Team v Cov

[Wards]

Given our signings and sales over the past week, what would be your preferred line up for tonight?

For me the big changes have got to come in midfield as this is where we are sorely lacking any drive/penetration/creativity.

In an ideal scenario I'd be opting for this lot:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higgo
Flynn Robson McDonald Murphy
Kitson Forte

I'd be telling Flynn and Murphy to get some chalk on their boots and to start attacking the full back at every opportunity. Let the full backs do their own job as neither are great going forward.

Are Robson and Forte likely to be match fit given their lack of football this season?

I think that team gives us a good balance in terms of pace in midfield/up-top though I don't know whether Robson/McDonald combo have the defensive capability. I'd rather not see Doyle starting but he probably will as the player to sit in the middle and pretend to break up play.

 

[JohnDenver]

Given our signings and sales over the past week, what would be your preferred line up for tonight?

For me the big changes have got to come in midfield as this is where we are sorely lacking any drive/penetration/creativity.

In an ideal scenario I'd be opting for this lot:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higgo
Flynn Robson McDonald Murphy
Kitson Forte

I'd be telling Flynn and Murphy to get some chalk on their boots and to start attacking the full back at every opportunity. Let the full backs do their own job as neither are great going forward.

Are Robson and Forte likely to be match fit given their lack of football this season?

I think that team gives us a good balance in terms of pace in midfield/up-top though I don't know whether Robson/McDonald combo have the defensive capability. I'd rather not see Doyle starting but he probably will as the player to sit in the middle and pretend to break up play.

Your last comment probably reflects how the team will look. It's hard to see Doyle being dropped as we don't have a similar player on the books. That's what allows him to stay in the side despite not making a tackle for two months.

 

[Patrick Suffaux]

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham​

Robson McDonald Doyle Murphy​

Forte Kitson​

​

Coyne, Westlake, Whitehouse, Flynn, De Girolamo, Ironside, Porter​

 

[UnitedBlade]

Robson apparently has a 3 match ban for 15 cards in his last season at Boro.

I hope the club knows this

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/boro-f...leased-by-vancouver-whitecaps-84229-32652228/

 

[Kenilworth]

Doyle wont be dropped. He is the club captain and is to play against one of his former teams, probably in the forlorn hope that he puts in a better performance.

I predict a 0-2 win for Coventry. We will not get near their net because we will create nothing at all.
Mark Robbins is the person we should have employed at the staret of last season

 

[super_pig]

Doyle wont be dropped. He is the club captain and is to play against one of his former teams, probably in the forlorn hope that he puts in a better performance.

I predict a 0-2 win for Coventry. We will not get near their net because we will create nothing at all.
Mark Robbins is the person we should have employed at the staret of last season

it's going to be carnage which is interesting in a perverse kind of way.. i'm taking the slip ons..

 

[sheffielder]

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbottom
Flynn McDonald Doyle Murphy
Ironside Kitson (jesus)

I would almost be tempted to put forte alongside Ironsude or we could hope that Kitson has had a good food day

 

[sheffielder]

If he starts Porter and I think I might go into verbal overdrive! Kitson and Porter and I am windmilling

 

[cooperblade]

Robson apparently has a 3 match ban for 15 cards in his last season at Boro.

I hope the club knows this

http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/boro-f...leased-by-vancouver-whitecaps-84229-32652228/

Looks like he served his ban in March last year after getting sent off v Leeds - no cards for Boro since then.

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=12906&season_id=141

 

[broomhillblade]

Hasn't Robson only been back in the UK for a week?

If so, he's hardly likely to start - but what do I know?

