Saturday's team?

[Brucie 0]

Is it possible that this weekend against Chelsea will be the closest Hughton has got to fielding "his" side? We are yet to see what I believe is Hughton''s first choice midfield and pattern of play IMO. If you look at the signings he has made coupled with the injuries to certain members of the squad I believe that we are looking at a future midfield with more depth and the wingers everyone has been crying out for. Bearing in mind the reluctance to add to our strikeforce with a "proven" Centre forward I also believe that we will mostly feature with one up top.

I think that Saturday we are likely to line up something like this (injuries permitting) :

                                     Ruddy

   Martin         Barnett                   Bassong         Garrido

                       Tettey                    Fox

Snodgrass                  Howson                           Bennett

                                    Holt

 

To me, that looks alot more solid yet also more flexible and likely to carry more of a threat to the opposition. With Tettey and Fox protecting the back four I would expect more freedom from the front four and I would also expect our ball retention to be better with more options on the park.

It also leaves us with options everywhere should players be unavailable / out of form etc with a more obvious role for Hoolahan (who would be my choice instead of Howson on Saturday), Butterfield to come in, Pilks to come in and Moro able to rotate with Holt.

Thoughts?

 

 

 

  

[Vazzza 62]

I think you couldn''t be more right with the point that Hughton still hasn''t played "his team" yet. I think the formation you stated is exactly what he wants to do, and with the players we currently have at the club, is probably the best option.

The players you''ve selected are probably spot on as well, other than perhaps swapping Pilks for Bennet (fitness permitting). For some reason Hughton seems to favour Johnson over Fox, but hopefully he''s ready for a bit of a change now. Good to see Howson further forward and think that is the right choice against a top 6 club, then swap for Hoolahan when we might see a bit more of the ball.

Like you said, with that formation there is a lot of room for rotation of players, especially in midfield, and is also easily changed during the game without making subs.

So yeah, agree witht he OP nealy 100%!

[Joanna Grey 0]

I assumed that Snodgrass could play left or right but Bennett was just right-sided? I wonder whether we will ever see Hughton''s real team?

Ruddy

Whittaker Barnett Bassong Garrido

Tettey Howson

Snodgrass Butterfield Pilkington

Holt

[87canary 0]

       Ruddy

R. Martin   Barnett   Bassong   Garrido

             Tettey           Fox

 Snodgrass      Wes       Pilkington

                   Morison

I''d play that. Don''t think Holt is as effective as a "lone striker" as Morison.

Also, if Bassong isn''t fit, I''d put R. Martin in at CB instead, and either E. Bennett or Whitaker at RB.

[BroadstairsR 1,662]

"Is it possible that this weekend against Chelsea will be the closest Hughton has got to fielding "his" side?"

 

I agree with that Brucie.

 

After Craven Cottage, and with Holt marooned up front for most of the game, there was almost universal condemnation on this Board about Hughton''s perceived negative tactic about playing one up-front. I, personally, was "incensed" [;)]

 

This is not the Norwich style, this is not the best use of Holt, we will never score another goal again. So many of us went into an incandescant OTT rage.

 

Now I notice that more and more  of these ''fantasy'' pre-match selections are now favouring Hughton''s original tactic.

 

Is it because it has been noticed that many of the top sides, most notably, Spurs, now begin games with this Spanish inspired, formation or because the penny has dropped with us that we now have the most varied, talented and goal-worthy collection of midfielders in the Club''s history  and that it is no co-incidence that this situation has come about in order to facilitate this tactic.

 

There are goal in them there Snoddys, Howsons, Surmans, Tetteys, Hoolahans, Pilkingtons, Bennetts, Butterfields (?) and Johnsons ([;)]) With this lot we should still be capable of the "up-and-at-em" Lambert style. That is an attack.

 

The Hoots is abreast of things and I see no problem with beginning most games with one up front with striking options on the bench if needed. It will depend upon the manager getting the players into their rightful roles though, something I feel that has been a bit amiss, thus far.

 

Perhaps we lack the right player for the front role and Hughton miscalculated in his assessment of our current forwards.

 

A more goal-scoring Jacko type might be ideal (ala DeFoe) with GH coming on should we slip into arrears.

   

[Gingerpele 0]

87canary, I think there is a higher chance Delia will play at RB than Whittaker. Has he even played in an U21 game?

[87canary 0]

Don''t think he has, which is why I put his name after E. Bennett, and said I''d only include him if Bassong is still out. Think it''s more of a concern he was in the starting lineup of the third poster down

[It's Character Forming 1,099]

My main worry is if Bassong''s not fit. It may be unfair but if I see Turner''s name in the starting 11 my heart will sink.

