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Author Topic: Championship Play-off Final : Pre-Match Thread  (Read 80299 times)

Offline SoccerHQ

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Championship Play-off Final : Pre-Match Thread
« on: May 15, 2019, 11:18:18 AM »
Dean Smith has a few interesting choices to make now.

Seems a fair few are asking for Whelan and Adomah to start the final, have we got Steve Bruce managing us again? Would give the team a very safety first look to it and that backfired last season when we couldn't get out of our own half for the first period and conceded.

Even if he was a limited manager I was still massively disappointed in the naive way SB seemed to think we could beat Fulham playing the same way we did to Boro, Dean Smith really should be better than that.

Taking out Green is the easy bit. I'd start Kodjia tbh, real wildcard selection and would give Leeds more to think about rather than putting everyone round Jack and kicking him.

We started Hourihane and Kodjia at VP and went two up inside twenty minutes (indeed the two combined for the second) so I'd rather be two up at Wembley than start Adomah who'll be anonymous for an hour and then bring on Kodj who'll struggle to get in the game.

Think Taylor will stay in as doubt Dean will want to change back 4 which has served us well in last three months.

Last time we rolled the dice at Wembley it was Sherwood starting Grealish in the cup v Liverpool when he'd only played a few prem games and it worked beautifully.

We seem to have this obsession with playing safety first teams in finals (for FA cup Hutton came back in for Bacuna who was actually playing well at the time) and then wondering why we can barely get a shot on target in the games, I don't want the same happening.
« Last Edit: May 15, 2019, 01:19:56 PM by Dave »

Offline Risso

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #1 on: May 15, 2019, 11:23:30 AM »
You may as well alter this to be the pre-match thread to be honest.

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #2 on: May 15, 2019, 11:25:29 AM »
Same starting eleven as yesterday but with Adomah replacing Green. Neither exactly covered themselves in glory this week but I feel like Green is more of a threat against tired legs off the bench, if required.

Edit: or maybe stick Kodjia on the wing.

Offline Risso

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #3 on: May 15, 2019, 11:27:48 AM »
Steer
Elmo Axel Mings Hause
McGinn Whelan Hourihane
Jack El Ghazi
Abraham

I'm sick of seeing Neil Taylor shit the bed instead of putting a cross in; so he's out, and the right attacking forward area is a problem, so I'd give Jack a freer role on that side, with him and El Ghazi supporting Tammy as required but dropping back to help midfield when needed too.

Boom.

Offline SoccerHQ

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2019, 11:32:22 AM »
That's actually an interesting selection, play Whelan and Hourihane and give Jack and El Ghazi free roles off Tammy.

I'm on the start Kodj bandwagon but that could actually work and get us playing between the Leeds lines much more.

Similar to how we played v Liverpool with Jack and N'zogbia floating off Benteke (obviously a bust in the final but our mentality for that was wretched).

Few options but I'm not convinced DS will change shape at this late stage so imagine we'll start two out wide.

Offline maidstonevillain

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #5 on: May 15, 2019, 11:33:13 AM »
Dean Smith has a few interesting choices to make now.

Seems a fair few are asking for Whelan and Adomah to start the final, have we got Steve Bruce managing us again? Would give the team a very safety first look to it and that backfired last season when we couldn't get out of our own half for the first period and conceded.

Even if he was a limited manager I was still massively disappointed in the naive way SB seemed to think we could beat Fulham playing the same way we did to Boro, Dean Smith really should be better than that.

Taking out Green is the easy bit. I'd start Kodjia tbh, real wildcard selection and would give Leeds more to think about rather than putting everyone round Jack and kicking him.

We started Hourihane and Kodjia at VP and went two up inside twenty minutes (indeed the two combined for the second) so I'd rather be two up at Wembley than start Adomah who'll be anonymous for an hour and then bring on Kodj who'll struggle to get in the game.

Think Taylor will stay in as doubt Dean will want to change back 4 which has served us well in last three months.

Last time we rolled the dice at Wembley it was Sherwood starting Grealish in the cup v Liverpool when he'd only played a few prem games and it worked beautifully.

We seem to have this obsession with playing safety first teams in finals (for FA cup Hutton came back in for Bacuna who was actually playing well at the time) and then wondering why we can barely get a shot on target in the games, I don't want the same happening.

Kodjia also missed a sitter at the start of the second half that would have put us 3-0 up. That mayhave been the turning point in our season, and had we not lost to Leeds in stoppage time we may not have gone on the subsequent bad run.

Offline SoccerHQ

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #6 on: May 15, 2019, 11:37:05 AM »
It wasn't quite a sittter, he rolled their defender really well and then was leaning back when he shot on edge of the box.

