O'hara a defensive midfield dynamo or bench warmer?
Dos Santos the Tarrabt with an end product or bench warmer?
Bentley the hard working have a go with your heart on your sleeve midfield driver or bench warmer?
Ramos - get it right this time or were fucked

We need to put out or strongest 11 regardless of our other upcoming fixtures, we nee points on the board.
To me that means Gunter at RB, Corluka (sorry Harry) at CB alonside Woody, Bentley and Lennon on the flanks, give O'Hara a run out at DM with Pav and Bent upfront.
It'll probably be something drastically different with an eye on Wednesdays game....

forget wednesdays game. Are we more likely to get a result in it by winning tomorrow and putting out the same team on wednesday, or by weakening ourselves tomorrow and going into the game with little or no confidence on wednesday? Hmmm, simple answer really.

I think Corluka should be given another go, one poor game doesn't make him a bad player, he was very good last season for citeh. Would rather see him play CB than bloody Dawson.

Ramos' substitution of Gunter with O'Hara, putting Didier Zokora at right back still puzzles me. Why replace a well-rested natural right back who was having a good game with the unpredictable and unreliable Zokora, whose carelessness in possession was the main factor in Krakow procuring the equaliser? What is it about this menace that continues to beguile everyone from Damien Commoli to Martin Jol to Gus Poyet? It's insanity. (sweeping statement to follow) He is hands down the biggest obstacle we have to improving this season.

Gomes
Gunter Corluka Woodgate Bale
Bentley Jenas Zokora Lennon
Bent Pavlyuchenko

Sanchez, Dawson, Assou-Ekoto, Hudd, O'Hara, Giovani, Campbell.
We usually beat wigan well, and I want another victory. a comfortable, enjoyable, stressfree 3-0 win would be absolutely brilliant.
All-Ireland final tomorrow folks, Kerry v Tyrone. Who are you backing?

Reply to RJ1882:

forget wednesdays game. Are we more likely to get a result in it by winning tomorrow and putting out the same team on wednesday, or by weakening ourselves tomorrow and going into the game with little or no confidence on wednesday? Hmmm, simple answer really.

Sounds simple enough but not sure commom sense is prevailing at WHL at the moment.
Before the villa game Gus tried to justify the balls-up of a team selection by going on about the number of games we've coming up, hope JR doesn't make the same mistake again.

Reply to RJ1882:

Gomes
Gunter Corluka Woodgate Bale
Bentley Jenas Zokora Lennon
Bent Pavlyuchenko

Sanchez, Dawson, Assou-Ekoto, Hudd, O'Hara, Giovani, Campbell.
We usually beat wigan well, and I want another victory. a comfortable, enjoyable, stressfree 3-0 win would be...

O'Hara for Zokora would be my only change...

---------------Gomes
Gunter-----King-----Woody-----Baler
-----------Jenas-----Zok
Lennon---------------------O'Hara
------------Bent-----Pav

That's if Ledders is fit. If not Zok to play in his stead with OHara moving into DM mode and Gio out on the left flank. Everyone know's where they're supposed to be in a 442 - no excuses. I want to win the CC again, but not half as much as I want to finish at least top 5 and win the UEFA and/or FA Cup.

I don't know why I bother. I tax myself in thinking this through, but some other formation always comes up instead. As long as we win, I don't mind being proved wrong thank you very much.

Reply to shanemac:

Ramos' substitution of Gunter with O'Hara, putting Didier Zokora at right back still puzzles me. Why replace a well-rested natural right back who was having a good game with the unpredictable and unreliable Zokora, whose carelessness in possession was the main factor in Krakow procuring the...

thats insane.

Reply to Bilbo_Spur:

I think Corluka should be given another go, one poor game doesn't make him a bad player, he was very good last season for citeh. Would rather see him play CB than bloody Dawson.

Too right, but I'd rather king than either of them. Charly, like Bentley, needs to be brought up to speed fitness wise imho.

Ramos will rest Bent, he hinted as much in his latest press conference. I expect it'll be Gio and Pav up front. Also maybe Assou-Ekotto at LB and Bale at LM? What about Corluka instead of Zokora at DM?

Reply to Trembly:

Reply to shanemac:

Ramos' substitution of Gunter with O'Hara, putting Didier Zokora at right back still puzzles me. Why replace a well-rested natural right back who was having a good game with the unpredictable and unreliable Zokora, whose carelessness in possession was the main factor in Krakow procuring the...

thats insane.

insane indeed. Corluka has to play. He is quality. He was up against Young, one of the best LM in the league. Corluka will come good. It was only weeks ago everyone on here was claiming him to be an ideal signing for us with his versatility, yet after on poor game he's not getting a mention in peoples formations? Crazy. Out him CB, he'll sort out the lump that is Heskey.
Is Modric & King definitely out?
Also, i've noticed our bench is always defensive heavey. we really could have done with Arshavin and a striker.... maybe January will bring delightful belated christmas presents.

