Jump to content

Pre-match thread


JamesBCFC

Recommended Posts

Enjoy your win on Tuesday.

Failing that you are guaranteed a point as we cannot defend a lead if our lives depended on it.

Points thrown away against Wolves, Reading, Cardiff, Derby and Newcastle in the last 11 games and 4 wins in 5 months.

Performances against Derby and Newcastle have been decent, but against Fulham was absolutely dire. Our win against Rotherham looked like 2 lower League 1 sides.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, JamesBCFC said:

Enjoy your win on Tuesday.

Failing that you are guaranteed a point as we cannot defend a lead if our lives depended on it.

Points thrown away against Wolves, Reading, Cardiff, Derby and Newcastle in the last 11 games and 4 wins in 5 months.

Performances against Derby and Newcastle have been decent, but against Fulham was absolutely dire. Our win against Rotherham looked like 2 lower League 1 sides.

I saw your loss to Wolves. You just look really open defensively. Unfortunately we can't score so we might not be able to exploit it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

I saw your loss to Wolves. You just look really open defensively. Unfortunately we can't score so we might not be able to exploit it. 

That is pretty much our problem.

We are good going forward, but terrible at the back.

Haven't double checked to verify, but I read earlier than under Lee Johnson we have had only one game that ended 0-0. You can guarantee someone scoring in midweek.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, JamesBCFC said:

That is pretty much our problem.

We are good going forward, but terrible at the back.

Haven't double checked to verify, but I read earlier than under Lee Johnson we have had only one game that ended 0-0. You can guarantee someone scoring in midweek.

Is it a personnel issue (ie, players not good enough) or is it down to the manager not setting them up well enough, or a bit of both? I can't say I recognised the names of any of your defenders at that game, but then I don't know much really. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, HanoiVillan said:

Is it a personnel issue (ie, players not good enough) or is it down to the manager not setting them up well enough, or a bit of both? I can't say I recognised the names of any of your defenders at that game, but then I don't know much really. 

An element of both, Johnson is a bit of a tinkerer and we haven't had a settled side. We've used 4 different goalkeepers this season and now our best CB (IMO) is only making the bench.

At the same time our RB position is absolutely woeful. We got Adam Matthews on loan who is great for this division when fit, but he hasn't been fit all season and seems to have an attitude issue, then there is Mark Little who is a mid-table League 1 quality RB, after that we're looking to our development squad. At left back we got Golbourne who is a lower end LB, Joe Bryan who is a Midfielder being converted to a full back or Magnusson who is normally a CB for us.

I'd like Johnson to focus on our strengths, rather than setting up to counter our opposition, but also realise we don't have the quality to focus only on our strengths.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, JamesBCFC said:

An element of both, Johnson is a bit of a tinkerer and we haven't had a settled side. We've used 4 different goalkeepers this season and now our best CB (IMO) is only making the bench.

At the same time our RB position is absolutely woeful. We got Adam Matthews on loan who is great for this division when fit, but he hasn't been fit all season and seems to have an attitude issue, then there is Mark Little who is a mid-table League 1 quality RB, after that we're looking to our development squad. At left back we got Golbourne who is a lower end LB, Joe Bryan who is a Midfielder being converted to a full back or Magnusson who is normally a CB for us.

I'd like Johnson to focus on our strengths, rather than setting up to counter our opposition, but also realise we don't have the quality to focus only on our strengths.

Thanks for the insight :thumb:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this much picks itself:

------------------------Johnstone---------------------

Hutton--------Chester---------Baker------xxxxxxxx

------------------------Jedinak------------------------

---------------Lansbury-------------------------------

-------------------------Kodjia------------------------

At left back, I prefer Amavi - I rather think Bruce will go with Taylor.

Which leave us with three positions to fill and a shape to find. 

I think with Kodjia the only fit centre forward at the club, it's a choice between the 4-3-3 we played against Derby, or a more solid 4-1-4-1.

Our lack of a natural left sided midfielder makes that 4-1-4-1 difficult - Grealish isn't naturally disciplined enough for it, Green is too much a winger to be a natural solution and Bjarnason is capable rather than desirable in that role.

Here's the players that are fit, available and don't play in defence:

  • Hourihane
  • Green
  • Bjarnason
  • Gardner
  • Adomah
  • Grealish

Three of those need to be fitted in.

Easiest is Hourihane - if he's fit, then he plays imo - if not, it's a choice between Gardner and Bjarnason to complete the middle of the team.

I think there's a bit of fatigue in the squad and I'm not sure if Bruce will want to play an 18 year old in two games in four days - otherwise, I think it'd be a pretty straight forward 4-3-3 with Adomah and Green on the flanks.

As it is, I suspect we'll see Grealish out wide, where I don't think he's as effective and Adomah down the right - like this:

 

------------------------Johnstone---------------------

Hutton--------Chester---------Baker----------Taylor

------------------------Jedinak------------------------

---------------Lansbury-------Hourihane------------

Adomah--------------------------------------Grealish

-------------------------Kodjia------------------------

With a bench of:

Bunn, Bree, Elphick, Amavi, Bjarnason, Gardner and Green 

Not the most attacking bench, but I think that's just about every fit and available player we've currently got.

I hope that Hourihane is fit, Adomah and Kodjia have the legs for it and no one gets injured this week - we're pretty much down to bare bones.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, JamesBCFC said:

Enjoy your win on Tuesday.

Failing that you are guaranteed a point as we cannot defend a lead if our lives depended on it.

Points thrown away against Wolves, Reading, Cardiff, Derby and Newcastle in the last 11 games and 4 wins in 5 months.

Performances against Derby and Newcastle have been decent, but against Fulham was absolutely dire. Our win against Rotherham looked like 2 lower League 1 sides.

Thanks James will do! :)

We owe Bristol City one for our 3-1 defeat there in August when we still hoped we would have something other than a relegation 6-pointer in mind come this stage of the season. Our visitors last beat us at Villa Park (2-0) in 1979 but to be fair this is their first visit to Villa Park since then.

We are past masters of throwing points away late in games and average less than a goal a game this season. Will we come back down to earth following our first home win of 2017 or make it two home wins on the bounce? I am happy to go along with the forecast made by James on this one namely a point at the very worst and I thank him for his confidence in us.      

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'd feel a lot more comfortable about things if we followed up the Derby game with another win here, preferably a more convincing one.

With Rotherham to follow, which we should also be winning, it should put to bed any talk of relegation and take the pressure off for the rest of the season.

Hopefully we'll then settle into a shape and the players will continue to gel. If not then Bruce has to be looked at in the summer.

 

Anyway, I'd go for the same lineup as Saturday, with Hourihane in for Bacuna and possibly one of the wide players switched out as I don't think either were great on Saturday.

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Can't drop Hutton after Saturday's performance and our first clean sheet in god know's how long.

            Johnstone

Hutton Chester Baker Taylor

             Jedinak

     Hourihane  Lansbury

 Adomah    Kodjia      Green

 

The only player worth dropping after Saturday would be Adomah, but we are pretty limited on RM's.

For me Green needs to keep his place if fully fit, a run of games until the end of the season could see him becoming an important player for us next season.

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...
Â