Team for Bournemouth (A)

[Royal Ginger]

The majority are saying that the team must change other threads, so what would you go with?

----------------------Federici-----------------------
Cummings---Hector---Pearce(c)-----Obita
---------------Norwood---Akpan----------------
Blackman--------------------------------Mackie
----------------------Cox-----------------------------
---------------------Murray-------------------------

Subs: Andersen, Gunter, Cooper, Kuhl, Taylor, Robson-Kanu, Pogrebnyak

As much as i dislike Akpan, he has recently shown himself to be a marginally less bad option than Kuhl or Taylor. Cummings in for Gunter is the obvious shake up based on recent form. The problem is the two CBs. The only real viable alternative is Cooper who's still largely untested. The second problem is that with Gunter out of the team, who would be captain without Pearce? Lack of leaders.

[No Fixed Abode]

I was going to suggest putting Cummings in for Gunter, who was quite clearly at fault for two of Derby's goals on Saturday.

[tidus_mi2]

If Cummings is fit he should get a go, Gunter is in horrible form at the moment, perhaps being dropped is exactly the wake up call he needs. Also agree with bringing back Akpan, the stats speak for themselves, we concede a lot less goals with him in the team, I suspect he fills in the ball-winning role left by Karacan and Williams injuries, otherwise we are too lightweight in the middle and leave a poor defence exposed.

I wouldn't be adverse to Cooper getting a go either, Pearce and Hector aren't exactly doing the best right now.

[Sutekh]

Cummings is injured. There no options to change the back 4 at all other than to switch Pearce or Hector for Cooper unless there is a miracle in the loan market for Reading before noon (I think) tomorrow.

Best we can hope defensively is Akpan back in midfield.

[arthurfondrelli]

Federici

Gunter
Hector
Pearce
Obita

Blackman
Akpan
Norwood
HRK

Cox

Murray

[Sanguine]

For the life of me I just can't understand why anyone would ever choose to play HRK. He's a tryer, but dear god he is low on quality.

[Sanguine]

And is Stephen Kelly dead?

[SCIAG]

See no real reason to think Akpan would improve things. He's good in the air but he doesn't actually provide much protection. However, I don't think Taylor is a suitable partner for Norwood and we'll only get the best out of Kuhl when we're in good form. Tshibola should be fit soon and is probably due a run of starts. For now I think Akpan might be the best option but he might need subbing at half time again.

Possibilities at right back:
- Gunter - our best right back but in poor form
- Stephen Kelly - returning from injury, might not be fully fit, not impressed recently
- Keown - returning from injury, would be making debut
- Hector - currently playing centre back, albeit badly
- others - not realistic right now. Fitness issues or playing in new positions or just not ready.

Unless we're 100% sure on the fitness of Keown or Kelly then I'd like to see Hector shifted to right back (which I think suits him more than centre back) and Cooper in at centre back

Wingers - Blackman must start if fit. HRK>Taylor>Mackie right now.

So:
---------------Federici---------------
Hector--Pearce--Cooper--Obita
---------Norwood--Akpan---------
Blackman-----Cox------------HRK
--------------Murray-----------------
Subs: Andersen, Keown, Gunter, Kuhl, Taylor, Mackie, Pogrebnyak

[Pepe the Horseman]

Cummings is injured. There no options to change the back 4 at all other than to switch Pearce or Hector for Cooper unless there is a miracle in the loan market for Reading before noon (I think) tomorrow.

Best we can hope defensively is Akpan back in midfield.

He's an attacking midfielder.

[JordCot]

Feds
Gunter Hector Pearce Obita
Norwood
Blackman Taylor Akpan Hal
Murray

[SCIAG]

You wouldn't even stick Cox on the wing?

[Platypuss]

For the life of me I just can't understand why anyone would ever choose to play HRK. He's a tryer, but dear god he is low on quality.

I think I'd have it exactly the other way round. Has innate quality but rarely seems to apply it when (and where) it matters.

