Formation and starting 11 for Sunderland

[Rolf Harris 31]

             BecchioWes      Bennett        Snodgrass          Johnson HowsonGarrido Bassong Turner Whittaker                Bunn

Id go for this, this will allow Wes and Bennett to swap positions occasionally.

[KeelansGlove 0]

Have you been drinking ?

Why drop Martin ?  I doubt we would get one shot with your team unless Snodgrass got a free kick

This would be my choice

Holt

Kamara Wes Snodgrass

Johnson Whittaker

Garrido Bassong Turner Martin

Bunn

But this wont happen either

[Redders Right Foot 22]

Becchio

Benno hoops snoddy

Garrido bass Turner Martin

Bunn

Kamara showed this weekend he isn''t ready to start, match fitness wise.

Holt either needs a rest or a kick up the jacksy. Either way becchio ahead of him will do it.

I really dont see the sense in putting snoddy on the left when he has been our most effective player all season.

Martin has done nothing to deserve a drop.

[Redders Right Foot 22]

... forgot johnson and howson. One last chance for howson this season for me this weekend.

[AJ 1,218]

Becchio

Snoddy Wes Benno

Johnson

Garrido Seb Turner Whittaker

Bunn

If Tettey is out, if not, swap Wes for Tettey

[Redders Right Foot 22]

Player short, aj

[pete 318]

Whittaker to pair with BJ as defensive midfielder need left sided player maybe Garrido as left wing back. Whittaker then to LB and Howson recalled unfortunately to pair with BJ.

Whatever once we lose one of our starting 11 we are struggling no stength in depth needs to be addressed if we stay up.

[shefcanary 2,377]

I like the OP''s line up, just swap Benno and Snoddy (like suggested on another thread)

Why Snoddy in the centre - Snoddy has increasingly been moving into the centre in recent games which is good ''cos I get really frustrated with his wing play - he keeps trying to outpace the fullback, does so regularly but then always cuts back to get the ball on his left foot.  Playing him in the middle will remove one frustration. 

 

Why Whittaker in for Martin - I just think he will be more positve and allow Benno to roam more freely. 

 

Why Becchio for Holt.  Just read his tweets this morning!  He''s out of touch in more ways than one!  Needs to be snapped back to reality.

 

 

[AJ 1,218]

Good point, JDT

Becchio

Snoddy Wes Benno

Johnson Fox

Garrido Seb Turner Whittaker

Bunn

[Tumbleweed 106]

You''re all way too gung ho. I''d like a bit of solidity. If we are not creating any chances we should forget about having any attackers, send ''em home early, not needed thank you very much. Here is my game-changing plan, a revolutionay 4-5-1 with almost no forward ability and sit deep preserving energy for the evening''s trip to Burger King on the A1 return journey and a guaranteed point for that inexorable dawdle to safety. Bore the Mackhams to death. Come on Chrissy you know it makes sense:

Bunn

Martin Bassong Turner Garrido

Whittaker Bennett Johnson Barnett Tierney

Howson

 

Park the bus, the team coach, the spporters'' train, the directors'' jet and one of Delia''s large plum puddings. Never will so many have created so few with so little.....................

[shefcanary 2,377]

Having doubts now about Howson as DM.  If Tettey is still out how about Korey Smith.  I''m sure he could do a job better than Howson - had a fantastic engine in Championship.

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

Given Holt was awful, probably a good time to give Becchio a run out. I would also choose Whitaker over R Martin, just for that extra he adds in coming forward,

My team for Saturday:

Becchio

Snodgrass Wes Bennett

Johnson Fox

Garrido Bassong Turner Whittaker

Bunn

[GJP 79]

[quote user="shefcanary"]Having doubts now about Howson as DM.  If Tettey is still out how about Korey Smith.  I''m sure he could do a job better than Howson - had a fantastic engine in Championship.[/quote]

Is this a serious shout for Korey Smith or is it a dig at Howson?

[HampsteadCanary 0]

[quote user="AJ"]Good point, JDT

Becchio

Snoddy Wes Benno

Johnson Fox

Garrido Seb Turner Whittaker

Bunn[/quote]

YES THIS!!!!

[jb 0]

Kamara Holt

Hoolahan

Johnson Fox Snodgrass

Garrido Bassong Turner Whittaker

Bunn

subs: Camp, Martin, R Bennett, Howson, E Bennett, Becchio, Pilkington/Jackson

 

looks solid enough to me - can easily revert to 4-4-1-1 / 4-2-3-1 with Kei peeling off to the left.

