[Fredstersafool]

He's a bit to old play up there now Larry so I dropped him back.

[Trusevich]

For me:

Foderingham
Tavernier-Kiernan-Ball-Wallace
Law-Halliday-Holt
Oduwa-Waghorn-McKay

We're in a situation where wholesale changes to the starting eleven are limited. I can't disagree much with your choices El Car, Wilson has made some poor defensive choices and Ball coming in has rightly cemented his starting place. There's no challenge to Wallace and Tavernier, or Halliday for that matter, McKay's excellent form sees him as a must-start too, and Waghorn's effectivity over all three front-line places makes him a certainty also. As you say, Clark has still got too many rough edges, his finishing lets him down badly sometimes, maybe it's a case of not being able to handle the pressure at Rangers.

It looks to me like Holt is being protected fitness-wise as he rarely finishes a match, although Mark Warburton has always emphasised that it's a squad game and everyone needs to be able to 'see' the first team so it makes sense to give game-time to others like Shiels, Law and recently, Jordan Thompson.

Zelalem has made a good impression since he joined, and apart from a couple of dodgy performances after he came back from international duty he's been worth a starting place. He rarely does anything remarkable or game-changing but as I keep saying, he protects possession really well and that's vital for the type of game we are trying to play.

Law I think is a great option off the bench when things are all stuffy and we're playing through treacle. His energy and bustling runs beyond the front line can open up a parked bus defence.

Oduwa is the most enigmatic of all our players. His recent dip in form has come directly after recovering from injury, so he might be needing time to bed back in again, however he's another that can make a big difference late on in games.

Back to Holt though - he's the one that makes space for everyone else, his movement off the ball is excellent and his incisive runs provide a real threat, providing a good few important goals so far. He's been a bargain steal for us, and will only get better.

My choice would be:

Foderingham
Tavernier - Ball - Kiernan - Wallace
Zelalem - Halliday
Holt
Oduwa - Waghorn - McKay

A quick word about Shiels - why are we using him as a midfielder? Wasn't he a forward for Killie and Hibs previously? Or is it that his pace has started to go?

[doubledutch]

I think Shiels is more like a number ten just behind the front line.

[Trusevich]

I think we've played him as defensive midfielder at times this season!

[TheWorthinGer]

No, I've always seen him as an attack minded change.

[doubledutch]

Dean couldn't tackle a lunch time special from the Blue Lagoon !!

[El Car]

He played as a forward in the past but he's got a skill-set more appropriate for an advanced midfielder. I think it was Stuart McCall who first started using him in a defensive midfield role and to be honest he did it well at the time. I don't think he's got the legs to play as a forward any more - and I have to say his finishing is disastrous at times - so anywhere across our midfield 3 seems to be appropriate for him now.

He's capable of pulling something out of the bag but I just don't have an faith in him because he does it so inconsistently. If we need to score a goal and we bring him on I don't feel it really boosts us as a threat.