Who should start the next game?

In goal Lonergan... 
gets the nod in goal from me but things start to fall apart quickly after that. I already feel we are scratching around in defence to put a single reliable player on the first eleven sheet. 


Knight gets a lot of stick - and rightly so, but in honesty Wheater has been poor too, he just happens not to be scape goat of the hour. Our full backs are not too alarming, however, but neither am I filled with confidence. Reem and Mills are poor too me thinks although I have not seen enough of Mills to be certain.

My back line at an experimental push would be (as a trial)...
Mears Baptiste Mills Riley - got to try something but it's far from ideal.


In the middle of the park I am very aware that that shakey looking defence needs some security and for that reason I need to drop Medo. You heard me right chums. Controversial but possibly a stroke of genius. I like Medo but he is dropping to the bench. Moritz is coming in too give us an intelligence which is currently lacking in our midfield. It will up our attacking options and we may find that attack is our best form of defence considering the lack of adequate back line cover.

Midfield is...
Spearing
Lee Eagles Moritz Hall

(with Moritz/Eagles interchangably pushing forward to help the attacker with Spearing moving forward to create a 442 - and out of posession we revert to the 451) (if you think this looks a bit risky you can always add back in Medo or Vela for Eagles or shove Eagle wide and use Hall as a super sub)

Up top...
I think we have 5 or 6 capable strikers to choose from and I think it's hard to pick...
Ngog, Beckford, Craig Davies have all had a go and it's not really come off. So following my experimental theme we are having...

Up front Tom Eaves.

I feel I may need to justify my line up here.
I know that as a fan, right now after this start to the season, I would be more than happy for Freedman to chuck something like this together - even if it looked a bit mad. Why? 

Firstly... Because it sends a message. It sends a message to Ngog, Medo, Knight etc that things have to change and that he is prepared to drop people. It also sends a message to the supporters. Even if he tried it and it went wrong then at least I know he tried. The very last thing I want to see is the same old same old walking out for our next game. Zat Knight always looks dejected before we even kick off. 

Secondly...
Because it might work. Everything that has been tried so far has failed. Time to mix it up.

Thirdly...
Sometimes when the fringe players are given a chance to impress they go out to do just that. Especially if they are motivated the right way.

Lastly.
What's the worst that can happen. One more defeat. That is all. That is the worst possible scenario from making big changes - and at the moment, in the grand scheme of things - what's one more loss?

some interesting choices!i would swap Ream and Tierney for Mills and Riley (thought he was a RB?)

Midfield looks good, i think you're right about playing Medo and Spearing together, they are too similar.

As for upfront, i don't think Eaves is ready yet to lead the line on his own, i would stick with Beckford for now.

I thought Riley had a long term injury?

Biggie, while admire your vision for picking injured players, it's clear why you're Admin on a football site and not a football manager.

Your quite right Culcheth Riley does have a well publicised long term knee injury!. It's amazing the number of posts on here from folk claiming to be fans yet have no idea what's happening inside the club

Bit harsh on Biggie there Barryjw. We all make mistakes.

I'd go for 

Mears Bolger Baptiste White
Ream Spearing
Eagles Moritz Hall
Eaves

...just for the hell of it.

I have no problem with the selection of Haydn White, he needs to be brought on. However I know nothing about him nor have seen him play.
Have any other posters on here seen him play? Is he ready for Championship football?

wanderlust wrote:I'd go for 

Mears Bolger Baptiste White
Ream Spearing
Eagles Moritz Hall
Eaves

...just for the hell of it.

I'd happily go with this team, although I'd stick with Beckford for a couple more games. Think it's just worth seeing how he'd get on with more creativity behind him, we desperately need him to come off.

I'm not sure about Tom Eaves. Beckford is much more mobile. That Sammy Odulesi looks quite lively as well.

Barryjw wrote:I have no problem with the selection of Haydn White, he needs to be brought on. However I know nothing about him nor have seen him play.
Have any other posters on here seen him play? Is he ready for Championship football?

I saw him play once as a 17 y/o and he was OK positionally but the key thing about him is he's fast as lightning and will push the opposition back - they'd be scared shitless of his pace.
What he's like these days I've no idea - but his pace is a great weapon to have so i guess Dougie will be assessing that.
He lacks experience at this level but where will he get it if he doesn't play?

I agree that Haydn White will only get experience by playing at a higher level, and look forward to seeing him when he's ready. My fear is his confidence will be shot at if he is played before he is ready.
I suppose the only way we'll find out is by playing him!

Barryjw wrote:I agree that Haydn White will only get experience by playing at a higher level, and look forward to seeing him when he's ready. My fear is his confidence will be shot at if he is played before he is ready.
I suppose the only way we'll find out is by playing him!

That perfectly summarises Dougie's dilemma. He's brought in quality youngsters for the future, but whilst the first X1 are struggling he has to decide whether to play the kids.
Not helped by fans who want results now and not helped by loanees coming in.
Still Dougie has said he'd ring the changes after the B'burn game so it will be interesting to see how risk-averse he is.

I'd be tempted to throw Hayden White into the starting eleven against Leeds. I watched a very young Joe Riley's debut at home when we demolished Stoke and he didn't look out of his depth.

I would like to see Baptiste play centre half as well, as the centre of defence, is currently our achilles heel.

Baptiste should be playing centre half, i'm pretty sure he played most of his football at Blackpool there. Might mean bringing Mears back in though!Not sure Dougie will throw in too many youngsters against Leeds.

My starting 11 for Leeds would be:

........Boggers.....

Mears.....Baptiste...Mills....Tierney

Lee.......Spearing....Pratley....Eagles

...........Beckford.....Eaves....

Give the captains armband to either Bap or Spearing.

Hayden White isn't going to play (well, i'm 99% sure)

so let that dream lapse.

How often do you see a manager just throw in 6 or 7 "kids," even when things are going bad? Basically never.

I'd be stunned if we see 1 or 2 changes let alone 5 or 6. Wishful thinking.

bwfc1874 wrote:

Bogdan

Bap Wheater Ream Tierney

Lee Medo Spearing Hall

Eagles

Beckford 

That's the lineup I expect to see against Leeds, Knight being dropped is probably wishful thinking and I think Moritz may be instead of Hall with Eagles on the wing. But I think that's quite close, I'd be pleased with that line up anyway.

i would be happier if Baptiste was at centre half but otherwise looks good to me