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morty
Moderator
Staff member
Can't see too many changes for this one, other than the issue of left back, as it sounds like neither Brady or Olsson will be available.
ZLF
Well-Known Member
straight choice between whittaker and martin i would imagine (ignoring bizarre theories about bassong). I would probably go whittaker at left back and martin in the middle. However there isnt much in it and i cant see the choice being costly given its wigan.
I would hope that whittaker IS on the bench if not starting; the back 4 is looking a little battered.
I would rest wes ready for the weekend and give canos or pritchard a start; although I wouldnt be surprised if naismith comes in as his replacement, other than that an unchanged team with the impressive dorrans to keep things ticking over from deep.
I would hope that whittaker IS on the bench if not starting; the back 4 is looking a little battered.
I would rest wes ready for the weekend and give canos or pritchard a start; although I wouldnt be surprised if naismith comes in as his replacement, other than that an unchanged team with the impressive dorrans to keep things ticking over from deep.
morty
Moderator
Staff member
Yeah agree re Dorrans.
This could give scapegoaters a real problem if both Martin and Whittaker start in defence.
This could give scapegoaters a real problem if both Martin and Whittaker start in defence.
morty
Moderator
Staff member
News from the presser, Brady should be okay, Olsson now fit!
ZLF
Well-Known Member
In that case
Ruddy
Pinto Martin Klose Olsson
Tettey Dorrans
Howson Pritchard Jacob
Jerome
for me
Ruddy
Pinto Martin Klose Olsson
Tettey Dorrans
Howson Pritchard Jacob
Jerome
for me
Dubai Mark
Active Member
That eleven for me shows the squad strength we have. Really hope Ruddy returns, as just from the highlights I could see our new man is not of the level of John Ruddy, great cover but not our No.1,
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Fimbo
Member
I still need some convincing that Ruddy has his mojo back. I still think of him as more fumble prone than McGovern. I like the way McGovern keeps it simple - does not attempt a dive and palm when he can just bend down and catch it. Was he at fault for Cardiff goals? I was at wrong end to have a decent view of this.
I would like to see more of Canos tonight. He and pinto could potentially destroy Wigan down the right.
I would like to see more of Canos tonight. He and pinto could potentially destroy Wigan down the right.
ZLF
Well-Known Member
I dont think mcgovern was at fault for the goals at sat; i am just left more nervous with him than Ruddy rather than a strong preference.
From my 11 my bench would be
McGovern, Bennett, Whittaker, Brady, Canos, Josh, Oliveira
From my 11 my bench would be
McGovern, Bennett, Whittaker, Brady, Canos, Josh, Oliveira
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GJP
Well-Known Member
I feel a bit like Ruddy is better the devil you know. Not sure I see McGovern as the man you have inbetween the sticks if you want promotion.
I felt AN got it wrong with the 'keepers last season. Took too long to realise Ruddy needed a benching and then took too long to realise Rudd was out of his depth and costing us too many goals.
I felt AN got it wrong with the 'keepers last season. Took too long to realise Ruddy needed a benching and then took too long to realise Rudd was out of his depth and costing us too many goals.
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SussexYellow
Active Member
McGovern not at fault for the goals on Saturday. The first came from a misdirected shot which could not be anticipated and the second from a player being left unmarked at the back stick.
It is hard to find a reason to drop him but I feel an in form Ruddy is better than an in form McGovern. The question is how close is Ruddy to form?
It is hard to find a reason to drop him but I feel an in form Ruddy is better than an in form McGovern. The question is how close is Ruddy to form?
Din
Well-Known Member
I'd be tempted to drop Dorrans and move Howson central and bring in Pritchard on the right. Olsson also in for the injured Brady. Bennett should start ahead of Martin as well but I don't think he will.
No idea of the score tbh, think we'll face a tougher test than we did Saturday though.
No idea of the score tbh, think we'll face a tougher test than we did Saturday though.
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GJP
Well-Known Member
Well that wasn't very exciting. Pretty obvious Wigan were there for the taking in the first half and yet we just never looked like we were really going to put them to the sword.
Still, a win's a win.
Still, a win's a win.
