Line up against Accrington

[RCYellowRC]

It's clear something needs to change, Robinson needs to grow some balls and make these changes that may upset some players. 4231 doesn't work well we need to change formation as we constantly lose the ball upfront because the striker has no one to work with.
442
Mitchell
Norman Dickie Raglan Ruffels
Whyte Brannagan Mousinho Browne
Henry Obika

We lacked any experience in midfield so Mousinho would be my choice to come in, will actually play those simple passes and adds protection to backline. Another thing we severly lacked yesterday, Pace. We didn't have anyone to get in the face of the pompey players and force them onto the back foot until Henry came on, so i'd go Whyte and Henry fron the start in order to do that. Mcmahon and Garbutt would be dropped as they offer very little at all. Raglan in for Nelson as Nelson looks lost. No leadership and doesn't look bothered. Watched him on set pieces yesterday and he didn't even challenge his man in the air stayed on the ground.

Robinson is hanging on by a thread at the moment, We have already conceded a 1/6 of goals we did last season, we carry on as we are we'd have matched our defensive record by game 18.

 

[tatabanya]

4-2-3-1

Mitchell
Norman Mous Nelson Ruffels
Brannagan Hanson
Whyte Henry Brown
Obika

That’s assuming Holmes is out, if not he come in for Whyte.

If Mackie starts again then I’ll lose serious faith in the manager.

 

[BigCrompy]

Both teams somewhat harsh on Baptiste...done more than most to merit a start.

Here’s mine;
Mitchell
Norman Nelson Mousinho Ruffels
Hanson Baptiste
Henry Brannagan Browne
Obika
—
Stephens
Raglan
Dickie
Smith
Whyte
Garbutt
McMahon

Anyone know if either Raglan or Dickie could do a job a LB? To free up Ruffels as cover in CM?

Above all assumes the worst re Holmes and Hall.

 

[Berliner]

Garbutt and Mackie surely can't start on Tuesday, would be absolutely farcical.
Baptiste can also start as well, with Brannagan further forward (now Hanson is there for the rough stuff).
No point putting Raglan in there, even if fit. The team look uncertain anyway so putting another new face in the middle of defence would be suicide.

Given the Coventry game and the fact that the RB and LB shouldn't (hopefully) be put under the pump so much against Accrington, Burton and Newport I would go with this lineup to start on Tuesday and then merely tweak it depending to see if we can get some sort of chemistry going.

Mitchell
Norman Mous Dickie Ruffels
Hanson Baptiste
Henry Brannagan Brown
Obika

 

[Jackinthebox]

Is Tsun Dai fit?

 

[Berliner]

Is Tsun Dai fit?

I wouldn't kick him out of bed...

 

[RCYellowRC]

Both teams somewhat harsh on Baptiste...done more than most to merit a start.

Here’s mine;
Mitchell
Norman Nelson Mousinho Ruffels
Hanson Baptiste
Henry Brannagan Browne
Obika
—
Stephens
Raglan
Dickie
Smith
Whyte
Garbutt
McMahon

Anyone know if either Raglan or Dickie could do a job a LB? To free up Ruffels as cover in CM?

Above all assumes the worst re Holmes and Hall.

Raglan played RB for us against Shrewsbury in the away game in MAPPs last season. He was awful.

 

[RCYellowRC]

Thing that frustrates me is Robinson used 2 upfront with a team on paper that was a lot worse last season . He got results. Now he's being stubborn and even though he hasn't recruited successfully for a 4231 he is sticking with it.

 

[beyondthefourth]

Have the same starting XI as against Coventry. Seems to have been the only lineup so far this season to understand the system they were supposed to be playing.

 

[RCYellowRC]

Have the same starting XI as against Coventry. Seems to have been the only lineup so far this season to understand the system they were supposed to be playing.

Wouldn't mind seeing that, Only thing is Garbutt do you keep him in or swap for Ruffles? Garbutt was worst player on pitch yesterday.

 

[beyondthefourth]

Thing that frustrates me is Robinson used 2 upfront with a team on paper that was a lot worse last season . He got results. Now he's being stubborn and even though he hasn't recruited successfully for a 4231 he is sticking with it.

4-4-2 would be a worse system for us (if that's possible). We'd get overrun in midfield, which is already weak even with 5 being played there.

If you want to go two up front, better to play a 5-3-2:

Mitchell

Norman, Dickie, Mousinho, Nelson, Garbutt/Ruffels

Brannagan, Hanson, Baptiste

Obika, Smith

 

[greatunclekip]

Mitchell
Norman
Nelson
Raglan
Garbutt
Mousinho (holding mid)
Brannagan (attacking mid)
Browne
Henry
Obika
Smith

 

[RCYellowRC]

4-4-2 would be a worse system for us (if that's possible). We'd get overrun in midfield, which is already weak even with 5 being played there.

