Team For Burnley (a)

[cmonurz]

Federici

Armstrong
Duberry
Bikey
Rosenior

SHunt
Tabb
Matejovsky
Kebe

Doyle
Kitson

Subs: Hahnemann, Cisse, Karacan, Long, Lita

[Ian Royal]

Completely ignoring most of what I've been saying about the majority of the team that started against B'ham being the best lot to try and get us through the play offs I'd play:

.............Federici
Murty, Pearce, Bikey, Armstrong
....Karacan*, Matejovsky, Tabb
Henry............................ Kebe
................Long

Hahnemann, Cisse, Doyle, SHunt, Mooney

*I'd seriously consider Harper in for Karacan if I knew Harper was fit, especially after what I thought was a very poor performance against B'ham.

[Schards#2]

Completely ignoring most of what I've been saying about the majority of the team that started against B'ham being the best lot to try and get us through the play offs I'd play:

.............Federici
Murty, Pearce, Bikey, Armstrong
....Karacan*, Matejovsky, Tabb
Henry............................ Kebe
................Long

Hahnemann, Cisse, Doyle, SHunt, Mooney

*I'd seriously consider Harper in for Karacan if I knew Harper was fit, especially after what I thought was a very poor performance against B'ham.

Much as I love Murty, you just can't throw someone in who hasn't played a competitive game in months and put him up against arguably the best left midfielder in the division.

Same for Harper really, even if he's fit, he won't be match fit.

[Sun Tzu]

Completely ignoring most of what I've been saying about the majority of the team that started against B'ham being the best lot to try and get us through the play offs I'd play:

.............Federici
Murty, Pearce, Bikey, Armstrong
....Karacan*, Matejovsky, Tabb
Henry............................ Kebe
................Long

Hahnemann, Cisse, Doyle, SHunt, Mooney

*I'd seriously consider Harper in for Karacan if I knew Harper was fit, especially after what I thought was a very poor performance against B'ham.

Henry isn't available, Armstrong is injured and Murty hasn't played for months. I don;t think Long has ever played as a loan striker and the midfield 3 have never played together.

I don;t think this is the game for throwing the manual out the window.

I'd go for

Marcus
Rosenior
Bikey
Pearce
Harding
Kebe
Gunnarsson
A N Other - really can;t decide whether Marek should start
Tabb
Doyle
Kitson

subs

Fed
Karacan
Long
Hunt
Cisse

[Arch]

I definitely like the idea of Bryn and Marek. On dropping a winner [edit: of course I mean winger. What a ridiculous blunder!], I honestly thought Hunt had more impact on the game Sunday than Kebe. However, Kebe spent most of the game on the right (at hunt's instigation) and does seem better suited to the left. So maybe your line-up with tabb on the right is the way to go.

[Sun Tzu]

I definitely like the idea of Bryn and Marek. On dropping a winner, I honestly thought Hunt had more impact on the game Sunday than Kebe. However, Kebe spent most of the game on the right (at hunt's instigation) and does seem better suited to the left. So maybe your line-up with tabb on the right is the way to go.

Kebe gives us a bit of pace, and without him we are painfully slow.

It could be a question of starting Hunt with a brief to keep things tight and bringing Kebe on later - same principle as Marek being more effective as a second half sub.

Bryn never lets us down and would solve the problem of having a leader on the pitch.

[PEARCEY]

Completely ignoring most of what I've been saying about the majority of the team that started against B'ham being the best lot to try and get us through the play offs I'd play:

.............Federici
Murty, Pearce, Bikey, Armstrong
....Karacan*, Matejovsky, Tabb
Henry............................ Kebe
................Long

Hahnemann, Cisse, Doyle, SHunt, Mooney

*I'd seriously consider Harper in for Karacan if I knew Harper was fit, especially after what I thought was a very poor performance against B'ham.

Henry isn't available, Armstrong is injured and Murty hasn't played for months. I don;t think Long has ever played as a loan striker and the midfield 3 have never played together.

I don;t think this is the game for throwing the manual out the window.

I'd go for

Marcus
Rosenior
Bikey
Pearce
Harding
Kebe
Gunnarsson
A N Other - really can;t decide whether Marek should start
Tabb
Doyle
Kitson

subs

Fed
Karacan
Long
Hunt
Cisse

I would certainly play Marek. Time for him to rise to the occasion. I would go with Gunnar provided its for 60 minutes only with Cisse then taking over. I would play Long ahead of Kits as I think his pace may stretch Burnley more than Kits aerial ability and Marek might have more through ball possibilities with Long in the side.
Would go with your back four.

[Ian Royal]

I thought Armstrong was back fit again? There was quite a lot of debate over whether he should come back in or if Harding had done enough. And I think Harding has been pretty average at best the last couple of games.

Henry is only unavailable because he's on loan (as fas as i know), I'd recall him, assuming that isn't impossible under the terms of the loan.

Frankly I'm pissed off with Rosenior, he makes too many stupid mistakes and has a discipline issue, as shown by his two reds this season. I'd rather risk Murty's fitness right now, than put up with Rosenior cocking up when he thinks he's an England right back.

[marekisgod]

Bikey in a 5 midfield with Marek free role has to be with Gunnarson Kebe and Hunt with Shane Long up top . Defence Rosey Pearce Doobs Stretch everytime , why are people going on about Harding , he had one half decent game against Derby but he aint Chris Armstrong by any stretch of the imagination

[IceRoyalsandKDoyles]

Bryn never lets us down and would solve the problem of having a leader on the pitch.

