Sheffield United (A) pre match

[Foxxed]

I don't feel like subbing Perez yet although bring on Albrighton if he's still poor. I guess we play Tielemans until he becomes good again. I would feel odd subbing Ndidi after his goal and because he'll win the arial battles but if we wanted to play Praet then fair enough.

 

         Kasp

Ric Eva Soy Chil

          Ndid

Prz Tiel Mad Barn

          Vard

 

 

Edited 19 August 2019 by Foxxed

[Koke]

The post match views from Palace fans suggests that SUFC are basically Cardiff 2.0. They battle hard and close teams down well but not much else quality. 

 

https://roysviewfrom.com/2019/08/18/view-from-palace/

[srex9]

8 hours ago, Mark_w said:

I feel like starting Iheanacho instead of Vardy for the sake of being unbelievably arrogant.

Fock it. Play the U23s for this one 

[srex9]

8 hours ago, That_Dude said:

And who's going to cover the back four?

Adrian Silva 👀

[Danny Clender]

This is the game that has to click.

 

The back four is certain now, bar Chilwell's hip or him going to Barcelona 

 

In principal Choudhury and Ndidi can work, it just needs Choudhury to be more confident in his forward play and sort his positioning out, from what we've all seen, he can do this and I just like him in the team.

After yesterday's game though, his position could be up for grabs with Dennis De Praet© potentially coming in.

Be nice to have last seasons Tielemans back, he looked to be getting there at points during yesterday. 

 

I'm not sure if the attacking formation should be revised for this game or not, Maddison definitely showed it can work in the second half, but it now needs Vardy and especially Perez to step-up. 

Vardy's clearly motivated and bang up for it, however the game behind him is making him look a little like he did under Puel and only a matter of time before the Vardy discussion starts again. For now though, there's little he can do with the system not supporting him well enough and for me that's Tielemans and Perez needing to sort their attacking games out. 

 

Has to be a comfortable win though by any measure. 

 

[st albans fox]

17 minutes ago, Danny Clender said:

This is the game that has to click.

 

The back four is certain now, bar Chilwell's hip or him going to Barcelona 

 

In principal Choudhury and Ndidi can work, it just needs Choudhury to be more confident in his forward play and sort his positioning out, from what we've all seen, he can do this and I just like him in the team.

After yesterday's game though, his position could be up for grabs with Dennis De Praet© potentially coming in.

Be nice to have last seasons Tielemans back, he looked to be getting there at points during yesterday. 

 

I'm not sure if the attacking formation should be revised for this game or not, Maddison definitely showed it can work in the second half, but it now needs Vardy and especially Perez to step-up. 

Vardy's clearly motivated and bang up for it, however the game behind him is making him look a little like he did under Puel and only a matter of time before the Vardy discussion starts again. For now though, there's little he can do with the system not supporting him well enough and for me that's Tielemans and Perez needing to sort their attacking games out. 

 

Has to be a comfortable win though by any measure. 

 

We have to look to win this but players with that attitude would be an issue. She’d u’s  second game back in the prem, unbeaten thus far, have confidence, strength and are well organised. I will be more than happy with a scrappy 1-0 though is suspect our game plan will be to pass it around ad nauseum and get in around the back and show some composure once we are. 

[Finnegan]

9 hours ago, Foxxed said:

I guess we play Tielemans until he becomes he becomes good again.

 

For me, part of the Tielemans problem is the Maddison problem. 

 

I know I keep banging the drum about playing Maddison out of position* but we signed Tielemans off the strength of how he played as an alternating 8/10 in a 433 with Madders. They both played so well with each other to play off, the system let them alternate in holding responsibility and helped them link up and find space. 

 

We make a big fuss about needing him, sign him then change the shape. 

 

At worst it's daft, at best they'll need time to adjust. 

 

Maddison - Tielemans 

Ndidi 

 

For me, that's the third best central midfield in the league after Man City and Tottenham. Obviously it helps its an area Chelsea, Arsenal and United are all weak in (and Liverpool largely ignore) but I honestly believe its the biggest strength of our team. 

 

Other teams might have better individual midfielders but I think ours as a sum is our strength. 

 

So why are we messing with it? 

 

 

*as we played last year under BR. 

Edited 19 August 2019 by Finnegan

[Fox85]

1 hour ago, Koke said:

The post match views from Palace fans suggests that SUFC are basically Cardiff 2.0. They battle hard and close teams down well but not much else quality. 

