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Jim Smith

So then, barring further injuries have we seen the starting line up for Wigan tonight?

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I reckon Lambert put out what he saw as his strongest team tonight. I suspect Crofts might get in ahead of Johnson if fit. Other than that for me is borderline between Barnett/Whitbread and Morison/Jackson and whichever players miss out can consider themselves unlucky. Same goes for Tierney but i just think Lambert knows we were slow at the back last season so the signings of Naughton and De Laet are him rectifying that situation. Having a genuinely attacking left back in Naughton also enables Wes to play a sort of tucked in role on the left as opposed to last season''s diamond formation.

It will be interesting to see the line up on Saturday but managers usually play their best team in the penultimate friendly.

 

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I''d agree & I for one am happy,Morrison & Holt. Decent aerial threat, I have mentioned in an earlier thread we won''t be able to pass it thru defenses as easily this year so the option to score from set pieces & long ball with this pairing will help our survival no end.Also accommodating Martin & Naughton is exciting.

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[quote user="Crispy"]

Also accommodating Martin & Naughton is exciting.
[/quote]

Disagree.

 

Kyle Naughton will obviously "do a job" at left back but he doesn''t look particularly comfortable there.

 

But Russell Martin has been a big player for us since he arrived so the manager and I think Lambert the manager has now got to make a big decision over whether he goes for Martin or Naughton at left-back.

 

Accomodating both of them by having Naughton on the left side will not do us any favours in the long run and I suspect Marc Tierney will be the first choice there.

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I can''t say I am keen on Naughton at left-back. He looked good against Coventry and he did play well. However, he was always cutting back on his right foot and there were a couple of occasions when a left footed player had the chance to put in the nice cross.

Admittedly that was only a short time to view him and he could of been banging them in with his left foot constantly in training.

I would go with Tierney but Lambert has seen a lot more of both than I have.

Davo

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''Having a genuinely attacking left back in Naughton''

If Tierney is not an attacking left back, then what is he? He certainly isn''t a wonderful defender....

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An interesting possibilty is that the diamond could be made up of Fox, Bennett, Pilkington and Hoolahan. Does Lambert believe we can pass the ball around and retain possession for 90 minutes?

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Tierney for me now holds the title of ''most underated''. Didn''t know anything about him before as a player but last season he was outstanding.

He has pace (although not as much as naughton), is good on 1-on-1''s, can cross the ball, help attack and works hard for the full 90.

For me it''s Tiernay at LB and then a fight for RB. I was one of Martin''s biggest critics before last year but he proved myself and others extremely wrong and had a fantastic season. Naughton is perhaps more naturally gifted but it''s good to have the option.

Team vs. Wigan:

Ruddy

Naughton Whitbread De Laet Tierney

Crofts

Bennet Hoolihan Pilkington

Holt Morrison

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[quote user="Bovril"]Tierney for me now holds the title of ''most underated''. Didn''t know anything about him before as a player but last season he was outstanding.

He has pace (although not as much as naughton), is good on 1-on-1''s, can cross the ball, help attack and works hard for the full 90.

For me it''s Tiernay at LB and then a fight for RB. I was one of Martin''s biggest critics before last year but he proved myself and others extremely wrong and had a fantastic season. Naughton is perhaps more naturally gifted but it''s good to have the option.

Team vs. Wigan:

Ruddy

Naughton Whitbread De Laet Tierney

Crofts

Bennet Hoolihan Pilkington

Holt Morrison[/quote]

I agree with the defence but not that midfield or strikers. I''d keep Fox there and put Crofts instead of one of Bennett or Pilkington. It''s because them two players are way too attacking and we need a tenacious midfielder to break up the ball. I wasn''t impressed with Morison last night and I would rather have Jackson up front so that we can get in behind the defence, otherwise all sides we just play a high line and it would be hard for us to get near the goal. I''d go for:

Ruddy

Naughton De Laet Whitbread Tierney

Fox

Crofts Pilkington

Hoolahan

Jackson Holt

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Whitbread will not partner De Laet as both left sided CB''s. Right sided will be Barnett, Ward when fit or Russel Martin if needed.

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I thought Naughton did really well at left back last night, and i really can''t see R Martin being dropped from the starting 11 for Wigan so i suspect Naughton will start on the left with Tierney on the bench.

My only issue with the starting 11 last night was Johnson.  I thought he did well, but he clearly prefers being in the centre and left Naughton exposed on the left a few times.  Since Bennett and Pilkington swapped sides a couple of times last night i wonder if Bennett might start on the left for Parma to see if he could start there, and Crofts could start on the right..?  just a thought

 

also thought Morison''s performance stood out and to be fair, all new signings looked good.  bring on Parma!

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On the subject of full backs, and peoples fears about naughton at left back and wotnot, I think its a great idea to have the option of a "right footer" being very comfortable at left back and vice-versa. The most common trend of wide players in the modern game is to cut inside onto the full back''s so called weaker foot to deliver an in-swinging cross. So, to have your full back''s stronger foot defending that against teams with "huckerby style" wide men makes great sense to me, so I think swapping flanks for our full backs shouldn''t be something to be concerned about.

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I think Tierney in for Naughton, Croft in for Bennett and that''s your team for Wigan.

I can see us starting with Fox, Johnson, Croft and Hoolahan in midfield, with Pilks, Bennett and Surman on the bench.

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I think if Crofts'' injury isn''t serious and he is fit for Wigan, he could start instead of Bennett. If this happens, I would expect Surman to replace Johnson.

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[quote user="alysha"]I think if Crofts'' injury isn''t serious and he is fit for Wigan, he could start instead of Bennett. If this happens, I would expect Surman to replace Johnson.[/quote]

..Also, Tierney at LB instead of Naughton

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[quote user="Largey"]I think Tierney in for Naughton, Croft in for Bennett and that''s your team for Wigan. I can see us starting with Fox, Johnson, Croft and Hoolahan in midfield, with Pilks, Bennett and Surman on the bench.[/quote]

 

Cant see him dropping Naughton.

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"I think Tierney in for Naughton, Croft in for Bennett and that''s your team for Wigan.

I can see us starting with Fox, Johnson, Croft and Hoolahan in midfield, with Pilks, Bennett and Surman on the bench."

 

Fully agree with that selection, Largey. If Crofts is not fit, he will be replaced by either the more attacking Bennett or the more defensive Naughton (who has played RM before).

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