Line up v Blades

[ZLF 271]

What will Worthy start with against the blades? Will he stick with the three strikers or revert to a more traditional midfield?

My feeling is that playing with Hux as a left winger does weaken our defensive ability and expose the issues we have at centre back. It also threatens to marginalise Hux if he does not have the freedom to roam across the front libe.

As such I feel we have two options.

a) Keep with all three strikers (after all they did all score in the last game) Doing this would mean a change from a 4-4-2 formation to either El Tels Xmas tree (Hux & Mackenzie sitting off Roberts) or a 4-3-3 system. Either of these systems will require a more work ethic orientated midfield sitting deeper in our half making Holt and Francis starters. The choice is then having McVeigh or Mullers sitting in the middle of the park as the link player. The three disadvantages of this are that the team are not used to this system, we will lack any width on the pitch (denying defensive cover to Eds and Jukebox) & we are likely to be over-run in midfield (to combat this you could include Sinclair but that would then limit our creative outlets) The advantage is that any traditional hoof from Malky is likely to find a yellow shirt nearby...

b) stick with the Worthys normal 4-4-2 having real midfielders instead of converted strikers - at least the players know their role in this formation having stuck with it for 3 seasons. Return McVeigh to his successful left wing berth and persevere with a freshened Henderson on the right (loath to say that but the other alternatives here dont rewally work - Mullers or Francis are marginalised, McVeigh is not the same player, Rivers lacks desire to prove NW wrong and Briggs is a defender) with Francis and Holt to hold the midfield. This provides the defensive security that has been the bedrock of our surge up the table and the width to continue to give the strikers chances. That leaves the thorny issue of which striker to drop. My preference is to continue with Hux Mackenzie partnership. Leons strike rate in new surroundings speaks for itself - how can you drop a striker in such form? - and Hux ability and link play with McVeigh on the left is the single most important reason why we sit where we do in the league. Also the blades defence is big on height but small on pace making Leon the natural choice over Roberts.

I would go with b) and continue with what has got us this far - who disagrees?

OTBC

[Away Day Specialist 0]

It does prove to be an interesting poser doesnt it. Whilst I can agree with the view on not dropping Leon (as his strike rate is fairly impressive since joining) I would be concerned with the front pair on Hucks and Leon. That said it would only be due to the showing in the Bradford game when the back four resorted to the long ball up and we did struggle to cause any danger. Iwan does still look a better player when feeding off huckerby. It would just require the team to adapt their game based on the front pair, something that we havent always done well in the past.

I think that the 4-4-2 option is a safer and better bet at home, for two reasons. You are right Zip they are used to playing it at home and it does offer more width to pin teams back, and also we usually have enough of an advantage at home - with the crowd, the record win/draw/loss and the expectation of the fans and team at home. Carrow has been a fortress for a couple of years now and we expect!

The future is in our hands we can fend off the chasing pack with victories against Sheff Utd, Sunderland and Ipswich in the coming games - lets home they do so. And if they do it in style even better.

[Juggler 7]

I have to go with the 4-4-2 option. I think it makes us much more solid and you do win titles by not conceding rather than scoring. I would go with Iwan and Hucks up front. I think they work well together and there seems to be a great relationship between the two judging by their celebrations together when they score. I agree that Leon''s made a great start but I don''t think that its coincidence that he has scored all his goals and produced his best performances away from home where he gets more space. He certainly would be a great option on the bench if things were not going well. I also think that Iwan is the only player we have at the moment with the ability to unsettle Sheffield''s big defenders with his physical presence. We already have two players in McV and Hucks who can cause problems on the ground and I do feel we need an aerial threat.

While I agree with Zip that McV is better on the left than the right I would still go for McV right and Brennan left as it gives us better balance and is much more solid defensively. It also gives us Brennan''s crossing ability to supply Iwan. I would certainly go with Holt and Francis in centre midfield, much more solid than the Mulryne option.

