Who's out of contract and available?

[claret and blue blood]

nothing wrong on playing the kids as long as they are played in the correct positions,it's a shame Cuellar was injured for yesterday as I'm sure 2 of their goals wouldn't have happened.The big problem we have as we all know is McLeish can't set up the team properly and continues to make the same basic errors game after game and as for his motivational skills they don't exist .

[brian green]

I would like a goalkeeper who is more than a shotstopper, who does not live in the comfort zone of being first name on the team sheet every week and who commands the six yard box.

[claret and blue blood]

Thought we looked better with Guzan in goal , never thought I'd say that but he seemed to have  a greater presence ,his dealing with crosses had improved and his kicking/distribution was better .

[Shrek]

Given should be dropped, Guzan is far more commanding.

How long is Clark away from fitness?

[MalcolmP]

In all seriousness is it worth sticking Hutton in at left back and moving Warnock into the middle of the park. Best I have ever seen him play was there at VP for Blackburn.

Warnock in midfield is a good shout!

Lichaj can play at left back too - I think he does for the USA.  And Stevens and Baker can play left back too.

bottom of the barrel stuff with Warnock in midfield. Stevens hasnt played a first team game yet and Baker isnt remotely good enough.

You are wrong!

[Mister E]

In all seriousness is it worth sticking Hutton in at left back and moving Warnock into the middle of the park. Best I have ever seen him play was there at VP for Blackburn.

Warnock in midfield is a good shout!

Lichaj can play at left back too - I think he does for the USA.  And Stevens and Baker can play left back too.

bottom of the barrel stuff with Warnock in midfield. Stevens hasnt played a first team game yet and Baker isnt remotely good enough.

You are wrong!

Baker had a bit of a mare yesterday - I said on the match thread that he looked very nervous at the beginning - but it is not a performance on which I'd judge his future as a P'ship CB.
Two things: (i) we are still absolutely crap at both ends of the pitch on set pieces, and this has been going on for almost 2 years! - whcih begs the question why McLueless and his coaching staff have not addressed this; (ii) as I said on the match thread yesterday, he set the team up all wrong - BB and GG are not wingers and we should have played a narrow MF 3 (of BB, GG and Herd) with Ireland behind GA and AW.

Both issues point at poor managerial decision-making and questionnable coaching-agendas.

[nigel]

In all seriousness is it worth sticking Hutton in at left back and moving Warnock into the middle of the park. Best I have ever seen him play was there at VP for Blackburn.

Warnock in midfield is a good shout!

Lichaj can play at left back too - I think he does for the USA.  And Stevens and Baker can play left back too.

bottom of the barrel stuff with Warnock in midfield. Stevens hasnt played a first team game yet and Baker isnt remotely good enough.

You are wrong!

Baker had a bit of a mare yesterday - I said on the match thread that he looked very nervous at the beginning - but it is not a performance on which I'd judge his future as a P'ship CB.
Two things: (i) we are still absolutely crap at both ends of the pitch on set pieces, and this has been going on for almost 2 years! - whcih begs the question why McLueless and his coaching staff have not addressed this; (ii) as I said on the match thread yesterday, he set the team up all wrong - BB and GG are not wingers and we should have played a narrow MF 3 (of BB, GG and Herd) with Ireland behind GA and AW.

Both issues point at poor managerial decision-making and questionnable coaching-agendas.

I think in fairness, FD, AMcL didn't have a lot of choice when it came to selection, and it's not far off from what many have been saying most of the season.
I can see exactly what you mean regarding the midfield, but Chelsea play with width so we had to have wider players.
If we'd have played with a narrow midfield 3 they would have been dragged out wide when Chelsea had the ball anyhow.
One thing this game did show, and that's how much we're going to miss Stan!

[Mister E]

I think in fairness, FD, AMcL didn't have a lot of choice when it came to selection, and it's not far off from what many have been saying most of the season.
I can see exactly what you mean regarding the midfield, but Chelsea play with width so we had to have wider players.
If we'd have played with a narrow midfield 3 they would have been dragged out wide when Chelsea had the ball anyhow.
One thing this game did show, and that's how much we're going to miss Stan!

Agree, Nige, re selection constraints; and about missing Stan.
The point about playing narrow is that - combined with a pressing game - we'd have limited the amount of wide ball that Chelsea would have managed. Adn we'd have had people playing in their most effective positions on the pitch ... but it's history now.

[Ron Manager]

I think Ive said this before but if not someone else has. McDuffs coaching staff must be the most inept we have had in a long time at VP. The trouble is that all managers bring in their mates so they will have someone to socialise with because its a stressful job whether you are successful or not.
 
I would bring Makoun back like a shot if we can. In my opinion McDuff treated him badly. I would also try Warnock in midfield at least he never hides even when he's shocking.

We are at the bottom of the barrel as far as players are concerned so what I would try for one match just in case it worked
is put Heskey at centre half next to Carlos and put James Collins at centre forward. What we need up front is someone who will battle for everything and Collins will certainly get stuck in.

In 1966(I think it was) Lew Chatterley was moved up front  and scored fifteen league goals. We need something like that to happen.

[Percy McCarthy]

I'd be tempted to stick Warnock in there just for his experience. We've got no worries with Lichaj at either full-back position IMO. When is Hutton back?

Injuries pemitting I'd go with:

Given

Hutton
Cuellar
Collins
Lichaj

Bannan
Ireland
Warnock
Albrighton
Weimann

Gabby

At least there's a fair bit of first-team experience there.

N'Zog and Clark out for a while yet aren't they?

[Rip Van We Go Again]

Big mistake letting Makoun go and all I hear is
'Oh, well he was crap against Hereford.'

Really could have done with him yesterday, another bad decision by McFuckwit.

[Greg N'Ash]

Was it really his decision though. I could well imagine him asking for N'Zogbia and being told to lose a player first and makoun was the only one with any interest. Very similar to carlos' situation. He obviously rated him but he's out of contract so easier to get off the wage bill and someone wanted him. Can't run a team properly when the bean counters have the final say.

[Monty]

Was it really his decision though. I could well imagine him asking for N'Zogbia and being told to lose a player first and makoun was the only one with any interest. Very similar to carlos' situation. He obviously rated him but he's out of contract so easier to get off the wage bill and someone wanted him. Can't run a team properly when the bean counters have the final say.

Yeah, because Zog and Makoun are so similar they're interchangeable.

Anyway, we sent Makoun out on loan and brought in Jenas on loan. That looks a pretty straightforward replacement to me, not being forced to get rid of someone - and Jenas is the inferior player.

[Greg N'Ash]

ah but we lost NRC as well so he must have freed up some money. as i said with the club being run by the bean counters they're not looking at like-for-like players, just like-for-like salaries

[nick harper]

No recall option on Makoun is inept beyond words. Him and Ireland would have helped us keep the ball much better. Herd is a journeyman at best in there and suffers without our captain.

I really feel there is not enough in the squad we have left available to keep us up. Now we've lost Stan, there is not a leader amongst them.
 
McLeish has been a bit unlucky with injuries generally but it's not these last 8 games that will nail us.