Team for Sunday

[cambridgeshire canary 6,680]

Assuming all players are fit.. Who would you go with?

[Worthy Nigelton 1,037]

I'd probably go with that.

[mannings bandy legs 385]

15 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Assuming all players are fit.. Who would you go with?

Don't think we'll see Normann,Cantwell or Rashica this w/end. Not from the start, anyway.

[keelansgrandad 6,679]

I doubt Kenny will be dropped.

[Kenny Foggo 1,116]

25 minutes ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Assuming all players are fit.. Who would you go with?

Replace Giannoulis with Williams (better defender iMO and Spurs will have more of the ball) and McLean for Lees-Melou.

[Capt. Pants 4,202]

Can't see Rashica or Normann being rushed back even if fit for a match that realistically we aren't going to get much from. Some crucial games coming up against Villa and Palace that we must win.

Can't see Cantwell being in contention either.

Unchanged team I suspect.

[Branston Pickle 3,638]

Idah had a good impact, could see him starting instead of Josh.

 

[ged in the onion bag 854]

In 2019-2020 the squad that started with so much promise was gradually wittled down to about 10-11 pickable players by the restart!  That number included McLean and Tettey who weren't good enough then, it was all we had.   Our inability (complete failure) to address the central midfield issue since is biting us on the backside again.        Sorry to say we are headed for the same fate again,

Not enough players of the required quality to compete at the necessary level over 38 games… typically, McLean will play well in perhaps 10 of them, it's not enough, but it means there's ten games at least where he will retain his place and under-perform. Otherwise the only reason he's picked is because there aren't alternatives.

Rupp looks the better player but isn't much of an upgrade.

Too many players still young, learning and naturally inconsistent… going to be a struggle, we can but hope….  

Team for Sunday... 4-4-2

Krul

Aaron's, Hanley, Gibson, Williams

Tzolis /Cantwell, Gilmore, Rupp, Giannoulis

Idah, Pukki

... assumes no Normann or Rashica.    need to be pragmatic, defend well in numbers and look to Idah for balls over the top.

 

.   

[lake district canary 4,531]

Why Cantwell?  He has missed yet another game and presumably training from something to do with outside football. It's getting tedious.

[paddycanary 538]

                             Krul

  Aarons     Hanley     Gibson     Williams

Rupp       Gilmour     McLean      Giannoulis

                             Idah

                            Pukki

Clog up the midfield & keep it tight. Aarons & Giannoulis for width. Sargent, Tzolis/Dowell & PLM off the bench to nick a late winner. 3 away points brought home from London, happy days! 

[Nuff Said 5,091]

This is all a bit academic until we know how fit Cantwell, Rashica and Norman are.

[Mengo 822]

27 minutes ago, paddycanary said:

                             Krul

  Aarons     Hanley     Gibson     Williams

Rupp       Gilmour     McLean      Giannoulis

                             Idah

                            Pukki

Clog up the midfield & keep it tight. Aarons & Giannoulis for width. Sargent, Tzolis/Dowell & PLM off the bench to nick a late winner. 3 away points brought home from London, happy days! 

Positive vibes ✨ 

[Chip20 69]

2 hours ago, ged in the onion bag said:

In 2019-2020 the squad that started with so much promise was gradually wittled down to about 10-11 pickable players by the restart!  That number included McLean and Tettey who weren't good enough then, it was all we had.   Our inability (complete failure) to address the central midfield issue since is biting us on the backside again.        Sorry to say we are headed for the same fate again,

Not enough players of the required quality to compete at the necessary level over 38 games… typically, McLean will play well in perhaps 10 of them, it's not enough, but it means there's ten games at least where he will retain his place and under-perform. Otherwise the only reason he's picked is because there aren't alternatives.

Rupp looks the better player but isn't much of an upgrade.

Too many players still young, learning and naturally inconsistent… going to be a struggle, we can but hope….  

Team for Sunday... 4-4-2

Krul

Aaron's, Hanley, Gibson, Williams

Tzolis /Cantwell, Gilmore, Rupp, Giannoulis

Idah, Pukki

... assumes no Normann or Rashica.    need to be pragmatic, defend well in numbers and look to Idah for balls over the top.

 

.   

Pedant alert, but why does Aarons warrant an apostophe but Williams, Tzolis and Giannoulis don't?  😉

[Newtopia 517]

Krul

Aarons Hanley Gibson Williams

Mclean Rupp Gilmore

 Idah Pukki Rashica

i would bring on Tzolis at 60 minutes

[Satriales 630]

Hopefully Rashica will be available, they took him to Newcastle so can't have been too bad, just didn't want to risk him.

[ged in the onion bag 854]

2 hours ago, lake district canary said:

Why Cantwell?  He has missed yet another game and presumably training from something to do with outside football. It's getting tedious.

Options? !!! ? very limited!  ............ but fair point although would suggest frustrating than tedious, benefit of any doubt and all that! 

Edited December 1, 2021 by ged in the onion bag

[ged in the onion bag 854]

37 minutes ago, Chip20 said:

Pedant alert, but why does Aarons warrant an apostophe but Williams, Tzolis and Giannoulis don't?  😉

He's worth more than everyone else... the 's' is immaterial!   

