Team for Swansea.

[fatboy47]

Trafford
Roberts
CJ
Esteve
Pires
Cullen
Hannibal
Brownhill
Edwards
Barnes
Anthony.

Benson
Flemming
Foster
Laurent
Koleo.

Controversial maybe, but sadly its Barnes for me now until someone can tell me which bit of the game Flemming does better. Benson gets on early unless we're in front.

[SirBob]

I doubt Barnes has the legs to start every game

[ClaretOfMancunia]

Foster to start with Barnes coming on later for me. Been a bit disappointed with Flemming to be honest, although he's scored a few, his hold up play is non-existent - seems to disappear for large periods of the game.

[Murger]

We look better with the 3 Josh’s starting in their right positions.

Edit: agreed about Flemming. He’s not a striker.

[whiffa]

Feel a bit sorry for Flemming, playing alone up top out of position is definitely not his best position and agree with the above. If Foster is fit he has to start at #9.

[ArmchairDetective]

I seem to remember a few matches where we looked pretty good with Hannibal playing on the left and the three Josh's in CM, before Hannibal got banned. Wouldn't mind seeing that again but it'd be hard to drop either of our current wingers. Nice to have options.

I don't have a preference between Foster and Flemming if we continue with the lone striker. Both have had more and less effective games.

[BleedingClaret]

Trafford
Roberts
CJ
Esteve
Pires
Cullen
Hannibal
Brownhill
Edwards
Barnes
Anthony.

Benson
Flemming
Foster
Laurent
Koleo.

Controversial maybe, but sadly its Barnes for me now until someone can tell me which bit of the game Flemming does better. Benson gets on early unless we're in front.

I've had the same thought on Barnes

Concluding that of Foster Flemming & Barnes he may still on 35 year old legs be the most effective leading the line option

[BleedingClaret]

..................Trafford.................
............CJER.........Esteve..........
Roberts.........Cullen.............Pires
................ Brownhill ................
Anthony ......Edwards.......Hannibal
................Flemming?................

[dougcollins]

deleted

[dougcollins]

Flemming's ball control is pretty poor, which isn't good for a lone 'striker'.

[BleedingClaret]

Flemming's ball control is pretty poor, which isn't good for a lone 'striker'.

Agreed that's why I put a ? after his name

I think Barnes is a better player but coming on on the hour mark is the limit of his legs IMO

[fatboy47]

I think Barnes is a better player but coming on on the hour mark is the limit of his legs IMO

Maybe...but that's just an assumption. All opinions, but given Flemmings innability to win anything whatsoever in the air, draw fouls rather than concede them, make the ball stick up top for more than a split second, and, most importantly, put a good percentage of his chances away...then I'm starting with Barnes who, geriatric or not, has all these things in his locker.

It's not a given that older players lose stamina in their mid 30's.

[Sleeping Cat]

.............Trafford

Roberts - CJER - eSteve - Pires

..........Cullen - Brownhill

Edwards - Flemming - Anthony

..............Foster

[Vino blanco]

I agree with the last poster, our biggest problem is scoring goals in key games, therefore I would also go with:

Trafford
Roberts CJ Esteve Pires
Cullen Brownhill
Edwards ............Anthony
Flemming
Foster
Looking back at our most successful teams, whatever the division, we always had twin strikers:-
Pointer and Robson, Irvine and Lochead, Fletcher and Casper, Conroy and Eli, Ings and Vokes, and I’m sure there are others.

[CoolClaret]

I'd also like to see Barnes play if Foster isn't fit - think his link play is far better than Flemming.

--------Traff
Roberts-CJ-Esteve-Pires
-------Cullen
--Brownhill--Laurent
Edwards--------Anthony
--------Foster

[Taffy on the wing]

Foster to start with Barnes coming on later for me. Been a bit disappointed with Flemming to be honest, although he's scored a few, his hold up play is non-existent - seems to disappear for large periods of the game.

He spends large parts of the game watching balls flying over his head .....he is not a center forward.
Would love to see 2 upfront for a change with Flemming #10.

