Team for Palace (H) 11/09/2010

[URZZ]

I'm not keen on changing a winning team, but I'd be tempted to risk this. Zurab being our sweeper (don't worry, I wouldn't have him leaving our half!) I'd play him to strengthen Jem and Howard. The amount of times teams go through the heart of our midfield, would be lovely to have a hard man right in the centre again.

......................................Federici.....................................

Gunnarson........Pearce..................Mills..........Williams
.......................................Zurab....................................

..................Karacan........................Howard.....................
Kebe..................................................................McAnuff

.......................................Hunt........................................



....but any money, Long will start unfortunately.

Just a wild guess, but have you ever played the game Championship Manager?

He obviously needs to go back and play it some more because he doesn't know what a sweeper is...

Aw, clearly. Oh well.

[leww_rfc]

4-4-2 time?!

Fed

Cummings
Mills
Pearce
Harte

Kebe
Karacan
Howard
McAnuff

Hunt
Church

Cummings in if Griff is injured, solid enough performance against Leicester, he needs more games!

[pea]

I'd actually put harte at centreback and khiz at left back. Wouldn't like to see harte vs scannell on that wing when it came to pace. In truth I think Williams will start.
Don't care what we put up front, its gonna be trial and error for a while.

[silas]

Federici

Griffin Mills Kizh Harte

Kebe Howard Karacan McAnuff

Church Hunt

[Hoop Blah]

If Griffin and Williams are missing then I'd expect to see Khizanishvili start at right back and Harte left back. If they're both fit then Griffin will definitely start but I'd not expect Williams to walk straight back into the side.

The midfield picks itself with Kebe, Karacan, Howard and McAnuff all in possession of the shirt.

The only real question remaining is how we replace Sigurdsson and who gets the nod to lead the line. I'd go with Hunt and Church up tops together purely because I don't think the rest of the attacking options are up to it.

All our forwards are average at best and so it won't make a hell of a lot of difference which ones play until we manage to get someone else in to give a bit of variety and, hopefully, some extra quality.

[rg6royal]

Fed
Griff Mills Pearce Harte
Kebe Karacan Howard McAnuff
Chruch Hunt

[BR2]

I'd actually put harte at centreback and khiz at left back. Wouldn't like to see harte vs scannell on that wing when it came to pace. In truth I think Williams will start.
Don't care what we put up front, its gonna be trial and error for a while.

Wait till you see Harte and then you will realise that he is no centre-back especially at this level..

[BR2]

I'd actually put harte at centreback and khiz at left back. Wouldn't like to see harte vs scannell on that wing when it came to pace. In truth I think Williams will start.
Don't care what we put up front, its gonna be trial and error for a while.

Wait till you see Harte and then you will realise that at 5ft 9 in or thereabouts he is no centre-back especially at this level..

[Arthur Pint]

I suspect, as most do, that we will go 4-4-2, but I'm sure there must be some part of McD that will try and find someone to play in the Gylfi role just off the main striker, I can't see any of our current forwards (Church, Long, Hunt) being able to do that role. I think Howard played it for Buck when we first arrived, maybe there'll try that again, so one possibility is...... I'd also like to think that as Cummings didn't disgrace himself against Leicester that he might get to keep a place in the defence, but we know he won't.

Feds

Griffin
Mills
Pearce
Harte

Kebe
Zurab
Karacan
McAnuff

Howard

Long

Although to be honest I'd be pretty upset if we ended up playing that!

[Hoop Blah]

If we had another capable left winger we could move McAnuff into the central role and let him roam from there.

Personally I think we'd miss his work rate out wide if we did that so I can't see it being an option, especially as it would mean starting one of the sub-standard backup players we have.

[Scarface]

I'd actually put harte at centreback and khiz at left back. Wouldn't like to see harte vs scannell on that wing when it came to pace. In truth I think Williams will start.
Don't care what we put up front, its gonna be trial and error for a while.

Thanks for making laugh out loud Pea. I'm sure Scannell has a long term injury, but your theory on playing Harte and Khiz out of position is simply hilarious.

Khiz should play, but I imagine it will be at right back, unless Griffin is fit, as Mcdermott will probably stick with Mills and the Oil Tanker.

[Arthur Pint]

If we had another capable left winger we could move McAnuff into the central role and let him roam from there.

Personally I think we'd miss his work rate out wide if we did that so I can't see it being an option, especially as it would mean starting one of the sub-standard backup players we have.

I did consider McAnuff as the other potential player in that central role becasue of his creativity, but as you rightly point out HRK and Antonio aren't ready to fill his boots out wide, maybe this is why we are being linked to Kightly??

[Spud Gun]

I'd go with this ....


---------------------------------Feds

Griffin / Cummings----Mills------Zurab-----Harte

------------------------Karacan-----Howard

--------------Kebe ------------Taylor ---------McAnuff

-------------------------------- Hunt


subs: McCarthy, Pearce, Williams, Gunnarsson, HRK, Church, Long

[Arthur Pint]

Pretty good line-up Spud Gun, an awful lot to ask of Jake Taylor, I've not seen the lad play but if he was brave enough to take that penalty in the Cup match then maybe his time has come, would be good to think he was a natural replacement for the Sig.

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Federici

Cummings - Can only go from strength to strength after his good performance at Leicester
Pearce
Mills
Williams

McAnuff
Howard
Karacan
Kebe

Long
Hunt

[pea]

I'd actually put harte at centreback and khiz at left back. Wouldn't like to see harte vs scannell on that wing when it came to pace. In truth I think Williams will start.
Don't care what we put up front, its gonna be trial and error for a while.

Wait till you see Harte and then you will realise that he is no centre-back especially at this level..

Well then he was a duff signing because he wasn't good enough to play at left-back for Carlisle anymore so they dropped him into the centre. And just because Khizanishvili has played at centre back for us doesn't mean him playing at left-back is out of position, always been considered a utility player at Blackburn and at Reading.

Dems the facts.

[Jinx]

Federici

Griffin
Khiz
Pearce
Harte

Kebe
Howard
Karacan
McAnuff

Mills
Church

[winchester_royal]

Federici

Cummings - Can only go from strength to strength after his good performance at Leicester
Pearce
Mills
Williams

McAnuff
Howard
Karacan
Kebe

Long
Hunt

If McD chooses all 3 of Cummings, Pearce and Williams, given the players now available to him, then he should be sacked on the spot.

[pea]

Personally I think antonio is our best bet for the gylfi role. Did well in the position for saints when lallana was out, would like to see him given a chance and if it doesn't work at least we can get kightly in soon afterwards and push mcanuff there.

[Archie's penalty]

If everyone's fit it should be Afed, Griff, Kish, Mills, Harte, Kebe, Howard, Karacan, Jobi, Hunt, Church. That looks a good team to me. 4 under 25, 2 over 30, the rest between 25-30. Pretty good balance, good wingers and an intelligent strike force. Pretty upbeat tbh.