Preston and Hull

[CPB]

After a few days of digesting the Preston match. it was one which was pretty much exactly what the Championship is about.

One side (Us) start well, take the lead, miss a few chances after this.
Bad challenge on Norwood by Riis Jakobsen should have been sending off but only a yellow.
Preston chipping balls over the top look half threatening and then one comes off which was coupled with a GK error.
2nd half a bit more even and scrappy at times, we eventually take the lead and control the game for the following several mins.
Then one freekick given away big punt forward misheader and equalise, by the man who should have been sent off.
All on a Tuesday night, Preston fans go wild as if they've won a cup (No slight on them by the way)

I took the positives personally from Tuesday given how poor we looked before these last two matches, I hope we continue to improve tomorrow vs Hull.
Hull are on a bad run themselves, but means nothing come 12:30 tomorrrow.

Slav has some choices to make too.
Does Berge come in ahead of Osborn if both are fit? Does Robinson keep his place or do Basham or Locpata come in? Is Ndaiye ready for his 3rd match in a week, or does Brewster get a nod?
Has Bogle kept well clear of the rest of the squad!?

I'd personally if Osborn is fit potentially put him at LB. RND for me ball watches too much defending, but willing to give him more time. We are desperate for Stevens to be fit in my opinion.

IF fit I'd go: Olsen, Baldock, Basham, Egan, Osborn, Berge, Norwood, Fleck, GibbsWhite, Sharp, Ndaiye

Hopefully whoever is picked will put in a good performance to continue our very recent upturn.

 

[Nagima]

Without looking at any opposition team. We need Davies or Basham in at centre back. RND potentially needs to be replaced, but we may get by until Enda makes an appearance. Not sure Osborn is suited to left back.

Midfield we have now got options but the trick is to find the right balance between attack and defence. Offensively we have improved but we lack a disruptive tackler/ ball winner.

Now looking at teams in the championship Cardiff are similar to Preston. A big side but not great footballing wise. But a threat from crosses and set pieces. Coventry are at the other end of the spectrum. They are small in general but zippy. They keep the ball on the grass and are quite inventive in how they try to create chances.

We are a work in progress and improving. Still got a few weak links and it's still difficult for us fans to know what our best formation and team is. Where do we play Berge? Where do we play Brewster when he comes on. I am convinced based on what I have seen and on his past performances with Swansea that he is an in the box striker. I don't think playing wide or deep that he is capable enough.

The Hull game should mean another 3 points on the board. But we need to continue to develop and settle on a team to be able to cope with the more physical imposing teams.

 

[Snowflake]

Without looking at any opposition team. We need Davies or Basham in at centre back. RND potentially needs to be replaced, but we may get by until Enda makes an appearance. Not sure Osborn is suited to left back.

Midfield we have now got options but the trick is to find the right balance between attack and defence. Offensively we have improved but we lack a disruptive tackler/ ball winner.

Now looking at teams in the championship Cardiff are similar to Preston. A big side but not great footballing wise. But a threat from crosses and set pieces. Coventry are at the other end of the spectrum. They are small in general but zippy. They keep the ball on the grass and are quite inventive in how they try to create chances.

We are a work in progress and improving. Still got a few weak links and it's still difficult for us fans to know what our best formation and team is. Where do we play Berge? Where do we play Brewster when he comes on. I am convinced based on what I have seen and on his past performances with Swansea that he is an in the box striker. I don't think playing wide or deep that he is capable enough.

The Hull game should mean another 3 points on the board. But we need to continue to develop and settle on a team to be able to cope with the more physical imposing teams.

Surely the best left back that we have fit is Robinson.
Playing him out of position at LCB is the problem.

 

[Stretch]

RND just needs a better LCB alongside him I reckon. He is terrific going forward and we still need that threat down the flanks. Other than that, I don't see too many changes, apart from Ndiaye having a rest on the bench, maybe.

If Davies is fit, then swap for Bash and obviously have Egan at RCB, otherwise..

