What in hell's name will the team be from now on?

[PEARCEY]

FWIW - my team would be the following:

Fed

Cummings - O'Dea - Pearce - Betrand

Gunnar

Sig - Karacan - Kebe

Rasiak - NHunt

Mine, too.

Just because BR has signed some senior players doesn't mean they are all nailed on to start ..................we did win the last match, after all.

Our problems have been in the final third whereas Siggy and Karacan have been very good so far in the centre. Whoever gets their places should expect to work for them.

On the other hand, we clearly need Rasiak now with only Hunt have any claim to some form at the sharp end.

That side isn't a bad call. The back four is certainly what I would expect because I think Rodgers is more likely to drop Mills than Pearce at the moment particularly because of the captaincy role. O'Dea ,if fit, is a likely starter.

[Ian Royal]

I actually don't know what our strongest team is because we have so many options in midfield and in the attacking third.

Bit like last season really. Loads of options, the key is the right mix and motivation.

[Ian Royal]

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

Cummings...........Mills......................O'Dea..........Bertrand

..............Marek..............Gylfi.................Howard...........

.......McAnuff..................................................Kebe.....

..................................N.Hunt...................................

Subs
Hamer
Pearce
Cisse
Bryn
Karacan
HRK
Rasiak

Really hard to leave out players like Tabb and Long out completely.

Right...so who is captain? ......No obvious candidates in your starting eleven Alex!

And who exactly are you expecting to tackle in the midfield? Because Siggurdsson is the only even remote possibility.

[Dr Hfuhruhurr]

To be fair, that's what you end with when you panic buy in the bargain basement.

I think we have a half decent squad now, to be fair.

There are going to be some big losers mind you.

Long - Quite a long way down the pecking order, now, arent you?
Church - Should have scored when you had the chance
Henry - Not as good as you think you are
Robson Kanu - Swindon beckons
Matejovsky - That makes you what? 8th choice?
Tabb - Should be a guaranteed starter, mind, but doesnt look like it.

Im only surprised we didnt pick up a keeper.

And Im guessing O'Dea will replace Mills not Pearce, whilst Mills gets fit / proves his worth.

[Sun Tzu]

Surely the centre back combination is a rather more complex choice than many are assuming ?

It's got nothingt o do with how much we paid for a player or whether they are (vice) captain.

It's about a blend.

Left sided / right sided

Tackler / coverer

pacy / strong

talker / doer

etc etc

If Mills and O'Dea are too similar then they won;t play together as first choice. If Neither are the sort that will organise and talk then you can;t have the pair in the same side.

I've not been too impressed by Mills so far but plenty of players start slowly at a new club. I have noidea what O'Dea is like. I therefore have noidea what the piaring will be !

[Maguire]

I assume O'Dea is left-footed? Never even heard of him before we signed him, I'm just going on the fact he's reported to have played left-back on occasion.

If so then instinctively you'd play him with Mills and not Pearce who's also left-footed.

Although as noted there are other factors involved. Nice to have some choice though.

Agree with Dr H that we look better now, squadwise, than a month ago.

[SteveRoyal]

Surely the centre back combination is a rather more complex choice than many are assuming ?

It's got nothingt o do with how much we paid for a player or whether they are (vice) captain.

It's about a blend.

Left sided / right sided

Tackler / coverer

pacy / strong

talker / doer

etc etc

If Mills and O'Dea are too similar then they won;t play together as first choice. If Neither are the sort that will organise and talk then you can;t have the pair in the same side.

I've not been too impressed by Mills so far but plenty of players start slowly at a new club. I have noidea what O'Dea is like. I therefore have noidea what the piaring will be !

Decent post. Agreed.

[Handsome Man]

To echo the sentiments at the top of this thread, what the fcuk is going on?

That team is unrecognisable. Oh well, through thick and thin....

I don't like it when it is like this - too many Tommy Burns memories.
Still. We are due a crap manager and a relegation.

[Snowball]

Has Rodgers ever played 5-3-2?

We suddenly have 3 VG CBs and two very attacking, fast, fit, young FBs.