 

[SotonBlade]

this is what i would pick personally:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higg
Flynn Doyle Robson Murphy
Forte Kitson

Subs: Coyle, Westlake, McDonald, Ironside, Whitehouse, De Girolamo, Porter

 

[Bergen Blade]

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham​

Robson Doyle McDonald​

Forte - - - - - - Kitson - - - - - - Murphy​

Subs:
Coyne, Kennedy, Whitehouse, Flynn, Tønne, DeGirolamo, Porter

 

[sheffielder]

this is what i would pick personally:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higg
Flynn Doyle Robson Murphy
Forte Kitson

Subs: Coyle, Westlake, McDonald, Ironside, Whitehouse, De Girolamo, Porter

So it's McDonald which is the problem and not Doyle (or both in my opinion)

 

[WABBA]

I'd like wilson too play this:
Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higgo
Murphy McDonald Doyle Robson
Porter Forte
However I'd like to see the likes of ironside, diego and whitehouse a chance more often

 

[UnitedBlade]

Looks like he served his ban in March last year after getting sent off v Leeds - no cards for Boro since then.

http://www.soccerbase.com/players/player.sd?player_id=12906&season_id=141

I've looked at Boro's website and that does indeed appear to be the case 13 yellows and 1 red so the newspaper report must be wrong. Good he should be able to play

 

[super_pig]

Long
TMac Kennedy Collins Higgo
Murphy KMac Diego Whitehouse
Ironside Forte

yeah i know i haven't included Harry.. i reckon the poor lad is burning out and he needs a couple of games off.

 

[blader]

Long​

McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham​

Robson McDonald Doyle Murphy​

Forte Kitson​

​

Coyne, Westlake, Whitehouse, Flynn, De Girolamo, Ironside, Porter​

That's the team I would go with too. Think Flynn will play instead of Robson unfortunately, hopefully a bit of competition might make Flynn pull his finger out. Unlikely though...

 

[Balham]

Think Flynn Doyle will play instead of Robson unfortunately, hopefully a bit of competition might make Flynn Doyle pull his finger out. Unlikely though...

Corrected that for you. Flynn's the hardest working member of that team yet gets criticised constantly.

 

[blader]

Not so much criticising his work rate, I agree he is a 100%, I meant more in terms of productivity. It's the age old debate amongst blades, but he doesn't produce enough as a winger for me. Annoyingly, I think he has it in him, but just hasn't done it enough this season. Will be interesting tonight as, if he does play, I imagine it will be on the right, where he hasn't played since early season. Might see a different Flynn.

 

[Balham]

Not so much criticising his work rate, I agree he is a 100%, I meant more in terms of productivity. It's the age old debate amongst blades, but he doesn't produce enough as a winger for me. Annoyingly, I think he has it in him, but just hasn't done it enough this season. Will be interesting tonight as, if he does play, I imagine it will be on the right, where he hasn't played since early season. Might see a different Flynn.

I'd wager that Flynn would be far more productive down the wing than Robson. It seems United fans' main criticisms of Flynn are that he doesn't beat his man often enough and that he cuts in onto his right foot too much. Robson will be worse on the first point - even slower than Flynn and with less skill - and probably no better on the second.

It'll be a backward step if we play with Robson anywhere other than centre midfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see Robson and Doyle in the middle given that McDonald got hauled off after an hour at Reading and has been the subject of some fire from Wilson recently.

I'd like to see:

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham
Flynn* Robson McDonald Murphy*
Forte Kitson

Subs: Howard, Westlake**, Kennedy, McFadzean, Whitehouse, De Girolamo, Ironside​

*Flynn and Murphy switching wings every 10-15 mins
** Westlake was beyond shite at Reading but he's the only right back cover we've got!

...but I think we'll see Doyle in with Robson either alongside him (McDonald on the bench) or at right midfield him (Flynn on the bench).

 

[blader]

I'd wager that Flynn would be far more productive down the wing than Robson. It seems United fans' main criticisms of Flynn are that he doesn't beat his man often enough and that he cuts in onto his right foot too much. Robson will be worse on the first point - even slower than Flynn and with less skill - and probably no better on the second.

It'll be a backward step if we play with Robson anywhere other than centre midfield. I wouldn't be surprised to see Robson and Doyle in the middle given that McDonald got hauled off after an hour at Reading and has been the subject of some fire from Wilson recently.

I don't see him dropping McDonald in all honesty. Even McDonald on a bad day is still our most creative player.

