[Albion] pick your team for the game against bolton 2day

[Machiavelli]

Greer is still injured.


Stockdale

Bruno
Goldson
Dunk
Ridgewell

Knockaert
Kayal
Stephens
Murphy

Wilson
Hemed

Subs : Maenpaa, Calderon, Crofts, Sidwell, Lua Lua, Zamora, Skalak

Probably this, although maybe Zamora starting instead of Wilson (or even Hemed). Things are looking up, as that bench testifies. The only real decisions are: which two out of Wilson, Zamora and Hemed to start; Skalak or Baldock on the bench.

 

[Albion in the north]

Greer is still injured.


Stockdale

Bruno
Goldson
Dunk
Ridgewell

Knockaert
Kayal
Stephens
Murphy

Wilson
Hemed

Subs : Maenpaa, Calderon, Crofts, Sidwell, Lua Lua, Zamora, Skalak

Id go along with this although wouldnt be unhappy to see Sidwell start instead of Stephens as he seemed well up for it when he came on.

 

[Notters]

I'd rest King Kayal and bring in Sidwell tbh.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

With Hull coming up on Tuesday I could see a couple, maybe more. Despite there being "no easy games in this league" (yawn) we're playing a team that are the weakest in the league and on track to win no more than 7 or 8 all season. Although CH is "only looking at the next game" (yawn) he'll 100% know the significance of Hull. If he's ever to change a winning team then this is the right time I think, the likes of Sidwell, Crofts, Lua Lua, and the new fella are hardly slouches

It's this kind of arrogance that I find hilarious. The Hull game becomes infinitely less important if we don't win today. Do you not remember the Preston home game where a large percentage of the side were changed, and the team that played hadn't really played together, and we totally lacked fluency and dropped points (yawn)? Maybe one of their 7 or 8 wins this season would be against us if we don't take it seriously (yawn).

Bolton at this stage is an absolutely vital game. Go out to win it, and IF we're ahead comfortably after 55, 60 minutes, then make a sub or 3 to rest players.

Anyway, in relation to the OPs question, I'd be surprised if it isn't the same team as against Brentford. The only changes, I'd imagine, will be up front depending on how Zamora is doing injury wise, possibly Kayal if his injury isn't totally cleared up, and on the bench depending on the options CH wants available.

 

[Triggaaar]

Did he?

Yes.

With Hull coming up on Tuesday I could see a couple, maybe more. Despite there being "no easy games in this league" (yawn) we're playing a team that are the weakest in the league and on track to win no more than 7 or 8 all season. Although CH is "only looking at the next game" (yawn) he'll 100% know the significance of Hull. If he's ever to change a winning team then this is the right time I think, the likes of Sidwell, Crofts, Lua Lua, and the new fella are hardly slouches

It probably depends how Kayal and Stephens are. If they're both 100%, I'd hope they start today and Tuesday. Bolton aren't the worst team in the league, a win is far from guaranteed. But if either Kayal or Stephens are a risk for Hull, perhaps we should start with Sidwell to see how he does with his new partner.

I may have missed something somewhere, but is Skalak match fit now?

Chirs says he's fairly fit and trained well. From his interviews his attitude seems perfect, just hope he's impressing on the pitch too. He's up against some excellent wingers though, so he's going to have to be pretty good to get a chance.

 

[Rugrat]

It's this kind of arrogance that I find hilarious. The Hull game becomes infinitely less important if we don't win today. Do you not remember the Preston home game where a large percentage of the side were changed, and the team that played hadn't really played together, and we totally lacked fluency and dropped points (yawn)? Maybe one of their 7 or 8 wins this season would be against us if we don't take it seriously (yawn).

Bolton at this stage is an absolutely vital game. Go out to win it, and IF we're ahead comfortably after 55, 60 minutes, then make a sub or 3 to rest players.