-------------------Olsen----------------
Baldock-----Bash----Egan-------RND
---------Norwood-------Fleck---------
---MGW------ Freeman-------Ozzy---
-------------------Sharp----------------

God knows who goes on the bench, as we have a big squad now...but assuming Bogle is still feeling a bit dicky....

Wes
Robinson or Bash (depending on the above)
Hourihane
Berge
Ndiaye
Brewster
McB

It's going to get very crowded once Stevens, Mousse and Didsy are back from injury, and of course we have Guediora to fit into the mix.

 

[bertieblade]

Must admit to have been disappointed with RND.
defensively he seems to lose his man and is sometimes on totally the wrong side, offensively whilst he is prepared to bomb on it rarely comes to anything as he has neither the pace to Get beyond his opponent or a trick to provide him with space to put a ball in or find a colleague.
I followed his progress in our development ranks and whilst he has been on loan and he appears to have stood still in the past 12 months

 

[Fulwood Blade]

If we are going to play a 4 at the back with full backs who are told to push on, then the 2 x centre backs are absolutely vital to teams that want to play that way.

A lot of teams who play like that have a killer of a deep central midfield player, and i'll use one of the best example: Kante, who reads the game well and cuts out all the crap and protects in front, of which we don't have.

We need to get Davies in if he is fit - we at least have 2 players in Egan/Davies who should be able to hold their own at this level.

This is how Slav wants to play it and it was apparently one of the reasons he doesn't want to play with 3 at the back as it removes a player from attacking.

With Ndiaye & MGW dropping into no:10 positions and only Bill up top and with full backs pushing on, we in effect have 7 players to cause havoc - which we saw against Peterborough but not quite so much against Preston.

The object should be clear to most Blades now as to how SJ wants to play - quick, fast, incisive football played at speed and players moving all over the place - we just need more time on the training ground to make it work better. But it does leave us open to balls over the top resulting in Prestons first goal. The second goal was just poor defending and the sort of thing that shouldn't happen at any level.

Get Davies in AND get Berge in. Berge to replace the one person in midfield that cannot win in a 1 on 1 situation.

UTB

 

[Isaw Joeshaw]

RND just needs a better LCB alongside him I reckon. He is terrific going forward and we still need that threat down the flanks. Other than that, I don't see too many changes, apart from Ndiaye having a rest on the bench, maybe.

If Davies is fit, then swap for Bash and obviously have Egan at RCB, otherwise..

-------------------Olsen----------------
Baldock-----Bash----Egan-------RND
---------Norwood-------Fleck---------
---MGW------ Freeman-------Ozzy---
-------------------Sharp----------------

God knows who goes on the bench, as we have a big squad now...but assuming Bogle is still feeling a bit dicky....

Wes
Robinson or Bash (depending on the above)
Hourihane
Berge
Ndiaye
Brewster
McB

It's going to get very crowded once Stevens, Mousse and Didsy are back from injury, and of course we have Guediora to fit into the mix.

9/10 for the line up - just needs Ndaiye in place of Freeman and it would have been spot on .

 

[Stretch]

9/10 for the line up - just needs Ndaiye in place of Freeman and it would have been spot on .

Well we'll see mate

All things being well I would start Ndiaye too, but I suspect he might struggle to start 3 games in a week, hence the bench.

Highly likely Berge will have staked a claim to start now as well.

 

[1889]

I don’t expect Freeman will start after his performance v Preston, I think we’ll see Berge on from the start and whilst I’d like to see Basham come in for Robinson, I suspect Berge will be the only change from the team that started on Tuesday night.

 

[Nagima]

Surely the best left back that we have fit is Robinson.
Playing him out of position at LCB is the problem.

It doesn't matter where he plays in my view. He is error prone. Playing LCB or LB we can't afford someone who completely misjudges the flight of the ball. Who gets knocked over easily by an opposing forward or taking down a high ball and getting robbed by an unfit Jack Marriot.