Should've scored but not as much of a sitter as Tammy had the previous week v WBA which also would've won us the game and might've turned the season into automatic push.

My point is though with Kodjia starting we scored 2 and could've had more in an end to end game v Leeds. I'd trust us to create more with him starting than Adomah.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #7 on: May 15, 2019, 12:03:19 PM »
That's actually an interesting selection, play Whelan and Hourihane and give Jack and El Ghazi free roles off Tammy.

I'm on the start Kodj bandwagon but that could actually work and get us playing between the Leeds lines much more.

Similar to how we played v Liverpool with Jack and N'zogbia floating off Benteke (obviously a bust in the final but our mentality for that was wretched).

Few options but I'm not convinced DS will change shape at this late stage so imagine we'll start two out wide.

Might need a 'Graham Fenton' type of surprise selection for the final.  Definitely think the front three needs tweaking, as Green has struggled in recent weeks and Adomah looks shot at the moment.  I would personally move El Ghazi to the right and then consider these options:

 - Whelan, Hourihane and McGinn in midfield and Jack drifting out to the left side
 - Kodjia starting on the left
 - Kodjia or Davis starting up front and Tammy moving out on the left

Offline maidstonevillain

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #8 on: May 15, 2019, 12:26:59 PM »
That's actually an interesting selection, play Whelan and Hourihane and give Jack and El Ghazi free roles off Tammy.

I'm on the start Kodj bandwagon but that could actually work and get us playing between the Leeds lines much more.

Similar to how we played v Liverpool with Jack and N'zogbia floating off Benteke (obviously a bust in the final but our mentality for that was wretched).

Few options but I'm not convinced DS will change shape at this late stage so imagine we'll start two out wide.

Might need a 'Graham Fenton' type of surprise selection for the final.  Definitely think the front three needs tweaking, as Green has struggled in recent weeks and Adomah looks shot at the moment.  I would personally move El Ghazi to the right and then consider these options:

 - Whelan, Hourihane and McGinn in midfield and Jack drifting out to the left side
 - Kodjia starting on the left
 - Kodjia or Davis starting up front and Tammy moving out on the left

That's the last thing I would do at this stage. El Ghazi has been one of our better, if not best, performers in the last few weeks. Don't mess about with what is working. Concentrate on the areas that aren't.

Online ChicagoLion

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #9 on: May 15, 2019, 12:27:04 PM »
There are problems and Bielsa will work them out.
A non functioning Centre forward, a left back who sees lots of the ball and-does nothing with it and a weak right wing as both Adoma and Green are ineffective.
I think we have got away with it the last 2 games and Leeds are a much more dangerous outfit than park the bus Albion.
We have all focused on the Whelan Hourihane debate but as we saw last night, that is not the problem.

Offline JUAN PABLO

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #10 on: May 15, 2019, 12:28:27 PM »
will have a think about this later

but no Green and Taylor please , poor players and AA must be the jammiest player to still be getting games at this club.

Offline ROBBO

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #11 on: May 15, 2019, 12:49:20 PM »
Hasn't Hause played on the wing for Wolves ?

Offline cdbearsfan

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #12 on: May 15, 2019, 12:59:16 PM »
I don't mind Taylor. I'd like him to have the odd shot but he can interlink quite effectively near the opposition byeline.

Offline tomd2103

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #13 on: May 15, 2019, 01:16:32 PM »
That's actually an interesting selection, play Whelan and Hourihane and give Jack and El Ghazi free roles off Tammy.

I'm on the start Kodj bandwagon but that could actually work and get us playing between the Leeds lines much more.

Similar to how we played v Liverpool with Jack and N'zogbia floating off Benteke (obviously a bust in the final but our mentality for that was wretched).

Few options but I'm not convinced DS will change shape at this late stage so imagine we'll start two out wide.

Might need a 'Graham Fenton' type of surprise selection for the final.  Definitely think the front three needs tweaking, as Green has struggled in recent weeks and Adomah looks shot at the moment.  I would personally move El Ghazi to the right and then consider these options:

 - Whelan, Hourihane and McGinn in midfield and Jack drifting out to the left side
 - Kodjia starting on the left
 - Kodjia or Davis starting up front and Tammy moving out on the left

That's the last thing I would do at this stage. El Ghazi has been one of our better, if not best, performers in the last few weeks. Don't mess about with what is working. Concentrate on the areas that aren't.

I'm still not sure about El Ghazi on the left MV, as he is weak on his left side.  Would still consider switching him to the right and looking at other options for the left. 

Online Dave

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Re: Starting 11 for play off final.
« Reply #14 on: May 15, 2019, 01:17:03 PM »
You may as well alter this to be the pre-match thread to be honest.

Sure, why not.

 


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