Right, so matches finish at 9am here so I've got the rest of the day to stew over it. So my current coping mechanism is trying to look ahead. This is a good time to have another match in three days, and if we can get one or two (namely Cousins and Igor) back from injury, then hopefully we can start to use our squad.
So, changes for Tuesday:
1) Time to take a chance on Igor: if he's anywhere near fit, he should be at least in the team, if not in the starting lineup. Riga is in a bit of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situation where if he plays him and Igor has a flare up and we lose him for the rest of the year, he gets flack. If he holds him back, well, the team struggles to score. Now is the time to gamble for me.
2) Use the signings. We've signed experienced players who are full internationals in the hope that they can inject quality into the team at some point. Young and Motta have Championship experience. Now is the time.
3) Drop Poyet: from the sounds of things he hasn't been particularly good, and if JJ is getting in the side in a holding midfield role ahead of him then chances are he hasn't been brilliant in training either. I don't think he's particularly well suited to a midfield 2 in 4-4-2, all these mean he deserves to start from the bench.
4) Rest JBG. I think that he set piece delivery alone is usually worthy of a place in the side, but he is probably pushing 40 matches this season between club and country. Start him on the bench, when he came on against Forest (I think it was) it sounds like he helped change the game.
5) Take Lennon out of the firing line. He's had good moments and bad, but he is one where this is his first year of first team football, he's played from the start for ~3 months straight, and this is a physically taxing league. Throw Fanni in if he's anywhere near fit, and at worst throw Johnson in.
6) Same for Fox: It sounds like he and Bergdich combined well down the left, at least in the first half. But he's played almost every match this season, not always well, but even though it sounds like he's been much better the last couple matches it must all be taking its toll.
7) Start Lookman: If Igor is 60 minutes fit, start him on the left, if Igor is not ready to start, start him up front.
Team for Tuesday:
Hendo
Solly Fanni Tex Young
Motta Cousins Ba Lookman
Mak Igor
Bench: Pope, Lennon, Poyet, Bergdich, Harriott, JBG, Reza (Harriott for Igor if Igor isn't fully fit).
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Comments
It's gone far beyond that imo.
I don't think Motta is a midfielder, so if he plays it will be right back (and what happens to Solly, my MoM today then)
Fox was better today, and Young is much more of an attacker.
Lennon needs a rest but Johnson is so slow! I don't think Fanni is ready for a CB role.
Harriot was almost brilliant today, and if he had scored from a couple of the chances he had then we might have been purring about him instead. He will start on Tuesday, but I'd prefer him wide left with Igor starting. Then bring Lookman on for the last 35 minutes to keep Igor fit (if that is possible).
JBG is a key player, and it is sad he isn't on his best form. Our only other right midfielder is Reza, and he is crap.
My team for Tuesday would be -
Henderson
Solly
Teixeira
Sarr
Fox
Cousins (if fit, or Ba if not)
Poyet
JBG
Harriott
Makienok
Vetokele
Subs: Pope Suk-Young Fanni, Ba, Motta, Lookman, Bergdich.
Solly
Lennon
Tex
Fox
Charles-Cook
Cousins
Jackson
Harriott
Lookman
Vetokele
There is a cancer in our club at the moment and tinkering with formations and players are not going to have any influence.
Preston NE - now, there's a club that's having a good season.
Poyet has lost the plot
Reza never had it in the first place.
Leave these 4 out for a while and see what happens - we have nothing to lose, as we are already down.
We've not scored in 3, make that our priority, go gung-ho for the first goal, if it goes wrong, who cares.. don't go down without a kick, it's not fair on the paying fans.
Although I think the U18s match at Watford on Saturday was postponed, so they'd be up for it!
What was the point of signing Johnson only to leave him on the bench ? ... he is needed in the middle alongside Tex with Lennon at left back .. Poyet ? .. OUT for good and don't come back, Jackson MUST come back in the middle and where is Cousins ? .. Makienok ? .. an enigma, sometimes good away and rubbish at home .. Harriott ? .. over anxious to please but at least wears the CAFC badge close to his heart .. JBG ? .. soon be gone, drop him now, though I regret having to type this
I honestly think whatever the selection for PNE, we will NOT get a result, although the Rotherham performance might indicate otherwise, that looks more and more like the last spurt of flame from the dying embers of a dreadful burnt out season. The management (is this an oxymoron) needs to start preparing for a more vigorous and less salubrious life in the third strata from next springtime.
Henderson .. Solly, Johnson, Teixeira, Lennon .. Ba, Cousins, Jackson, Harriott .. Umerah, Lookman .. let's see what the youngsters, along with a few older heads, can do
Looks like this will be my last season - after almost 50 years - of going to the Valley. Certainly will not watch 3rd Division (probably 4th Division football within a year). Until these heartless cretins who have ripped the heart out of our famous club have gone I will find something else to do with my Saturdays.
Solly and Motta are the best full back options we have, so playing one of them at left back is a risk worth taking IMO.
Lookman and Vetokele also must start if fit, as our goal threat is just laughable at the moment. If fit, Cousins comes back in too.