Din
Well-Known Member
Well a relief we got the win, but like last week we made it hard work for ourselves and had we been up against better opposition we wouldn't have got the points.
I thought on Saturday the fact we let Cardiff get back into the game was mainly down to bad game-management from the players, however tonight I thought it was a case of Neil getting it badly wrong. I don't really know what he was thinking bringing Pritchard on for Tettey. If Tettey is injured then fair enough but I really don't understand why he didn't bring Mulumbu on for him then, swap one ball-winning midfielder for another. But by bringing on attack minded Pritchard it meant that we had no-one in midfield to win the ball back and Wigan were just allowed to keep coming at us. By the time Neil realised and bought Mulumbu on Wigan had their tails up.
Thought some of the criticism Jerome got after the game was very harsh. He was excellent first half and didn't really see much of the play second half. He had one chance where he should've at least tested the 'keeper, but the rest were all relatively difficult opportunities. I also don't understand how Neil continues to prefer Martin to Bennett. Bennett looked good when he came on whereas Martin quite frankly was hopeless, Wildschut had the beating off him every time. Fantastic for Jacob to get a couple of goals. As I said after the Cardiff game I still think he's very raw but he appears to be improving with each game. He deserved his man of the match, although another crucial player for us was McGovern. Who made a couple of excellent saves to keep us in the game. Thought Jerome, McGovern, Jacob, Klose, Bennett, Pinto when he was on and maybe Olsson were all good. The rest range from mediocre to poor.
Also, what is with all these injuries recently? Seems like we get one with each game at the moment. Brady went off on Saturday and tonight Tettey and Pinto for the second time this season both had to go off as well.
Anyway we won the game so can't complain too much. As I said after Saturday though we do really need to up our game sooner or later because otherwise before too long we will get punished. Amazing though that we are in the top 4 and just 2 points off the top of the table despite the fact that we haven't actually played that well since the opening day.
I thought on Saturday the fact we let Cardiff get back into the game was mainly down to bad game-management from the players, however tonight I thought it was a case of Neil getting it badly wrong. I don't really know what he was thinking bringing Pritchard on for Tettey. If Tettey is injured then fair enough but I really don't understand why he didn't bring Mulumbu on for him then, swap one ball-winning midfielder for another. But by bringing on attack minded Pritchard it meant that we had no-one in midfield to win the ball back and Wigan were just allowed to keep coming at us. By the time Neil realised and bought Mulumbu on Wigan had their tails up.
Thought some of the criticism Jerome got after the game was very harsh. He was excellent first half and didn't really see much of the play second half. He had one chance where he should've at least tested the 'keeper, but the rest were all relatively difficult opportunities. I also don't understand how Neil continues to prefer Martin to Bennett. Bennett looked good when he came on whereas Martin quite frankly was hopeless, Wildschut had the beating off him every time. Fantastic for Jacob to get a couple of goals. As I said after the Cardiff game I still think he's very raw but he appears to be improving with each game. He deserved his man of the match, although another crucial player for us was McGovern. Who made a couple of excellent saves to keep us in the game. Thought Jerome, McGovern, Jacob, Klose, Bennett, Pinto when he was on and maybe Olsson were all good. The rest range from mediocre to poor.
Also, what is with all these injuries recently? Seems like we get one with each game at the moment. Brady went off on Saturday and tonight Tettey and Pinto for the second time this season both had to go off as well.
Anyway we won the game so can't complain too much. As I said after Saturday though we do really need to up our game sooner or later because otherwise before too long we will get punished. Amazing though that we are in the top 4 and just 2 points off the top of the table despite the fact that we haven't actually played that well since the opening day.
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GJP
Well-Known Member
F
Fimbo
Member
I think we were bit fortunate to hang on, but its now 14 for 7 and we were hitting form for first 30 mins. Let's hope tettey and pinto are ok and we can build on that. I thought Jerome had a bit of a nightmare. He had some better service this game but fluffed his lines. One time in first half he seemed so surprised when the ball came to him in the box he failed to get a shot away. Other times he blasted over. Not one of his best nights and needs some competition. McGovern looked good. He got fingers to their goal and you might argue that the larger Ruddy could have got a hand to it. But hard to judge, he had to get down to it in the first place.
