No idea who will get the vote in goal, but Bloomfield has always said that he picks players who are in form and as Rav was excellent at Blackpool and has been largely consistent since coming into the team I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t start on Sunday.
Like you I thought Max might be recalled for Blackpool but the fact that he wasn’t and then Franco made some excellent saves makes me think he’ll get the nod. I would be happy with either of them, Josh’s injury is far more concerning in my opinion.
Is that because of the early nervous fumble at Stevenage and the sense against Portsmouth that he was struggling physically a little to deal with their first half attacking onslaught? I had those sort of concerns but the two spectacular saves late on at Blackpool tended to overcome them.
There have been quite a few comments about his distribution being better than Max’s. I’ve not been convinced.
For me, it is one of the most (if not the most) difficult decisions Matt will have to make. I very much like @TheDancingYak’s suggestion of the same lineup as the last time we played Peterborough but with Leahy in for Vincent-Young.
I don't think he's as commanding and he looks very weak on crosses to me. Also looks a bit lightweight and liable to be knocked about in a crowded area.
I don't deny he has made some outstanding saves.
I just prefer Max. I always like a keeper that looks like he could hold his hands up if it gets a bit scrappy. Paul Hyde obviously the greatest example of this.
Mt reading was that Sweet Kane Vincent was selected for the February game because of the threat of Ajiboye's pace down the left. So I wonder whether Blooms might play Lonwijk at left back and J-Low in the middle with Taf.
Down our left, I think you mean. Ironically, for all his clever footwork, pace and trickery going forward, I think KVY was struggling defensively and that ultimately led to his injury. Isn’t Longwijk predominantly a right sided player?
I think Rava is a good stopper, reads the game well and reacts quickly, but like @eric_plant I think he looks a bit lost being jostled in a crowed area (which resulted in one of the Pompey goals). That said, I can live with either keeper starting...it will be interesting if it goes to pens.
I did mean our left, just as you meant Lonwijk, @micra😄. Like others here, I don't think KVY is the best defender and did ultimately get beaten by Ajiboye for the first Posh goal, but he certainly matched Ajiboye for pace and gave Posh plenty to think about going forward including the excellent run to get our own first.
I think our Nige has got two good feet, though he favours his right, and has played right across the back line and at wing back in his young career. He looks to me to have the athleticism and nous to play there if we are worried about Luke getting shown up for pace.
Probably goes without saying, but the loaned players will be highly scrutinised by their parent clubs in the final. They will want to know how they respond to higher pressure. I do think Potts will flourish on that pitch.
“Also looks a bit lightweight and liable to be knocked about in a crowded area…”
Hmm
As opposed to not looking lightweight but being knocked onto the floor by a slow-motion lumbering no. 9 in an empty penalty area at Barnsley?
(But I agree with you. I think Max is the better all round goalkeeper at this stage of their careers. And theatrics aside is a good solid commanding keeper).
A lot depends on whether Scowen is fit and what formation MB would like to play. Presuming Josh is injured and MB keeps 3 in midfield then possibly Leahy goes in there with Nigel at left back.
Hopefully GMac is back if not I would play Kone wide whose already shown he can cross well
Personally I think we are at our best with a 4231 🤷♂️
Yes largely agree, the key issue really is whether or not Josh is fit. If he is, then we surely go with 4-3-3 to accommodate the Scowen-Potts-Butcher midfield that’s been working well of late.
Personally, I prefer it to the 4-2-3-1 as we look more solid and it means Butcher plays a bit higher and gets into goal scoring positions. All 4 of his goals have been from virtually the same spot on the pitch (give or take a few yards) in the inside left channel. The more advanced position gets him into that spot much more than it will if he’s one of two holding midfielders.
However, if Josh isn’t fit there’s more chance of us going 4-2-3-1 with Dale Taylor coming in and playing in the No10 role, as he did to great effect in fairness in the 5-2 win over Posh.
Or if Matt wants to stay 4-3-3 he has a choice of playing Taylor, David Wheeler or Luke Leahy there. Although the latter would mean one of the two left footers would have to play in the more right sided role and leave a gap that needed filling at left back.
I guess the other issue is the front line. You’d have to think we’re going for the high press that caused absolute havoc for Peterborough at Adams Park and that maybe favours a start for Richard Kone over Sam Vokes (as was the case in that match) but that’s a big call.
And then of cause if Garath doesn’t start you’re looking at one of Wheeler, Kone or Taylor in that role which impacts on choices elsewhere.
