Team for Sunderland

[Yellow Green Army 237]

Will PL go with Holt/Morrison up front or will he go with Morrison up top on his own with Hoolahan behind.

My team for Sunderland is:

Ruddy

Martin

Ayala

Whitbread

Naughton

Fox

Johnson

Surman

Pilkington

Holt

Morrison

[Bill 1,788]

I think Lambert may only play one up front to begin with - Morison more likely than Holt with Hooly starting. I also expect there may be another change to that line up as well.

[Gingerpele 0]

Morison''s off to Spurs, how can he be playing? :P

I don''t really want to try and guess the team, who knows what Lambert''s thinking?

[Norfolk Mustard 94]

Not sure what PL''s thinking is, but he''ll be driven by ''the apprentice wants to beat the master!''...

[???? 0]

I reckon Lambo will play one up top and i wouldn''t be surprised to see Tierney start (if fit enough) which would give Martin a bit of a rest,so im going to go with

Ruddy

Naughton

Ayala

Whitbread

Tierney

Fox

Johnson

Pilkington

Surman

Hoolahan

Morison

subs:Steer,Ward,Vaughan,Holt,Crofts,Martin,Bennett

[lake district canary 0]

Will be very interesting to see who starts up front.  Who would deny Holt and Jackson after recent performances?   What aboutVaughn starting?   If Morison is not selected to start - where does that leave him after not being selected at WBA?      

 

Pressure is on the midfield too with Howson waiting in the wings -  maybe Johnson Fox, Pilks, Hoolahan on Wednesday.

 

Defence too - interesting.   How do you fit 6 into 4?    Martin, Ayala, Whitbread,  Naughton, Tierney, Ward - not to mention Drury as well.

 

Interesting times - and a strong squad!!!

 

 

 

 

 

[???? 0]

Completely forgot about Jacko :0

[Bill 1,788]

I think it will be more of a case of what formation will be best suited to playing against Sunderland rather than who is ''in form '' deserves his place'' etc

[Bryangunnshairline 0]

So hard to predict lamberts line UPS. He always has a surprise or two. With Holt , wes and pilks being withdrawn 2nd half at 1 all when we were chasing a goal to win at westbrom tells me they will play a part Wednesday. It would not surprise me if the team was similar to last weekend or with morison up top on his own. But I think we will go with the diamond... ruddy, Martin, ayala, Whitbread, naughton, fox, Johnson, surman, Wes, Holt, morison.

[YankeeCanary 0]

[quote user="City1st"]I think it will be more of a case of what formation will be best suited to playing against Sunderland rather than who is ''in form '' deserves his place'' etc
[/quote]

 What an earth shattering revelation City1st.

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

I think Ruddy, Johnson, Surman & Morison will return having had a rest.

Ruddy

Martin, Ayala, Whitbread, Naughton

Pilkington, Johnson, Surman

Hoolahan

Morison, Jackson

Steer, Drury, Fox, Bennett, Crofts, Holt, Wilbraham

[Yellowfuture 71]

I think Russel Martin may miss out, IMO since he has gone back to playing right back he has started to make a few uncharacteristic mistakes, which he wasn`t doing before his run at CH. He may be due for a break.

[Bill 1,788]

This from someone who suggested we might only get one point in January (Sunderland included) and that would " put us squarely in the middle of the relegation candidates as early as the end of this month".  Quite a revelation that one22 points .... the middle of the relegation candidates ? Looks at current table (any points against Sunderland can be added to that 22)Still, this font of wisdom also put forward the idea (last March) of Ipswich meeting our club in the playoffs !

[priceyrice 123]

[quote user="thefutureisyellow"]I think Russel Martin may miss out, IMO since he has gone back to playing right back he has started to make a few uncharacteristic mistakes, which he wasn`t doing before his run at CH. He may be due for a break. [/quote]I agree, i am a bit surprised a few people have him in instead of Tierney. I think between the two Tierney has been much better at full back. Martin was awesome at CB, in my view, and for me is 3rd choice CB and 3rd choice full back

[Canary_on_the Trent 0]

Perhaps if Tierney had played since Christmas people would consider him.

