Chopping & Changing

[BeardedSaXon]

In my opinion the reason we aren't playing great one half and peppering the goal the other is because there is no consistency with our starting 11. I wish Mr Clough would pick a settled team week in week out. I understand we have/get injuries and he wants to get game time to his squad but I believe we would become a much more solid team if we did. Especially in defence where we are conceding goals that could be avoided. We haven't had the same starting players in consecutive games so far this season and that has to change. My 11 would be...

GK - Howard
RB - Alcock
CB - McCarthy
CB - McGahey
LB - McEveley
RM - Campbell-Ryce
CM - Wallace
CM - Davies
LM - Murphy
ST - Baxter
ST - McNulty

SUBS - Turner, Harris, Flynn, Scougall, Reed, Dimaio, Higdon

 

[Fulwood Blade]

For what it's worth..........

JCR has to start
Mcnulty has to start
Wallace has to start

perm any 8 from the rest.

UTB

 

[sitwell]

Doyle and Collins ?

 

[Nick Jansky]

Harsh on Doyle. There is a reason that consecutive managers keep picking him.

 

[mattbianco1]

Harsh on Doyle. There is a reason that consecutive managers keep picking him.

Yes but. People can't see it and couldn't see it with Monty.

I watched the Chelsea v Arsenal game last Sunday on SKY and thought about Oscar in that he's not really a world beater and they have better players... Then I watched MOTD2 that night and they picked up Oscar as a MOM performance, they then showed numerous clips of him pressing, chasing down, intercepting, making simple passes etc. Its all of that that many United fans don't see that Doyle does.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Yes but. People can't see it and couldn't see it with Monty.

The difference is Doyle can at least pass a ball - Monty couldn't.

Both have ALWAYS given 100%.

UTB

 

[BeardedSaXon]

Collins isn't good enough. He has been too inconsistent over the past couple of seasons and your always waiting for the next mistake. Sooner we can move him on the better. Davies can do just as good a job as Doyle in middle of the park plus he has the ability to pick a killer pass and his set plays and goals get him the start over Doyle every day of the week

 

[Benny and the Blades]

I like Davis he has goals in him and I could not understand why when we needed goals this afternoon he chose Basham instead of him, but I wouldn't choose him to play midfield over Doyle...

 

[Guesty]

For what it's worth..........

JCR has to start
Mcnulty has to start
Wallace has to start

perm any 8 from the rest.

UTB

Wallace looks class, unfortunately it also looks like he can't be relied upon. No point building a team around a man who is going to be out injured half the time.

 

[Fulwood Blade]

Wallace looks class, unfortunately it also looks like he can't be relied upon. No point building a team around a man who is going to be out injured half the time.

The club just needs to manage Wallace properly - am told the club training is at a similar pace to games - well, if Wallace is struggling then it's a case of being careful with him during the week, but without doubt, he appears to be a very important cog in the team.

UTB

 

[OllyBlade]

Davies in centre mid? If that's the solution, it must be one weird problem.

 

[sheffielder]

I am not the greatest Michael Doyle fan, but I'd give him a game over Davies!

Personally

Howard
Alcock McCarthy McGahey Harris
JCR or Flynn Wallace Doyle Murphy
Baxter
McfuckingNuts

 

[BeardedSaXon]

My thread wasn't about Collins, Doyle, Davies or anyone in particular. The thread is about picking a consistent team and by doing that we will see performances improve. I don't shout and slate players while I'm sat on the kop, never have and never will as long as there wearing the red and white of my club.

 

[super_pig]

controversial maybe.. but as skillful as Baxter is.. i dont' think he fits in the team <shrugs>
he's not a CF .. and not a CM.. maybe a false 9.. but we dont have Xavi
Saxons team is the 'Mac backs'

 

[robbiez666]

There was talk of him going to Norwich last year because he didn't fit in. I'd just drop Scougs and play him behind the main striker.

 

[Worksop II]

Wallace looks class, unfortunately it also looks like he can't be relied upon. No point building a team around a man who is going to be out injured half the time.

