Team v City????

................................Steele...................................
.................Hassell.....Cranie.....Foster......................
.Wiseman..................................................Kennedy.
..........................Mellis.........Perkins........................
...................................Cywka.................................
.........................Dagnall..........Harewood..................

Subs:
Lidakivicius
Tunnicliffe
O'Brien
Scotland
Etuhu
Delap
Dawson

 

Steele

Foster Cranie Kennedy
Delap Etuhu Mellis Perkins Wiseman
Dagnall Harewood

 

Alnwick
Wiseman
Foster
McNulty
Hassell
O'Brien
Noble-Lazarus
Digby
Silva
Clark
Rose

 

...................Steele........................
.........Cranie...Foster...Kennedy.........
O'Brien..................................Cywka
..........Mellis...........Perkins..............
...................Etuhu........................
.........Dagnall.........Harewood..........

 

That looks good but Flitcrofts team sheet starts with ' Not Hassell '

 

I think it's safe to assume from the last two games and Flitcrofts interview yesterday that we not be reverting back to 3-5-2 unless we have a new left back and/or Stones back on loan.

Most likely;

Steele

Wiseman Foster Cranie Kennedy

O'Brien Etuhu Perkins Cywka

Dagnall Harewood/O'Grady

 

Plank.

 

Steele Alnwick

Wiseman Perkins Foster Crainie Dawson Ethuhu Mellis Delap Kennedy

 

We can't afford to play luxury players, Bobby Hassell for Mellis and I think you've got a winner. :smile:

 

I don't think we'll play 3-5-2 and I don't think we should. I'd say City are likely to line up something like:

----------------Hart--------------
Zabaleta Nastasic Toure Clichy
----------Toure---Barry-----------
--Silva-------Tevez------Milner--
---------------Dzeko--------------

(Garcia, Aguero if fit, Nasri and Lescott could come in but the system will be the same.)

City are reknown for their full backs pushing right up and playing almost like wingers and if we play wing backs (i.e. just one player down each wing) they'll get ripped to shreds by the overlap. Our midfield 3 will have a bit too much on their hands trying to cope with Tevez, Toure and Barry to help them out. I'd play orthodox full backs with wide players in front of them to cope with Clichy and Zabaleta.

What I reckon Flicker should go with:

-----------------Steele--------------------
----Delap Foster Cranie Kennedy------
O'Brien Dawson Perkins Etuhu Dagnall
----------------Harewood-----------------

The main question mark for me is Dawson's fitness, if he's anything like approaching 100% I'd play him. Even if he gets run ragged it should improve his match fitness ready for the league. The right back spot is up for grabs, I don't know if Delap will be fit. Wiseman's fitness and pace, Delap's premiership experience and long throws to relieve pressure or Hassell's solidarity.

As for the midfield, Perkins can man mark Tevez and the bulkier Dawson and Etuhu will hopefully be able to do a job on Toure and Barry. O'Brien and Dagnall have enough legs to track the full backs but also get forward and provide an outlet and Harewood should be able to hold it up upfront.

 

This was my exact thought!

 

Harewood' cup tied

 

Steele

Hassell - Foster - Cranie - Kennedy

Etuhu - Cywka - Delap - Perkins - O'Brien

Harewood

Keep it tight, keep a good shape and pray they have a bad day at the office.

If it's still tight after 65/70 minutes, maybe throw Dagnall on for Cywka, and push two up top. Even get Scotland on for Harewood with 15 to go.

 

oh no he isn't lol O'grady cup tied doh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Can't see us staying up if we're abandoning the 3-5-2. The system gave us an advantage. We were much stronger at the back, the wing backs gave us width and it suited a lot of our players.

We proved time and again during the 18 months that Keith Hill was in charge that the defenders we have at our club are not good enough in a back four. They're not suddenly going to get better because Flitcroft is in charge. They got better because we changed the system. The last few games where we've messed about with personnel and systems have shown that we struggle.

One major problem under Keith Hill that almost everyone complained about was lack of width. 3-5-2 remedied that. Last night we tried Cywka, Mellis and O'Grady in the wide positions. These players will always come inside when attacking while providing little cover for the full backs. Trippier won the MOTM last night. From the commentary it sounded like he had the freedom of the park. This will always be the case with the players we have for a 4-4-2.

And then there's goals. We suddenly started hitting the back of the net regularly in a 3-5-2. We had two up front and one behind and we started creating chances all over the place. I fear that will dry up.

We've got a hell of a lot of the top teams still to play. They are better teams than us with better players. Stands to reason, they are near the top of the league and we are near the bottom. If we play like for like against those teams the majority are going to beat us. To beat such teams when you're lacking in quality your manager has to be canny. Just like Flitcroft has been during the winning run. When two teams go toe to toe the better teams with the better players will win the majority of the time.

We looked dead and buried at the new year. It's massive credit to Flitcroft that we still have a fighting chance. But I can't see us doing it if we abandon the system that has got us in to this position.

 

....................................STEELE

WISEMAN......HASSELL.....FOSTER....CRANIE.....KENNEDY

..........................DAWSON......PERKINS
...............O'BRIEN..............................DAGNALL

................................HAREWOOD


Lukas
Delap
Etuhu
Scotland
Mellis
Cywka
Rose


I love Mellis, but I think he'd get lost in a game like this. We need our grafters, try and stay in the game before half time arrives, then you look to go more offensive.

Obviously, and despite starting the last 2 cup victories, Hassell won't be selected by Flitcroft, so in that case I'm guessing Delap will get the nod.

 

If we're sticking with 3-5-2, then it has to be:

Steele

Foster-Cranie-Hassell

O'Brien-Perkins-Delap-Kenedy
Cywka

Dagnall-Harewood

 

Who would you play at wing back, mate?

Kennedy seems the only candidate on the left to me. However, the right could be utilised by the likes of Hassell, Delap, Wiseman and, possibly, O'Brien.

 

Re: Who would you play at wing back, mate?

I'd play Kennedy on the left and Wiseman on the right. I don't think either are as good as Stones and Golbourne, but I think they could both do a job. Wiseman is really fast and has plenty energy which is ideal for that position. Kennedy hasn't the same energy as Golbourne, but he can whip in a great cross with that left foot.

 

Re: Who would you play at wing back, mate?

It's a taxing position to play. Probably the hardest. Delap and Hassell would be alright for 45 minutes each.

Wiseman is ok going forward (at times) but crap defending.

O'Brien can be excellent going forward, is oftentimes decent at defending and is full of running so seems the natural choice out of our options.