+1
Make him captain for the play-offs instead of Doobs

[Pseud O'Nym]

Frankly I'm pissed off with Rosenior, he makes too many stupid mistakes and has a discipline issue, as shown by his two reds this season.

Amen to that. I think I'm right in saying that five out of his six yellows this season were for dissent. The one for kicking the ball away because he disagreed with a throw-in decision, when it was us who needed to get the game going again quickly, must rank amongst the stupidest ever.

[Sun Tzu]

I thought Armstrong was back fit again? There was quite a lot of debate over whether he should come back in or if Harding had done enough. And I think Harding has been pretty average at best the last couple of games.

Henry is only unavailable because he's on loan (as fas as i know), I'd recall him, assuming that isn't impossible under the terms of the loan.

Frankly I'm pissed off with Rosenior, he makes too many stupid mistakes and has a discipline issue, as shown by his two reds this season. I'd rather risk Murty's fitness right now, than put up with Rosenior cocking up when he thinks he's an England right back.

Armstrong was limping badly on Sunday and on the OS the report of his award states he is currently injured....

Can;t see Henry being recalled, there is nothing different now to two months ago. Kebe is a genius one moment and a clown the next but he's a match winner. Hunt is an enigma but he has to have a good game sometime !!

[Ian Royal]

I didn't say Henry would be recalled, I said it's what I'd do.

[andrew1957]

I would also immediately recall Henry - I am sure we can this far into his loan. We must improve the quality of the wide players and Henry was excellent at Birmingham away when we won 3-1. For The away game I would also go 4-5-1.

My team would be.

Federici (USA's confidence could be shot)
Kelly (he is better than Rosenior)
Bikey
Duberry
Harding
Kebe
Tabb
Gunnarson
Karacan
Henry
Long

Bench
USA
Doyle
Kitson
Matejovsky
Cisse

[rhroyal]

Against Birmingham we only looked good with Matejovsky on. He also helped up our game at Norwich. However Burnley are an attacking team, we need to be solid in the centre. For all Matejovsky's strength, he won't fit into a 4-4-2 at Burnley. It would be unwise to go to 4-5-1 which is barely tested in a play-off game. Last time we played 4-5-1 we just hoofed it anyway, which defied the point.

However, we will have chances to break on Burnley. Pace will be the key. Every time I've seen Kitson since he's come back I've been disappointed. I think Doyle should come in so we can hit them on the break. Here's my team:

USA

Rosenior
Bikey
Duberry
Armstrong if fit. Harding is fine otherwise.

SHunt
Cisse
Karacan
Kebe

Long
Doyle

Bench: Feds, Tabb, Marek, Kitson, Little (if fit)

If we need a little more guile we can bring on Marek, Little and Kitson.

[Ian Royal]

James Henry the only player who's played for us in games this season without us being defeated (excluding penalties)?

4 goals, not sure how many assists, they're a bit trickier to find. I think he could be a big big player for us next season.


EDIT: Oops didn't notice the Cardiff cup game. Stil, rule out cup games under snowball rules and I'm right.

[Man Friday]

USA

Rosenior
Pearce
Duberry
Harding

Robson-Kanu
Bikey
Matty
Kebe

Doyle and Long

Kits on the bench.

Actually, I haven't a clue except I'd like to see Bikey in midfield and Long and Doyle up front. I'm beginning to despair as I suspect Coppell is.

[CMRoyal]

I can see Karacan being dropped - he didn't seem to cope with the big-game atmosphere too well. Mind you, neither did a few others and I can't see there's much to be lost by dropping Rosey for Kelly, but I don't think it'll happen. I also don't think SC will risk Marek from the start against such a tough-tackling midfield. Assuming Armstrong's still injured I think we'll get:-

USA
Rosey
Doobs
Bikey
Harding
Kebe
Tabb
Cisse
S Hunt
Long
Kits

Subs: Fed, Gunnar, Jem, Marek, Doyle

[RobRoyal]

More than ever I'm glad it's not my team to pick. Every combination, and almost every player, has let Coppel down badly over the last few weeks. So what do you do?

I would roll the dice and go for:

Hahnemann

Rosenior
Bikey
Duberry
Harding

Doyle
Cisse
Matejovsky
Tabb
Kebe

Kitson

I'm not crazy about Kebe and Duberry keeping their places, but I'm not sure that big changes at this stage will reap dividends. The 4-5-1 has produced results away from home on a couple of occasions and I think starting conservatively might be a good move. Plus, it allows us to incorporate Matejovsky without sarcrificing the workrate in central midfield, which seems to me the absolute no 1 consideration for this team selection. Marek looks the only player that's going to give us a lift, and the necessary creativity to score the goals we'll need to overcome Burnley. Kebe can play in his preferred position - after the Birmingham performance I think SHunt needs dropping. Kebe is piss-poor but he'll show a little more desire.

Harsh on Long, but it might be beneficial to have him as an option on the bench anyway.

[Arch]

A lot of people want to leave Marek on the bench. While I see the argument, I think that it's based on the idea that we need to come up with the best version of what we've been doing. But that won't be good enough. To win the play-offs, we need to be much better over 270 minutes than we've been for four or five months. Marek is really the only player who looks like he can make us significantly better. In my view, it's time to roll the dice. No reactive selections, pick the best players and let them show what they can do.