 

https://roysviewfrom.com/2019/08/18/view-from-palace/

I watched the game. SUFC looked like a good solid team.

It's going to be difficult to beat these.

Every game is different but if go into the game with the mindset of 3 points gift wrapped we will have a stern reality check

[mazarron fox]

People are moaning about the team selected being too narrow and unable to create anything but from 30 mins onwards that ‘ defensive ‘ team created enough to win 2 football matches. Maddison was all over the place Hamza up and down and the commentators raving about our midfield over running theirs. So could one or two of you tactical genius’s who complain about our negative set up before a ball is kicked explain how we managed to create so much with such a defensive set up remembering that our first sub came on at 73 mins when we were already well on top.

[Tanya]

I hope we play an old fashioned four three three, with Youri, James and Wilf in the middle with Marc and Ayoze out wide? No need to play Maddison out wide that nullifies his strenght

[Finnegan]

25 minutes ago, mazarron fox said:

People are moaning about the team selected being too narrow and unable to create anything but from 30 mins onwards that ‘ defensive ‘ team created enough to win 2 football matches. Maddison was all over the place Hamza up and down and the commentators raving about our midfield over running theirs. So could one or two of you tactical genius’s who complain about our negative set up before a ball is kicked explain how we managed to create so much with such a defensive set up remembering that our first sub came on at 73 mins when we were already well on top.

 

Are you kidding? We barely managed a shot on target in either game but in both games we looked significantly better once Maddison came inside to operate centrally. 

 

I have no idea what you've been watching. 

[RowlattsFox]

Maddison is not playing as a winger, he may be put there on graphics but I'm pretty confident Rodgers doesn't want him staying wide, he wants him roaming inside from the left and then covering out their when we don't have the ball. Same goes for Perez on the other side.

 

Difference in second half was we were able to get some control and this allowed the rotating positions to work better.

[OntarioFox]

Will be a tough game. Feelgood factor is well and truly there at Bramall Lane right now. Energy, hustle and bustle, closing down, and my heart sinks at the thought of Billy Sharp coming off the bench for them - he always scores against us. 

If we can be calm on the ball without doing a "Wilf-on-Mount", we should find some joy with our build-up play against a team that I think will be naive enough to play with a higher line than we've seen in the previous 2 games. However, we can't afford to dilly-dally because they'll be in our faces all game. I expect us to win if we turn up, but if we put in a disjointed performance (which does seem to happen against teams that pressure us) I won't be too upset with another draw. 

 

All that said, positive hat - 3-1 to us, with Madders, Vardy (of course) and Albrighton on the scoresheet. Sharp for them, obviously. 

 

2 hours ago, Koke said:

The post match views from Palace fans suggests that SUFC are basically Cardiff 2.0. They battle hard and close teams down well but not much else quality. 

 

https://roysviewfrom.com/2019/08/18/view-from-palace/

The main difference being that, by beating them, the Blades already have more points against Palace than Cardiff managed last season (3 to 1). 

[filbertway]

They're a solid hard working team with some decent players. This is a game where we need to start well, we can't give them early confidence because they will feed off that and just get stronger. We need to fly out the blocks and go to town on them. Praet in for Hamza and Harvey in for Perez for me.

[FoxFossil]

2 hours ago, srex9 said:

Fock it. Play the U23s for this one 

B team good enough for Rotherham, so should be good enough for these. Would be good to see Benko start and other squad rotation in preparation for a run off the media radar for title!

[KingKoala]

This is the sort of the game we struggled last season.

Having watched their game against Palace, I think LB will be the key for our defense.

[lanefox]

Like to see the diamond back 4 picks itself , ndidi in the pivot , youri and praet and madders in the 10 and then perez and vards up top

[Stevosevic]

1 hour ago, Finnegan said:

 

For me, part of the Tielemans problem is the Maddison problem. 

 

I know I keep banging the drum about playing Maddison out of position* but we signed Tielemans off the strength of how he played as an alternating 8/10 in a 433 with Madders. They both played so well with each other to play off, the system let them alternate in holding responsibility and helped them link up and find space. 

 

We make a big fuss about needing him, sign him then change the shape. 

 

At worst it's daft, at best they'll need time to adjust. 

