Tonight's line-up
Its going to be an interesting call regarding team selection by GA tonight.
Firstly, what to do about replacing the irreplaceable Aaron Pierre. My instinctive feeling would be to go with McCarthy and Stewart in the middle as the most solid pairing of centre-halves we have in an absolutely crucial part of the pitch. Its then a case of Rowe, Harriman (if fit) or Wood filling the gap, with Jombati moving back to RB if its the latter.
I'm not generally a fan of taking Sam Wood out of the midfield. His ability to tuck in and play an important role in our midfield pressing game, while still offering something from wide positions, is a big part of the way we play. However, given the limited options we have, we might have to do it. That would leave a gap on the left hand side for one of Sellers, Max, Banton, Udumaga or Thompson (with Holloway then going up top if its Thommo).
or he could go for Rowe and leave the rest of the midfield and forward line alone.
Its a difficult one as each option has its plusses and minuses.
I guess one other option he might be considering is the return of 4-3-3. Rovers played 3-5-2 on Saturday and GA has tended to favour this approach against teams that play that way - with considerable success too (and with less success against teams that don't!)
I guess that would seem he put Holloway up front with two of Hayes, Thompson and Wood alongside. Maybe Danny Rowe sat in front of the back four to man mark danger man Stuart Sinclair alongside Bloomfield and Luke with Harriman going back to right back.
Tough choice.
Me, I'd stay with 4-4-2 and go with
Ingram
Jombati
McCarthy
Stewart
Wood
Harriman
Bloomfield
O'Nien
Thompson
Hayes
Amadi-Holloway
Comments
I think one of the Brentford loanees will play in midfield. I am not sure Bloomfield is up to playing twice a week now.
I'd go with your back four and front two and have Banton on left midfield. Another option would be to keep Wood in position and slot Sellers into left back.
On Mooneyman's point, what on earth has happened to McGinn? He was out with 'a knock' about a month ago, back for the Leeds friendly, and has disappeared again. I wonder if we'll see him again before a return to Scottish football in January?
If Bloomfield can't play twice in a week I'd like to see Rowe as a holding midfielder and O'Nien as the creative box-to-boxer.
Banton and Sellers, no way aloysius, TOC's line up for me but a Brentford boy in for Blooms
@TheatreOfChairs, Not bad lineup, but I wouldn't be surprised if Ferry makes his League 2 appearance for Blooms.
I'd give Sellars LB and have Woody in midfield, Thommo on the bench instead of Holloway.
SellErs left back! No way.
the line up is unchanged apart from rowe in for pierre
And McGinn back on the bench
Bit of an insult to the Brentford lads if McGinn gets picked in front of them.
He may not have set the world alight for us but it's hardly an insult if someone with approximately 200 professional appearances is chosen ahead of two youngsters with barely a handful between them, & who have obviously been brought in to make up the numbers rather than have an instant impact on the first team.
Why bring them in then?? It's a waste or there time and ours.
Why??? To quote GA:
"we look forward to giving them the opportunity to experience a first-team environment in training and on matchdays." - They are gaining valuable experience of first-team (rather than youth) football. Therefore not a waste of there (sic) time?
"We’ve got a lot of games coming up and having them in the squad will give us extra options when we need them" - Therefore not a waste of our time either. We have two extra bodies who can fill in the gaps if the injury crisis worsens.
Same again saterday then I guess!
200 league appearances doesn't necessarily mean a player is entitled to get in ahead of a very promising youngster who has captained a Championship team's development side and another one who has played first team football for Brentford this season Fidget. Joe Kuffour had played well over 400 league games but wasn't exactly an outstanding player for us!
It doesn't mean they are entitled to, no. But you said it would be an embarrassment for the Brentford players, which is bollocks.
What is the point of the Brentford lads coming here to not even get on the bench of a very depleted small 2nd division squad, when they could be playing games regularly for a Championship development team?
That's what Courtney Senior did last year, I imagine they are here to cover in case there is a catalogue of injuries before the window opens on Jan 2nd. As it's not costing us anything to have the two young bees at Adams Park.
I've read on several occasions that academy/development football is a world away from senior football. We are giving them experience of that environment which I'm sure Brentford are more than happy for them to get that at the expense of missing the odd youth game.
And if they get a few minutes of game time then that's probably a nice Brucie bonus...
And I didn't say McGinn was entitled to a place on the bench because of his experience, just that it wasn't an insult for him to be picked ahead of them.
It would be interested to know the correlation between the words written about the Brentford Two not playing and the number of times those who have written the words have seen them play.