After the disastrous start against Luton - this is my starting line up for Middlesboro. ............................... Walton .............. Sollbauer - Andersen - Helic .................................. Palmer Ludewig - Thomas - Styles - Simoes - Williams ................................. Chaplin
Looks a very experimental side tbh. That said it's sometimes good to play people out of position in games like this to see what they can and can't do in certain situations
Walton; Sollbauer, Helik, Williams; Ludewig, Palmer, Styles, Thomas; Mowatt; Frieser, Woodrow. Need to use the cup game to give minutes to Palmer, Frieser and Helik. Think Thomas is the most natural fit to play wide left, and getting Mowatt further upfield to get better service to the forwards. Could be Styles wide left and Thomas at 10, but that’s the 11 I’d play.
There’s no one out of position. Compared to the starting line up against Luton - this line up strengthens the defensive midfield with Palmer. By only having Chaplin up front it gets away from lumping the ball forward - so the emphasis is to pack midfield and play and break from there.
Oh, I thought Thomas was a winger/AM. Palmer looks wasted as a DM, Either Mowatt or Styles there to play him further forward to get the most out of midfield options.
We’ve had a 1-0 win and a 0-1 loss ! hardly disastrous by any measurement you care to compare it with . I’m more comfortable with the defensive part of our game as far as being competitive in the league is concerned and it took a wonder strike to beat us . As far as a twenty goal a season striker is concerned everybody wants one of them , I’m sure with our defensive upgrade we can defend one goal leads as against Forest which we had great difficulty doing for a large portion of last season .
I'd go with Collins Sollbauer Andersen Helik Ludewig .........................................Williams Palmer Christie-Davies Thomas Frieser Schmidt If Oduor & Halme were available i'd have given them a run out too
It's all about opinions of course, but past performances underline the fact that Woodrow provides our best goal threat. For that reason alone, even though he appears out of whack at the moment for me, he has to start. Ditto Mowatt. Our best option of finding that crucial pass that can unlock the oppositions defence. Like Woodrow, he will come good as the season progresses.
I would go back to the Wilson Wonderland days so Walton in goal. 3 CBs Andersen Helik and Solbauer. 2 WBs Ludewig and Odour. Mowatt, Styles, Frieser, Chaplin and Woodrow.
Williams has to start for me. Him and Ludewig - two wing backs providing good defensive qualities with much needed speed going forward. Palmer holding midfield allowing Thomas, Styles and Simoes to break forward supported by the wing backs.
Having had time to think I feel it's a good time to rotate a few for the Middlesbrough game. Assuming Halme and Uduor are still unavailable: Collins Solly - Mads - Helik Styles Ludewig - Palmer - Simoes - Christie-Davies Thomas - Chaplin
Play 12-0-0 and hope the ref doesn't notice we've sneaked an extra laiker on. We'll still lose, mind.
Yer obvious one of these that looks at the score line and thinks that’s the be all and end all of any assessment of how the players and team played. After all what was said before this match about how things will be different this season - that performance was a disastrous start to the new campaign. Gerhard will be working hard to make sure the confidence of the players dosen’t fall through the floor.
If you want to progress you play your strongest team , & that must include the best two players Woodrow & Mowatt , if you want to give players a run out & a bit of game time you play fringe players like Thomas & the new recruits with Collins getting 90 mins under his belt , at least it is not wasting fans money who would normally travel to see a weakened team play .
Walton Solbauer, Andersen, Williams Ludewig, Mowatt, Styles,Ritzmaier Adeboyajo, Woodrow, Chaplin Same starting line up v Forest.