 

Maddison - Tielemans 

Ndidi 

 

For me, that's the third best central midfield in the league after Man City and Tottenham. Obviously it helps its an area Chelsea, Arsenal and United are all weak in (and Liverpool largely ignore) but I honestly believe its the biggest strength of our team. 

 

Other teams might have better individual midfielders but I think ours as a sum is our strength. 

 

So why are we messing with it? 

 

 

*as we played last year under BR. 

This. I want to see this 3 again on Saturday

[Haywood_6]

Maybe give Hamza a rest for this game. I don't see the need for two CDM again. I was quite impressed with Praet's Cameo once he came on, I don't want to speak to soon but i'm excited by him. Able to get stuck in but also has the vision and creativity needed to set up attacks.

[Remember Kember]

Whatever starting eleven we go with they have to match Sheffield's intensity from the off. They Like Chelsea on Sunday will start with a high tempo and the crowd right behind them. We didn't match Chelsea early on and consequently found ourselves a goal down. The same will happen on Saturday unless we match them physically.

 

If we do then as the game wears on our greater class and ability should start to shine through and we should push on from there.

 

This and the Bournemouth match the following Saturday are more crucial for our final League position than the previous 2 as they are matches we should be winning.

 

I think we will weather Sheffield's early storm and grab a hard fought narrow win.

 

 

[mazarron fox]

49 minutes ago, Finnegan said:

 

Are you kidding? We barely managed a shot on target in either game but in both games we looked significantly better once Maddison came inside to operate centrally. 

 

I have no idea what you've been watching. 

I meant yesterday’s game we had enough chances and for the last hour looked tremendous despite what is perceived as a negative defensive set up 

[STUHILL]

I think a bit of rotation could be brought in for this one.

 

Praet looked decent in his short spell and I think should get a chance to start.

Choudary did well but he is the one I would drop to the bench for Praet,

 

I would also like to see Barnes start, with Perez dropping to the bench. Again, no real issue with Perez or Choudary, but just think with high intensity pressing, we should look at rotation as a way of maintaining that high level. 

 

I actually thought Fuchs had a great game, so no qualms at all if he starts again and think the back 4 should stay the same for this one.

 

Tielemans needs to up his game a bit, but he is a match winner on his day so needs to keep playing. 

 

Not sure if we have seen Maddison on the right of a front 3, but he seems to be happy anywhere along the front line, so should be ok, with Barnes on his favoured left.

 

------------------------------Schmeichel-------------------------------

Ricardo------------Evans--------------Soyuncu--------------Fuchs

----------------------------------N'didi------------------------------------

---------------------Tielemans-----------Praet-------------------------

------Maddison------------------------------------------Barnes-------

---------------------------------Vardy------------------------------------

[HighPeakFox]

37 minutes ago, OntarioFox said:

Will be a tough game. Feelgood factor is well and truly there at Bramall Lane right now. Energy, hustle and bustle, closing down, and my heart sinks at the thought of Billy Sharp coming off the bench for them - he always scores against us. 

Hyperbole always gets me seeking the truth - and given that you've emphasised the word 'always', I wonder if someone could tell me what his actual scoring record is against us.

[Finnegan]

4 minutes ago, mazarron fox said:

I meant yesterday’s game we had enough chances and for the last hour looked tremendous despite what is perceived as a negative defensive set up 

 

In the second half, yes, because we changed. Maddison moved to play a lot more centrally and got on the ball a lot more. 

 

There were still absolutely agonising moments when the left was completely wide open and begging for Barnes or Albrighton to be running in to.

 

We could and probably would have run completely over them if we'd have committed far earlier to getting more attacking players on the park.

[Guest]

13 hours ago, Frost said:

Would like to see Barnes start for Perez, maybe Praet for Choudhury so we can be more threatening higher up the pitch. I think with two defensive players we suffocate Maddison and Tielemans to an extent but with three inter-changing it should work wonders. We need to be aggressive.

You'd take out our two most energetic and influential players and replace one with a slow midfield clogger? 

 

No way.

 

I'll go with the same starting lineup - except Chillerz back in for Fuchs. 

 

Barnes to be the first sub brought on though - and that should be for Tielemans if he plays like he did in the first 2 matches or Vardy if he "isn't getting the service".

 

Sheffield have looked solid at the back but without any real spark. They make mistakes so we need to press them from the first minute. High and hard press and we come away with a 3 or 4 goal victory.