I understand your point about Robson on the wing, but it's no different to having Williamson at RM last season. Williamson didn't have pace but worked really well. Robson has played RM before, and I think Flynn would benefit from being dropped anyway. He is one of probably 7/8 under performing at the moment, just needs a rocket up the arse. Might help McDonald too having a 'smarter' footballer out wide.

 

[bartman]

i would go for

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham
Robson Doyle
Murphy KMac Forte
Kitson

Priority is a clean sheet. push KMac on to support Kitson and Murphy and Forte for the pace

A boring 1-0 win would be fine for me

(when Hill fit I would drop Harry and put Higginbotham in the middle)

 

[Balham]

I don't see him dropping McDonald in all honesty. Even McDonald on a bad day is still our most creative player.

I understand your point about Robson on the wing, but it's no different to having Williamson at RM last season. Williamson didn't have pace but worked really well. Robson has played RM before, and I think Flynn would benefit from being dropped anyway. He is one of probably 7/8 under performing at the moment, just needs a rocket up the arse. Might help McDonald too having a 'smarter' footballer out wide.

I fully agree about McDonald - which is why I've edited my post to put my preferred line up, which has Robson and McDonald in the middle. McDonald needs movement around him - he linked up really well last season with Lowton bombing on down the right and Evans working the channels up front.

Robson would bring more movement in centre midfield than Doyle - he might be our captain but he operates in our half or 10 yards into the opposition's; there's no forward movement for McDonald to work with. I'd also play Flynn and Murphy on the right and left respectively - I think Murphy's left footed? - that would open up the ball between the full back and centre back into the corner for the wide men to get onto without the need to cut back inside.

I'd also argue that Williamson's success last year was probably mostly down to Lowton. How many times did we see some good link up between those two, or Williamson tucked in (pulling their left winger inside) playing the ball into the space left behind on the wing? I'm probably exaggerating but there's a grain of truth in there - which is also the reason why I don't want Williamson back.

 

[blader]

I think you're maybe being a little harsh on Williamson. Second half of the season particularly he won a couple of games by himself. Preston away certainly and another home game, can't remember who against thought! He was productive, and that triangle of Williamson-Lowton-McDonald was an absolute delight at times, how I miss that! I don't want him back either though, think it would be a backward step.

I'd love to see Flynn-Robson-McD-Murphy as a midfield when they're all firing, but it depends on a) Robson's fitness, I have no idea if he can do 60mins+ and b) Flynn and Murphy getting on the same wavelength as McDonald. It hasn't quite happened yet, and I really believe its the wingers that need to tune into him, not the other way round. Hopefully tonight they silence all the critics and everything falls into place! (God, I hope so!)

 

[mpjacko]

Robson won't start tonight because he won't be match fit (playing in the MSL) and Forte won't start either as Wilson never takes any risks. Forte may come on in the 89th min if we are 2-0 down. If it's 0-0 after 45mins, Wilson will go for the draw and take a struker off. If Porter starts then it will be either 0-0 or 0-1, 0.2 to Cov.

I'm going for 0-0 with the fans calling for Wilson or McCabe head towards the end of the match. Can't decide which one they will go for.

 

[mattbianco1]

I'd line up either

YOUNG

Long​

Westlake Maguire Kennedy McFadzean​

Chapell Harriott Whitehouse Tonne​

Ironside De Girolamo​

​

or​

​

OLD​

Coyne​

McMahon Higginbotham Collins Hill​

Robson Doyle McDonald Cresswell​

Kitson Porter​

​

I started that to take the piss but the second team would probably win​

 

[JohnDenver]

Robson won't start tonight because he won't be match fit (playing in the MSL) and Forte won't start either as Wilson never takes any risks.

Like he didn't at Donny? Let's see shall we...

 

[sheffielder]

Like he didn't at Donny? Let's see shall we...

He really didn't have much of a choice now did he JD. Both players who made debut that day have not played a minute since

 

[JohnDenver]

He really didn't have much of a choice now did he JD. Both players who made debut that day have not played a minute since

Fair point. I still expect changes tonight though, even if they don't last the 90. Our form demands it...

 

[GAZBLADE]

Long
McMahon Maguire Collins Higginbotham
Robson McDonald Murphy
Forte
Kitson
That'll do for me