.. let’s not **** about with the selection. Styles back to wing-back until a decent LWB is signed. Collins. Sibbick. Helik. Kitching. Brittain. Kane. Benson. Styles. Frieser. Woodrow. Morris. -let’s just hope the bench looks to have a bit of depth to it and the 2 Belgians are on it.
Let’s not **** about with the selection, but let’s move a central midfielder back to wing back and select Herbie Kane who looked far from either fit or effective? Collins Sibbick Helik Kitching Brittain Styles Benson Williams (either, if fit) Morris Woodrow Frieser I’m not a huge Frieser fan but we need him at the mo to put a full shift in
A central midfielder who played at full-back all last year, okay… Kane needs to be given a run of games - I’m not a massive Palmer fan personally…
Interesting that Palmer doesn’t make a single Starting XI so far. Arguably our best and most effective player for the first half in Saturday until Big Mick did a job on him and Styles’ lack of input meant we got overrun. Also not sure what Ben Williams did wrong to be dropped - especially considering it was his first start in a year. I’d hate to be a young player in the dressing room if you lot were the gaffer.
Palmer looked good and I wouldn’t grumble if he’s selected, but I felt Benson looked great in his cameo Saturday, (that assist after he’d been on for about five minutes didn’t hurt…) and again last night. Styles plays for me too. I wasn’t sure whether Ben W had got a knock, hence my team selecting either Williams. But I agree, I didn’t think he played that badly at all on Saturday. He’d be my first choice at lwb. Styles played there all last season - but for me looked out of position there in the last half dozen games or so. Maybe just fatigue but he’s better used centrally for me.
As I say above, I felt towards the end of last season he looked out of position at wing back. Might have been fatigue I guess.
I think Benson was absolutely spent last night so I’d be surprised to see him from the start on Saturday. It’s still really early days in the season and fitness levels will be all over the place. I think we all hope that Styles is a CM but the reality is we just don’t know at this level, which I’ve said before. Had a bit of a mare there on Saturday but was much improved last night before going off. I think he’ll start alongside Palmer, but if he doesn’t get a handle on the position it might be he’s considered a LWB option and we don’t sign another. Needs to be given 4/5 games to prove himself whilst Kane/Benson reach peak fitness.
I'd be happy to start with the same starting 11 from Cardiff (assuming all are fit) - they played well so more of the same please with a little more composure in front of goal.
Benson was our best player by a country mile. He looks effortless (like McPhail) so it was hard to judge if he was spent, as you say. I personally didn't notice. I thought first 30 mins Styles and Benson looked like our dream ticket, and their link up play with Oduor was first class. When Styles and Oduor went off, our attacking threat went and benson had to do more to control things. Kane - I am desperate for him to succeed. I was really hoping he would step up to the plate last night and grab the bull by the horns. It didn't happen, BUT he needs game time. A run of games might give him that, but I really hope he dosn't turn into one of those "it might have been" signings. Sad thing is, a decent carabao cup run might have given some lads the chance of decent competitive games. It didn't work out last night, but we move on.
Never said he wasn’t our best player or criticised him? Comfortably MOTM and will be one of the first names on the team sheet before long as his quality and work ethic is clear to see. Last 15 minutes he was absolutely dead on his feet though and a couple of times struggled to find the energy to get the second ball or make the second tackle. That’s why I think he’ll come off the bench again at the weekend as we’re only five days in to the new season and we don’t need to be flogging players to death already.
I’d start Benson and potentially sub him if he can’t get through 90 just yet - he just looks head and shoulders better than the others on the ball. Palmer or Styles - to be honest I’d select Styles based on how good I think he is rather than how he looked Saturday, which let’s be honest wasn’t a stand out performance. Palmer perhaps ought to play. To be fair any two from those three wouldn’t disappoint me. I wouldn’t be selecting Kane at the moment, I really hope he comes good but I’m yet to see anything in him in our shirt. Maybe give him some minutes off the bench to build fitness and see how he gets on.
Palmer would be the 1st name on the teamsheet for me I'd go unchanged from last week but ideally with Kane and Cole on the bench. Benson to come on and change the game at 60 minutes when the likes of Styles and Palmer start to tire.
Palmer was the best player on the pitch on Saturday in the first half. Could easily start him and bring Benson on - especially if Benson's exploits last night leave him less than 100%.