GREAT_BEARD_OF_ZEUS

One of his best games I thought. Take away the clumsy challenge which resulted in their goal and he didn't do much else wrong. He's going to get skinned by faster players from time to time, but at least he doesn't give up - he still chases and makes it uncomfortable for them. I thought we backed off them too much on Saturday, let some of their players almost run the length of our half before closing them down and slowing them up. Things like that don't help Whelan. Attacking wise he played the ball of the day through to Onomah for the second, plus he was much neater and tidier with his short passing I thought.

Haha I was coming on to make that point too LF. If memory serves me correctly (although I was row 38 in the Trinity and 5 beers in by then) It was one of his badly judged sliding tackles around the halfway line, which took him completely out of the game and left an acre of space for their player to run and cross into the box.

Just because someone's played there in the early part of his career does not mean it's silly to suggest he isn't suited to that role. Players develop and change over time - would you call me silly for saying Gareth Bale's no left back? IMO when you look at his strengths/weaknesses, I see a player more suited to being an inside forward/no.10. That's not to say he can't play off to the left, but I don't see him as a 'winger' i.e. someone who runs the line, goes past players looking to cross the ball in most of the time. Jack thinks the no.10 postion is his best position, Bruce set the team up in the summer with him in that role. I wouldn't be itching to switch up our current starting XI to play him there imediately, but I think he should concentrate on that role so he can be that kind of option off the bench once he's fit. Plus once Green is back, he and Albert will competing for that LW spot.

Agree he's no winger. I think he needs to focus on perfecting that number 10 role just behind the striker. Whilst I think Davis and Kodjia are our best starting option upfront in a 4-4-2, Jack is a great option to come on for either of them and add something a little different.

My smiting days are long over @lapal_fan don't worry I hope you are right about Thor, there is plenty to like about him. Like you say he has a good engine plus he does seem to have that knack for being in the right place at the right ime (attacking wise that is!). I agree that he isn't suited to a wide role and that's probably not helping his progress - shame we don't have a few more cup games to give him an opportunity in the centre. Anyway back on topic... Good for Amavi that he's got his call up. I don't think he'll get much game time, but you can't begrudge him it.

I know he played against Wigan, but any idea why he's not featured for the under 23's since then?

Absolutely right. A lot of it is speed of thought, the best players are those to whom movement and ball play comes naturally. There are then some who, given time and space can read the play, produce wonderful passes etc but speed things up and they just don't have the capacity to tell their bodies what to do in time. I actually think Amavi will improve in that regard, playing in L1 will allow him time on the ball to build confidence to develop that instinctual movement. On a related note, I think this is why Thor looks so bad. I don't think he has much in the way of natural ability so the move up to a faster league has been very tough for him - sadly i don't think he will improve much in that area either :-(

I think the competition for places will do him good. He was always going to get into the team at Forrest and then when he arrived here, he automatically got a spot because we had a non-existent midfield. He's 26 now, out of the side and way down the pecking order... the only way back is through sheer hard work and determination. He's got to rise to the challenge of winning a 1st team place within a squad of better players. Can only be a good thing for him and us.

The thing which offended me the most about that story was the term "Premium set down". I don't agree with it, but I understand them using the word premium to try and justify the price rise, but which utter cretin decided to needlessly rename 'drop off' to 'set down'. This over elaboration of the english language and invention of w*nky terms for the sake it it makes my blood boil!

Nope! I had Kodjia to score first instead. I save my genuine psychic predictions for worthless online banter only!!

Now then @Nigel I'm not usually one to say I told you so, but...

I've been really impressed with Onomah so far but you're right, he had a horror spell coming on against Forest. I think that was perhaps a young man, desparate for game time, coming on and almost trying too hard. I'm willing to give him another go and hopefully, the fact that he's got a full game to impose himself will produce a more relaxed, composed performace. Havent seen JDH live yet so can't really give my opinion, perhaps minutes from the bench? Edit: Just seen someone say he started last night so obviously he won't feature this week.

4-0 to Villa Goals from Wrecking Ball, Selfish Genius, Dancing Man and Hairy Scotch Plodder.

I'd play same team, only swapping Onomah for Whelan. I toyed with swapping out Davis for Hogan - reason being that with Kodjia in the starting lineup we do have someone who can hold the ball up and Hogan will be the fresher and quicker of the two on the counter. That said, Davis leading the line with Kodjia, Adomah and Snodgrass just behind is too good to change right now. Bruce will probably go 4-5-1 with Jedi replacing Davis.

They're going about it way too quickly, the fools. Everybody knows that slow, unnoticable progress is how it should be done!

I think given the injuries we have, we might go for a Christmas tree formation of sorts tonight. Hourihane gives us the flexibility here to play slightly deeper than Snodgrass and switch to a 4-4-1 if needed. Green is out and I think Bruce will have promised Birkir game time on the left this season. He's not impressed me one bit so far but maybe his work ethic will be good to have on that side against Adama. There again he could quite easily get sent off within half an hour with a few clumsy challenges, who knows. Sadly I think that whilst I've put Bree in there, Bruce will go with Hutton tonight. ------------------ Hogan ----------------- ----- Hourihane -- Snodgrass --- ---- Birkir --- Whelan -- Elmo ----- Taylor -- Terry -- Chester -- Bree

Sadly this is so true. I think it's why Xia has half an eye on the youth, and it could well be our only saving grace.

Not sure we'll be able to say that, if they get everyone they're in for today

Going off the audio we sound absolutely hopeless

Nope Adomah played right and Bjarnasson played left... and despite the latter's goal and assist, i'm not convinced he's good enough. I think we're relying on Green to make that left wing role his own, with Bjarnasson and eventually Grealish getting time out there too.

Try telling Snodgrass that: Snodgrass says he was played out of position at West Ham

If it is Snodgrass, I think we're buying him because he's available + a known quantity, rather than looking for the right person for the position we really need. Not saying that's the wrong approach, we may have exhausted all transfer options we had at left wing and therefore we've moved to someone who will still add quality. Dissappointing that we're probably going to have to play square pegs in round holes at some point though.

So if it is Snodgrass it means: We have 1 left back and 1 left winger. and 4 right backs and now 3 right wingers. Love a balanced squad, don't you!?

I'd play him and Hogan together for an hour on Tuesday and see if that benefits Hogan like it did Hourihane.