ZLF
Well-Known Member
Finishing remains a problem; we created plenty of chances and need to take them while on top as we know that we cant defend for 90 mins. The goal was down to a back tracking cb and more crucially def cm not tracking back hard enough - all things that have been recurrent themes for 3 seasons now.
I cant escape the overwhelming sense of entitlement - not just from the fans but worse in the players; the controlled the first half but the same application did not exist in the second half and it felt like a case of we have this one, wigan wont get back into this so we can ease off and coast to the win. Unfortunately we have to earn these wins and show some graft and desire for 90 mins. Their goal summed up that lethargic arrogance, we can and should have defended that break better.
Other thoughts? We had excellent chances in the second half to kill the game off but didnt, the number of injuries is now farcical, McGovern did well tonight (although comments of him making a "worldie" is simply immature exhuberance), Dorrans (tracking back apart) continues to impress as and looks like being our best ball playing cm and that pinto and tettey are key clogs in our side - tettey in particular still seems to have no rival, perhaps we need to see thompson on the bench to give the option that mulumbu is failing to give. Finally we will need to pick up the pace once we start playing a decent sides, 3 of our 4 wins have come against sides in the bottom 4.
A good three points, hopefully some confidence and a chance to create some momentum on saturday.
I cant escape the overwhelming sense of entitlement - not just from the fans but worse in the players; the controlled the first half but the same application did not exist in the second half and it felt like a case of we have this one, wigan wont get back into this so we can ease off and coast to the win. Unfortunately we have to earn these wins and show some graft and desire for 90 mins. Their goal summed up that lethargic arrogance, we can and should have defended that break better.
Other thoughts? We had excellent chances in the second half to kill the game off but didnt, the number of injuries is now farcical, McGovern did well tonight (although comments of him making a "worldie" is simply immature exhuberance), Dorrans (tracking back apart) continues to impress as and looks like being our best ball playing cm and that pinto and tettey are key clogs in our side - tettey in particular still seems to have no rival, perhaps we need to see thompson on the bench to give the option that mulumbu is failing to give. Finally we will need to pick up the pace once we start playing a decent sides, 3 of our 4 wins have come against sides in the bottom 4.
A good three points, hopefully some confidence and a chance to create some momentum on saturday.
S
SussexYellow
Active Member
Finishing (I agree ZLF) and finishing the game remain a problem. We should have converted at least one more chance and effectively been out of sight.
For their goal we got caught on the counter, it happens, and we perhaps should give credit to Wigan for taking it well. It is what happened after that that concerns me. We were ripped apart by speed down the flanks. Again! Similar to what happened on Saturday when Noone came on. OK not helped by the loss of Pinto But I do wonder whether the 4-2-3-1 formation requires a high energy approach to cover the flanks that we can not sustain it for 90 minutes. So I pose the question - would we be better able to manage the game if we changed formation in the last quarter to say 4-4-1-1? To me it would give greater width in midfield and better protection on our flanks when we are tiring.
For their goal we got caught on the counter, it happens, and we perhaps should give credit to Wigan for taking it well. It is what happened after that that concerns me. We were ripped apart by speed down the flanks. Again! Similar to what happened on Saturday when Noone came on. OK not helped by the loss of Pinto But I do wonder whether the 4-2-3-1 formation requires a high energy approach to cover the flanks that we can not sustain it for 90 minutes. So I pose the question - would we be better able to manage the game if we changed formation in the last quarter to say 4-4-1-1? To me it would give greater width in midfield and better protection on our flanks when we are tiring.
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GJP
Well-Known Member
I thought there was scope to bring on another forward to give Wigan something to think about.
But actually we encouraged them forward. I mean you have to assume Mulumbu came on to protect our lead rather than add a third and kill them. But rather than add another goal we let one in.
I would like to see AN be a bit braver and a bit more attack minded but I'm not sure it's in his nature.
But actually we encouraged them forward. I mean you have to assume Mulumbu came on to protect our lead rather than add a third and kill them. But rather than add another goal we let one in.
I would like to see AN be a bit braver and a bit more attack minded but I'm not sure it's in his nature.
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