Slonina DeGevigney Pines Roberts Cotter Connell Phillips Benson Earl DKD Humphrys Subs Killip Lofthouse Craig Jalo Cosgrove Yoganathan Hourihane
Unfortunately I think O'K will start despite being unable to kick the ball with his left foot which means he hardly ever tries to beat the fullback on the outside. Gent is a proper left wing back and should start
Phillips needs a break, or playing upfront just behind Cosgrove or Humphrys. Goalscorer - yes, hardworking midfielder - no. Disappears way too often for way too long. Connell, Craig & Benson in the middle. Don't know if Humphrys/DKD partnership was an experiment, but it didn't work. Cosgrove/DKD for me, from our current, incredibly limited, resources (unless Phillips moves into that position working just off a target man.)
Be disappointed to see Craig anywhere near the squad, think Phillips needs dropping too he’s Bone Rodney and is none existent most of the time.
It’s a weird one with Phillips because in one way how can you drop a player who can nick you a goal but for 95% of a game he’s terrible.
Away tuesday for 3 weeks, just hope whoever he plays its an improvement on Satdi, keep the faith, C,O,Y,R.
Agree with that team, had swap marsh for Cosgrove on bench, think we should aim to get rid of Cosgrove in January, big wage and plays well 1 in 20 games, let him go back to Scotland.
Phillips was lazy last night. A lot of them were. The pressing that once worked for us is a long distant memory. It just happens to be one aspect of a football match that really jumps out at me, and Phillips yesterday was dawdling to get back, not closing men down at anything other than a jog, his passing was careless and lacklustre. Clarke can't win with Phillips though, if he drops him from the starting line-up on Tuesday (which I would), he'd get hounded by fans and press alike if the result is anything other than a resounding win. The formation needs a re-jig too. I'd drop Craig (who was poor also), put Connell where he should be at CDM, and play Benson in the middle with a another.
I think Craig’s a tidy footballer but he needs someone to tell him which way we’re kicking. Seldom can you accuse him of making a forward pass. I’d like to see Gent play but that change aside I’m happy with the team we put out on Saturday. It feels like we need a change in tactics. Tell them to be brave and have a go.
I suspect it will be more or less the same side that played Saturday but with maybe Benson in over Craig as the OP suggested and possibly Cotter dropping out if he is not fully recovered from his knock. Personally though, I would like to see a few big changes and a switch in formation. Not sure we are good enough to play a back 4, but we aren't that good in a 3 either and would rather see us have a go and be on the front foot rather than just going through the motions in games. We also have an abundance of good midfield options so lets try and make some use of them. I would like to see: Slonina Cotter MDG Roberts Earl Connell Phillips Benson DKD Humprhys Cosgrove same formation Mansfield play in where DKD shone, and the formation we moved into against them where we actually created a lot of chances and looked fairly decent (bar not being able to finish). We can't keep using a back 3 with a right footed wing back on the left or with a CB playing as a makeshift LWB. Takes all the momentum and threat away from that left hand side so everything then has to go via Baz on the right. If Gent is not ready yet then we need to drop the back 3 for now imo.
From the games I've seen under Clarke, there is no systematic press like we had under our more continental coaches. And frankly, we just don't have the personnel to do it effectively consistently anyway. We do seem to chase the ball down in some periods, but others we revert to a block. So I wonder if thats by design, whimsy or fitness. As for what 11 to start... I'm not convinced by this keeper at all, so given we haven't sent our future keeper out on loan and he's not even on the bench getting splinters, I'd give him some game time. Defence, we don't seem to have good options to revert to a 4 so I think we're stuck with the back line that started against Stockport. Ideally I'd like to see Gent at left wing back, but that seems unlikely for now and I'm not sure Cotter is the answer at right wing back, but at least he shows for the ball and is an outlet. Midfield. I'd be inclined to drop Phillips and Craig. It's just not working to control the ball for long enough spells. So I'd be inclined to play Connell and Russell (I'd prefer it to be Hourihane to be the organiser on the pitch), one sitting, one to join in, but rotate them and then Dunn as the link to the forwards. Up top I'd try Cosgrove and Humphreys if Watters isn't fit. But overall, I'd like us to pick an 11 and try and stick with it.
