Wingback crisis

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Lightsoot

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Bogle and Enda are currently out and doesn’t sound like they are going to be available for a while.

And now Baldock and RND have picked up knocks and will be assessed ahead of Blackburn, along with Bash who may also miss out.

What are we going to do?

Charlie Goode is a shoe in for right centre half but who plays at wing back if George and RND don’t make it?

I think our options are as follows:

RWB - Bash (if fit), Berge, Gibbs-White (though I’d be loathed to move him from playing behind Billy),

U23’s options: Ky Gordon, Seriki, Starbuck

LWB - Jack Robinson (play Ben Davies at the back), Osborn (don’t think he could start yet), Fleck

U23’s options: Belahuan, Gomis, Harry Boyes (currently on loan at Solihull - don’t know if we can recall him)
 

RWB:
Seriki will have to step up if Baldock is out. Basham can fill in if necessary with Goode inside. Berge and MGW should NEVER be considered for that role

LWB:
Fleck shouldn't be considered. Gordon or Davies in at LCB with Robinson or Osborn are the realistic options.

Ball_Sup (Phil) should know more about the youth wing backs and if any would be confident or good enough to step up in the run-in ?
 
RWB’s in the 23’s

Seriki - rapid looked a great talent last year but he’s a shell of himself right now the Beerschot loan has set him back.

Starbuck - looks solid but not spectacular and I’m not sure he has the look of a player ready to step up to first team level

Gordon - never played the position before but has the physique to play there but it’d take a big adaptation to play there at championship level

LWB’s in the 23’s

Boyes (on loan) - looks solid but not spectacular slightly better than Starbuck but still not someone knocking on the door to step up

Capello - been playing there lately for the 23’s but he’s a makeshift left wing back nice little player plenty of skill but would get mullered defensively.

Buyabu - Not played that much looked exciting when he’s played but he’s not in the side consistently maybe injured
 
If we've no 'out-and-out' RWB as it were, Bash is really the only realistic option. Gives Goode a chance to play RCB (his natural position from what I can gather). Wouldn't seem fair or in any way ideal to throw Seriki et al in there.

Ozzy and Enda need to get back fit sharpish. It's always been that left side of defence that gives me a headache. I don't think shifting any of our CBs out to LWB does us any good at all unfortunately.
 
mattbianco1 said:
RWB:
Seriki will have to step up if Baldock is out. Basham can fill in if necessary with Goode inside. Berge and MGW should NEVER be considered for that role

LWB:
Fleck shouldn't be considered. Gordon or Davies in at LCB with Robinson or Osborn are the realistic options.

Ball_Sup (Phil) should know more about the youth wing backs and if any would be confident or good enough to step up in the run-in ?
Click to expand...
Thanks, but there are now posters more knowledgeable than me about Academy prospects. I hope they'll offer a view. (EDIT - good, I see they subsequently have...)

Simply in terms of history, Starbuck is the next cab off the rank at RWB. (He was on the bench v Wolves). More recently, he's been playing at RCB to accommodate Seriki at RWB.

Poor Ange Cappello has been alternating between LWB and striker. Otherwise, Jili Buyabu has been out there at LWB.

Harry Boyes is the out on loan LWB.

I know mine is a Minority View. But, I'm of the opinion that it doesn't matter whether players are confident or good enough. If they're what you've got, they're what you've got.

If you get injuries you'll either have to play players out of position, or players who might not be ready.
 
I think you have to play Seriki at RWB anyway if Baldock is out.

We can't have Basham at RWB, especially if JLT is on the other side. That wide threat will be absolutely pathetic. At least with Seriki we give ourselves half a chance and maybe unearth a gem.
 
bladesmanluke said:
If Seriki's confidence is rock bottom then throwing him in can't do him any more damage. He might just surprise himself
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Reckon this could be a good thing for the lad. Hopefully the staff can get in his head and give the lad a boost.

Watched him closely before his loan spell and was really looking forward to him coming back and getting some first team action. Hope he can overcome his shit time on loan.
 
If everyone rumoured to be out is out, then this is what I would go with.

3-4-2-1

---------------- Goode------Egan-------Davies-----------------

----MGW-------Norwood----------Fleck----------Robinson----

----------------Berge-----------------------Ndiaye--------------

------------------------------Sharp-------------------------------

MGW is so versatile he can play anywhere, and likes to get stuck when we are out of possession. I admit we lose a lot of his creativity by not playing him up front, but needs must.

Otherwise I would be tempted to give Seriki a chance and then we can utilise MGW where he is best.
 

Goode - Egan - JLT
Bash---------------------Osborn
​
Failing that.. if Bash is out it will have to be Siriki. But that defensive line is our most settled imo. Bash is a fine RWB and JLT has bossed the LCB position, Osborn is adept at LWB. Yeah JLT can play LB, but realistically do we want to see JLT in that attacking LWB role which is a bit further out of his position, and then Davies by his side who hasn't started since being off?
 
I would love to see Berge play at RWB

Nobody would be able to get the ball off him and he would be on the ball more than in any other position on the pitch and i dont think playing RWB is that different to what he has played before in RCM
 
bongleblade said:
Goode - Egan - JLT
Bash---------------------Osborn
​
Failing that.. if Bash is out it will have to be Siriki. But that defensive line is our most settled imo. Bash is a fine RWB and JLT has bossed the LCB position, Osborn is adept at LWB. Yeah JLT can play LB, but realistically do we want to see JLT in that attacking LWB role which is a bit further out of his position, and then Davies by his side who hasn't started since being off?
Click to expand...

Osborn not back for another few weeks. Will likely be JLT or Ben Davies as wing back
 
Might end up having to go 4 at the back

Bash egan Davies Robinson
Berge norwood
MGW Ndiaye Fleck
Sharp
 
Does anyone think that these injuries are a legacy from early season? By that I mean that we all knew, as Heckingbottom admitted when he took over, that the team fitness levels were down, partly due to a poor pre-season and partly due to the training regime, Hecky addressed that as soon as he came in. We then had a spell over Xmas/ New Year where our fixtures were stop/start and now we have gone to the other extreme where we are playing twice a week and players are picking up muscle problems right left and centre. I also see that Burke and Freeman are also out for some time with hamstring injuries. It may be coincidence of course but we went so long under CW with only a few serious injuries - Coutts, Freeman and JOC spring to mind but they were not the same kind of injuries as we seem to be suffering from now.
 
TheGregBlade said:
Out of JLT and Davies, who do we think is more suited to WB? Personally, I wouldn't move JLT from LCB and I'd play Davies WB.
Click to expand...
agree with this, JLT has made the position his own, may as well try out Davies at LWB and see how he fares
 
If all the players reported end up being out, I think I’m more worried about LWB than RWB. Seen enough of Seriki to know that, though we’d have to manage his confidence carefully, he has the talent. I’m not sure there’s much option at LWB other than moving Robinson over and playing Davies. I’m fine with Davies but Robbo at LWB will give us nothing. I’d rather use Fleck out there and have some kind of attacking threat and have question marks against the defending that the other way round.
 
Without tempting fate, when 3 or 4 are doubtful they're never all out are they... hopefully Bash is okay, so Goode can come in, Bash moves across then George when he's okay.

I think LWB could actually take the pressure off Davies defensively a bit- he's a fine footballer, might be handy there. Only got to buy a couple of weeks for Osborn to get back (if RND is out).
 

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