The RB seems to have got behind opposition defences for WBA, and that's before "bedding in", good crosses too


I wouldn't want to have to pick a shape or the eleven.

[Sun Tzu]

Has Rodgers ever played 5-3-2?

We suddenly have 3 VG CBs and two very attacking, fast, fit, young FBs.

Which CB don't you rate ?

5-3-2 seems like an awful waste of midfielders.....

[bigmike]

Before it was more of a choice between who was best for the position (2 from Doyle, Lita, Kitson or 2 from Gunnar, Sidwell, Harper) know it seems like lets pick who's going to feck it up the least

Not for me. But if you want to be a tediously negative pcunt then fair enough.

Nothing to do with being negative I just don't see consistent performances (you cunt)

How could you have possibly seen consistant performances the team havent played together enough to be judged yet..

Maybe just maybe theres gonna be a post on here thats positive for a change.

[AbovetheI]

Feds

Cummings Mills O`Dea Bertrand

Siggy Howard Davies Robson-Kanu

Hunt Rasiak

hamer
tabb
sisse
church
kebe
karacan
henry

Seems about right, but Rodgers won't drop Kebe.

[Isaac Hunt]

Something like this....

GK: Fed

RB: Cummings
CB: Mills
CB: O'Dea/Pearce
LB: Betrand

DCM: Gunnar (Karacan, rotate depending on opp)

RCM: Sig
LCM: Howard

RF: McAnuff
CF: Rasiak/NHunt
LF: Kebe

[chandog]

Fed
Cummings......Pearce...............Mills...............Bertrand
...........Marek..........Karacan........Howard.................
Kebe.......................................................HRK
..............................Hunt....................................

Hamer, ODea, Cisse, Mcanuff, Tabb, Rasiak, Davies

then the likes of Gunnar, Kelly, Siggy, Church, Henry and Long to come in if changes are needed

[rhroyal]

I feel sorry for Mooney. Comes from Cork as highly rated as Doyle before him. Has a very decent loan spell with a very poor Norwich side. Scores 2 goals in his start for the club (Burton Albion, granted). Nowhere near the team.

[winchester_royal]

I feel sorry for Mooney. Comes from Cork as highly rated as Doyle before him. Has a very decent loan spell with a very poor Norwich side. Scores 2 goals in his start for the club (Burton Albion, granted). Nowhere near the team.

Obviously you didn't see him against Barnsley in the cup.........

Utter gash.

[Sun Tzu]

I feel sorry for Mooney. Comes from Cork as highly rated as Doyle before him. Has a very decent loan spell with a very poor Norwich side. Scores 2 goals in his start for the club (Burton Albion, granted). Nowhere near the team.

Obviously you didn't see him against Barnsley in the cup.........

Utter gash.

Obviously you didn;t see him against Burton !

Never understand why people make silly statements based on one game.

He wasn;t even that bad against Barnsley !

[Terminal Boardom]

Has Rodgers ever played 5-3-2?

We suddenly have 3 VG CBs and two very attacking, fast, fit, young FBs.

Which CB don't you rate ?

5-3-2 seems like an awful waste of midfielders.....

Worked more than well enough when the midfield trio were Gooding, Taylor and Osbourne. Our WBs were Gilkes and Skippy IIRC. It just adds further dimension to what we have to play with. Unless Rogers decides to swamp the midfield and play all of them.

[winchester_royal]

I feel sorry for Mooney. Comes from Cork as highly rated as Doyle before him. Has a very decent loan spell with a very poor Norwich side. Scores 2 goals in his start for the club (Burton Albion, granted). Nowhere near the team.

Obviously you didn't see him against Barnsley in the cup.........

Utter gash.

Obviously you didn;t see him against Burton !

Never understand why people make silly statements based on one game.

He wasn;t even that bad against Barnsley !

Burton are an average League 2 side.

And yes, he was that bad against Barnsley.

[Sun Tzu]

Burton are an average League 2 side.

And yes, he was that bad against Barnsley.

Makes no odds what division Burton are in, Mooney played well.

Not sure why you persist in writing him off on the basis of your perception of one game. Based on that game you wouldn;t really rate any of the starting line up.