[Canary1902 0]

                                    RUDDY

MARTIN    BENNETT     BASSONG   GARRIDO

                                    TETTY

SNODGRASS                                   PILKINGTON

                                 HOOLAHAN

               HOLT                                 MORISON

 

      

[paul moy 235]

No doubt Hughton''s ''real'' team will be the one that eventually wins. My view is that a good manager should be able to utilise available resources to maximum effect regardless of whether the ''real'' team is available.

[GJP 77]

[quote user="Canary1902"]

                                    RUDDY

MARTIN    BENNETT     BASSONG   GARRIDO

                                    TETTY

SNODGRASS                                   PILKINGTON

                                 HOOLAHAN

               HOLT                                 MORISON

 

      

[/quote]

Why drop Barnett when him and Bassong appear to have formed a good partnership and good understanding?

[norfolkbroadslim 223]

It probably won''t make any difference who we play, the end result will stay the same.[:(]

[Canary1902 0]

Because he''s a liability quite frankly.

Blatent penalty on saturday to add to his ever growing list of penalties from last season too. If you can''t keep your legs and arms to yourself in the box, get on the bench.

I''d rather concede a goal from open play taking a risk that one more penalty that he''s given away.

[87canary 0]

That "penalty" was probably one of Barnetts only mistakes this season so far. CB order for me would be:

Bassong -> Barnett -> R. Bennett -> Recall Ayala -> Turner

[a1canary 0]

One has to think CH favours 5 in midfield as an option given his signings but you wouldn''t think so based on the games so far. I''d like to think he has in mind the Moyes approach from back when they had lots of attacking midfielders and a single striker up top who didn''t score much as i recall. Can''t even remember who it was - McFadden maybe. The main point was that he was using the likes of Cahill, Osman, Carsley, Arteta and Kilbane in the midfield who would be able to feed of knockdowns when playing long as well as build attacks themselves from out wide while Carsley and Cahill patrolled the centre. And all of them knew where the goal was.

For our version of the above, i''m thinkin Bennett, Pilkington wide, Tettey, Fox, Butterfield/Hoolahan central 3, Holt up top. The role of the front man in this format is to feed the midfield through useful knockdowns and as such is unlikely to score as many as he would if a front two. But given this i definitely favour Holt over Morison in this role as his hold up and knockdown and all-round ability to bring in others is superior to Morison''s imo. 

[GJP 77]

[quote user="Canary1902"]

Because he''s a liability quite frankly.

Blatent penalty on saturday to add to his ever growing list of penalties from last season too. If you can''t keep your legs and arms to yourself in the box, get on the bench.

I''d rather concede a goal from open play taking a risk that one more penalty that he''s given away.

[/quote]

Please list all the penalties he gave away last season. You can even include the one against Stoke that shouldn''t have been given as a penalty.

[Canary1902 0]

Bennett Trumps Barnett. My opinion. I pay for my tickets. I''m entitled to it. Nuff said

[GJP 77]

[quote user="Canary1902"]

Bennett Trumps Barnett. My opinion. I pay for my tickets. I''m entitled to it. Nuff said

[/quote]

I guess at the moment Hughton sees it differently. Perhaps he doesn''t base his opinion on imaginary penalties.

[ZLF 218]

[quote user="87canary"]        Ruddy

R. Martin   Barnett   Bassong   Garrido

             Tettey           Fox

 Snodgrass      Wes       Pilkington

                   Morison

[/quote]

 

This[Y]

 

If Bassong is out then Bennett instead

[nutty nigel 6,494]

[quote user="87canary"]That "penalty" was probably one of Barnetts only mistakes this season so far. CB order for me would be: Bassong -> Barnett -> R. Bennett -> Recall Ayala -> Turner[/quote]

 

Well it was hardly a mistake because surely if he hadn''t done it it would have been a goal. The ref didn''t have the camera angles so it probably didn''t look a foul from where he was. Barnett''s arms were up to make the ref think he didn''t touch Suarez. Maybe it was quite clever?

 

 

[Weve (no longer) Got Angus 0]

Ruddy

Martin Bassong Barnett Garrido

                Fox   Johnson

                   Howson

E.Bennett                  Snodgrass

                     Holt

 

Get the balls into the channels and you can guarentee a good delivery from either winger, also playing howson with a bit more freedom instead of shackling him in a holding role, give him freedom to roam, as that where you''ll see the best from him!

 

BTW - What has happened to pilks? I haven''t heard anything about him for a few weeks!!

[BroadstairsR 1,662]

We are a bit constipated in midfield at the moment. So much so that few on here seem able to agree the same combination.

 

I feel that Hughton has to quickly decide upon his preferences and then suck upon a sennapod to relieve himself of an also ran. We need a consistent pattern of play in that area, which is, after all, our trump card. Otherwise we get constant tinkering.