No fat ladies singing yet, a single goal down and two halves of football to play. All other things being equal we are still right in it with a great chance to get to the final.
But all other things ARENโT equal. We have played Leeds three times this season and have not really come close to troubling them. Our style seems very susceptible to Leedsโ energetic pressing tactics and we have been knocked out of our stride very easily. Lacking the skill or confidence to play from the back and through the lines as we would like, we end up playing a long ball from which retention of possession is rarely achieved.
So what to do? Persist with the style with which the players are familiar, and hope they do it better this time? Not likely to succeed where it has failed before. What then? Play two holding midfielders to try to anchor the midfield and play 4-2-3-1? Go for it with a 4-2-4, but if so which two midfielders does Lampard choose? Try three at the back which we have dabbled with previously, but not successfully? Of note Huddlestone has not started any of the games against Leeds and Johnson started neither of the previous two. Waghorn seems unlikely to be fully fit but maybe Lampard will try him from the start and wait until he breaks down.
We know Lampard scrutinises these pages for the great wisdom that lies here, so letโs help him out with suggestions. I would go:
Roos
Bogle Keogh Tomori Malone (assuming Cole unfit)
Huddlestone Johnson
Holmes Mount Lawrence
Waghorn (if available), if not then Marriott
What gives us our best chance on Wednesday?
posted on 15/5/19
comment by Peeder - scared to be optimistic (U1684)
posted 1 day, 20 hours ago
Very hard to believe Ang. What a game that was. Still didn't get promoted then.
Anyhoo, back to the tactics for Wednesday...
Got to play 2 up top.
I love Nugent but we need to play on their centre backs so I'd go for Marriott and Bennett from the start.
Roos
Bogle Keogh Tomori Malone
Huddz
Mount Lawrence Wilson
Bennett Marriott
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Peeder, That would be my team too, though I would like to see Evans given a chance after his recent efforts at centre back instead of Keogh.
posted on 15/5/19
comment by Let Me inRamdini (U21882)
posted 8 minutes ago
comment by Peeder - scared to be optimistic (U1684)
posted 1 day, 20 hours ago
Very hard to believe Ang. What a game that was. Still didn't get promoted then.
Anyhoo, back to the tactics for Wednesday...
Got to play 2 up top.
I love Nugent but we need to play on their centre backs so I'd go for Marriott and Bennett from the start.
Roos
Bogle Keogh Tomori Malone
Huddz
Mount Lawrence Wilson
Bennett Marriott
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Peeder, That would be my team too, though I would like to see Evans given a chance after his recent efforts at centre back instead of Keogh.
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Is it any wonder I take a drink.
posted on 15/5/19
Started every game this season (and finished all but one),so let's omit him from the lost important one! Really?
posted on 15/5/19
Is Cole injured ? Any chance of us wheeling him out for this one ?
posted on 15/5/19
Drop Keogh? Not even if he has a note from his mum. Lack of creativity up front is the issue
posted on 15/5/19
Really Ramdini...you have let yourself down...dropping our hero Keogh, no no no.
Why haven't you got Holmes in your team? He was the best player last Saturday.
Apart from that...spot on.
posted on 15/5/19
FFS, I'll be glad when I see the team sheet (or maybe I won't)?
posted on 15/5/19
comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 50 seconds ago
FFS, I'll be glad when I see the team sheet (or maybe I won't)?
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I don't know what has gone on with Marriott, but we need him tonight and Frank should either play him or leave him out of the squad and tell us why. Nugent has been a very good player but sadly he isn't now.
posted on 15/5/19
Sadly Nugent's best days were when he was scoring against us!
posted on 15/5/19
comment by Scouse (U9675)
posted 35 minutes ago
Sadly Nugent's best days were when he was scoring against us!
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Not quite, apparently