Big Managerial Decisions

[Dave Clark Five]

Well, he did substitute a LB for a striker, which is a very attacking move, even if he could have done it earlier.

I keep wondering what would have happened had Bent not scored when he did. Keane would have had to come on earlier. Who would he have replaced?

[toplad4u]

Clark wouldn't be the most attacking of LBs, but solid defensively and comfortable on the ball, which would be a big improvement from Warnock right now.  Not a longterm solution, but maybe a short term answer.

I believe the same is to be said for Eric Lichaj in for Hutton, he's solid but may offer less going forward (or would he what has Hutton actually done? except should of given away 7/8 penalty’s since arriving and provided poor crosses)

[Concrete John]

The difference between Clark and Lichaj is that Clark is more tried and tested at PL level, however I wouldn't be adverse to seeing him given a go at RB.

[Hoppo]

 For whats it worth I would have no hesitation putting Lichai at right back Clark at left back Cuellar at centre half  and Herd centre mid. These changes would tighten us up no end.

[Surrey Villain]

What I dont like about AMC . Its gets to 65/70 minutes , you are playing a leggy poor Everton side without their two main CB's and do you go for the kill . No , you just make sure you dont lose the game.

That's nonsense!  It was because they were going for the game that they got caught square by a sucker punch.

[pelty]

Clark wouldn't be the most attacking of LBs, but solid defensively and comfortable on the ball, which would be a big improvement from Warnock right now.  Not a longterm solution, but maybe a short term answer.

I believe the same is to be said for Eric Lichaj in for Hutton, he's solid but may offer less going forward (or would he what has Hutton actually done? except should of given away 7/8 penalty’s since arriving and provided poor crosses)

Lichaj was quite effective going forward this past summer in the Gold Cup; I would like to see him be given a run as pretty much anyone or anything is better than Hutton.

[Drummond]

Maybe we should play three centre-backs and use attacking players as wing backs given that we've no decent full backs.

[TheSandman]

I think Clark would be an improvement at left back but I wouldn't have Ireland and Petrov in the centre as a two. Good as both are in their ways their weaknesses are such that most two men central midfields in the premiership would have the better of them let alone the three man ones. I'd bring Herd back in but I'm not sure if he's fit or not.

It depends on how good or ready Enda is or until Herd is fit we should bring Lichaj in for whichever of Warnock and Hutton is the bigger liability. IMO Warnock.

[Vanilla]

Maybe we should play three centre-backs and use attacking players as wing backs given that we've no decent full backs.

That would leave the back three open to to much pressure with their wingers given free space if those attacking wing backs don't track back.

[Concrete John]

We may have poor fullbacks, but we don't have ANY wing backs, so that'd be a non-starter, IMO.

[TheSandman]

Another thing he's avoided is the Bent/Gabby conundrum. We just tend not to play well with both of them in the team but he's not made the obvious call to drop one of them in order to make the team play better. I'm not knocking him too much for it as I'm not sure which one I'd choose but it's definitely a call he's avoided.

[Concrete John]

Gabby has good and bad games playing wide, but we'll only get the best of of both him and Bent in a 4-4-2.  The problem with that being do we have two midfielders capable of keeping us competitive in a 2?  Herd and Petrov did it against Bolton, but I think the better teams would dominate us in there.

[Rick_avfc]

I think for one match, he should drop Gabby to the bench and play Bent up top with Ireland, Zog and MA supporting him.  Would like to see how that would work.

[Vanilla]

Another thing he's avoided is the Bent/Gabby conundrum. We just tend not to play well with both of them in the team but he's not made the obvious call to drop one of them in order to make the team play better. I'm not knocking him too much for it as I'm not sure which one I'd choose but it's definitely a call he's avoided.

Whichever it is, you will alienate one of them. This isn't really a good idea when Keane flies back to the US with still a third of the season left to play.

[paul_e]

This is going to go down like a lead balloon I'm sure but I think the biggest issue for us is Petrov.  He's only played well in a midfield pair when he's had someone very very good alongside him (Barry for a season who controlled play superbly and Milner for a season who did all the running for him).  Since then every time we've tried to pair him with someone we've looked poor and the consistent in that has been Petrov.

I think if we seriously want to give 442 a go we need to drop petrov and give Clark and Ireland a go together.  If it doesn't work go back to the 451 and try to get a midfielder in who can boss the game during the summer.