.... in truth, the computer did that.... it wasn't me guv!  

[Norfolk Dan 308]

2 hours ago, Nuff Said said:

This is all a bit academic until we know how fit Cantwell, Rashica and Norman are.

If it helps. Cantwell is a covid issue. It was on the post match interviews. No idea what that means... But that was the reason given.. 

[Bluefloyd 58]

532, utilise Giannoulis for creativity and bring AO in. Idah alongside Pukki as a target. 3 in the middle, without Normann doesn’t seem to matter who, all fairly average. 

[Big O 225]

Spurs will probably play 3-4-3 so it might be a game to switch to 5-3-2 especially if Rashica is a doubt and the put Idah up with Pukki.

krul, Aarons,Williams, omobamidele, Hanley, Gibson, Rupp, Gilmour, McClean, Idah, Pukki.

another point would be a good outcome but could go for it late doors if Spurs get desperate 

[Thumbbass 318]

14 hours ago, Big O said:

Spurs will probably play 3-4-3 so it might be a game to switch to 5-3-2 especially if Rashica is a doubt and the put Idah up with Pukki.

krul, Aarons,Williams, omobamidele, Hanley, Gibson, Rupp, Gilmour, McClean, Idah, Pukki.

another point would be a good outcome but could go for it late doors if Spurs get desperate 

I would also go 5-3-2 to get our best fit 11 on the pitch in a formation that has worked this year, but Williams is not the left back for that formation. If you're aiming for breakaways at pace and good distribution into 2 strikers Giannoulis is the better player, especially with the protection from an extra CB. 

[Lessingham Canary 99]

16 hours ago, Norfolk Dan said:

If it helps. Cantwell is a covid issue. It was on the post match interviews. No idea what that means... But that was the reason given.. 

Smith said on Tuesday Cantwell missed out on Newcastle for COVID reasons, so could be 10 days of self isolation for Todd.

[TheGunnShow 5,933]

I'd do this:

GK: Tim KRUL
RB: Max AARONS
RCB: Grant HANLEY
LCB: Ben GIBSON
LB: Dimitris GIANNOULIS
DCM: Billy GILMOUR
LCM: Pierre LEES-MELOU
RCM: Kenny MCLEAN
LAM: Milot RACHICA
RAM: Josh SARGENT
CF: Teemu PUKKI

Keep Rashica and Sargent together, but for heavens sake, put Rashica on the LEFT! He looked twice the player against Wolves when on the left-hand side. Sargent gives us a holding option up top for the ball to stick, which we always need otherwise we're a bit vulnerable to being countered at pace.

[hepphep 175]

If all are available, I'd expect us to have same starting lineup that we had against Wolves, which I think is our best option for high counter pressing style that I think we will aim for.

So..
Pukki
Rashica, Gilmour,  Sargent
McLean, Normann
Williams, Gibson, Hanley, Aarons
Krul

[TheGunnShow 5,933]

18 hours ago, paddycanary said:

                             Krul

  Aarons     Hanley     Gibson     Williams

Rupp       Gilmour     McLean      Giannoulis

                             Idah

                            Pukki

Clog up the midfield & keep it tight. Aarons & Giannoulis for width. Sargent, Tzolis/Dowell & PLM off the bench to nick a late winner. 3 away points brought home from London, happy days! 

Brave ol' call putting Rupp ahead of Aarons. I can see why, as he's defensively diligent when in that position, but crikey, he didn't half pull some timid performances up there during Project Restart and is, IMO, a much more proven quantity for us in the middle of the pitch.

[Move Klose 303]

22 hours ago, cambridgeshire canary said:

Assuming all players are fit.. Who would you go with?

What about Giannoulis and Williams together down the left side.

[rock bus 850]

3 minutes ago, Move Klose said:

What about Giannoulis and Williams together down the left side.

I quite like the idea of giving Dimi a go on the wing - but do wonder if they will end up getting in each others way. But possibly worth a try at least until a) Cantwell is fully back up to speed b) Tzolis has settled c)Placheta learns to move forward and actually use his speed.

I sense however that Smith is very much a round hole, round peg man... ie if your a defender you play in defence (which is hard to argue with!)

[sgncfc 1,223]

I doubt much will change. Rashica will start instead of Tzolis if fit, maybe PLM if he's not. Maybe Idah for Sargent. Williams is much the better defender so I would still start him. Gilmour

Our problem against Newcastle was that we were completely confused by the red card. We had a midfield full of multi-touch footballers who were there to counter Newcastle and play on the break for Pukki. Mclean and Rupp in particular seldom use one touch, and when they do it usually goes astray. The bigger surprise for me was that Aarons and Gilmour fell into this lassitude as well on the night, when we needed them in particular to find another gear.

We actually have a decent chance of getting something against Spurs. It's a ground we have had some success on in the past, and it will suit the way Smith is setting us up that they must attack us.

[TIL 1010 4,722]

How you can start a thread on a Wednesday asking about a team for a game the following Sunday is a bit silly when we don't know what the situation will be regarding Normann and Rashica without any other injuries that may have been picked up at Newcastle.

Nothing will be known about availability until the press conference and that is without an update on the latest Cantwell situation.

[Bonzo 198]