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.
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.