Thoughts of tomorrow's team?

Muric
Roberts Ekdal Bayer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill Cork
Tella Foster Zaroury

I'm replacing THB with Ekdal - THB looked off the pace last Friday.
Cork comes in to boost midfield.
Barnes makes way. He's done a good link-up job, but hasn't scored.

The bench will give multiple options. UTC

I'd like to see Cork and JGB back in, making up a really solid midfield 3 with Cullen. Tella and Zaroury either side of Barnes.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Cork Cullen
Benson Brownhill Tella
Barnes

Not against either Foster or Obafemi being given a start in place of Barnes, but also don't mind having both them and Zaroury to come on

-------------Muric------------
Roberts--THB--Beyer----Maatsen
JBG -- Cullen--Brownhill--Zaroury
---------Tella---Barnes------------

Same team (except THB and Muric in) and shape as our dominant 3-0 away win at Norwich.

JBG on the right due to their main threat of Giles at left wing back.

Same team as Sunderland, but we should set up with Tella through the middle playing off Bash.
We also need to move the ball a lot quicker, and be a lot more proactive than we were against Sunderland.
Stoke, and Huddersfield have shown that the back line of Boro, especially the full backs, can be got at. So Zaroury, and Benson need to run at them as often as possible, and less of the passing it back to Muric.

This is a Cork game, for me.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Brownhill Cork Cullen
Tella Barnes Zaroury

Benson and JBG as game changers in the second half.

Muric
Roberts Ekdal Beyer Maatsen
Cullen Cork
Jbg
Benson. Zaroury

Tella

After what I thought was a dream team last Friday, I'm going for ;-
Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Cullen JBG Brownhill
Benson Barnes Tella

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:36 pm

This is a Cork game, for me.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Brownhill Cork Cullen
Tella Barnes Zaroury

Benson and JBG as game changers in the second half.

Right players, not necessarily in the right order. Brownhill to play central behind Barnes. Cork defo needs to start the next 2 games.

Muric
Robberts
Beyer
Ekdal (Gve THB a Rest)
Maatsen
Cullen
Brownhill
Twine
Benson
Barnes
Tella (Zaroury looked off it on friday)

Then for Monday
Muric
Vitinho
Beyer
THB
Taylor
Cork
Cullen
JBG
Benson
Obafemi/Foster
Zaroury

Not a fan of Brownhill in an attacking role, doesn't offer anywhere near enough. THB certainly wasn't off it against Sunderland. I think Cork deserves a game and I'd like to see Obafemi given a start.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Cork Cullen
Benson Tella Zaroury
Obafemi

I'd start the same 11 as Sunderland, but I'd start JGB ahead of Benson. I think Benson is far more effective coming on at 6-70minutes and running at tired legs.

Whatever the team, I predict Barnes to get the goal that that wins us promotion.

Can’t disagree too much with Jedi, on this.

We absolutely need control in the middle of the park for this game.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
JBG Brownhill Cullen Zaroury
Tella Barnes

Benson Obefemi to change it up if needed

Cork Vitinho to shore it up if needed

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:36 pm

This is a Cork game, for me.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Brownhill Cork Cullen
Tella Barnes Zaroury

Benson and JBG as game changers in the second half.

agree with that team

jedi_master wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:36 pm

This is a Cork game, for me.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Brownhill Cork Cullen
Tella Barnes Zaroury

Benson and JBG as game changers in the second half.

Exactly my starting 11 Jedi

Muric
Roberts, Ekdal, Beyer, Maatsen
Gudmundsson, Cullen, Cork
Benson, Barnes, Tella

I'd like to see Cork and JBG in the starting line up.

And either one of Benson or Zaroury as an impact sub.

I can understand the argument in favour of Ekdal for THB - he needs game time, but this might not be that time. After the Blades game for me.

Cork has got to start for me and Tella has to be through the middle.
zaroury needs a wake uo call so has to make way for JBG who adds some set peice quality too, so I'd go

Muric
Roberts THB Bayer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill Cork
Benson Tella JBG
Barnes

Let zaroury get fired up and come off the bench to prove a point v tiring defenders.

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Benson Cullen Brownhill Zaroury
Tella Barnes

Muric
Roberts THB Beyer Maatsen
Brownhill Cullen Cork
JBG Barnes Tella

whiffa wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 5:16 pm

I'd start the same 11 as Sunderland, but I'd start JGB ahead of Benson. I think Benson is far more effective coming on at 6-70minutes and running at tired legs.

Love your specificity on when Benson should be brought on and taken off.

Gudmundsson should absolutely be starting, for me. Benson on the bench as an impact sub.

RVClaret’s line up basically.

