by Stranded »
23 Jan 2020 09:45
URZZZZ Stranded Hound Disappointed if Aluko starts tbh, unless he has been showing something in training
Would start a few more of the fringe players I think. Something like
Walker
Howe
Blackett
Miazga
McIntyre
McCleary
Adam
Rino
Olise
Richards
Puscas
Rafael, Baldock, Swift, Ejaria, Burley, Gunter, Loader
I'll be surprised if anyone likely to be involved on Tuesday night starts on Saturday esp. with the short gap to the Cardiff league game too.
Think Burley will get another start and Richards will play again if fit at the back.
Would expect same back 5 as the Blackpool replay win.
McCleary is a definite but the other wing is a question mark, think it may be Aluko - Olise will be involved on Tuesday esp if Meite is still on compassionate leave, which is likely.
Team for me will be:
Walker
Howe
MiazgaBurley
Richards
McLeary
Rinomhota
East
Aluko
Boye
Loader
Bench: Boniah-Clarke, Baldock, Puscas, Blackett, Medford-Smith, Adam, A.N. Other academy graduate who will get 5 mins if we are 2-0up
Loader maybe in a number 10 role so 4-4-1-1.
East has been on the bench in the last 2 cup games and with Olise not involved think he may get a start.
You forgot about McIntyre too
Think it'd be an awful mistake if we make 11 changes but can see Bowen doing it. Primarily depends on what Cardiff do though because I think our "B" team could be stronger than theirs
The problem will start to arise though if we do get further into the competition. Do we keep playing the players that have got us here or start to strengthen up?
Yep - fair point, he slipped my mind.
Yeah, agree it becomes a problem changing the side so much if we progress but the 5th round is not until the first week of March, so assuming we win on Saturday, we'll have 8 league games before we get to that game - and still 6 if we need a replay.
So by the time we get to the 5th round we'll only have 10 games left and have a pretty solid idea of if we can still reach the play-offs (or if we have slipped back into some form of trouble) or if we are essentially playing out the season.
If the latter, then I would imagine you'll see stronger cup teams and some of those currently involved in the cup only getting league minutes. The real challenge will be what to do if we say get a home tie against the winner of Pompey/Barnsley for example but we are just 4 or 5 points off the play-offs. Stick or twist.