Team for Millwall in the Cup

[JOEYDEE]

We arent going to beat liverpool.
Its abfools errand.

No...but someone else might

 

[Ricky]

This is a hard game and one we really need to try and win. We can't put out a weak team.

If we don't play Norwood our midfield won't work.

Besic will still be fresher than Lundstram and also needs the game time more. This game will suit him.

Hopefully L.Freeman is OK to play but if not put Osborn LCM with O'Connell or Stevens coming in and Jobinson LCB or LWB.

Sharp and McBurnie play well together and both are suitable for a tough battle like this will be. Both major Championship goalscorers.

Leaving Baldock, Stevens, Lundstram and McGoldrick out altogether makes sense for rest and recovery reasons.

 

[Houston_Blade]

This is a hard game and one we really need to try and win. We can't put out a weak team.

If we don't play Norwood our midfield won't work.

Besic will still be fresher than Lundstram and also needs the game time more. This game will suit him.

Hopefully L.Freeman is OK to play but if not put Osborn LCM with O'Connell or Stevens coming in and Jobinson LCB or LWB.

Sharp and McBurnie play well together and both are suitable for a tough battle like this will be. Both major Championship goalscorers.

Leaving Baldock, Stevens, Lundstram and McGoldrick out altogether makes sense for rest and recovery reasons.

For those attending the game I hope we play a decent team. However, we won't win the cup and we might get injuries so pragmatism needs to be a consideration.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

However, we won't win the cup

Not with that attitude certainly. We may well have reached the semi-finals 4 times since I’ve been following the club, but despite it being the 4th round the way we’ve played this year, the players at our disposal now, and the relative lack of pressure in the league, makes this in my view our best opportunity to win it for a very long time. And one we might not get next year if it’s a tougher season.

 

[Houston_Blade]

Not with that attitude certainly. We may well have reached the semi-finals 4 times since I’ve been following the club, but despite it being the 4th round the way we’ve played this year, the players at our disposal now, and the relative lack of pressure in the league, makes this in my view our best opportunity to win it for a very long time. And one we might not get next year if it’s a tougher season.

I'm not playing so it doesn't matter what my attitude is.

I'll qualify what I say slightly. If we play anything less than the first 11 we won't win the cup. It's unlikely, given what we know about Wilder that he will revert to playing a full strength team in the FA cup this year. Therefore I stand by my view that we won't win the FA Cup.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

It's unlikely, given what we know about Wilder that he will revert to playing a full strength team in the FA cup this year.

In fairness, in each of the previous seasons with Wilder, we’ve been either in, or fighting to be in, a really tough promotion battle, so his attitude to date is less a suggestion he doesn’t value the competition but more that it’s second to the league in priority – as it should be. I think if we get through this round and continue our league form, the minute we confirm safety Wilder will take this competition extremely seriously.

 

[BladeTillIDie]

Verrips

Rodwell Jagielka Bryan

Freeman Lundstram Freeman Morrison Robinson

McGoldrick Robinson

 

[GroovyBrad]

Verrips
K.Freeman, Rodwell, Jagielka, J.Robinson, Osborn
Besic
Morrison , L.Freeman
Sharp, C.Robinson

 

[RMBlade]

-------------Verrips------------
-Basham---Egan---Robinson-
Freeman---------------Osborn
--Besic--Norwood--Freeman--
-----Robinson------Sharp-----

Should be more than enough to beat Millwall and rests a lot of key players.

 

[TAMUS]

Got to include McBurnie or he will be off on a Jolly..................Going for his hat-trick of headlines , for when his book gets published .

 

[S64 Blade]

------- -------Verrips--------------
---Rodwell----Jags----Robinson---
--K Freeman----------------Osborn-
--------Norwood--Besic-----------
--------------L Freeman-----------
--------Sharp--------McGoldrick (Mousset if not fit)


I think all the defence need a break.

 

[Charlieblade]

I have seen numerous teams suggested with Rodwell at full back, and one or two with him at CB.
Wilder made it quite clear after the Fylde game that Rodwell was a midfielder.
Play Rodwell in midfield and rest Norwood.
Wilder can still have strong team out, but a few players are too key to our success to risk in a game like this. Norwood is one and McGoldrick is another..

 

[BiggerBladeThanThou]

I'd play Sharp, McGoldrick and Robinson from the off with Moussett off the bench on 60mins.