The great thing is that NW has options to chose from to start and then some quality on the bench if necessary.

[ZLF 271]

I have to agree with you Juggler that one of the almost unnoticed successes in Worthys transfer dealings is that for the first time for many seasons we have real competition for places/options - this has to be good for the team overall as players have to perform to stay in the side.

The obvious exception remains right wing...

Keep it low...

[MasterNagus 0]

Bah humbug. I can''t be doing with all this speculation. I''m a bag of footballing nerves already this season.

The plan against Sheffield Utd is simple:

Start the game like West Ham did at Bramall Lane three weeks ago. Play 3 up front, unsettle them, exploit their weaknesses (pace, mobility) get 3.0 up by half time.

Then, end the game how West Ham failed to do - by defending the lead. Half time would see reverting to 442 (Iwan and Hux up front, Brennan on for Leon, toughing up the midfield) and we sit back and watch them pump increasingly desperate high balls up to the Peschosolido midget bloke.

Or to put it even plainer: WE SCORE MORE GOALS THEN THEM

Simple on paper isn''t it?

[Mook 0]

Although it’s one of the best things about Worthy’s transfer dealings, it is also a pain in the backside. When had a squad of about 14 people, we knew who had to play and if we lost, we just lost. Now if we lose it’s “did NW get his selection wrong?” or “the formation was no good”. I think I preferred it when we were the high-flying underdogs with a tiny squad than the big-spending top-dogs!

Not really though, I’m just nervous about tomorrow’s game.

I’d say 4-4-2 with Hucks and Leon, Brennan on the left and McSmall on the right. But Edworthy HAS to get forward and help him otherwise there’s no use in him being there.

[no1canary 0]

We should play the same team we put out against Cardiff. 4-4-2 with Hucks and Roberts up front. That day proved we can ease past the best teams in the league if we play the right players and formation. We''ve always played with a big man up front so lets not go changing it on the most important game of the season so far. McKenzie has got a good scoring record 4 us at the mo but we can''t play all 3 every game, and I think playing him and Roberts up front with Hucks on the left is too risky. The main thing is we don''t concede coz 9 out of 10 games we will score.

[silver fox 0]

I like the idea of the same team as the Cardiff game, but the only problem is Worthy is not going to drop Mackay, unless he gets injured in training. I watched the West Ham game and they certainly troubled Sheff Utd at the back, especially down the left side with the pace of Etherington and Harley. We should cause the same problems with Huckerby and McVeigh down that side.

Equally West Ham struggled at the back, particularly in the 2nd half and I feel we may have the same problem. Allison is likely to win most of the high balls against Malky and Flem and peschisolido / Shaw / Lester will be looking to pick up the knock downs and lay offs.

This will be 3 games in 7 days for some of their players and hopefully our 2 week break should ensure we have the upper hand on fitness. This is an ideal opportunity to show our biggest crowd of the season why we are top of the league and dispel any talk of traditional new year slump.

[yoda 0]

i agree with the 4-4-2 . its worked so far so why change ? was it a coincedence that before the rotherham game no team had scored more than 2 against us ? all three up front looks good on paper but we have built up a solid way of playing in the last three years and its tried and trusted .

[Windy 0]

I''m with Mook - Brennan on the left and WeLoveyou on the right. Huckers and Leon up front. Well done Derby by the way (not to mention thankyou)! Can''t wait to see the improved Sexy Football HQ.

[Peter 0]

3 at the back, 5 in midfield and two up front to start, keep it tight for an hour then bring on Mck for Mulryne for last 30 and stretch them. Brennan left, Edworthy right, Holt, Mulryne and Francis in middle. Huckerby and Roberts up front. Must win the midfield battle but create at the same time (is Mulryne up for it, probably not) ?.

4 3 3 is a definite non starter we will get over run in midfield.

McV on right I don''t think so.

Simple isn''t it.

I don''t really know like the rest of you. But I do know 4 3 3 will not work if starting line up, be warned Nige.