[P!ssed Off]

For the life of me I just can't understand why anyone would ever choose to play HRK. He's a tryer, but dear god he is low on quality.

I think I'd have it exactly the other way round. Has innate quality but rarely seems to apply it when (and where) it matters.

Agreed on quality.
I can't see how you can call a midfielder who scored 7 goals in a Premier League season, despite only starting 13 games, "low on quality". That simply does not happen unless you have a certain quality.

But he's also a tryer imo.
He's inconsistent but a large part of the reason for this surely has to be down to injuries. He rarely gets a run of games going before picking up the next injury.

[Sanguine]

Just my view of him. He rarely looks very good on the ball, he isn't as strong as his size says he should be. He isn't particularly quick. His finishing is serviceable, but rarely convincing.

I did post a while back, every club has a HRK. You'd think he'd lose his place in a heartbeat the minute the club signs someone half decent, but 6 or 7 seasons on, he's still here, for some reason.

[Diddyroyal]

Feds
Hector Cooper Pearce
Gunter Norwood Akpan HRK Obita
Cox Murray

3-5-2 in attack and changes to 5-3-2 in defence, gives the struggling defence an extra man when defending and an extra player when attacking, obita and Gunter are not great defenders so this gives them a bit more insurance when going forward with cooper in there

[sandman]

Cummings is injured. There no options to change the back 4 at all other than to switch Pearce or Hector for Cooper unless there is a miracle in the loan market for Reading before noon (I think) tomorrow.

Best we can hope defensively is Akpan back in midfield.

He's an attacking midfielder.

Read Aaron Kuhl's interview in Saturday's programme to see what Akpan's role is. He may well be an attacking midfielder but that does not mean that is the role he plays in this team.

[sandman]

Federici

Gunter (only because he's the only fully fit RB)
Pearce
Cooper
Obita

Blackman
Norwood
Akpan
HRK

Cox
Murray

Subs: Andersen, Hector, Kelly, Taylor, Kuhl, Mackie, Pog

Four Four F[u]cking Two

[peterroyal76]

Feds

Gunter
Obita
Pearce
Cooper

Mackie
Norwood
Hector
Blackman

Cox
Murray

Andersen, Long, Kuhl, Akpan, HRK, Pog, Taylor.

[SCIAG]

For the life of me I just can't understand why anyone would ever choose to play HRK. He's a tryer, but dear god he is low on quality.

I think I'd have it exactly the other way round. Has innate quality but rarely seems to apply it when (and where) it matters.

Agreed on quality.
I can't see how you can call a midfielder who scored 7 goals in a Premier League season, despite only starting 13 games, "low on quality". That simply does not happen unless you have a certain quality.

But he's also a tryer imo.
He's inconsistent but a large part of the reason for this surely has to be down to injuries. He rarely gets a run of games going before picking up the next injury.

The main reason Hal hasn't yet established himself in our first team IMO is his total defensive inability. It isn't that he doesn't try, he'll often track back but forget he's supposed to be tracking a run or he'll just get skinned. That made it hard for him to be selected ahead of Jobi. Of course, injuries haven't helped.

Going forward he strikes the ball very well and can beat a full back easily, but I don't think his close control is particularly good. He's not good in tight spaces, being very reliant on his pace and power. His best performances have come on the wing where IMO he's more than good enough, but in the middle I think we'll only get his best if he's on the shoulder of the last man, he doesn't have the close control to play like Cox.

[JordCot]

You wouldn't even stick Cox on the wing?

No, my thinking was 1) we need to have more bodies in CM 2) we need Akpan back and 3) Taylor had a decent game and is a bit different from Norwood and Akpan so a 3rd type of midfielder in there. I don't see Cox having any impact out wide whatsoever, scored goals for us this season so fair play to him but I just don't see him having the pace or trickery to play out wide and I doubt he would offer much more defensively than Hal