Quite the conundrum really. Let’s hope Josh and Garath are both fit as it would make life a hell of a lot easier.
What is probably more relevant to our team selection is that Peterborough have two of their best three players available for selection on Sunday who were both injured back in February. Neither Poku or Mason-Clarke who’ve contributed 32 goals and 15 assists this season played in Feb.
You’ve just scared the living daylights out of me. Please tell us that those two players played against Carlisle on Good Friday and I’ll breathe again!!
One other aspect of course will be who is on the bench, particularly as this game could go to extra-time and penalties.
We’ve no shortage of additional defenders - Forino, JJ, McCarthy, one of Low or Nigel - but a great big hole when it comes to midfielders or strikers, particularly if Scowen and McCleary are injured (and Taylor and Wheeler start).
Having three forwards cup tied is a bit of a nightmare really, so I think one of Vokes and Kone will have to start on the bench to give us the option to freshen things up.
One possible avenue is that in this competition we can field players that are on loan at National League clubs so theoretically at least that would mean we could get the likes of D’Mani Mellor, Christie Ward, Jack Young, Declan Skura, Luca Woodhouse and Taylor Clark back if needed.
Given we’re not short of defenders there’s not much point looking to Skura or Woodhouse. And I think Mellor’s injured so that doesn’t help us out up front.
But Young, Ward and Clark are all playing regularly at the minute so may be able to give us extra legs for the midfield if needed.
Comments
Quantumly entangled goalkeepers.
No idea who will get the vote in goal, but Bloomfield has always said that he picks players who are in form and as Rav was excellent at Blackpool and has been largely consistent since coming into the team I’ll be surprised if he doesn’t start on Sunday.
I may be being harsh, but I feel a whole lot more comfortable with Max in goal
Plus, I thought Franco's performance against Pompey would have been enough justification for handing Max another chance
Like you I thought Max might be recalled for Blackpool but the fact that he wasn’t and then Franco made some excellent saves makes me think he’ll get the nod. I would be happy with either of them, Josh’s injury is far more concerning in my opinion.
That would be excellent - I could just see whoever is the #2 getting their agent to look around a bit.
I don't even want to consider Josh not being involved
Is that because of the early nervous fumble at Stevenage and the sense against Portsmouth that he was struggling physically a little to deal with their first half attacking onslaught? I had those sort of concerns but the two spectacular saves late on at Blackpool tended to overcome them.
There have been quite a few comments about his distribution being better than Max’s. I’ve not been convinced.
For me, it is one of the most (if not the most) difficult decisions Matt will have to make. I very much like @TheDancingYak’s suggestion of the same lineup as the last time we played Peterborough but with Leahy in for Vincent-Young.
I don't think he's as commanding and he looks very weak on crosses to me. Also looks a bit lightweight and liable to be knocked about in a crowded area.
I don't deny he has made some outstanding saves.
I just prefer Max. I always like a keeper that looks like he could hold his hands up if it gets a bit scrappy. Paul Hyde obviously the greatest example of this.
Mt reading was that Sweet Kane Vincent was selected for the February game because of the threat of Ajiboye's pace down the left. So I wonder whether Blooms might play Lonwijk at left back and J-Low in the middle with Taf.
Down our left, I think you mean. Ironically, for all his clever footwork, pace and trickery going forward, I think KVY was struggling defensively and that ultimately led to his injury. Isn’t Longwijk predominantly a right sided player?
I think Rava is a good stopper, reads the game well and reacts quickly, but like @eric_plant I think he looks a bit lost being jostled in a crowed area (which resulted in one of the Pompey goals). That said, I can live with either keeper starting...it will be interesting if it goes to pens.
A very good analysis. If it somehow worked out that we kept Fran and let Max walk, it would be a huge misstep to my mind.
I did mean our left, just as you meant Lonwijk, @micra 😄. Like others here, I don't think KVY is the best defender and did ultimately get beaten by Ajiboye for the first Posh goal, but he certainly matched Ajiboye for pace and gave Posh plenty to think about going forward including the excellent run to get our own first.
I think our Nige has got two good feet, though he favours his right, and has played right across the back line and at wing back in his young career. He looks to me to have the athleticism and nous to play there if we are worried about Luke getting shown up for pace.
Touché ! I usually use first names for the goalkeepers and Nige because I’m never sure of the spelling.
I’m sure you’re right about Lonwijk’s versatility. There’s a touch of Sido about him.