Anyway, in relation to the OPs question, I'd be surprised if it isn't the same team as against Brentford. The only changes, I'd imagine, will be up front depending on how Zamora is doing injury wise, possibly Kayal if his injury isn't totally cleared up, and on the bench depending on the options CH wants available.

Arrogance? They are bottom of the league and if we are serious contenders we have to win these games and win them well. Fact is we have a strong squad and making 3 even 4 changes should not prevent us from winning and giving us the best opportunity for Hull. How you conclude that as arrogant is equally hilarious

 

[Rugrat]

It probably depends how Kayal and Stephens are. If they're both 100%, I'd hope they start today and Tuesday. Bolton aren't the worst team in the league, a win is far from guaranteed. But if either Kayal or Stephens are a risk for Hull, perhaps we should start with Sidwell to see how he does with his new partner.

Don't necessarily disagree but he'll be looking at Cardiff too which is going to be really tough. Today might be the only opportunity to "rest" a couple or deal with any niggly injuries. He'll know if these guys can produce 100% over 3 games in a week, if they can then absolutely play our very strongest today

 

[Triggaaar]

Don't necessarily disagree but he'll be looking at Cardiff too which is going to be really tough. Today might be the only opportunity to "rest" a couple or deal with any niggly injuries. He'll know if these guys can produce 100% over 3 games in a week, if they can then absolutely play our very strongest today

If they have niggly injuries, then fair enough, rest them, but if they're properly fit today, play them, even if they might not manage 3 games in a week. Otherwise you could rest someone today, we don't get 3 points, then the person you rested picks up a knock in training and can't play against Cardiff anyway. Niggly injuries aside, you are in danger of underestimating Bolton and dropping points.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Arrogance? They are bottom of the league and if we are serious contenders we have to win these games and win them well. Fact is we have a strong squad and making 3 even 4 changes should not prevent us from winning and giving us the best opportunity for Hull. How you conclude that as arrogant is equally hilarious

(yawn) you're missing the point (yawn). If we lose or even draw today because we take the points for granted, as you're doing (yawn) by suggesting we don't pick the strongest team available (yawn) then we HAVE to beat Hull (yawn). Whereas if we win today, we can approach Hull much more optimistically in the knowledge that if we only get a point, it isn't the end of the world. That allows CH to approach the Hull game much more sensibly (yawn).

Out of curiosity, are you the idiot in the North Stand last week who thought we should've smashed Brentford 5-0?

 

[Triggaaar]

They are bottom of the league and if we are serious contenders we have to win these games and win them well.

They're not actually bottom. You think we have to win these games, but you want us to do it without our best side. And the truth is, sides that get automatic promotion do it while dropping points to sides that everyone thinks they should be beating. We lost against Rotherham, but we're still in the running, because results like that happen. We're more likely to drop points today if we don't play our best side.
EDIT - Hull also lost against Rotherham, and 'boro lost against Bristol City, so the idea that serious contenders have to win these games is clearly wrong.

Fact is we have a strong squad and making 3 even 4 changes should not prevent us from winning

I think that many changes certainly puts the points at unnecessary risk. We might not win even at full strength. If offered the option to start full strength, and come away with a 1 nil win, I'd very happily take it.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Let's just win this afternoon, and then we can 'worry' about Hull tonight.

 

[Rugrat]

(yawn) you're missing the point (yawn). If we lose or even draw today because we take the points for granted, as you're doing (yawn) by suggesting we don't pick the strongest team available (yawn) then we HAVE to beat Hull (yawn). Whereas if we win today, we can approach Hull much more optimistically in the knowledge that if we only get a point, it isn't the end of the world. That allows CH to approach the Hull game much more sensibly (yawn).

Out of curiosity, are you the idiot in the North Stand last week who thought we should've smashed Brentford 5-0?

