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Knockaert - Does he start against Wigan?

Does Knockaert Start?

  • YES - Play your strongest team!

    Votes: 99 75.0%
  • NO - Norwich at home is more important, don't risk him.

    Votes: 33 25.0%

  • Total voters
    132


pb21

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2010
6,315
Play him but tell him to hold off a little, don't be stupid and drop the histrionics?
 






GoldWithFalmer

Seaweed! Seaweed!
Apr 24, 2011
12,687
SouthCoast
Play him but tell him to hold off a little, don't be stupid and drop the histrionics?

Normal away game for him then :jester:
 


crookie

Well-known member
Jun 14, 2013
3,312
Back in Sussex
Play him. Don't give Wigan any kind of lift by making things easier for them!
Agreed, best player in the division on his day, what a boost it would give Wigan if he wasn't in the team. We need to be on the front foot every game

Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk
 






Normski1989

Well-known member
Apr 15, 2015
751
Hove
I'd put him on the bench and use him as an impact player if necessary. We have more than enough quality and depth to beat Wigan.

Norwich is a six-point game. We can't afford to have players like Knockaert suspended. I also wonder if he'd be subconsciously aware of the consequences of another booking, making him potentially less effective.

Sent from my SM-N9005 using Tapatalk
 


fat old seagull

New member
Sep 8, 2005
5,239
Rural Ringmer
Winning at Norwich would be brilliant. However, sadly and being realistic it's not likely. So not to play him at Wigan, where we do have a better chance of taking the spoils might be a risk too many. We could end up with 'Nil Pois' from both games.
Personally I'd play him, tell him to give it his all, but just not be reckless or go 'au naturale'.
 


GoldWithFalmer

Seaweed! Seaweed!
Apr 24, 2011
12,687
SouthCoast




OvingdeanSeagull

Well-known member
Jul 8, 2012
747
Ovingdean
As others have said, I'd bench him ready to bring on if we're not winning on 65-70ish minutes. Our team is good enough to beat Wigan without him and Murphy and Skalak are more than adequate on the wings. We can't afford to risk him being suspended for Norwich, a game which could hinge massively on where we end up at the end of the season. Remember if we'd simply lost 0-2 rather than 0-3 to Middlesbrough last season, we'd have gone up instead of them. Knockaert could easily be the difference between win and draw/defeat against Norwich, which is likely to be a much tighter, more highly contested game - and it's probably going to be between us and them for who goes up with Newcastle. Whilst every game is important in this league, the points from the Norwich game are far more important than against Wigan.
 


whitelion

New member
Dec 16, 2003
12,828
Southwick
Winning at Norwich would be brilliant. However, sadly and being realistic it's not likely. So not to play him at Wigan, where we do have a better chance of taking the spoils might be a risk too many. We could end up with 'Nil Pois' from both games.
Personally I'd play him, tell him to give it his all, but just not be reckless or go 'au naturale'.

Norwich is a home game.
 


















fat old seagull

New member
Sep 8, 2005
5,239
Rural Ringmer
Having given this some further thought. I am now convinced not playing him against Wigan, is a no brainier. Surely his participating shouldn't necessarily assume he won't be available for the Norwich game. As in fact all he needs to do, is keep his shirt on, and be a good boy. Job done!
And what if he's rested today, but gets a training injury next week and can't play anyway. "A bird in the hand" as they say. ???
 


Justice

Dangerous Idiot
Jun 21, 2012
18,659
Born In Shoreham
Winning at Norwich would be brilliant. However, sadly and being realistic it's not likely. So not to play him at Wigan, where we do have a better chance of taking the spoils might be a risk too many. We could end up with 'Nil Pois' from both games.
Personally I'd play him, tell him to give it his all, but just not be reckless or go 'au naturale'.
Even if we were away at Norwich you seem a defeatist it's Norwich not Barcelona.
 




Neville's Breakfast

Well-known member
May 1, 2016
13,423
Oxton, Birkenhead
'Resting' Knockeart is showing disrespect to Wigan, and whilst they may be at the foot of the table that would be foolish and backfire on us. He should play, have a blinder and can be subbed once the damage has been done.....hopefully

Whatever the rights or wrongs of playing him in this game I don't think it would be disrespecting Wigan if he doesn't play. At some point in the season all/most of our players are likely to be used in this way. There can be specific reasons for picking a certain team and imminent suspension to a crucial player is a perfectly valid reason as are tactics and fitness. AK wasn't picked every game in the second half of last season so no reason to think he will be this year.
It's just a possibility. If he plays every week and is fantastic then obviously that's the ideal.
 




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