He spends a lot of time after runs and tackles feeling his Hamstring, Calf, Ankle .... whatever

Either he is made of broken biscuit or his confidence is so shaken he expects to come out injured

 

[Chezzy Blades]

We don't have any other player at the club who can do the job Doyle does, and until we find a better replacement he has to play. I was one of the ones calling for us to drop him when we were struggling last season, first time he didn't play was away at Crewe when our midfield got overrun and we were tragic as a whole. We won 10 in a row after that and Doyle played and was a key man in 8 of them.

 

[BeardedSaXon]

Davies in centre mid? If that's the solution, it must be one weird problem.

I don't see why Davies couldn't play centre mid. He can tackle, he can head the ball, he gets stuck in, he can pass the ball forward, sideways, backwards and when he passes the ball 9 times out 10 it actually goes to a team mate, he can score, he tracks back, he never seems to go missing during games and he will also give 100% every time. To me they are the qualities that make a good central midfielder

 

[OllyBlade]

I don't see why Davies couldn't play centre mid. He can tackle, he can head the ball, he gets stuck in, he can pass the ball forward, sideways, backwards and when he passes the ball 9 times out 10 it actually goes to a team mate, he can score, he tracks back, he never seems to go missing during games and he will also give 100% every time. To me they are the qualities that make a good central midfielder

Fair enough I just don't think he'd have the experience of playing in the position!

 

[DazBlade88]

controversial maybe.. but as skillful as Baxter is.. i dont' think he fits in the team <shrugs>
he's not a CF .. and not a CM.. maybe a false 9.. but we dont have Xavi
Saxons team is the 'Mac backs'

I think he fits if we play the right 3 players in front of him. This is the way forward for me:

JCR --------- Baxter ------------Flynn/Murphy


---------------McNulty

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

The last 4 games Clough has picked 4 different combinations in central defence, using a mixture of 5 different players, that's the surest way of leaking goals. The problem is we haven't got a dominant centre half who makes it his job to win all the first balls in there. Collins would be fine at this level with a big centre half alongside him, as would any of the other centre halves currently at the club.

They've raked £5m in over the summer and not to get a proper replacement for Maguire is criminal. Get in a proper defensive lynch pin at the back and the rest will click into gear.

 

[davidpinder]

So we all want a centre half in that won't be here after the end of the month ? We need a settled side, settled back 4 that Clough needs to stick with permanently. He should know his team by now.

 

[SUFC Handsworth]

Clough knows he hasn't got the right components at the centre of defence, that's we've had swapping and changing in the last few weeks and why he started the season with Alcock at cb. With the current centre halves at the club I couldn't put hand on heart and say that's the two who should be playing every week. All of them are mop-up centre backs.

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

I don't see why Davies couldn't play centre mid. He can tackle, he can head the ball, he gets stuck in, he can pass the ball forward, sideways, backwards and when he passes the ball 9 times out 10 it actually goes to a team mate, he can score, he tracks back, he never seems to go missing during games and he will also give 100% every time. To me they are the qualities that make a good central midfielder

I agree with a lot of that about Doyle other than the he can score bit. That's the trouble he doesn't score enough, and the frustrating thing is, he has a decent left peg, which he should use more. There was a sniff of a shooting chance today in first half but he chose to pass. He is one of the best strikers of a ball at the club, so use it more Doyley !.

 

[BeardedSaXon]

I agree with a lot of that about Doyle other than the he can score bit. That's the trouble he doesn't score enough, and the frustrating thing is, he has a decent left peg, which he should use more. There was a sniff of a shooting chance today in first half but he chose to pass. He is one of the best strikers of a ball at the club, so use it more Doyley !.

The post is about Davies not Doyle

 

[crucialkneeligaman]

The post is about Davies not Doyle

Sorry mate, it was getting late at night, both begin with D though, got that bit right.

 

[LSF]

I don't see why Davies couldn't play centre mid. He can tackle, he can head the ball, he gets stuck in, he can pass the ball forward, sideways, backwards and when he passes the ball 9 times out 10 it actually goes to a team mate, he can score, he tracks back, he never seems to go missing during games and he will also give 100% every time. To me they are the qualities that make a good central midfielder

Wow, you've just described Doyle there Darth, err, I mean Bearded Sax....