All starting 3 need a goal and Moussett needs match fitness and a goal too.

 

[jt64]

Verrips - Robinson, Egan, Rodwell - Osborn, Freeman, Norwood, Lundstram, Freeman - Robinson, Sharp

 

[LoughboroBlade]

I have seen numerous teams suggested with Rodwell at full back, and one or two with him at CB.
Wilder made it quite clear after the Fylde game that Rodwell was a midfielder.

Wilder actually described him in that interview as a central midfielder that can play defence. Which is what Basham was for us before Wilder came in really...

 

[Slug]

I have seen numerous teams suggested with Rodwell at full back, and one or two with him at CB.
Wilder made it quite clear after the Fylde game that Rodwell was a midfielder.
Play Rodwell in midfield and rest Norwood.
Wilder can still have strong team out, but a few players are too key to our success to risk in a game like this. Norwood is one and McGoldrick is another..

Was told in the days after the Fylde game that he is injured and will be out for around 6 weeks....

 

[Blade for Sale]

Whilst many of our rivals (and given the way the league has concertina'd up, that's 3/4s of the division) are currently seeing key players drop left right and centre with injury, we have, either by luck or the best conditioning team in England, been remarkably unaffected by injuries this season.

My feelings are we should not look this particular gift horse in the mouth and change the entire 11 v Millwall.

11 days rest for our main XI, while our peers may be forced to play some first-teamers in the cup, might just be the marginal gain that keeps us comfy this season.

I love the cup, and if we had another 3 points my view would be different, but this is as tight a league as I can recall, we are only 3 points ahead of 14th, so it would be wholesale changes for me.

 

[ChipButtyBlade]

If we have any "cloggers" in the squad gerrum in.

 

[Berlin Blade]

If I were manager of sheff utd I would do this:

532- like this season’s formation but It’s a lower end championship side. We usually went more attacking against this sort of team last year so we should be able to play this system against them. We were more ambitious most of last year and won most games.

Verrips - no way henderson, and we need to see how good he is as a backup. There’s a good chance he is gonna be amazing, and also a good chance he’s going to play a few games for us in the league above in the next 18 months.

K.freeman - never really let us down in the championship at right back. Needs to be fit enough to step in if needed. Baldock needs a rest and is always toeing the line of a red card due to his aggressive nature as a player.

Rodwell - I want to see him develop as an overlapping RCB. No brainer. Basham could use a rest despite being the fittest player at the club

Jags - needs a game. Egan needs a rest.

Robinson - yes he doesn’t know the overlapping lcb role but if wilder and knill spend all week teaching him with videos and training ground coaching he might be okay. He’s played championship for the last few years so millwall should be his level, even if it’s an unfamiliar role. Also don’t want to risk JOC in this game and a rest would be good.

Osborne - this is the one I’m not sure about. I want to see him get more games but I really don’t see lwb as his position. Perhaps if he drifts inside while we are in possession and tucks into midfield, in a similar way Man City tuck their wing backs inside, taking into consideration his assumed connection and understanding with jack robinson from forest, it could work. Also, Stevens gets a rest.

Besic - at cdm he can patrol and hopefully keep winning the ball back and passing it on the the better players on the ball. He also needs match fitness as I see him starting in the first team for the next month or so, needs the game time to be ready for that. He’s had half a season to rest. Remember, fitness is different to match fitness.

Morrison at rcm - wilder speaks super highly of him in terms of what he’s doing in training, and we are never gonna see the real Morrison against non league opposition. He will have the license to get forward but this will be a huge test as he will have to dig in and be disciplined and know when to go and when to drop in. These are no mugs. If he can perform really well and impress in this game and steal the show as we all know he can then he is in serious contention with Lunny dropping form. Let’s face it, he could have scored a hat trick against fylde and we still wouldn’t have taken that performance seriously.

Luke Freeman - at lcm, he’s going to be our most creative attacking outlet probably. He needs games, fleck needs rest, he hasn’t really got anything to prove because we all know what he’s capable of. No brainer.

Mcgoldrick - he needs a goal. He needs a start to regain match fitness. He will drop into the number 10 role, hopefully see him linking up with Freeman and Morrison. 3 players floating around the edge of the box unlocking them should, on paper be lovely to see. I doubt it will in reality but I mean on paper, it should. Also had an amazing game there last year.