I''d put Fox in from the start - he really can''t do any worse than Howson has recently - May be short of match fitness, but hasn''t been bad at all when he''s had chances this season (Luton aside) - he was our best player against Peterborough and Scunthorpe, and was fine against Donny too (those are the only times i''ve seen him play this season, not sure if there have been any more appearances).

Might be tempted to start Becchio in place of Holt too - perhaps the big man could do with a rest before the run-in?

Don''t think R Martin has done too much wrong, but imagine that Whittaker is champing at the bit to get involved.

 

[FCC 76]

Becchio

Bennett Howson Snodgrass

Johnson Fox

Garrido Bassong Turner Whittaker

Bunn

[ZLF 271]

Really no need to change the defence,  Martin done nothing wrong to get dropped,  its well run at the moment and as long as bassong is fit we will be tough to score against with a 5 man midfeld - play 442 and we will struggle.   Assuming Tettey and Pilks are injured I would go

 

                  Bunn

Martin  Turner  Bassong  Garrido

        Whittaker/Fox  BJ

Snodgrass    Wes         Bennett

                 Kamara

 

I would like Fox to have had the same chance to recover from poor performances that Howson has but in the absence of that feel a BJWhittaker pairing will be sound. 

 

I chose Kamara over grant purely because he is faster and more mobile and may be able to get on the end of some balls that grant has not been able to recently.    Kamara to last 60-75 minutes and then freshen up with Holt to run them ragged.

 

 

 

[smooth 114]

Bunn

Martin/ whittaker, bassong, turner, garrido

Snoddy, Whittaker/Howson, bj, eb

Becchio, holt

Got to try the 442 once more and also give our 19 goal striker (so far this season) a run out with another forward alongside him. Then replace grant with kk

I do prefer Whittaker at right back and feel we need his experience to come into to our team right now. He expects to win and has good levels of quality throughout.

Howson and bj works but I am not sure it is working right now. How do Sunderland play? As we struggled with a five man midfield of Soton (which shows our level )

Eb and snoddy can rotate wings. But I just feel a 442 with becchio starting would be our best option.

[Empty Mirror 0]

Against both Everton and Southampton we were overrun in midfield playing 4-4-2. And unfortunately, both Holty and Becchio look off the pace at the moment. So taking a man out of midfield to accommodate two off form players, and getting overrun in the middle, doesn''t make sense, especially away from home.

We played our best football, and looked most secure in 4-2-3-1. Start with that. Bradley and Tettey if he''s fit, failing which Howson will have to start. If Pilks isn''t fit Elliot B down one wing, Snoddy on the other, and Wes in the hole. Whichever of Holty or Becchio looks most fit to lead the line.

Our most dangerous striker of late has been KK, in the final quarter against Everton, and in the first half before he tired v Southampton. He''s not match fit, so bring him on around 55 to 60 minutes after Holty or Becchio have put in a shift. And if we''re chasing the game and need a Plan B, take Elliot B off, and put Simeon Jackson on if fit, Wes to the left, play 4-4-2 for the last 15/20 minutes. KK would win the flick ons, and Jackson might have the pace and mobility to get on the end of them, which (with the best will in the world) neither Holty or Becchio do on current fitness / form.

[stratton canary 134]

10 DEFENDERS & BUNN

[Lavanche 0]

I would like to try this one, but I doubt Hughton will do it.

----------------------Holt--------------------

Jackson----Hoolahan---Snodgrass

------------Fox--------Howson-----------

Garrido--Basson--Turner--Whittaker

Why Whittaker?

Martin had bad game against Southampton and if Whitty is fit I think it would be his time to show is he still in form he was before injury. His runs were just so much more effective than Martin''s, so as our attackin has been slow I would like to see if he could bring a bit extra for it.

Why no Johnson, but outform Howson?

Johnson cant pass and he is slow. Fox can pass, but he is slow too. We would have two slow middlefielders.

If Tettey would be fit I would put Johnson - Tettey pairing, but without him and Surman we dont really have high enegy middlefielders that could play either that position or position in diamond.

Passing has been abyssmal and risk of bringing Fox without earlier gametime might just be worth it.

Why Hoolahan, Holt and Jackson?

If we play Fox Jackson is only player with Kamara who has pace for running behind the line and get something out of it. If nothing else he would get some energy out of opponent for Kamara to finnish the job.

