The defence

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

I think Mr Hughton is heading for a pretty big selection headache!

After yesterday there is no way I''d drop Russell Martin, Whittaker or Turner.When Bassong is back we''re going to have 4 players (5 if you include Ryan B) in contention for 3 slots.

What back 4 would you go with?

[lake district canary 4,878]

Shame for Martin, but I would choose Whittaker, Turner, Bassong and Garrido.   Martin had a good run last season because Whittaker had got injured.  Maybe its Whittaker''s turn to  have a long run in the team.   Martin never lets us down whenever he is called upon and in a modern premiership squad, the players I am sure understand that they have to be patient and take their chance when they get it.   

Unfair to drop Martin?  Maybe, but it would be unfair to drop E.Bennett too after yesterday''s performance imo - and that will probably happen if Snodgrass is fit.

[Olly 0]

I would go with Whittaker at RB, Martin and Bassong CB with Olsson LB.

But I would be happy with many other combinations

[87canary 0]

I was thinking the exact same thing on the train home.

Martin had a great game, Whittaker was outstanding, but surely as team captain, Bassong has to go straight back in?

5 at the back?! Would be a decent laugh given the ''HE''S TOO DEFENSIVE HINT E'' posts.

[RvWs 4 year contract 0]

I dont even think Garrido''s place is certain?!

Someone''s obviously going to have to miss out. Incredibly harsh on whoever does.

Turner maybe?

[Guest]

We know Hughton''s first choice centre back pairing: Bassong and Turner. The full back positions are more competitive. But Whittaker won''t be dropped after a goal and an assist.  I wouldn''t rule out Hughton signing another centre back before September to push Turner.

[Monty13 2,796]

Think Garrido may miss out, Martin moves to RB and Whittaker to LB.

[ReadingCanary 0]

It''s nice to know we have good competition for all placesAlso means even our "lesser" team used for Cup games will be full of quality

[nutty nigel 7,963]

I think once a player has the shirt it''s his to lose. That may be an unrealistic view but it''s how I''ve always seen it.

 

 

 

[William Darby 0]

[quote user="nutty nigel"]

I think once a player has the shirt it''s his to lose. That may be an unrealistic view but it''s how I''ve always seen it.

 

 

 

[/quote]

Generally yes, but as Bassong was made captain you''d think he''d go straight into the team.

[ZLF 342]

IMO we have a clear best back four

Martin Seb Turner Garrido

[GJP 79]

Turner and Bassong are clearly the best two centrebacks and it''s hard to see them not playing when they''re fit and available.

 

Given the rave reviews Ryan Bennett got towards the end of last season you''d have thought he''d have been in the team if he had been that good.

 

The fullback slots are harder to call but you can''t really see Whittaker getting dropped after a fine goal and an assist (of sorts) on top of a generally good performance. I thought we might have seen Olsson yesterday but Garrido did alright to be fair to him and I think he might well keep his place for the next game.

 

[nutty nigel 7,963]

[quote user="The Pinkun Role Model"][quote user="nutty nigel"]

I think once a player has the shirt it''s his to lose. That may be an unrealistic view but it''s how I''ve always seen it.

 

 

 

[/quote]

Generally yes, but as Bassong was made captain you''d think he''d go straight into the team.

[/quote]

 

You could have said the same about Holty but he got back in when others weren''t good enough to keep the shirt. However something may be in Bassong''s contract. Toughest task for Hughton is to play his best side every week and keep the rest happy. He''d do well to keep Whittaker happy if he dropped him.

 

 

[Citizen Journalist Foghorn 0]

--- ZippersLeftFoot wrote: IMO we have a clear best back four ----- Martin Seb Turner Garrido

We have lost only one game when Whittaker played at right back. I would keep him in and see what happens.

Whittaker Seb Turner (juries out on LB)

[GJP 79]

[quote user="Citizen Journalist Foghorn"]--- ZippersLeftFoot wrote: IMO we have a clear best back four ----- Martin Seb Turner Garrido We have lost only one game when Whittaker played at right back. I would keep him in and see what happens. Whittaker Seb Turner (juries out on LB)[/quote]

Correct. Our best run of form and our spell of football came with Whittaker in the team.

 

He had another good game yesterday and scored a good goal.

[Yorkshire Canary 118]

martins adaptability makes him so important to us. That said Whittaker is a better RB and Bassong and Turner are betters CBs so the hard edged nature of the game speaks for itself unless bassong is not match fit

[Ray 111]

I really don''t get all these ''run of form when Whits was in the team'' stats.  So where 10 others plus subs.  perhaps they were (un)lucky enough to stay fit and therefore were in the team when we hit our bad patch.  Neither was he in the team when we won 3 of our last 5 matches.  Yes he had a good game on Saturday, scored a good goal but only as a result of a miss hit pass to Elliott Bennett, although he finished it well, and then he skewed a shot which ended up as a cross for RVW to head home.

 

Possibly he is a ''lucky'' player and I know you make your own luck, but this winning streak stat imo is somewhat meaningless and yes it is great to have our defenders score goals but their primary job is to defend and it could be argued it was our attacking play which let us down during our losing streak.

 

Bottom line is there was a whole team of 11 out there when we had our winning streak and a whole team of 11 when we didn''t, are we really saying our whole team revolves around Whitts, good player as he is, he may not even be in our top four best defenders, as a defender??

 

All that said, he would still be in my first eleven, at right back if Russ Martin was playing CB, a position I believe he is starting to excel in, I would pick him and Bassong as our CB pairing, but I''m not the manager, so my opinion counts for not a lot, except to me!