And a touch of Guppy about Sadlier ?
I think Sadlier is more a Darren Currie type of player, not the quickest but fast feet and trickery.
Probably goes without saying, but the loaned players will be highly scrutinised by their parent clubs in the final. They will want to know how they respond to higher pressure. I do think Potts will flourish on that pitch.
That pretty much sums up exactly how I feel about it all
Not for me. Guppy was fast, direct and one of the best crossers we'll ever have seen.
“Also looks a bit lightweight and liable to be knocked about in a crowded area…”
Hmm
As opposed to not looking lightweight but being knocked onto the floor by a slow-motion lumbering no. 9 in an empty penalty area at Barnsley?
(But I agree with you. I think Max is the better all round goalkeeper at this stage of their careers. And theatrics aside is a good solid commanding keeper).
Max
Grimmer Low Taff Leahy
Scowen*
Butcher Potts
GMac* Vokes Sadlier
Imagine a Kone goal at Wembley to send us to glory! What a story that would be.
Surely Matt’s already made his choice for goalkeeper on Sunday hasn’t he?
If he was going to go for Max he’d had to have given him a game at Blackpool rather than just parachute him in after 7 matches out of the team.
Like others on here I’d have gone for Max, as I just think he’s the better goalkeeper, but Franco has done well since coming in so can understand it.
Ha.... believe you me it took a long time for me to forgive Max for that!
I agree, but, the thread is called "Your Wembley XI".
It's my team, not Matthew's.
A lot depends on whether Scowen is fit and what formation MB would like to play. Presuming Josh is injured and MB keeps 3 in midfield then possibly Leahy goes in there with Nigel at left back.
Hopefully GMac is back if not I would play Kone wide whose already shown he can cross well
Personally I think we are at our best with a 4231 🤷♂️
Yes largely agree, the key issue really is whether or not Josh is fit. If he is, then we surely go with 4-3-3 to accommodate the Scowen-Potts-Butcher midfield that’s been working well of late.
Personally, I prefer it to the 4-2-3-1 as we look more solid and it means Butcher plays a bit higher and gets into goal scoring positions. All 4 of his goals have been from virtually the same spot on the pitch (give or take a few yards) in the inside left channel. The more advanced position gets him into that spot much more than it will if he’s one of two holding midfielders.
However, if Josh isn’t fit there’s more chance of us going 4-2-3-1 with Dale Taylor coming in and playing in the No10 role, as he did to great effect in fairness in the 5-2 win over Posh.
Or if Matt wants to stay 4-3-3 he has a choice of playing Taylor, David Wheeler or Luke Leahy there. Although the latter would mean one of the two left footers would have to play in the more right sided role and leave a gap that needed filling at left back.
I guess the other issue is the front line. You’d have to think we’re going for the high press that caused absolute havoc for Peterborough at Adams Park and that maybe favours a start for Richard Kone over Sam Vokes (as was the case in that match) but that’s a big call.
And then of cause if Garath doesn’t start you’re looking at one of Wheeler, Kone or Taylor in that role which impacts on choices elsewhere.
Quite the conundrum really. Let’s hope Josh and Garath are both fit as it would make life a hell of a lot easier.
What is probably more relevant to our team selection is that Peterborough have two of their best three players available for selection on Sunday who were both injured back in February. Neither Poku or Mason-Clarke who’ve contributed 32 goals and 15 assists this season played in Feb.
You’ve just scared the living daylights out of me. Please tell us that those two players played against Carlisle on Good Friday and I’ll breathe again!!
One other aspect of course will be who is on the bench, particularly as this game could go to extra-time and penalties.
We’ve no shortage of additional defenders - Forino, JJ, McCarthy, one of Low or Nigel - but a great big hole when it comes to midfielders or strikers, particularly if Scowen and McCleary are injured (and Taylor and Wheeler start).
Having three forwards cup tied is a bit of a nightmare really, so I think one of Vokes and Kone will have to start on the bench to give us the option to freshen things up.
One possible avenue is that in this competition we can field players that are on loan at National League clubs so theoretically at least that would mean we could get the likes of D’Mani Mellor, Christie Ward, Jack Young, Declan Skura, Luca Woodhouse and Taylor Clark back if needed.
Given we’re not short of defenders there’s not much point looking to Skura or Woodhouse. And I think Mellor’s injured so that doesn’t help us out up front.
But Young, Ward and Clark are all playing regularly at the minute so may be able to give us extra legs for the midfield if needed.