Also we''re unbeaten this year without him, you don''t change a back 4 needlessly.

[Harry 0]

Can see 2 from Holt, Morison and Jackson starting upfront as Sunderland look to be a little weak in centre defence.

[Yellowfuture 71]

[quote user="Canary_on_the Trent"]Perhaps if Tierney had played since Christmas people would consider him.

Also we''re unbeaten this year without him, you don''t change a back 4 needlessly.[/quote]

Thats a fair point, plus the clean sheet against Chelsea, lets wait  and see what happens.

[ZLF 271]

4231 for me

ruddy

naughton ayala whitbread tierney

Fox Johnson

Pilkington Wes Surman

Morison

[The 12th Devine 0]

I''d agree with this side, leaving out Hoolahan and retaining the side put out against Chelsea. I just think Holt and Morison must play where possible at the moment as they strike a bit of fear into opponents, so Hooly needs to miss out to retain a balance in midfield.

If the strike pairing is nailed on, so is the central defence - quite a partnership being formed.

No doubt about Surman''s place in the side on recent form. Pilkington was anonymous on Saturday but needs to play to give the midfield some creativity.

Central midfield - the one position I''d like another option really as we lack a holding midfielder capable of consistently linking defence with midfield (on Saturday, for instance, we struggled to move the ball out from the back and kept getting hemmed in, same against Chelsea). Haven''t got the impression this will be Howson''s role, as suggestions seem to be he is more of an attacking midfielder.

Many on here will doubtless cite Fox but for me he rarely plays a killer pass and is just short of Premier League class. Highly unlikely to see anyone else before the window closes though so I''d imagine he will retain his place, alongside Johnson.

Slight case for resting Martin who has had a couple of poor games of late but I''d imagine this is unlikely. If he did I''d prefer Drury to Tierney personally, fewer defensive lapses, though generally less of an offensive threat.

Oh and Jed Steer in goal ... alright maybe not - yet!

[Wings of a Sparrow 1,410]

Would you put Rhodes straight in, or let him acclimatise a bit first?

[simo 0]

My teamRuddyMartinAyalaWhitbreadNaughtonFoxBennettSurmanHoolahanHoltJackson

[First Wizard 0]

Wow, our squad starting to look tasty now.

[Rudolph Hucker 0]

I see Sunderland are missing Cattermole and Vaughan from midfield which for me has been out weakest area so perhaps we can do better in that department tonight.

 

Also, it''s the highest percentage of goals from header scored (NCFC) vs the highest percentage conceeded and Brown is also out.

 

Norwich have a full squad to choose from. This is a game we can win!

 

Holt and Morison up front for me. Hoolahan to chip crosses in along with Surs. Fox, same central defenders and whoever PL chooses elsewhere. 

[Jim Smith 2,314]

We need to retain possession. They have been on a great run but they have been getting a bit of the new manager rub of the green and have not been that convincing in some of the games I have seen. They are due a defeat under O''Neill. That said we are due a defeat away from home!

I would go with:

Steer

Naughton Ayala Whitbread Tierney

Bennett Johnson Surman Pilkington

Wes

Morison

Lambert won''t pick that though, Ruddy will start and I suspect Bennett will be on the bench.

[mrs miggins 0]

------------------ruddy----------------------

martin-----ayala---------whitbread----tierney

bennett----------johnson-----------pilkington

-----------hoolahan------howson-----------

-------------------*holt---------------------

 

 

*-perhaps start with morison and bring holt on as a sub.

 

this is the team i would play.

[Fiery Zac 1,066]

As mentioned before, as it''s the most headed goals against the most conceded headed goals, think holt and Morison must start up front.

Only thing I think saving r.martin from being dropped for tierney is, as someone said, why change an unbeaten back 4? Got to show faith, but he needs a gd performance.

Ruddy

R.martin

Ayala

Whitbread

Naughton

Pilks

Fox

Johnson

Surman

Holt

Morison