Team for Cardiff

[andrew1957]

Our defence did ok against lower teams, but has been badly exposed in the last two matches. Mills looks well off his best and Harte is probably too much of a risk - especially when we have the 2009 player of the season waiting on the bench. 4-2-3-1 is not working as well as it was because of the failure of any of our players to consistently perform in the second striker role, so it looks to me that we have to go back to 4-4-2, but then in order to be tight and to stop being overrun we will have to sacrifice one of the wide players. I would select Kebe but assuming he is still unfit we have little choice but to remain with McAnuff.

Therefore, I would like to see:

Fed
Griffin
Pearce
Khiz
Armstrong
McAnuff
Tabb
Karacan
Howard
Long
Church

[songvip]

-----------------------Federici---------------------------
Griffin----------Mills--------Zurab----------Armstrong
---------------Karacan--------Tabb----------------------
McAnuff---------------Harte-------------------Antonio
-------------------------Long-----------------------------

[londinium]

Our defence did ok against lower teams, but has been badly exposed in the last two matches. Mills looks well off his best and Harte is probably too much of a risk - especially when we have the 2009 player of the season waiting on the bench. 4-2-3-1 is not working as well as it was because of the failure of any of our players to consistently perform in the second striker role, so it looks to me that we have to go back to 4-4-2, but then in order to be tight and to stop being overrun we will have to sacrifice one of the wide players. I would select Kebe but assuming he is still unfit we have little choice but to remain with McAnuff.

Therefore, I would like to see:

Fed
Griffin
Pearce
Khiz
Armstrong
McAnuff
Tabb
Karacan
Howard
Long
Church

Wholesale changes for me... would use most of the bench from Saturday.

Fed
Cummings
Pearce (althought I don't rate him)
Ivar
Armstrong
McMuff
Karacan
Khiz
Tabb
Church (although I dont rate him)... infact I may keep Longy in.
Hunt

[Irvinchangeyaname]

Wholesale changes for me... would use most of the bench from Saturday.

Fed
Cummings
Pearce (althought I don't rate him)
Ivar
Armstrong
McMuff
Karacan
Khiz
Tabb
Church (although I dont rate him)... infact I may keep Longy in.
Hunt

What formation are we playing with 5 defenders?

[savage 4 england]

Fed

Cummings
Mills
Zurab
Armstrong

Kebe
Karacan
Tabb
McAnuff

Hunt
Long

[londinium]

Fed

Cummings
Mills
Zurab
Armstrong

Kebe
Karacan
Tabb
McAnuff

Hunt
Long

Isn't Kebe still out injured.... otherwise he is obviously a given.

[savage 4 england]

Fed

Cummings
Mills
Zurab
Armstrong

Kebe
Karacan
Tabb
McAnuff

Hunt
Long

Isn't Kebe still out injured.... otherwise he is obviously a given.

Antonio in then.

[londinium]

Wholesale changes for me... would use most of the bench from Saturday.

Fed
Cummings
Pearce (althought I don't rate him)
Ivar
Armstrong
McMuff
Karacan
Khiz
Tabb
Church (although I dont rate him)... infact I may keep Longy in.
Hunt

What formation are we playing with 5 defenders?

As you can see from how it is written...I have put Khiz as a midfielder (holding)... he has played there many a time for Blackburn et al.

[SLAMMED]

Federici

Cummings
Mills
Zurab
Armstrong

Kebe
Karacan
Tabb
McAnuff

Hunt
Church

[loyalroyal4life]

Fed
Griffin Kish Mills Armstrong
Karacan
Kebe Tabb Mcanuff
Long Hunt

[LoyalRoyalFan]

Federici

Griffin
Mills
Khiznashvilli
Armstrong

McAnuff
Karacan
Howard
Kebe (if not Antonio)

Hunt
Long

[Snowball]

Are these the teams you WANT or the team you expect to start?

[savage 4 england]

Are these the teams you WANT or the team you expect to start?

I pretty sure all are want.

It's pretty much guaranteed we will play 4-5-1.

[Ian Royal]

TBH I'm not sure what I'd pick specifically against Cardiff who have to have close to the best attacking line up in the division.

4-2-3-1 vs 4-4-2 is a toss up for me, but because I like Hunt & Church and don't like Long I think I'll settle down at:

Fed
Griff
Harte
Khiz
Mills
Karacan
Howard
McAnuff
Robson-Kanu (Kebe if fit)
Church
Hunt

Armstrong, Cummings, Pearce & Tabb all knocking on the door waiting for enough of a slip up as well for me.

[Elmer Park]

Another hard one to call. I think I would go 4-4-2, take a gamble and have a go at them. The main players who made the 4-2-3-1 work so well last season were Gylfi and Jimmy. Since one of those has gone and the other out I am guessing until he has surgery I think we need to find a blend for a 4-4-2.

I am close to suggesting Ivar comes back in but proabably not against Cardiff so I would keep the back four unchanged. If we stick with 4-2-3-1 I think Antonio may be close to a start but as I am going 4-4-2 and Cardiff have two good wingers we are going to need to do a bit of doubling up at times. Not sure HRK or Antonio have the knowledge to do this particularly well so I would bring in Stretch at left back and have Harte in left midfield or vice versa.

Federici
Griffin Mills Zurab Armstrong
McAnuff Karacan Tabb Harte
Long Church

Subs: McCarthy Cummings Ivar Howard Antonio HRK Hunt

That is who I would play and I think nine of those will actually play. The exceptions being HRK/Antonio and Howard instead of Armstrong and Tabb.

[brendywendy]

--------------------------Fed-----------------------------------
griffin, cummings, pearce, mills, kish, harte, armstrong
------------------------karacan, tabb--------------------------------
--------------------------Long--------------------------------------

[Wimb]

--------------------------Fed-----------------------------------
griffin, cummings, pearce, mills, kish, harte, armstrong
------------------------karacan, tabb--------------------------------
--------------------------Long--------------------------------------

Think that's a bit too attacking there Brendy

[Snowball]

Can we put both Feds and McArthy in goal and have "nearest one hands?"

[silas]

For me it is time to go 4-4-2. Would also make a number of changes from the weekend -

Federici

Cummings Kizhanishvili Harte Armstrong

Kebe (if fit, if not then Antonio) Tabb Karacan McAnuff

Long Hunt

[brendywendy]

Can we put both Feds and McArthy in goal and have "nearest one hands?"

one is rush keeper, one is stick