[Archived] What Would You Do?

[Blue blood]

Ok, so given that it's probably going to be another 2/3 games before we see roberts and rocky back (if at all) and given that dunn and grella still appear to be nowhere near full fitness what team and formation would people pick?

We NEED points desperately and can't really wait to get a couple more players back, we need the results now.

So what team would people play, that looks like it has a chance of getting a result, and may even threaten the opposition going forward?

The perameters are:

No rocky, roberts, emerton, reid or any other long term injuries.

Dunn & Grella are only fit to play 45 mins maximum.

You can't recall derbs.

Ok for me it'd have to go like so:

Robbo

Ooijer Zurab Nelsen Givet

Diouf Grella/Dunn Warnock Pedersen

Benni Samba

This would be my team with either Grella coming on for Dunn or vice versa depending on the physical nature of the team we were playing. Against the top teams I'd be tempted to start with Grella to keep things a bit tighter at the back, and when they tire - and he tires - bring on Dunn, who can handle himself in a tussle yet brings more attacking verve. Dunn would have more space in the second half as well, as players start to tire. Most importantly it means for the entire match we have one cm who can pass on the field.

Samba has to go up front, as otherwise the long ball route is pointless and it gives Benni someone to play off, which he needs.

Ooijer has to go right back as he's the only one who can play there and do a half decent job.

If anyone thinks there's a better formation with the resources we have available I'd like to here it. Personally I think getting an effective 11 out of what we have fit/available would give any manager trouble.

[Billy Castell]

My team would be the same as yours. Put Doran and maybe Blackman on the bench too.

[Stuart]

This topic already exists...

http://www.brfcs.co.uk/mb/index.php?showtopic=21021

[Majiball]

Every game is different and we must approach it as such. Sam will almost always play 451/433 its predictable. In our circumstance we can't do this we don't have enough about ourselves to play our way and have the ooposition worry about us, so for me at present it would be game by game.

For Wigan.

----------------Robbo-------------

Ooijer----Samba----Nelsen--Givet

Diouf-----Grella-----Dunn---Warnock

---------------Villa------------------

---------------Benni------------------

The back four are solid they must stick together hence why Warnock is not at left back.

Midfield is very flexible Villa can drop back in if needed and hopefully warnock with Givet can contain Valencia. Dunn knows whats at stake and e'll run himself into the ground I know how much we mean to him. Grella can't be worse than Andrews or Mokoena.

Benni is our only fit striker so he plays, villa can be there to support him and he can play so hopefully he can find benni once or twice.

Morten can do one really the look on his face when no-one was on the end of his woeful pass said a million words, why weren't you on the end of it. I can answer that because you didn't even look before you played it.

its far more flexible than what we are playing at present.

Warnock and dunn can swap, Villa and benni can swap, dunn and villa can swap, diouf and villa can swap, Villa and warnock can swap.

You get the idea.

We can also easily switch to a 442, 451, 433, 4231.

[RevidgeBlue]

Surely for the remaining home games we need to see if we can squeeze one last hurrah out of Tugay and get him passing the ball around a bit.

The ideal foil would be Dunn if fully fit but if not, Andrews can provide the legs and it would get him out of the RB role he is clearly uncomfortable with.

Up front no more Samba please, get him back in central defence. If Jason/Roque aren't fit play Benni and maybe Carlos just behind him to link play up a bit.

We need to start playing some football and stop playing players out of position wherever possible.

[AggyBlue]

Surely for the remaining home games we need to see if we can squeeze one last hurrah out of Tugay and get him passing the ball around a bit.

I don't think Sam see's that as a midfielders job.

All the midfield players have to do is close the opposition down and win the ball back, then hoof it into the corners.

Passing, nah, that's for our opponents to waste their time doing.

[Lurid Coat]

I'd quite like to have some players who can actually pass the football to a team mate present in our starting XI. Yesterday's performances by Andrews and Mokoena rate amongst the worst I've ever seen by professional football players. Preferred lineup:

Robinson - Ooijer, Nelsen, Samba, Givet - Diouf, Dunn, Tugay/Grella, Pedersen - Villanueva - McCarthy

[The Prof.]

Just some points.

I don't think Dunn and Grella would have lasted yesterdays game. They are not fit.

Zurab. Well the stats say when he plays we do well. I would leave if I was him. Unfathomable.

Villanueva needs to be given the ball in space near the opponents box. Otherwise useless. We have no fit midfielder to do that.

We're just playing the fit midfielders we have. And a left back. And a 4th division midfielder. And a Centre Half from South Africa. Or an Austrlian wing back when he gets fit.

Tugay 1st half Dunn second?

Do we give medicals to our signings before paying? Stage payments with a fitness clause on the fee and wages would have saved us enough £'s for two good central midfielders IMO.

[daveoftherovers]

Simple answer:

"Play it on the deck for at least a few minutes of a game..."

[Majiball]

Surely for the remaining home games we need to see if we can squeeze one last hurrah out of Tugay and get him passing the ball around a bit.