Occasionally when I play with my work collegues a couple of the middle aged spreaders turn up.

We stick them on the same team and only count them as one player due to the fact they are less than mobile.

Perhaps we can do the same with Pav and charlie boy?

is that little croatian bloke already broken?

Not intentionally being a numpty, but is there a curse on WHL? Or at our training ground? It seems to me that we've had far too many 'sicknotes' on the books through the years to be a mere coincidence.

Is it the type of ground we have on these pitches? Is it something in the water? Whatever it is, I'd like less of it please. It's ruined many good players, most recently Ledders and I don't want lil' Luka to go down the same broken path.

Harry, a usually witty opener with bitter overtones. I agree with most of what you say apart from Corluka, he could have done better but for a first game and the rest of the defence running around like headless chickens especially Dawson he didn't do to bad, lets give him time to settle in.
What we really need to hope for is a change to the system that allows transfers 2 weeks into the season, this doesn't give time for new players time to settle into the team properly look at Keane and Berbatov.
Anyway COYS and BIOYC

RJ1882 - Modders def out. On the OS. King tbc. Charly is a good lad, he's not got much in the way of pace but has a good defensive brain when in gear. Him, Bently and Pav all need bringing up to speed. Perhaps they should all meet up to do 5 mile sprints every morning at 8am to catch up on the preseason.

Last year we heard loads about double sessions. Why not this year? After the start that we've had - double sessions will surely help. Perhaps a quick jolly to Alicante after the mad rush of games can help initiate some new bonds?

we bought bentley in July.

why isnt he fit?

I'd be quietly confident about winning this one if Modric were back....as it is, hopefully Pav and Gio, with Lennon and Bentley will provide the firepower we need (Bent could do with a rest). Wigan are an improved side and will put up a stern fight.

Reply to jolsgonemental:

we bought bentley in July.

why isnt he fit?

Just about... 31st July. Prior to that he was training by himself. But he didn't want to burn himself out, so he just practiced hoofing footballs in his back garden apparently. Since them his hair has grown a bit and hair gel gets heavy when it gets sweaty, so that slows him down as well. Either that or he's found Robbo's old stash of jelly beans.

Seroiusly? He shouldn't be huffing and puffing after 6 weeks of intensive. I can only assume that he's not been doing an intensive or had a niggle that's prevented him going past 2nd gear.

May I just say the worthless dig at Corluka was no more than that. He needs to be played again as swiftly as possible. I am one of the few people on this earth who rates Gilberto. And his debut was less auspicious than Charlies.

On Modric JGM, an inside source at Airfix assures me it's not too serious and they think they can use part of an Afrika Corp crouching sniper to repair him.

"If anyone sees Vedran Corluka in a Spurs shirt can they please calmly report this to a steward."

LOL. To be fair I think the weight of expectation from the fans after the early Villa goal may have just shaken him a bit. Kept making the stupidest of mistakes, like holding off an opposition player really well only to misplace the pass when he finally released the ball. Maybe he just needs another chance.

If anyone sees Michael Dawson in a Spurs shirt can they please immediately report this to police, for pretending to be a good player and fooled Ramos to extended his contract. Its a crime I believe.

I dont want to talk about Bentley(flop), out of respect to HH. I believe he is one of HH favorite players.


3-1 mighty tottenham. Pavlo, Bramble own goal , Pavlo again.

we must win, or the axe will start to swing ever nearer to Ramos's neck!!!

Reply to ToniMontana:

If anyone sees Michael Dawson in a Spurs shirt can they please immediately report this to police, for pretending to be a good player and fooled Ramos to extended his contract. Its a crime I believe.

I dont want to talk about Bentley(flop), out of respect to HH. I believe he is one of HH...

You respectta me too much my friend!

I do admit I have a soft spot for Bentley. I also admit his crosses are largely iffy. But the boy wants it.

And that hair! OK. I'll wind it in on the hair...

He WAS too much money.

But I do think he'll come good.

Reply to spursdevotee:

Harry, a usually witty opener with bitter overtones. I agree with most of what you say apart from Corluka, he could have done better but for a first game and the rest of the defence running around like headless chickens especially Dawson he didn't do to bad, lets give him time to settle in....

Good stuff, sir.

bents been next to useless and sod that manure boy campbell

gomes
gunter corluka woodgate bale
o'hara
bentley jenas hudd lennon
pav

No that team will not score goals!!!

And leave us rock bottom!

Gomes
Gunter Woodgate Corluka Bale
Bentley Jenas O'Hara Lennon
Frasier Bent

I'd ease Pav into the Premiership - 20 or 30 mins. Bent and Frasier looked like they were developing a decent understanding, so let it grow.