Team v Cardiff

kirsikka

UTC Legend
Three really tough games in eight days but I think we should go for it in the first one and revert back to our first match of the season three up front if we have the personnel available. It cedes some control in the middle of the park but makes us a much more potent threat up front.

I also think it's time to end the Smith on the left role. Anyone seeing Saturday's game will be preparing to push all their play towards him and that side.

Begovic

Mepham
S Cook
Kelly (CCV / Simpson if LK not fit)

Smith
Rico

L Cook
Lerma

Danjuma
Solanke
Brooks (Stanislas if DB not fit)

Subs:
King
Stanislas
Riquelme
Gosling
Ofoborh
Stacey
Travers

Ofoborh gives you cover in the midfield and as an emergency CB if needed so gets a bench nod ahead of Billing.
 
Three really tough games in eight days but I think we should go for it in the first one and revert back to our first match of the season three up front if we have the personnel available. It cedes some control in the middle of the park but makes us a much more potent threat up front.

I also think it's time to end the Smith on the left role. Anyone seeing Saturday's game will be preparing to push all their play towards him and that side.

Begovic

Mepham
S Cook
Kelly (CCV / Simpson if LK not fit)

Smith
Rico

L Cook
Lerma

Danjuma
Solanke
Brooks (Stanislas if DB not fit)

Subs:
King
Stanislas
Riquelme
Gosling
Ofoborh
Stacey
Travers

Ofoborh gives you cover in the midfield and as an emergency CB if needed so gets a bench nod ahead of Billing.
Like the look of it. Think we need to make the most of our attacking players at our disposal, so we are going to have to sacrifice either a CB or a CM. I’d much rather play three in midfield with four at the back but can’t see JT doing this as he seems determined to make the three at the back work (which is fair enough.)
 
Tricky one this. The 3-5-2 worked well away at Coventry when we found gaps behind their defence. In home games where we need the extra width high up the pitch, I like going with the 3 attackers.

Given Cardiff should be expected to come at us a bit, I think I’d pick the same XI but put Danjuma through the middle alongside Solanke, with Brooks ahead of Lerma and Cook in a midfield 3
 
Pretty much agree with all that.
Time to end Smith on the left for sure.

With L.Cook and Lerma (or any two) in the middle I'd actively tell Solanke to come deep a lot, with the wide forwards coming narrow to fill the gap, and wing backs providing the width. Also encourages chances in the box to fall to someone with better finishing....

I'd want to get King involved again as soon as possible, try to put the past few months behind him/us. That might be wide in the 3, or as a more advanced replacement for Solanke centrally.
 
Agree with the 343 formation but i don't think you can move Rico from that back 3 ....he's not a wing back anyway.
If we want another LwB then play Zemura.
Lewis Cook is next to useless in a midfield two so Gosling or Billing alongside Lerma.
If King is fit i'd play him tbh....alongside Danjuma and Stan.
 
Three really tough games in eight days but I think we should go for it in the first one and revert back to our first match of the season three up front if we have the personnel available. It cedes some control in the middle of the park but makes us a much more potent threat up front.

I also think it's time to end the Smith on the left role. Anyone seeing Saturday's game will be preparing to push all their play towards him and that side.

Begovic

Mepham
S Cook
Kelly (CCV / Simpson if LK not fit)

Smith
Rico

L Cook
Lerma

Danjuma
Solanke
Brooks (Stanislas if DB not fit)

Subs:
King
Stanislas
Riquelme
Gosling
Ofoborh
Stacey
Travers

Ofoborh gives you cover in the midfield and as an emergency CB if needed so gets a bench nod ahead of Billing.
Swap King for Solanke, and Stacey for Smith for me, and you have just named our best 11
 
Carduff, Squatford and Bristol Titty ...ooff...these are a possible tipping point for our fortunes.

5 points from the 9 - we are steady steaming... and I reckon we are defo on song for the gongs with 6 or 7 .

3 or less and its oh dear ...the Slide is a goer!

Secretly I think we have enough guile in 5 or 6 of the players to see us to at least the playoffs...and if the young infiltrators like Ofoborh are sniffing out a swift PL career..we are in luck!
 
Agree with the 343 formation but i don't think you can move Rico from that back 3 ....he's not a wing back anyway.
If we want another LwB then play Zemura.
Lewis Cook is next to useless in a midfield two so Gosling or Billing alongside Lerma.
If King is fit i'd play him tbh....alongside Danjuma and Stan.


Please stop saying 343, its not, nobody plays anything like it. Although tbf formations are pretty fluid these days.

Brian on top form, keep it up!
 
Please stop saying 343, its not, nobody plays anything like it. Although tbf formations are pretty fluid these days.

Brian on top form, keep it up!
lol....what would you like me to call it?.....the general consensus is that 3 at the back is described as 343 or 352....how a team deploys those formations is a different matter as is the case with all formations......so i'm probably going to keep calling it 343 if that's all right with you.
 
lol....what would you like me to call it?.....the general consensus is that 3 at the back is described as 343 or 352....how a team deploys those formations is a different matter as is the case with all formations......so i'm probably going to keep calling it 343 if that's all right with you.

Haha probably more semantics but its not 343.

Smith and stacey aren't playing in midfield

Plus I'm pissed so being a dick ;) x
 
Haha probably more semantics but its not 343.

Smith and stacey aren't playing in midfield

Plus I'm pissed so being a dick ;) x
lol no problem....although Stacey and Smith are playing as wing backs its still classed as 343.....you'll see i'm right when you sober up!
 
Tricky one this. The 3-5-2 worked well away at Coventry when we found gaps behind their defence. In home games where we need the extra width high up the pitch, I like going with the 3 attackers.

OK, giving myself away with this question, but need a Football 101 lesson. Why would how a team aligns change because of home and away? I could see changing it because of opposition or a team's own personnel available on a given day, but don't know about the home and away aspects.
 
More likely to play more attacking style at home and sit back counter attack away.

Advantage playing in front of your own fans, at your usual stadium.

The old cliche is win at home draw away and youre good for promotion.
 
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...it will be interesting to see if JT has ALL his players available who he would pick...I know what I would do:

Begovic

Smith
Cook
Kelly
Rico

Danjuma
Lerma
L Cook
Stanislas

Brooks (number 10 role)

King

Bench: Travers/Solanke/Riquelme/Stacey/Gosling/Mepham/Surridge

to me that looks an exciting line up well capable at this level to get results??

not sure how to fit Vickers in though?
 

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