Billy sharp - we need someone to score. Step up billy. Give Mousset and Mcburnie a rest so they’re firing for the next league game. He’s amazing at linking with Didzy too, compliment each other really well. He will be hungry, starving to get a few and stake a claim for more prem starts.

This is just what I’d do, I’ve justified each role and selection there. My team listed above should have enough to do away with a lower end championship side but I know it’s never that easy. Millwall will be a well drilled side used to playing together, our team will literally be strangers in some cases.

The beauty of this side is though, we get to rest:
Hendo
Baldock
Basham
Egan
JOC
stevens
Fleck
Lunny
Norwood
Mousset
Mcburnie

We have a really winnable 5 games coming up and I want those 11 fully fit and firing ready to come back after a mini winter break and take the next 14 games by storm like we did for the first 14 games. I don’t want to have fatigue as an easy excuse to hide behind for underperformance.

 

[Charlieblade]

Wilder actually described him in that interview as a central midfielder that can play defence. Which is what Basham was for us before Wilder came in really...

I agree that Rodwell has utility options, but maybe Wilder emphasized his midfield status as part of the deal that convinced Rodwell to sign. He repeated Rodwells status more than once in the interview.

 

[Badger Blade]

I'd like to see Rodwell in either Norwood or Lundstram's position so can he show what he's really made of. He's got 3 more England caps than all our other English players (Jags apart) and needs to re-capture what he had before in his first real test against decent opposition.

 

[Blade for Sale]

If I were manager of sheff utd I would do this:

532- like this season’s formation but It’s a lower end championship side. We usually went more attacking against this sort of team last year so we should be able to play this system against them. We were more ambitious most of last year and won most games.

Verrips - no way henderson, and we need to see how good he is as a backup. There’s a good chance he is gonna be amazing, and also a good chance he’s going to play a few games for us in the league above in the next 18 months.

K.freeman - never really let us down in the championship at right back. Needs to be fit enough to step in if needed. Baldock needs a rest and is always toeing the line of a red card due to his aggressive nature as a player.

Rodwell - I want to see him develop as an overlapping RCB. No brainer. Basham could use a rest despite being the fittest player at the club

Jags - needs a game. Egan needs a rest.

Robinson - yes he doesn’t know the overlapping lcb role but if wilder and knill spend all week teaching him with videos and training ground coaching he might be okay. He’s played championship for the last few years so millwall should be his level, even if it’s an unfamiliar role. Also don’t want to risk JOC in this game and a rest would be good.

Osborne - this is the one I’m not sure about. I want to see him get more games but I really don’t see lwb as his position. Perhaps if he drifts inside while we are in possession and tucks into midfield, in a similar way Man City tuck their wing backs inside, taking into consideration his assumed connection and understanding with jack robinson from forest, it could work. Also, Stevens gets a rest.

Besic - at cdm he can patrol and hopefully keep winning the ball back and passing it on the the better players on the ball. He also needs match fitness as I see him starting in the first team for the next month or so, needs the game time to be ready for that. He’s had half a season to rest. Remember, fitness is different to match fitness.

Morrison at rcm - wilder speaks super highly of him in terms of what he’s doing in training, and we are never gonna see the real Morrison against non league opposition. He will have the license to get forward but this will be a huge test as he will have to dig in and be disciplined and know when to go and when to drop in. These are no mugs. If he can perform really well and impress in this game and steal the show as we all know he can then he is in serious contention with Lunny dropping form. Let’s face it, he could have scored a hat trick against fylde and we still wouldn’t have taken that performance seriously.

Luke Freeman - at lcm, he’s going to be our most creative attacking outlet probably. He needs games, fleck needs rest, he hasn’t really got anything to prove because we all know what he’s capable of. No brainer.

Mcgoldrick - he needs a goal. He needs a start to regain match fitness. He will drop into the number 10 role, hopefully see him linking up with Freeman and Morrison. 3 players floating around the edge of the box unlocking them should, on paper be lovely to see. I doubt it will in reality but I mean on paper, it should. Also had an amazing game there last year.

Billy sharp - we need someone to score. Step up billy. Give Mousset and Mcburnie a rest so they’re firing for the next league game. He’s amazing at linking with Didzy too, compliment each other really well. He will be hungry, starving to get a few and stake a claim for more prem starts.