If you want to go two up front, better to play a 5-3-2:

Mitchell

Norman, Dickie, Mousinho, Nelson, Garbutt/Ruffels

Brannagan, Hanson, Baptiste

Obika, Smith

532 would mean we still lack width. Full backs would need to be able to attack and defend. Need to build around Henry .

Maybe a 433? Could be our best option for the midfield battle.

Mitchell
Norman Mousinho Dickie Ruffles
Brannagan Hanson Baptiste
Henry Obika Browne

I know it goes against what i said but you are completely right about midfield.

 

[beyondthefourth]

532 would mean we still lack width. Full backs would need to be able to attack and defend. Need to build around Henry .

Maybe a 433? Could be our best option for the midfield battle.

Mitchell
Norman Mousinho Dickie Ruffles
Brannagan Hanson Baptiste
Henry Obika Browne

I know it goes against what i said but you are completely right about midfield.

There's plenty of options that could work better than what we have. 4-3-3 only works as long at the wingers are playing off Obika when we get it forward (which is what the 3 in a 4-2-3-1 are supposed to be doing at the moment!)

We certainly know Norman is capable of getting forward and putting crosses in. Garbutt can too, but he seems in no-mans land at the moment, under so much pressure that he's neither attacking or defending properly.

In my opinion, 3 at the back gives those two more freedom to attack, and the wing backs seem to be getting more balls in than our wingers. The RCB or LCB can then cover out wide in case of a counter.

Can't believe I left out Henry! Would bring him in instead of Hanson for the time being, put Baptiste as the holding midfielder.

 

[Common Villager]

Assuming Hall and Holmes are still not fit, I'd go:

Mitchell
Norman Nelson Mousinho Garbutt
Whyte Brannagan Hanson Browne
Henry
Smith

Everyone knows their role. Full backs overlap. Hanson holds, Brannagan can venture forward. Whyte and Browne hug the touchlines, and get balls into the box early. Smith runs his bollox off and is replaced by Obika around 70 mins. Mousinho talks to Garbutt for 90 mins and doesn't let him switch off. Henry does his usual.

 

[OxfordNondie]

Sorry people but how are some of you picking Garbutt.
Rabbit in headlights

 

[Common Villager]

Sorry people but how are some of you picking Garbutt.
Rabbit in headlights

What other option is there? Ruffels? I like him as a utility player, but whenever he's played LB he's been targeted by the opposition just as much as Garbutt. Also, Garbutt looked much better last Tuesday against Coventry, when he had Mousinho next to him who was noticeably much more vocal than Nelson and Dickie.

I suppose you could go for Ruffels, but in doing so I think Garbutt's confidence would drop even lower than it already is (if that's possible). Slightly different if we had a proper left back replacement (I.e. Norman for McMahon). But I fear if we give up on Garbutt now we'll have ourselves a white elephant for the next few months. For now, I think we need to persist with him in the hope he can rediscover whatever form he had once upon a time that prompted Everton to give him contract worth (a rumoured) £25k a week.

 

[Jackinthebox]

Mitchell
Norman Nelson Mousinho Long
Brannagan Baptiste.
Whyte Henry Browne
Smith

Bench: Stevens, Ruffels, Raglan, Tsun Dai, James, Obika, Lopes

 

[Sarge]

What other option is there? Ruffels? I like him as a utility player, but whenever he's played LB he's been targeted by the opposition just as much as Garbutt. Also, Garbutt looked much better last Tuesday against Coventry, when he had Mousinho next to him who was noticeably much more vocal than Nelson and Dickie.

I suppose you could go for Ruffels, but in doing so I think Garbutt's confidence would drop even lower than it already is (if that's possible). Slightly different if we had a proper left back replacement (I.e. Norman for McMahon). But I fear if we give up on Garbutt now we'll have ourselves a white elephant for the next few months. For now, I think we need to persist with him in the hope he can rediscover whatever form he had once upon a time that prompted Everton to give him contract worth (a rumoured) £25k a week.

For the time being we could maybe look to our home grown talent,.... Canice Carrol perhaps? .... he can play at LB as well as many other positions, he'd be ideal to start or as cover on the bench ....oops, how silly of me, Robinson and Derry didnt rate the Irish International U19 captain, so sold him / gave him to Brentford , hey ho

 

[MiddleBartonYellow]

He won’t change the system. Get used to it.
It’s players that win games not systems. We’ve got too many players not playing well enough to do that at the moment. This is when the more experienced players need to step up and why imo Mousinho has to play.