Klasnic to start next match?

Football fans are unbelievable.

A late match winning goal and memories of what a dysfunctional side we are when Klasnic gets a decent run in the team go out the window.

I know he wouldn't come close to being in my starting 11 against Villa but we all read the game differently, which is why I've started a poll on it.

As I've stated all week, we have to have Klasnic in the team as he is the only one who knows where the goal is. I don't care if he plays like a stump for 89 minutes if he pops up with a great goal like today.

Ngog, for all his effort, is useless. He simply doesn't know where the net is and has neither the strength or instinct to get in the right positions.

If Klasnic got some decent support he'd have more input in games as his actual ball control and passing is good. We finished the game with Myachi and Eagles on the wings and Klasnic and Ngog upfront and we looked a different team. Swap Ngog for Sordell and I think we'd have half a chance.

But don't listen to me, look at the facts - our best results have come when Klasnic has played, and we've scored DOUBLE the amount of goals when he's started.

If we were strong at the back I'd play Klasnic and Ngog every time in a 442 - but we're not.
In a 451 it has to be Ngog because of his workrate - and Ivan has shown time and time again that he needs someone to do the work and play off. He's a luxury item - a good finisher that can't be depended upon to put in a big shift or play the top man on his own. But as he showed today he can do a job in a 442.

wanderlust wrote:If we were strong at the back I'd play Klasnic and Ngog every time in a 442 - but we're not.
In a 451 it has to be Ngog because of his workrate - and Ivan has shown time and time again that he needs someone to do the work and play off.

I just find this argument ridiculous considering we don't score goals when Ngog is the loan striker.

But we do concede them when we play 442 so i suppose you're idea would be to play Klasnic for 90 minutes up top on his own instead of Ngog in a 451?
He hasn't got the legs for it IMO.

wanderlust wrote:But we do concede them when we play 442 so i suppose you're idea would be to play Klasnic for 90 minutes up top on his own instead of Ngog in a 451?
He hasn't got the legs for it IMO.

No, I think we've got to be brave and play 4-4-2 and stick to the plan. Leave Mark Davies out, rely on the wingers to feed Klasnic.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

I just find this argument ridiculous considering we don't score goals when Ngog is the loan striker.

We scored before Klasnic came on today..

Hes an impact striker, not a starter, this season has proven that.

I also think Eagles in an impact sub.

Coyle did well today I thought, used them perfectly.

Sorry, I don't agree with this impact sub stuff.

Klasnic has scored goals when he's started games, it's been our pisspoor midfield and Kevin Davies that have let him down.

A corner on about 25 minutes summed things up - Wheater (I think) won the header and the ball bounced around in the six yard box for a couple of seconds - the nearest Bolton player was 10 yards away. Klasnic would have been waiting for that ball.

If Klasnic had started all the games Ngog has he'd have 18 goals by now and we'd be mid table.

And mark my words, when he's out of contract this Summer watch the queue form for his services from bigger and better teams than us.

No, did you see his eyes when he came on?

Christ, he looked like he hadn't slept in months.

Natasha Whittam wrote:

wanderlust wrote:But we do concede them when we play 442 so i suppose you're idea would be to play Klasnic for 90 minutes up top on his own instead of Ngog in a 451?
He hasn't got the legs for it IMO.

No, I think we've got to be brave and play 4-4-2 and stick to the plan. Leave Mark Davies out, rely on the wingers to feed Klasnic.

If we went for that, I'd rearrange the midfield. Klasnic is dependent on service and he would need (in the continued absence of Holden) someone like Mavies in a much narrower set up.
I'd sacrifice Petrov, give Miyaichi a free role and put Mavies in the middle.
We'd have to play through the middle and battle it out there. Klasnic is useless with crosses and TBF the quality of crosses that our wingers deliver are pretty poor on the whole - so dominate the middle and let him feed off loose balls, knock downs and the tidy stuff he thrives on.

Its far too late in the season to start experimenting with 442 combinations. that time has way passed. 451 works for us, so why should we consider changing it?

The team to go to war:
Bogdan
Usual suspects at the back
Miyaichi NRC Muamba Mavies Miyaichi (he pops up everywhere!)
Ngog Klasnic

thats 12 players

Natasha Whittam wrote:
But don't listen to me, look at the facts - our best results have come when Klasnic has played, and we've scored DOUBLE the amount of goals when he's started.

I'm not a stats man and don't believe what I'm about to say necessarily proves anything except that the 'facts' aren't as flattering towards Klasnic as you think.

From the 14 Klasnic has started, we've taken 10 points. (0.71 points per game, over 38 games works out at 27 points.)
From the other 14, we've taken 13 points. (0.92 points per game, over 38 games works out at 35 points.)

Basically, the problem with stats is there are different ones that paint different pictures - none as good as the ones the human mind can draw on its own.

I'm sure there's a way you could prove we're better with Zat Knight too.

Lofty_Love wrote:thats 12 players

Really?

You clearly didn't read the bit about the free role.
And "451 has worked for us" has got to be a wind up surely?

Just saying that IF we play Klasnic in a 442 as Tasha has suggested, we'd be better off playing narrow to maximise our chances of not conceding and getting the ball to his feet.
I'm not saying we should do it - I just think we'd have a better chance with a midfield war zone.

no ha, I need to learn to read

Sorry m8 - I jumped in a bit quick there.

It shouldn't even be up for debate, Klasnic is the only player we have who will score goals. Crazy to not pick him.

But not in a 451 - he needs players around him and is at his best in tight spaces rather than getting on to the end of crosses.
I'm up for giving it a go providing we go narrow and have a solid middle which means dropping Petrov so the middle/front would be something like
NRC Mavies Muamba
Miyaichi (libero)
Ngog Klasnic