham have a defence that he may be better suited than Cam to play against.

[morty 0]

I see Jerome made the Championship team of the week.

[Indy_Bones 441]

You don''t drop players who are fit and on form just because you feel like, it either has to be a tactical decision or an enforced one based on last minute injuries/suspensions etc.What''s more, when you do make the changes, they have to be sensible, realistic and justified, which sadly a number of LDC''s suggestions were not.We have a squad, we can (and will) use the majority of it over the course of the season, but there''s also still a relative pecking order within the squad, and suggesting players that regularly don''t even make the bench, never mind the first XI suddenly start one week is utterly bizarre. Thompson has a lot of potential, but he''s had just 2 sub apps (2 mins and 6 mins ) and been unused in the other of his 3 times on the bench, in what world does it make sense to not only select him over proven Prem level players like Mulumbu et al, but to also move our main two central midfielders (Tettey is DM rather than CM) out to the wing to accomodate this in the process???Similarly, Murphy has played a grand total of FOUR league games in the Wes position compared to SIXTY-TWO on the wings, so why the f**k would you play him there instead of:A) His favoured and most comfortable role where he''s already performing very wellB) Players who are totally comfortable, experienced and suited to that no10 role already in Wes, Naismith and PritchardTo re-iterate, if the players are fit, on-form and the team is getting the results you need, then changes should be enforced upon you rather than tinkering for the sake of it and potentially losing 2 of the 3 factors you had before (form and results)...

[Thisisbabyish 0]

Drop our top scorer after he''s had a 2 week break makes no sense, Oliveira has had minutes and produced nothing note worthy so far. If you''d have said give Josh Murphy a chance I''d understand as he''s produced for us this season with little game time.

Dropping Cam for Nelson sends out a terrible message to the squad. Until Cam hits a rough patch, which is bound to happen, Nelson stays second fiddle.

Thanks for the private message LDC I appreciate what you''re getting at but I just can''t see it. With what you post and the frequency and timing of them just smacks of attention seeking. This board use to have great posters who like myself are just tired and come on less and less which just makes it a cesspool. I get there''s tensions between certain people here but I wish archant had a filter so I could read a post without all the BS that comes with it.