This is just what I’d do, I’ve justified each role and selection there. My team listed above should have enough to do away with a lower end championship side but I know it’s never that easy. Millwall will be a well drilled side used to playing together, our team will literally be strangers in some cases.

The beauty of this side is though, we get to rest:
Hendo
Baldock
Basham
Egan
JOC
stevens
Fleck
Lunny
Norwood
Mousset
Mcburnie

We have a really winnable 5 games coming up and I want those 11 fully fit and firing ready to come back after a mini winter break and take the next 14 games by storm like we did for the first 14 games. I don’t want to have fatigue as an easy excuse to hide behind for underperformance.

I'm totally with you except for McGoldrick, just had a slight injury and so important to how we play, I'd play C. Robinson instead.

 

[Champagneblade]

Just to revisit this, I think there is also a case for trying out our plan B.

Millwall will definitely be expecting 3-5-2, won't they?

Often we've taken Basham off of late and gone for more of a 4-3-3.

Why not this time from the off?

Verrips
Freeman Egan Robinson Stevens
Norwood Besic Freeman
Robinson Sharp McBurnie

Rests a few but not wholesale when we usually end up looking disjointed and play shit.

Rest Hendo, Bash, Baldock, JoC and Fleck which should keep a certain amount of continuity.

I'd like to find a way for Rodwell to play, for Osborn to play, for Rav as well, but then you are looking at 8 changes, a massive lack of continuity and going out the cup in a game you can win. There are 16 PL teams left in and at most 12 will remain. It's worth sticking around in it this season.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Just to revisit this, I think there is also a case for trying out our plan B.

Millwall will definitely be expecting 3-5-2, won't they?

Often we've taken Basham off of late and gone for more of a 4-3-3.

Why not this time from the off?

Verrips
Freeman Egan Robinson Stevens
Norwood Besic Freeman
Robinson Sharp McBurnie

Rests a few but not wholesale when we usually end up looking disjointed and play shit.

Rest Hendo, Bash, Baldock, JoC and Fleck which should keep a certain amount of continuity.

I'd like to find a way for Rodwell to play, for Osborn to play, for Rav as well, but then you are looking at 8 changes, a massive lack of continuity and going out the cup in a game you can win. There are 16 PL teams left in and at most 12 will remain. It's worth sticking around in it this season.

See the logic, but not for me tbh. More important in my opinion for us to get the backups more used to the position we’re likely to use them in rather than say New Robbo in a position he is highly unlikely to play (in a 2).

 

[Grizzly blade]

Some tired looking legs of late.
full backs need a rest, as well as JOC and Bash.
So keep Egan in the middle and add Jags and Robinson either side.
K Freeman and Osborn for full back.

In midfield, Fleck is too valuable to risk, Norwood looks tired and needs a rest.
For me, try Rodwell in midfield with Morrison and L Freeman
Up top, Sharp and Mousset.

Mousset needs fitness, he needs pushing to get stronger. He gets 90mins regardless for me.

 

[LoughboroBlade]

Wilder today: “There won’t be 11 changes. There might be 2 or 3 changes...it’s not a charity about giving people a game.”

 

[Flatulent_Bob]

Wilder today: “There won’t be 11 changes. There might be 2 or 3 changes...it’s not a charity about giving people a game.”

Oh Goody!!!! I'd love a trip to Wembley for a FA Cup tie rather than playoff final.

 

[robbiez666]

It's a bit of a gamble but, we need to play a second team again. The first team needs as much of a rest as we can give them.

-----------Verrips
Freeman Rodwell Jags Robinson Osborn
------- Besic Norwood Freeman
-----------Sharp----Robinson

The issue I guess is Norwood. Morrison I don't trust and Millwall are strong in midfield. I think Norwood would have to play or at least him or Fleck.

 

[BushBlade]

Oh Goody!!!! I'd love a trip to Wembley for a FA Cup tie rather than playoff final.

Hopefully we’ll get Hull again.

 

[CaptainMorgans]

Doesn't sound like he's going to make as many changes this time out.

I'll go with something like;

Henderson, K Freeman, Basham, Egan, J. Robinson, Stevens, Morrison, Besic, L. Freeman, Sharp, Robinson.

Subs: McBurnie, Mousset, Lundstram, Rodwell, Osborn, Jagielka, Verrips.