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I actually think that Irvine will have watched our performance against West Ham and learned from it.
We were obviously far too open in the second half and could have been caught on the break at any time. With a vital cog in our well oiled machine likely to be missing (Brunt), we'll have to make sure we're secure at the back before thinking about crossing the half way line.
Foster
Wisdom Dawson Lescott Baird
Dorrans Mulumbu Gardner Morrison Berahino
Vic
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05-12-2014, 21:23
(This post was last modified: 05-12-2014, 21:38 by Squirrel Regis.)
Huge game tomorrow with 3 pts definitely achievable. A win would ease a lot of pressure but I'm not feeling a good vibe.
Think it will be a draw.
Don't even want to think about us losing but just can't see A I picking the attacking team we all crave. A leopard doesn't change its spots so can't see too many changes to starting line up (hope I'm wrong and Verela starts)
So I guess it's fingers crossed Berahino starts scoring again.
Fingers crossed we are all celebrating a win this time tomorrow night.
C O Y B.
Hmm if Qpr v Burnley isn't a draw and Hull do beat us then it's the bottom 3.....
Starting to feel a bit worried.
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05-12-2014, 21:54
(This post was last modified: 05-12-2014, 23:53 by WBA-Josh.)
I don't think Varela will start tomorrow and here is why. Since his return to full training after surgery, he has had to get his fitness back to the desired levels. It took longer because he had to regain his fitness whilst training with the rest of the squad who were at higher levels in their fitness than he was. Now that he has his fitness up, he needs to now get match fit which also takes time and is different to normal fitness. So far he has had 1 behind closed doors friendly and a 30 minute substitute appearance. That is not enough to reach the desired match fitness levels from where he can then start matches and even last the whole match if needed.
Now you could say that he had the chances to get his match fitness up against Chelsea and Arsenal and that is very true. I can understand the reasoning for Irvine not having him on the bench against Chelsea because it was always going to be a long hard slog where we would have to keep things tight and try to stop Chelsea from scoring for as long as possible. Remember that the same starting 11 that beat us 2-0 then beat a very good Schalke team 5-0 in the Veltins Arena 3 or 4 days later. However, I was very surprised that Varela wasn't on the bench against Arsenal because a 15-20 minute appearance off the bench against a tiring and slack Arsenal defence would have been a great chance for Varela to up his match fitness levels and possibly win the game for us. Obviously for whatever reason(s), Irvine decided to not include Varela on the bench. Maybe he wanted to save him for the West Ham.
Varela's 30 minutes against West Ham was a good start for him and another 20-30 minutes off the bench tomorrow will help him even further. Maybe he could then be in contention to start against Villa but that will be up to our professional coaching and fitness staff who will be assessing his match fitness levels and will know what is required. He has also been struggling a bit these past few days due to his 30 minute appearance against West Ham which is understandable as it was the longest competitive football he has played since the World Cup. (The behind closed doors friendly doesn't count as competitive because it was a friendly to build up the fitness levels of Varela, Blanco and Ideye)
I absolutely understand everyone wanting Varela in the team as soon as possible, I'm included in that but sometimes you have to put that to one side and look at all this from the point of view of our coaching and fitness staff. It's not perfect especially when we are in the spot of bother like we are now but it is just how it is.
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Very good points josh.
Varela may have a huge role to play this season so a few more games coming off the bench isn't the end of the world.
We need pace in the side to counter attack so if he won't play Gamboa at right back why not try him in midfield ?
Safe journey for anyone going, at least no Long to dive for a penalty this time.
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05-12-2014, 22:33
(This post was last modified: 05-12-2014, 23:55 by WBA-Josh.)
If it was up to me, I would definately have Varela on the bench for tomorrow's match and him starting the Villa game depends on his match fitness. I would try to bring him off the bench tomorrow if it's possible to do so. The match circumstances at the 60-70 minute mark will effect that though.
Gamboa at right midfield is an option but I'm a firm believer in players playing in positions that they are truly comfortable in. When Gamboa signed, I had a long look at his career and the positions that he has played in. What I found was mainly matches that he played either at right back or right wing back with 1 match at left back and 1 at right midfield. The left back and right midfield matches were when he was back in the Costa Rican league and in his early career in Norway. That doesn't mean that he can't play at right midfield because he probably can but where we are at the moment and in the predicament that we find ourselves in, I would stick with players in positions that they are comfortable in at this level.
With that in mind tomorrow I would look at the usual back 5 (Pocognoli in for Baird if fit) with maybe McAuley in for Dawson to watch Jelavic. The 2 in the centre of midfield would be Mulumbu and Gardner who have the basis of a good partnership. Dorrans will be in his usual right midfield position which I think he is OK in and then Anichebe will be up front to lead the line.
The other 2 positions will be based on the defensive part of Hull's line-up. If Hull play a back 4 then I would play Berahino on the left with Sessegnon in the hole. Remember that Berahino made his early impact last season at left midfield in Clarke's 4-2-3-1. However if Hull play with 3 centre backs, then Berahino and Sessegnon will switch positions. That will mean Sessegnon playing a left sided winger role with the freedom to move into central positions and then Berahino will play alongside Anichebe. I think that playing with 2 strikers is better against a team playing with 3 centre backs because the lone striker can be very easily outnumbered and nullified by 3 centre backs.
If it is the latter option with Anichebe and Berahino together up front, then when we have possession I would tell Berahino to either drop a little deeper so the midfield have a forward pass or move out to the left channel which will give our midfield more opportunities to play him in behind the Hull defence. Just look at the wrongly called offside decision against Arsenal where Berahino did the same thing.
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Looking like poco is fit so happy with him at left back and bombing forward when we break.
Agree Anichebe needs to start, not least because of our infuriating habit of turning attacking possession into back peddling and back to Foster who has to hoof it up field.
Just not happy with Wisdom and Dawson who remind me of Paul Mardon (80% calm and assured and 20% headless mistake ridden clown !)
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05-12-2014, 23:24
(This post was last modified: 05-12-2014, 23:28 by WBA-Josh.)
That is good news about Poco. He has definitely been one of our best signings in recent years. The only problem is that it seems like his injury problems are starting to play up again like they did last season when he was with Hannover. I want to see Davidson get another chance when Poco gets injured again. He may have struggled against Swansea but most players will struggle when they're up against Nathan Dyer. He was originally signed as competition for Poco and its a shame that he isn't being used when Poco is out.
What Anichebe lacks in finishing, he makes up with his physical presence and hold up play which is top notch. He is the perfect strike partner material for Berahino. It will be nice to see Ideye get more game time soon even if it is just off the bench because he, like Varela, needs to build up his match fitness. The same goes with Blanco who has the quality that we have lacked in recent weeks.
Who is a Paul Mardon? I'm assuming he is one of our old players from previous decades?
