Just a couple of pointers which say he should start against Oldham: 1. Boundary Park is a 'lucky' ground for him - he scored there in his first spell with us and had earlier (I think) scored a hat trick there for Man U reserves. Things like that give a player confidence - and we need some of that 'lucky' feeling right now 2. How's about starting with three up front instead of four? If it were, say, Hayes - Wright/Richards - Nardiello, it might just take the pressure off any one of them. If Hayes and Nardiello started in wide positions and attacked from the flanks with Richards/Wright as target man down the middle, it might just pay dividends for us. Hayes has been arguable better at making goals than taking them this season and he does that well from wide positions with crosses into the box - so why not give him a slightly wider role in a front three? Nardiello needs to be on for 90 minutes for once to produce the goods. The Oldham match is not a question of 'throwing caution to the wind,' as that would be disastrous, but we do need to be a little less predictable. In my opinion, we have got where we are by defining a shape which has worked and which has, generally, stopped our giving away cheap and late goals in the number we did last year - hence the top six placing. What can be less predictable? How about more goals from midfield (McPhail might be thinking about ways he can get into shooting positions, as well as being creative), or goals from a defender (how about another from Heckingbottom, or when did we last score from a set piece move?) Only Ritchie will know how to handle Richards' loss of scoring form. On one side, if he plays him and he gets one, you could see him getting a second out of sheer relief. On the other hand, if he drops him, his confidence drops yet further. Only Ritchie will know how to play the 'mind-game' best. Best-case scenario for me is that he plays, scores in the first half and gets a cracker in the second. Would be the best tonic both for Richards and the team. Then up-beat to face Southend - whom I don't rate that highly, incidentally. They have a good shape and play to their strengths, but they are not anyone's idea of a class act. Risk it, Ritchie. Play three strikers. If it works - it was my idea. If it doesn't, it was his!!!
I was wondering that Apart from that the general idea is not a stupid one. Play Hayes instead of Devaney and Put Nadiello and Richards up together may well work
could be good if it works i would give shuker a kick up the arse aswell, try to get him back to how he was at the begining of the season
Good post but.. you are forgetting one thing.Oldham play 352, with us pushing three up front they would rip us apart down the wings.</p> I agree Nardiello should start though,along side Richards imo.</p>
