Team vs W.B.A.

[Reado]

Providing Lennon and King are fit, and on the basis that Parker has a slight knock...

---------------- Friedel ----------------
Walker -- Kaboul -- King -- Assou-Ekotto
Lennon ---- Sandro ---- Modric ---- Bale
------------ Van Der Vaart -------------
-------------- Adebayor ---------------

If King doesn't make it then Gallas plays again.

If Lennon isn't fit, I'd reluctantly put VDV right midfield and bring Defoe up top to partner Adebayor.

 

[shaqTHFC]

Friedel
Walker Kaboul Gallas/King Ekotto
VDV Sandro Modric Bale
Adebayor Defoe

If King can play then play him otherwise Gallas it is. Even if Parker is fit I think a break could do him good and Sandro/Modric is a good enough CM partnership against West Brom imo.

 

[DJS]

Friedel

Walker Kaboul King Assou-Ekotto

Townsend Sandro Modric Bale

VDV

Adebayor

 

[steve]

Wholesale rotation is a dangerous thing. I think the rotation issue is a little over blown re Redknapp. Over the course of a season, injuries and suspensions will account for quite a lot of rotation anyway. It's hard to rotate players like VDV and Adebayor because we just don't have squad players who can replicate what they do, which means not just rotating but changing a system maybe. We can't rotate our fb's because we don't have viable alternatives and the stand in for Sandro and Parker is Livermore, ok but not of the same standard. And our CB's have been rotating all season anyway, acceptable because we have three of very high calibre.

In this current incarnation (433 - line-up used last two) we now have two viable alternatives to VDV and Bale in Kranjcar and Lennon who would be acceptable. And one CB (King) who would be an acceptable rotation. Anyone else would really mean dropping down a class and/or changing shape and system.

So it's a tough call for Redknapp who is under immense pressure to maintain our position and get results.

I do think Kranjcar is a very viable option to rotate with a number of our players, and would even like to see him tried as relief for Adebayor for half an hour in a game maybe. I think he has the attributes to play a similar role. He's tall, strong, technically good, has a good finish on him and is mobile enough.

Apart from him getting more game time, and Lennon also being a viable option I don;t really see how Redknapp could easily rotate and not be compromised.

Agree with this mostly and not against the Ade/Kranky swap but only as long as we're 3 - 0 up when he tries it.

Also especially with our new system I wouldn't be overtly concerned with Rose playing instead of Ekotto if required. He's not as good technically but he's tenacious and quick and likes to get forward which he'll get plenty of opportunity to do.

 

[#1 Spur]

I'd go for the same again if possible. King can come in if fit.

 

[Tottenham Tony]

friedel
walker gallas kaboul benni
vdv sandro modric bale
ade defoe

 

[nightgoat]

Friedel

Walker Kaboul King Assou-Ekotto

Townsend Sandro Modric Bale

VDV

Adebayor

Townsend's gone on loan to Leeds...

 

[Qualsonic]

King for Gallas if fit
Sandro in the middle with Modric
Lennon right wing, if fit elsewise Pienaaaar
Rest VdV (West Brom ffs), play Kranky in the hole with Ade or Defoe

 

[Legend10]

Agree with this mostly and not against the Ade/Kranky swap but only as long as we're 3 - 0 up when he tries it.

Also especially with our new system I wouldn't be overtly concerned with Rose playing instead of Ekotto if required. He's not as good technically but he's tenacious and quick and likes to get forward which he'll get plenty of opportunity to do.

Rose is definitely good enough to come in for BAE as he showed at the end of last season where he had some great games at FB, most notably at Anfield!

 

[guate]

Excellent analysis B.C. enjoy your logic here.

 

[theShiznit]

WBA had a tough game today, just over 48 hours from playing again.

We should be able to beat them but Hodgson will probably make changes as Rodgers did, so freshening it up may not be a bad idea.

personally would go for

Friedel aka the Hermit

Walker---- Kaboul ---- King/Dawson ---- BAE

Pienaar* -----Modric--------Sandro----Bale

----------Defoe**--------Ade

* if Lennon is not fit
** if VDV is out.

 

[Kendall]

We surely must freshen up.

Friedel

Walker Kaboul King Rose

Pienaar Sandro Modric Kranjcar

Adebayor Defoe​

 

[ajspurs]

I would like to have one of Bale or Lennon playing though, we've seen how a lack of pace can affect us.

I would rather have a potentially slightly fatigued Bale playing if Lennon's not as I think it will make that much of a difference and we shouldn't take any opponents lightly. If need be play Bale and rest him for obviously the cup game and if really needed have him on the bench in the Everton game as Lennon should be back by then anyway.

 

[Kendall]

I'd like to as well but Lennon is fucked and Bale has been playing every week and looks shagged.

Rose and Walker would have to provide it. We can't keep hammering Bale.

Townsend should've stayed.

 

[ajspurs]

I'd like to as well but Lennon is fucked and Bale has been playing every week and looks shagged.

Rose and Walker would have to provide it. We can't keep hammering Bale.

Townsend should've stayed.

I do agree but I'm just not sure I'd trust both Pienaar and Kranjcar on the wings. Don't get me wrong I do rate both players and think they can do a job for us but I think they'd shine more when they have the best and all our first team players around them. If we'd given them both more game time up to this point and had introduced them more into our games in the latter stages for instance I'd probably have a bit more confidence.

Still we'll see. I tend to just trust Harry with whatever he picks to be honest and hope that the reasons for his choices show in the game.

 

[Kingellesar]

I know we are all saying freshen up but I don't think we can afford to, at least not 2 or 3 changes. Maybe bring King and Kranjcar in for Gallas/Bale but I think even dropping Bale would be a risk.

We have Cheltenham on Saturday? So players would have a weeks rest before Everton game.

 

[We'llWinThePrem]

Cudicini
Corluka Dawson Kaboul Rose
Kranjcar Sandro Modric Pienaar
Defoe Adebayor

 

[Kendall]

I know we are all saying freshen up but I don't think we can afford to, at least not 2 or 3 changes. Maybe bring King and Kranjcar in for Gallas/Bale but I think even dropping Bale would be a risk.

We have Cheltenham on Saturday? So players would have a weeks rest before Everton game.

I don't get the don't think we can afford to attitude.

We can't afford not to. Tiredness made us drop two points and get outplayed by bloody Swansea. I'd rather not a repeat.

 

[Kingellesar]

Again, I also don't get everyone banging on about being outplayed by Swansea. We can't dominate every game, we are not Barcelona. Not one team in the Premier League is dominating at the moment, heck I'm glad that we are still managing to pick up points when we are not playing our best/failing to dominate games.

Without Bale/Lennon, we have no width to our play, Walker and Ekotto do not have the crossing ability to rely on if we go with the likes of Kranjcar and Pienaar. I'm not quite sure what Pienaar has shown people to justify getting in the subs, let alone starting 11.

Look at how Man City and Man United got on with squad rotation at the weekend....

 

[Kendall]

So what you're saying is we should play the same 11 every game? Suicide.

We had some great results with Kranjcar and Bentley in the side when we qualified for the CL. Pienaar is better than Bentley and our forwards are better.

We can play around West Brom.