The ideal foil would be Dunn if fully fit but if not, Andrews can provide the legs and it would get him out of the RB role he is clearly uncomfortable with.

Up front no more Samba please, get him back in central defence. If Jason/Roque aren't fit play Benni and maybe Carlos just behind him to link play up a bit.

We need to start playing some football and stop playing players out of position wherever possible.

Couldn't agree more, but no more Andrews.

[Claytons Left Boot]

Assuming we can get Benni and Roberts up front sooner rather than later it would not be a bad shout to get little Charlie Newton out wide left. Sweet left foot, he can twist and turn and has got to be better than Morten The Useless.

[b12_simon]

Assuming we can get Benni and Roberts up front sooner rather than later it would not be a bad shout to get little Charlie Newton out wide left. Sweet left foot, he can twist and turn and has got to be better than Morten The Useless.

And lose all those long throws? That's not the Allardyce way!

[Napoleon]

Some interesting ideas here, they say football is a game of opinions, but I cannot believe anyone would choose Samba up front.

For me, keep things simple, except for bombing out Pederson!:

Robinson

Givet

Samba

Nelsen

Ooijer

Warnock

Tugay/Dunn share 90 mins

Andrews

Diouf

Roberts

McCarthy

[LeChuck]

Roberts is injured, why do you think no-one else is putting him in their team?

[T4E]

Isn't Roberts back for Sunday? Or atleast in contention?

[Hughesy]

Is Valencia playing on sunday? If so, how do we stop him & Nzogbia - thats the key to us getting anything. Both have bags of pace, who will be at right back??

[LeChuck]

Isn't Roberts back for Sunday? Or atleast in contention?

It'll be the bench at best, surely? It would be insane to put him on if he's not 100%, have him aggravate it and miss the rest of the season.

Quotes from Roberts here saying he doesn't think he'll be ready.

[T4E]

I was only going by Kamy's news item.

Thanks for the link, as disappointing as the news is. Says a lot about how far we've fallen that I'm nigh on praying for Jason Roberts to be fit for a game.

[Majiball]

Is Valencia playing on sunday? If so, how do we stop him & Nzogbia - thats the key to us getting anything. Both have bags of pace, who will be at right back??

He should be, so lets hope Givet can do a better Job than Warnock did last time out. Ooijer will be at right back, hopefully he can keep N'zogbia quiet, if not then its Andrews and I can see him being dragged all over the place by him.

Samba and Nelsen should be able to hold off Zaki and Mido (if he plays) both are physhical and I can see our centre halfs doing a good job.

I'm far more worried about who we play in the middle and how we approach the game than anything else, I will not tolerate another playing for a point attitude as we, probably won't get one.

I'd honestly play two holders for this one in a 4231 (after some thought), we cannot concede as I just can't see us scoring more than 1 at present.

Trouble is I have sneaking suspision we're going to see something different this sunday:

-------------Robbo--------------

Zurab---Ooijer---Nelsen---Givet

Diouf----Grella--Warnock--MGP

----------Benni---Samba-------

I can see it coming.

[bubblerrovers]

I'd pray because we can't rely on the team to create much

[Napoleon]

Roberts is injured, why do you think no-one else is putting him in their team?

Well we will see won't we smart a---.

[riverside returns]

Well there is a vast array of opinion on here about how to set up and who to play and I suppose that all depends upon who is fit for the game. But as a slightly different idea I would suggest

Robinson

Oijer Nelsen Smaba Givet

Diouf Dunn(Grella) Warnock Villanueva/Doran

Benni MGP

Suggesting that MGP is good in the air and could provide a foil for benni. At the moment he is not producing anything from the wing but we all know he can be a handful in the air.

However if Roberts or Santa fit then would revert to MGP on wing and whichever one fit to partner Benni.

[Roost]

Well there is a vast array of opinion on here about how to set up and who to play and I suppose that all depends upon who is fit for the game. But as a slightly different idea I would suggest

Robinson

Oijer Nelsen Smaba Givet

Diouf Dunn(Grella) Warnock Villanueva/Doran

Benni MGP

Suggesting that MGP is good in the air and could provide a foil for benni. At the moment he is not producing anything from the wing but we all know he can be a handful in the air.

However if Roberts or Santa fit then would revert to MGP on wing and whichever one fit to partner Benni.

Liking that formation RR except that I would push Carlos behind BM & MGP and have Diouf Dunn & Warnock as a three man mid.

I am crapping it about Sundays game already!!

[riverside returns]

Problem with a 3 man attack and midfiels comes when Wigan, who have 2 wide men, play 4 in midfield and we start to get pulled around. The extra man causing havoc in our defence. Remember the 5-3 game at Wigan last season, their midfield ripped us apart with similar tactics.

[sloth_frattelli]

Basic 4-4-2:

Robinson

Ooijer - Nelsen - Samba - Givet

Diouf - Dunn - Warnock - Pedersen

McCarthy - Villanueva

SUBS:

Bunn

Khizanishvili

Andrews

Tugay

Mokoena

Doran

Grella

First goal will be a penalty. Final score: 2-0 to the Rovers