With long ball threat it means there is some space in the middle and best man to use that space is Hoolahan and his passing is just so much better than rest of team bar Snoddy.

Holt is hard worker, his hold up play and passing has been better than Becchio''s and for those of you who state Holt is static I dont know what Becchio would be for you. Holt also has somekind of connection with Hoolahan and they both tend to make space for eachother and for late runs from wingers.

Snoddy and centrebacks are obvious.

Anyway this is only my armchair managing and mostlikely we start with solid.

---------------------Holt-----------------------

Bennet-----Hoolahan-----Snodgrass

------------Johnson----Howson----------

Garrido--Bassong--Turner--Martin

Sunderland used 2 striker tactic with poor result against QPR, but have used similar formation than use earlier this season with Sessegnon in Hoolahan''s role. Either way I would play 4-2-3-1 just for getting more pass routes.

[Highland Canary 76]

My prediction of Hughton''s selection:

Bunn

Martin-Bassong-Turner-Garrido

Bennett-Howson-Johson-Snodgrass

Hoolahan

Holt

I''d probably swap Fox for Howson and Becchio for Holt. I suspect such radical change to be unlikely.

[Legend Iwan 30]

Holt

Wes/Bennett Snodgrass

Tetty Howson/Fox Johnson

Garrido Turner Bassong Whittaker

Bunn

If Tetty''s not back Howson out wide.

[ron obvious 1,495]

I would take issue with your formation Lavanche. I don''t think Martin was bad last game (better than Snoddy in fact, though this is unusual). How about Whittaker instead of Howson? He can play midfield, has pace & energy, & can score - as can Martin, which is one reason I''d be loath to leave him out.

But, as you say, he''ll start with your more solid formation. Can''t say I''d blame him - another away point would be good - but something different might surprise Sunderland & get us that last win we need.

[Lavanche 0]

Well let''s say I havent ever seen Martin play that bad ^^ He might have been better than some of our guys, but his position was few times badly wrong and gave few bad misspasses.

Thought I agree that Snoddy had few bad moments too at least in first half.

Whittaker could play for Howson, but what I have learned in the past managers very rarely play player out of formation if they dont know what his form is.

Also I would be quite sure Whittaker would drift a bit for his more comfortable position and our problem isnt on the wings so I would pick up player who is more used for central position. Thought you never know.

Anyway if Whittaker would play middle, I would bring back Johnson instead of Fox as two risks in our "crisis" position would probably hurt badly.

And yeah as there is some games left and if I would be in Hughton''s boots I would try something different now to wake up team, but ofc point never hurts either and Hughton probably picks the team who he trusts to bring us that point.

[Gaz06 0]

Feel as though we''ve been leaving ourselves a bit exposed at the back in recent games and committing too many people forward. Think we should go for

Bunn

Martin Bassong Barnett Turner Garrido

Bennett Howson Johnson Snodgrass

Hoolahan

This formation gives us that extra bit of cover we need at the back, while also certainly making sure we''ll get out target of a 0-0 draw.

[First Wizard 0]

[quote user="stratton canary"]10 DEFENDERS & BUNN[/quote]

 

Here''s the truth of it.

[Jim Smith 2,314]

I''d like to see us go back to 4-2-3-1 for this one as I feel we need the extra midfielder (and Wes) to keep possession away from home. Assuming Pilks is out and Tettey is still injured I would go with the team below with Kamara playing out wide as he did at times back in the MLS. If he can get in at the far post when crosses come in that should also give us a decent aerial threat. Looking for a decent game from Howson or his place in the team must come into question.

Bunn

Martin Turner Bassong Garrido

Howson Johnson

Kamara Hoolahan Snoddy

Holt

[Jim Smith 2,314]

Really don;t get all the calls to drop Holt and play Becchio. Dropping a player after a penalty miss would be dreadful man management and Becchio has not shown me anything in any of his performances so far to suggest he is able to lead the line on his own at this level.

[lincoln canary (& Golden Coppel) 0]

Back to 4-2-3-1 for me. It''s the formation we played during our unbeaten run and can be very offensive with the correct players. We need to start with our strongest team with the exception of injuries;

                                                 Bunn

                      Whittaker   Bassong  Turner  Garrido

                                               Fox    BJ

                           Snodgrass   Hoolahan   Bennet

                                                  Holt

Snodgrass and Bennet can both add pace and urgency while also beng pretty good defensively. For me this is our strongest available 11.