Should anything be changed for Saturday?

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Harry"]Ward in for Askou would be my only change, to many players being switched around buggers up the system.

Wouldn''t start with McNamee, to me he has proved he is an impact player when he comes on late but disapears when he starts a game.

Wouldn''t drop Korey for Fox, IMO the weakest we have looked in midfield was against Watford when Fox started instead of Korey.
[/quote]

Well to be fair we didn''t look too clever in midfield against Palace and it could be argued that Korey was the weakest link in that performance.

We''ve now conceded 7 goals in our last 3 home matches, all against struggling sides. So maybe something there''s something that''s not as it should be and if you were to look at the Palace game it wasn''t a great night for either Korey or Lappin but you could maybe say that Lappin''s performance was hindered by the loss of Drury who has he strong partnership/understanding with.

I don''t want to rule anyone in or out as such but I don''t think it''s fair to rule out David Fox based on the Watford game when our home form without him in the team since then basically hasn''t improved.

[Beauseant 0]

[quote user="Shyster"][quote user="Beauseant"]

 The desire to scapegoat people on here really gets distasteful at times. Why do people insist on picking on Ruddy while conveniently failing to notice the increasingly obvious signs that Holt, while willing enough, is not up to standard as a premier striker in a promotion chasing Championship team? Yes, he was fantastic last year (well, most of it) but he hasn''t pulled up any trees this time yet I read excuse after excuse for him. Chris Martin would, of course, not be allowed anywhere near as much latitude.

We are also still too reliant on the diamond and are crying out for a midfielder who can put his foot on the ball and dictate tempo in the way that Bullard did for Hull, and our lack of pace is also a concern. 

[/quote]



Do you think Holt would be more effective playing as centre-forward though, Beau? Surely it''s because of the Diamond and Holt''s role within it, is the reason why he''s lacking goal opportunities - from what I''ve witnessed we''re not actually playing a conventional 4-4-2 Diamond with two strikers and Holt is clearly compensating for inadequacies in said system - those inadequacies being fullbacks lacking pace in order to provide width and a midfield light on strength in the form of Lappin -- even our sole creative player, Hoolahan, is also too often tracking back.

How about Crofts, Beau, despite his being excellent as DM.do you think he could do a ''Bullard'' style job for us?
[/quote]

 

Yes, Holt would be much more effective playing down the middle, but the diamond is a huge issue. It''s no coincidence that we have been dominating away from home where teams will come at us and struggling at home where we face defensive formations. The diamond is great in terms of making the middle tight and forcing sides wide (Forest away was a classic example) but the lack of width then rebounds on us when faced with obdurate defence.

Crofts is an interesting one. I think the lad has the tools to do the job and certainly has the engine. Good shout![Y]

[Harry 0]

[quote user="GJP"]

[quote user="Harry"]Ward in for Askou would be my only change, to many players being switched around buggers up the system.Wouldn''t start with McNamee, to me he has proved he is an impact player when he comes on late but disapears when he starts a game.Wouldn''t drop Korey for Fox, IMO the weakest we have looked in midfield was against Watford when Fox started instead of Korey.[/quote]

Well to be fair we didn''t look too clever in midfield against Palace and it could be argued that Korey was the weakest link in that performance.

We''ve now conceded 7 goals in our last 3 home matches, all against struggling sides. So maybe something there''s something that''s not as it should be and if you were to look at the Palace game it wasn''t a great night for either Korey or Lappin but you could maybe say that Lappin''s performance was hindered by the loss of Drury who has he strong partnership/understanding with.

I don''t want to rule anyone in or out as such but I don''t think it''s fair to rule out David Fox based on the Watford game when our home form without him in the team since then basically hasn''t improved.

[/quote]As I said it''s my opinion, it would be a boring site if we all agreed.

[ca 1]

I''m still thinking that Wardy will be the only change and that Wardy and Leon will be able to keep Lita and Boyd reasonably quiet.

If we get behind the lads from kick off and make loads of noise that will also give us a better start.