No chance Foster will play, he's too soft right now. If Luton don't win earlier in the day, we need somebody with guts to get us the win at Boro. A point would be massive UTC

Cork has to play

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:15 pm

-------------Muric------------
Roberts--THB--Beyer----Maatsen
JBG -- Cullen--Brownhill--Zaroury
---------Tella---Barnes------------

Same team (except THB and Muric in) and shape as our dominant 3-0 away win at Norwich.

JBG on the right due to their main threat of Giles at left wing back.

Agreed that was arguably the best away performance of the season against an in-form team - although as at Norwich I would start with Ekdal

Provided things go well tonight and Monday would give THB plenty of game time from then on

Interesting selection this - will tell us a good deal about Kompany’s end of season thinking.

The THB or Beyer thing seems to me to boil down to fitness. The trickier calls are further forwards and I don't think it's a given Zaroury starts. It could be:

------------------------Muric
Roberts THB/Ekdal Beyer Maatsen
-------------------Cork Cullen
JBG------------Brownhill ------Tella
---------------------Barnes


Roughly the team that dominated at QPR immediately before Christmas. Benson and Zaroury give us great impact options from the bench, and it dominates the midfield third. Suspect in many respects the final choice today might be between Cork, and this team, and Zaroury, in which case JBG goes to 10 and Brownhill drops back. That will be an interesting insight into what VK is thinking for next season.

claretspice wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:53 am

Interesting selection this - will tell us a good deal about Kompany’s end of season thinking.

The THB or Beyer thing seems to me to boil down to fitness. The trickier calls are further forwards and I don't think it's a given Zaroury starts. It could be:

Muric
Roberts THB/Ekdal Maatsen
-----------Cork Cullen
JBG---Brownhill Tella
------------Barnes


Roughly the team that dominated at QPR immediately before Christmas. Benson and Zaroury give us great impact options from the bench, and it dominates the midfield third. Suspect in many respects the final choice today might be between Cork, and this team, and Zaroury, in which case JBG goes to 10 and Brownhill drops back. That will be an interesting insight into what VK is thinking for next season.

Leaving out Beyer?

claretspice wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 9:53 am

Roughly the team that dominated at QPR immediately before Christmas. Benson and Zaroury give us great impact options from the bench, and it dominates the midfield third. Suspect in many respects the final choice today might be between Cork, and this team, and Zaroury, in which case JBG goes to 10 and Brownhill drops back. That will be an interesting insight into what VK is thinking for next season.

JBG doesn’t play 10 and Brownhill doesn’t drop back when both start together (in the middle), it’s a bit of a myth on here that. They both play as 8s either side of Cullen. See average positions away at Bournemouth as an example:

boatshed bill wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 10:45 am

Leaving out Beyer?

Mistake now corrected.

RVclaret wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 10:51 am

JBG doesn’t play 10 and Brownhill doesn’t drop back when both start together (in the middle), it’s a bit of a myth on here that. They both play as 8s either side of Cullen. See average positions away at Bournemouth as an example:

Yes I understand that that has been the case in lots of games when we have plenty of the ball and/or have freedom to attack. Suspect that in games when we have less of the ball it ends up more of a midfield 4 and JBG ahead though. We still play something approaching a 442 out of possession.

Equally when Cullen and Cork start together, in possession Cullen pulls wider to various different positions to progress possession. It's the same point, and the positions we write down in short hand rarely translate exactly to the heat maps.

No Foster
JGB on right
Ekdal for THB
Brownhill Cullen and Cork midfield

Muric,
Roberts, THB, Beyer, Maatsen
JBG, Cullen, Brownhill, Cork, Benson,
Tella.

Keep it tight and go for a point.

MACCA wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:04 pm

Cork has got to start for me and Tella has to be through the middle.
zaroury needs a wake uo call so has to make way for JBG who adds some set peice quality too, so I'd go

Muric
Roberts THB Bayer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill Cork
Benson Tella JBG
Barnes

Let zaroury get fired up and come off the bench to prove a point v tiring defenders.

Strong team that
Be like having an extra man

MACCA wrote: ↑

Thu Apr 06, 2023 9:04 pm

Cork has got to start for me and Tella has to be through the middle.
zaroury needs a wake uo call so has to make way for JBG who adds some set peice quality too, so I'd go

Muric
Roberts THB Bayer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill Cork
Benson Tella JBG
Barnes

Let zaroury get fired up and come off the bench to prove a point v tiring defenders.

id have benson off the bench also and perhaps vitinho on there instead in his place

Muric
Roberts Ekdal Beyer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill
Benson Tella Zaroury
Foster

Firthy wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 4:07 pm

Muric
Roberts Ekdal Beyer Maatsen
Cullen Brownhill
Benson Tella Zaroury
Foster

This but Barnes for Foster

FCBurnley wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 07, 2023 11:50 am

No Foster
JGB on right
Ekdal for THB
Brownhill Cullen and Cork midfield

Not far wrong, only al-dakhil for THB.