Team V Toon

[Chuckle Brother]

Same side, Cisse in for MM.

Why on earth do all these unforced changes when the side has done so well over the past 5 games?

James Henry is nowhere near good enough yet, let alone making his debut away at St James Park? He would get eaten alive

Completely agree with that.

Doyle to occasionally drop deeper (or Kitson as he is tending to do anyway) to add extras numbers in midfield when needed.

[brendywendy]

You're right surely it is better to perform badly in a reserve game than well

2 other points

1) That game v spurs was almost 3 months ago

2) How about all the other games where convey was rubbish

Would you like me to name all the games where Hunt's been rubbish?

Very well...
Portsmouth (H)
Aston Villa (A)
Bolton (H)
Everton (A)
Aston Villa (H)
Liverpool (A)
Birmingham (H)
Blackburn (H)

There's 8 games, which is more than a fifth of the season.

Convey's had to play mostly out of position this season and done alright - he certainly hasn't had enough bad games to justify the slagging off he's had on here given the amount of tolerance set aside for one John Oster. Then again, I wouldn't expect much more from those on a forum where the most frequent poster rates Thierry Henry as 'overrated' and Cristiano Ronaldo, the best player in the world as nothing more than a diver.

I find it amusing that on Hunt's one main feature in the centre of midfield, he rated his own performance as 'poor' and admitted he wasn't up to it himself - quite some revelation given that winchester royal would happily throw him back in at the expense of Kalifa Cisse, who rescued us at St Andrews and Upton Park. How dare I recall certain instances from matches which actually happened though - the fantacist is always right, especially when they agree with Steve Coppell, who shall not be questioned as one sensational season makes you some sort of God with no room for improvement.

sorry- thats two sensational seasons, not just in our own terms, but 106 points, and 8th place in our 1st ever season in the top flight is almost unparralelled


and LOL at the huge ammounts of tolerance for oster.

agree with you about convey though-people forget too quickly round here
writing sonko, marcus, murts or convey off just yet is a tad premature

[CMRoyal]

Royalee.....i would rather put Federici on the left wing than convey at the moment

Take it you went to Spurs away in the cup, which was his last decent run-out?

Thought not - let's put someone Norwich bombed out after a couple've weeks instead. Twat.

Actually i did, and i assume you didn't go to the reserves game yesterday where convey was tripe, and henry was our best player?

I'm not sure why you have to be so abusive, Royalee, it's like a virtual Tourettes with you.

I went to Spurs away in the Cup as well, and Convey certainly did play well in the advanced midfield position. But since then he hasn't done much (whether that be his fault or not. Saw the Ressies match Tuesday and he was OKish)) so it would be a gamble. Hunt can't hold on to the ball and play the simple pass, something that Marek does so well and which (at the risk of descending into hyperbole) has transformed our season. Oster is the closest we have to MM, if he can just learn to keep it simple. It's probably a bit late for him to learn, though. I fear for the defence, I really do, given the pressure they might end up under with a Cissé/Harps partnership in central midfield. I'd almost forgive SC packing the midfield and playing one (Kitson) up front. Team would therefore be:-

USA

Rosenior
Ingimarsson
Bikey
Shorey

Doyle
Oster (tucking in)
Cisse
Harps
Hunt

Kitson

Suns: Fed, Doobs, Convey, Long, Oxf*rd-knows (LIttle maybe)

[weybridgewanderer]

1/ you weren't at the reserve game either

2/ henry was never our best player, despite his goal and the great shot that hit the bar he missed 2 "sitters" in the second half

Thats not what a number of people who went to the game said

possibly the same people that say hunt or even shane long are player of the season cause they run about a lot?

[Tilehurst End]

USA

Rosenior
Bikey
Ingi
Shorey

Oster
Cisse
Harper
Hunt

Kitson
Doyle

Federici
Murty
Long
Fae
Convey

[Leamington Royal]

Cisse in for MM would be a sound tactical decision even if it was not forced. The only other change I'd contemplate is Long in for Doyle. Doyle looks like he's getting even less likely to score - what does he have to do to get dropped? Long has also done a good job when he has started recently and is showing more pace than Doyle.

Other than that I don't see how you can justify changing a team that has earned more points in the last month than at any other point in the season.

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

Judging from Coppell's statements on the OS, I'd say it is pretty unlikely for Little to be involved at all on Saturday.

[rg6royal]

USA
Rosenier Bikey Ingi Shorey
Oster Cisse Harps Hunt
Doyle Kitson

Subs - Fed, Doobs, Convey, Fae, Long

[gazzer, loyal royal]

i wouldn't be surprised if Blakey travelled with the squad just to get into a match day routine again

[The Surgeon of Crowthorne]

USA
Rosenier Bikey Ingi Shorey
Oster Cisse Harps Hunt
Doyle Kitson

Subs - Fed, Doobs, Convey, Fae, Long

I think that's pretty much how they'll line up.

[Ian Royal]

USA
Rosenior
Shorey
Bikey
Ivar
Harper
Cisse
Oster
Hunt
Kitson
Doyle

Fed, Long, Little, Murty, Convey

Little on for Cisse if we're losing 2nd half, Oster into the middle. Same if we're not winning with 15 to go. Little on for Oster if we're winning whenever Coppell wants.
Long on for Doyle 2nd half should we be losing/(slightly later)not winning.

[Ian Royal]

Hahnemann

Shorey
Ingimarsson
Bikey
Rosenior

Covey
Harper
Hunt
Oster

Doyle
Kitson

That is the most lightweight midfield in the history of top-flight football.

Between them they would make less than 10 tackles all game

So because during Mareks 5 tackles per game he usually manages 4 fouls he isn't as lightweight as Convey? At least Convey has the pace to keep up with an attacker.

[Mad Dog's Ghost]

Defence picks itself.

5-man midfield

Hunt Harper Cisse Oster Doyle

One man up front

I'd pick Long because of his pace but it will be Kitson because he holds it up better.

[Ian Royal]

5 man midfield isn't a bad idea, but I'm not sure of Doyle at RW... not that we have many alternatives...

Hunt, Harper, Fae, Cisse, Oster ???

Kitson

[PEARCEY]

Or move Doyle back to the right wing, seeing as he can't score. Give Long a go up front...

Agreed but I think Coppell will play Cisse instead of Marek with Long remaining on the bench. As with Bikey Coppell is taking his tiime over giving Long a decent run in the starting line-up