[Goliath]

.........Trafford

Roberts...CJ.....Esteve...Pires
..........Cullen......Hannibal
Edwards......Brownhill.....Anthony
.............Foster

[Stonehouse]

Agreed that's why I put a ? after his name

I think Barnes is a better player but coming on on the hour mark is the limit of his legs IMO

There’s a video showing Trafford hitting a long ball to Flemming on Tuesday and in one movement it traps the ball and spins the defender,I think he has a lot better touch than Foster and we’ve scored quite a few goals where he’s received the ball with his back to the goal and laid it off the winger he’s a lot more mobile than Barnes but unfortunately his finishing isn’t a patch on Barnes’s .Could do with Ash giving him some one to one coaching,as for comparing him with Foster he’s scored more this season than Foster has done in all the time he’s been here.

[Taffy on the wing]

Is Foster fit?.......he looked well and truly hobbled t' other night.

[Stonehouse]

Sorry my mistake Foster had scored 1 more goal in more than twice the appearances.

[BleedingClaret]

Maybe...but that's just an assumption. All opinions, but given Flemmings innability to win anything whatsoever in the air, draw fouls rather than concede them, make the ball stick up top for more than a split second, and, most importantly, put a good percentage of his chances away...then I'm starting with Barnes who, geriatric or not, has all these things in his locker.

It's not a given that older players lose stamina in their mid 30's.

Barnes looked as able as Flemming to close defenders down

[Ampth7]

On the basis that we only have a small number of attacking players who actually score/assist my lineup is -

Traff
Roberts ER Steve Pires
Cullen Brownhill
Edwards Flemming Anthony
Foster

I genuinely do not understand why we don’t go with Flemming and Foster in advanced positions only to go with Laurent/Hannibal who don’t score/assist……..ever! Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate that Hannibal and Laurent are good players who give us energy, but FFS, why not go for it so we can start edging a few of these draws!

[Rileybobs]

I don’t see the logic in dropping our second top scorer for Barnes or Foster, who both have a very poor recent return in front of goal. Brownhill and Flemming are our only two players who know where the back of the net is, so if just for that reason alone they are both going to make Parker’s eleven.

[fungus_the_bogeyman]

Was it just me that thought Flemming played pretty well on Tuesday?

[gtclaret]

The problem Foster has is that he is not good enough,he is not the answer

[RVclaret]

Trafford
Roberts
CJ
Esteve
Pires
Cullen
Brownhill
Hannibal
Edwards
Anthony
Flemming

[dougcollins]

Was it just me that thought Flemming played pretty well on Tuesday?

It probably wasn't just you, but apart being in the right place for the goal (which is always important) he did very little else for me. The ball bounces off him with alarming regularity, and he won the sum total of zero aerial challenges.

Does he even go for the ball - he doesn't look like it?

[Dark Cloud]

It probably wasn't just you, but apart being in the right place for the goal (which is always important) he did very little else for me. The ball bounces off him with alarming regularity, and he won the sum total of zero aerial challenges.

Does he even go for the ball - he doesn't look like it?

He keeps turning away from the ball when it's travelling towards him through the air and looking at the defender which is something I find extremely odd and frustrating. It also then tends to make the refs think he's fouling.

[dougcollins]

He keeps turning away from the ball when it's travelling towards him through the air and looking at the defender which is something I find extremely odd and frustrating. It also then tends to make the refs think he's fouling.

Yep, the opposite of Barnes who can generally make the ref think he's being fouled.

[Goliath]

He keeps turning away from the ball when it's travelling towards him through the air and looking at the defender which is something I find extremely odd and frustrating. It also then tends to make the refs think he's fouling.

I haven't noticed it but that sounds like the habit of someone used to playing behind a striker. Trying to anticipate a knockdown/second ball and be first to it.

[ecc]

Was it just me that thought Flemming played pretty well on Tuesday?

No. His first-half was good. As mentioned above his control from a long kick by Trafford was top class. I would really like to see him play behind a number nine and I suspect he would too. But eight goals is far from shabby.

[FCBurnley]

Time for a change ?
Trafford
Roberts EJ Esteve Pires
Edwards Brownhill Cullen Anthony
Fleming Foster

Let’s go for it

[bumba]

No. His first-half was good. As mentioned above his control from a long kick by Trafford was top class. I would really like to see him play behind a number nine and I suspect he would too. But eight goals is far from shabby.

He needs to concentrate on the football, I don't know if he's under instructions to do or if he's just choosing to do it but far to many times he takes his eye off the ball and watches the defender then either throws himself to the ground or tries to get in a wrestling match. There's been times the defenders just moved to the side let him fall over and run away with the ball, it puts us under unnecessary pressure.
He just needs to get the ball under control and lay it off.