Well if that's how you chose to engage in a debate over a matter you disagree with then you lose all credibility in my book. Resorting to name calling too, that's classy.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

Arrogance? They are bottom of the league and if we are serious contenders we have to win these games and win them well. Fact is we have a strong squad and making 3 even 4 changes should not prevent us from winning and giving us the best opportunity for Hull. How you conclude that as arrogant is equally hilarious

Absolutely - it's not an accident we're in the top 6 and have been all season. We are better than most of this league and we have proved that over the course of the whole season so far, we're playing a team at the foot of the table from the start. If ANY of the players don't feel like we're a better team and we need to win this game then they don't have the mentality to win the league. You can bet all of the players today will be expecting us to win the game and will be going out there looking to make it happen. It doesn't always work out but if we don't go into the game thinking you'll win it then you probably won't.

As for the team for today, for me;

Stockdale
Bruno Goldson Dunk Ridgewell
Knockaert Sidwell Kayal Murphy
Hemed Wilson​

Subs Maenpaa; Calderon; Crofts, Stephens, LuaLua; Skalak, Zamora

 

[Rugrat]

They're not actually bottom. You think we have to win these games, but you want us to do it without our best side. And the truth is, sides that get automatic promotion do it while dropping points to sides that everyone thinks they should be beating. We lost against Rotherham, but we're still in the running, because results like that happen. We're more likely to drop points today if we don't play our best side.
EDIT - Hull also lost against Rotherham, and 'boro lost against Bristol City, so the idea that serious contenders have to win these games is clearly wrong.

I think that many changes certainly puts the points at unnecessary risk. We might not win even at full strength. If offered the option to start full strength, and come away with a 1 nil win, I'd very happily take it.

Don't disagree there will always be "upsets" bottom beating top etc but if there's any analysing to do at the end of the season it will be about losing at Rotherham, dropping points at Bolton etc I'd imagine. Underestimate? Not in the slightest, and I'd be horrified if anyone in the BHA camp were even mildly casual about today. But, we do have a strong squad (getting stronger too) and I wouldn't be any less confident if there were a couple of changes. That's different to 5/6 weeks ago when we were so screwed with injuries and had hit a slump in form.

That said, I'd agree that 3/4 changes would be too much. On reflection a couple of changes from a group of about 4 wouldn't have me worrying, particularly if there are those niggles (Kayal) that we don't really get to hear too much about

Of course we could lose to Bolton today, but whichever way you look at it we shouldn't

 

[Triggaaar]

If ANY of the players don't feel like we're a better team and we need to win this game then they don't have the mentality to win the league. You can bet all of the players today will be expecting us to win the game and will be going out there looking to make it happen. It doesn't always work out but if we don't go into the game thinking you'll win it then you probably won't.

No one suggested we go in thinking we won't win, we simply said let's not assume it'll be so easy that we can do it while resting 3 or 4 players.

And you've promptly names a team that's just resting one player, which is no bad idea IMO.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

No one suggested we go in thinking we won't win, we simply said let's not assume it'll be so easy that we can do it while resting 3 or 4 players.

Why not? We could bring in Sidwell, Crofts, Wilson, Skalak and LuaLua - none of whom started against Brentford, and we'd STILL have a team we would realistically think should beat Bolton. It doesn't always work that way obviously but we could play the same team again and get beaten. It's just chat.

 

[sussex_guy2k2]

Well if that's how you chose to engage in a debate over a matter you disagree with then you lose all credibility in my book. Resorting to name calling too, that's classy.

As was the "yawning" in such an arrogant manner in your first post - maybe try making a more coherent, less pathetic initial point and then people won't feel the need to pull you up on it. And unless you were the idiot in the North Stand last week who thought we should've beaten Brentford 5-0, then you've missed the point again should I assume you were that person? You seem to have their same level of arrogance...

By the way, I'm glad CH didn't follow your terrific idea of resting everyone today. Turns out there aren't any easy games in the Championship (yawn).

 

[Triggaaar]

As was the "yawning" in such an arrogant manner in your first post

Come on, he just has a different opinion to us

Well we got the 3 points, but it wasn't straightforward, and I we certainly benefited from Kayal being on the pitch. Not sure we'd have got the points if he rested a few.