Cardiff on Tuesday
Given that we discussed every facet of the Bristol game and more, I think it might be time to turn our heads to the Cardiff match Tuesday night. A few things that I am pretty sure of, they are a very physical side, they are a very big club, they like to play plenty of balls into the box & particularly like getting to the second ball. We can be sure that it will be a tough game & I wouldn't mind betting that they will target JJ to get the ball down that channel to stick crosses in.
As we are all armchair experts, how are we going to come out with three points that are so desperately needed? Is Taffazoli going to make an appearance given that Knight, as of this moment won't be available? Given that Stewart was "nearly" ready, will he be the new partner in the centre of defence? Ikpeazu made a cameo appearance against QPR, but didn't get on at all a few days later from the bench, is it too soon for him or has he picked up another injury? Gape, will he be considered too small if he is fit enough anyway? Adenerin, a very combative midfielder, finally reappeared at Bristol, but possibly won't be risked from the start. Thompson apparently asked to come off on Friday, has he tweaked/pulled something again and a late fitness test may rule him out as too much too soon. Surely a step too far for Bayo, so will Samuel be given another battering against the two giants at the back for Cardiff if Ikpeazu is deemed too risky. Fred not angry enough? Horgan deemed as unfit to start as he has played so many games so far this season. I think I can say with relative certainty that Wheeler will play, assuming he didn't pick up an injury collecting a book on the history of socialism from the library, Allsop another one & possibly Kashket & probably McCleary After that it's anyones guess?
Comments
I'd love to see JJ as the hero against his boyhood club. A direct corner finally allowed?
Oh, and Free Freeman.
This is garbage...we never look like scoring.
We need to find a different way to play.
Just saved a couple of posters some time early doors.
?
Oh and I had this one down as a loss so i've got no ideas or advice...
I hope Rocky has seen Cardiff's first goal from Boxing Day - Will Vaulks scored from his own half!
Knight won’t be available? I’ve obviously missed something.
Knight should be available, shouldn't he? It'll be the final match before his loan runs out.
I think we'll see him partner Tafazolli in defence, or if Tafazolli not deemed fit, McCarthy. I think we'll see Adeniran and Thompson in the middle with Wheeler on the left protecting JJ. I hope we see Ikpeazu up front. That leaves two from Kashket, Fred, Horgan, McCleary and Freeman. Bayo and Charles on the bench.
Apologies, think Knights loan allows this as a last game?
Of your last five @aloysius I think it would have to be Kashket and McCleary, much as I would love to see Freeman included. Most of all I’d like to see someone running directly into the box and, please, let’s have a few shots in the general direction of goal. Ricochets do happen.
Thompson’s voluntary departure on Saturday is a worry; yet more uncertainty.
I know I’ll be howled down again but I’d be happy to see Mehmeti in the starting lineup.
Howl, howl & thrice howl!
I have been wondering if we might see some more of that early WWFC Kashket where he brought his fusball skills to the penalty box. Mehmeti reminds very much of that Kashket, I do believe there are a few penalties to be gained from this tactic.
Bring back 4-3-3 maybe? The problem is that it's too hard to predict what formation we will use. We have used many formations this season such as:
4-3-3
4-4-2
4-1-2-1-2 (wide)
4-2-3-1
If I was to recommend a team adapted to each formation for the Cardiff game, it would probably be something like this:
4-3-3
Allsop
Grimmer
Knight
Tafazolli
Jacobson
Adeniran
Thompson
Mehmeti
Wheeler
Ikpeazu
McCleary
4-4-2 (dont really see this happening)
Allsop
Grimmer
Knight
Tafazolli
Jacobson
Wheeler
Thompson
Adeniran
McCleary
Ikpeazu
Kashket
4-1-2-1-2 (Wide)
Allsop
Grimmer
Knight
Tafazolli
Jacobson
Thompson
Wheeler
McCleary
Mehmeti
Kashket
Ikpeazu
4-2-3-1
Allsop
Grimmer
Knight
Tafazolli
Jacobson
Thompson
Adeniran
Wheeler
Mehmeti
McCleary
Ikpeazu
I think the 4-2-3-1 formation would be best to be honest given when you look at the team I would put in, they all fit into their rolls and on paper it's a decent team. Tafazolli will undoubtedly start and I think Mehmeti and McCleary will be given chances to continue their good runs of form that they have been having recently. Furthermore, I believe this could be the game where Uche is given his first start, in order to rest Bayo.
Knight can play against Cardiff and Middlesbrough on Jan 2nd (Govt lockdown permitting...)
JJ picked up his 5th yellow on Saturday, does he get a ban for Tuesday?
Unfortunately it does mean he is suspended for the Cardiff game. Guess we could put McCarthy at left back given Tafazolli is probably to slow?
Oh wow, that's a bummer. We signed a left back from Chelsea youth team earlier this season. Now is his chance to shine.
He's not suspended - cut-off for five yellows is 19 games.
Thank goodness for that. And thank goodness for @chairboyscentral.
We'd have heard about it if he was suspended!
Am I alone in thinking listings of lineups to suit every possible formation, opposition and weather condition pretty pointless?
Probably not @micra but that would render all football forums as pointless. They thrive on injury guesswork, formations, speculation on transfers and complaining/eulogies on performances,.
Yes I agree about all those topics. It’s the virtually identical lists of names and the accompanying numerical descriptions of formations which seem pointless and which I doubt whether many of us would even be aware of (or remotely interested in) in the course of a game.
I’ll be honest. I think @thedieharder’s posts got to me a bit !
Particularly the one at 9.31. I wondered (a) if he’d seen McCarthy’s last game at left back and (b) why he thought Tafazolli might be ‘to slow’.
I cant see McCarthy ever playing left back again. He has no left foot of any sort.
Should JJ be unavailable in the future then Grimmer to left back and McCarthy to right back.
Alternative would be playing 3-5-2, with Grimmer and McCarthy as wing backs, again Grimmer on the left.
Tedious re-hashing of lineups is a forum speciality.
Just be glad it's not pre-season where we do the "what's your favourite ever 11" threads.
Other than Knight, our centre-backs aren't good enough on the ball for us to play three at the back - although I think Wheeler could play wing-back. Fred started at LWB at home to Peterborough last season and it didn't work - and I think we started with the same system at Rochdale then changed it pretty much straight away? It's not really something that you 'just do'.
Anthony Stewart is more than good enough on the ball to play in a back three
He has his moments, but he's erratic and sometimes puts himself in tights spots with a miscontrol or a poor pass. His strengths are very much reading the game and being in the right place at the right time on an almost scarily consistent basis (which we're really missing at the moment!). I guess he could play in the middle of a three, but that still leaves one spot spare. It won't happen anyway.
Well, if JJ was suspended do we really have another choice? Plus Tafazolli is 6'5 and understandably hes not the fastest player. He is a centre back after all.
Please see comments above from @Commoner and @chairboyscentral re (a). And, on (b), I have no idea (who amongst Wycombe fans does ?)) how quick Tafazolli is. With his long legs (I assume, unless he’s exceptionally long-waisted !) he should cover the ground pretty quickly.
Cheetahs have pretty long legs @micra!