Team for Cardiff

[Bob!]

I can see Murphy in for March and Sidwell for Norwood. Otherwise the side that started v QPR. We definitely need one of the flair players starting, resting Knocky at Cardiff didn't work out at all well and we looked much more dangerous when he came on.

If Sidwell comes in for Norwood, then I'd expect Skalak to come in for March, so that we have great delivery from corners.

If Norwood stays in the eleven, then Murphy to start.

 

[Marshy]

If Sidwell comes in for Norwood, then I'd expect Skalak to come in for March, so that we have great delivery from corners.

If Norwood stays in the eleven, then Murphy to start.

I agree with this, it seems if Skalak starts then Norwood wont and vice versa.

 

[Exile]

Lee Peltier will kick the f..k out of who ever he marks, literally, on our left so protect March then tell Dunk to get booked at Fulham in the 89th minute for dissent, just kick the ball away. Problem solved as regards his ban he would miss cup game or be rested and PNE away who have no big men with Beckford out.

1. How is deliberately triggering Dunk's ban earlier than required 'problem solved'? Would you be applauding that still when he reaches 15 rather than 14 in March and misses THREE more important games?

2. Beckford missing means that Preston are MORE likely to go the arial route - with Jordan Hugill and Simon Makiniok together - just as they did to cost us two points at home.

 

[Stat Brother]

If Sidwell comes in for Norwood, then I'd expect Skalak to come in for March, so that we have great delivery from corners.

If Norwood stays in the eleven, then Murphy to start.

If Sidwell comes in for Norwood then I'd expect Porky Pig to fly past the AMEX while Ermintrude happily hops over the moon.

NSC seems to have forgotten it's self appointed mantra of 'win at home, draw away'.
It's either that or we've got so used to winning we now think any old chump wearing stripes can pick up 3 points while playing at Falmer.

In most other teams Norwood put in a MotM performance v QPR, he just happened to be playing in a side with at least 4 other candidates.

Sidwell, Skalak will be solidifying the team v Fulham, but playing Cardiff without the one player who has the passing ability to rip a defensive team open, would be crazy.

 

[Pavilionaire]

I'd start the same side as QPR with the same intention - get the game won by 65 minutes then sub the same three players - Murray, Baldock, March.

I fully expect Cardiff to be a lot tougher to break down, and if we start with Sidwell and Skalak / Murphy we're likely to have to play for the full 90 minutes to get a result. However, if we start with Norwood and March their creativity could undo Cardiff early doors.

Significantly, with Fulham 15 points behind us you'd think they'd be prioritising their match vs Reading, in which case their side should be jaded when we play them.

The bottom line is we just need to keeping winning at home and we should go up almost regardless of what we do away from home.

 

[Wardy's twin]

In the Cardiff game we need to score early so we tease them out of the '10 behind the ball' so i would keep same team as QPR but perhaps tell March he only needs to play one half then either bring on Murphy or Skalak. That way he might show same level of energy he did against Birmingham.

 

[TheDuke]

March on the bench is a cast iron certainty.

Sorry but absolutely wrong. His first half was average, 2nd got a lot better. CH will continue to bring him back to match fitness and he will bloody shine

 

[BensGrandad]

1. How is deliberately triggering Dunk's ban earlier than required 'problem solved'? Would you be applauding that still when he reaches 15 rather than 14 in March and misses THREE more important games?

2. Beckford missing means that Preston are MORE likely to go the arial route - with Jordan Hugill and Simon Makiniok together - just as they did to cost us two points at home.

Duffy is now playing with his team mates and to his strengths so he will cope and a ban for Dunk is inevitable so lets adjust it to suit our needs best and not have him out against Sheff Wed, Reading Huddersfield or Newcastle. He probably wont play in the cup game anyway so it is only PNE

 

[Marshy]

Dunk has to avoid a ban for as long as possible, really dont want to lose him for a 3 game period at the end of the season.

 

[Exile]

Duffy is now playing with his team mates and to his strengths so he will cope and a ban for Dunk is inevitable so lets adjust it to suit our needs best and not have him out against Sheff Wed, Reading Huddersfield or Newcastle. He probably wont play in the cup game anyway so it is only PNE

Duffy getting outjumped for that equalizer had nothing whatsoever to do with 'playing with his team-mates', whatever that means. He lost the header because Makiniok is massive. He's still massive now, so we need our best headers for that game, as much as any other.

When Dunk's ban arrives, we'll deal with it. What we won't do is tell him to clock up an additional booking on purpose, onto his total - increasing the likelihood of an even longer ban at a crucial later point of the season.

 

[BensGrandad]

As I said you have to play the system. FWIW Duffy is by far the best defensive header in the team far better than Dunk. LD has to adjust his mad moments to not get another 5 bookings its called commitment with discipline

 

[Machiavelli]

1. How is deliberately triggering Dunk's ban earlier than required 'problem solved'? Would you be applauding that still when he reaches 15 rather than 14 in March and misses THREE more important games?

2. Beckford missing means that Preston are MORE likely to go the arial route - with Jordan Hugill and Simon Makiniok together - just as they did to cost us two points at home.

The other issue, re 1, is that the less cards he gets, the longer it'll take him to get to 15, and that could mean that he only has to miss the potential promotion party at Villa, rather than some of the earlier games when things are really tight. But plenty more will still suggest that Dunk ought to get himself booked on here.

 

[Nixonator]

You'd deliberately weaken our back four for a must-win home game, to prepare for a future game? Absolute nonsense.

Calm down, I said it would be interesting as a possibility, not that i'm masterminding it. I don't know what the correct choice is.

All I know is missing Dunk for any 2 out of Massive/Toon/Hudds will probably cost us, and for him to stay without a yellow through that period would probably be a personal record. Obviously the no-brainer thing to suggest is that he keeps trying to avoid bookings.

Jan-Feb is a massively important period for us and if you look at the fixtures in April, missing 3 games there would not be so critical in my opinion.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Pocognoli is injured so not available. Hunt will take his place on the bench.

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

Much as I don't want to see Dunk get suspended, a hugely-motivated Connor Goodson playing alongside Duffy wouldn't exactly fill me with dread. We have the size and quality of squad that we have in order to cover precisely these situations.

 

[swindonseagull]

So many experienced Football League managers on one thread.

I think I will leave it to CH

 

[London Irish]

I hope Chris picks the same team, because it's our best. None of the subs we brought on looked more effective

 

[London Irish]

Cardiff blunted our attacking efforts quite easily a few weeks ago so to put out squad players is the type of arrogance that will lead to that 8 point gap becoming 6. Newcastle are where they are because Benitez has fannied around too often on selection this season

 

[BensGrandad]

So many experienced Football League managers on one thread.

I think I will leave it to CH

Isnt that what this type of forum is for?

 

[Guinness Boy]

Cardiff blunted our attacking efforts quite easily a few weeks ago so to put out squad players is the type of arrogance that will lead to that 8 point gap becoming 6. Newcastle are where they are because Benitez has fannied around too often on selection this season

We definitely have "squad players" in the back four and up front. We've rotated the midfield 4 an awful lot this season. The centre mids get through the most work while the wingers are vulnerable to being kicked or double teamed. Makes absolute sense to change it up in that part of the field as the opposition suits because that's what CH has done all season - to table-topping, 51 points from 23 success.