What would you do?

[Asha]

Sappleton. Just.

[Ash]

Fryatt is the best finisher we've got !

Fryatt and DJ

[Fez of Mahrez]

Fryatt and Campbell is something we still haven't tried and something I would still like to see. Having said that, Howard and Hume looked excellent together against Coventry.

The fact of the matter remains that, for whatever reason, we still haven't got anyone with pace AND presence. Someone who you can give the ball to and he will retain it under pressure while also moving forward with the ball. Even as an option off the bench, someone in that mould would be nice.

[Legend_in_blue]

After last nights shambles, I couldn't give a monkey's who plays up front.

Howard, DJ, Hume, Fryatt, de Vries, Hammond, Horsfield, Cort, that donkey, no this one, no that one, etc etc... all much of a muchness and all a big disappointment.

We could play Rooney up front and it wouldn't make a difference, no-one in the midfield provides quality service other than the ball "fired" either at chest or head height. What can you do with that? Not a lot.

Pass and move, on the floor... it's called football, but we can't do that.

[Chromophobia]

sack them all and buy some that can get the ball in the onion bag.

[azza89]

Fryatt played well last night. I think that it's because the fans got behind him...maybe if we got behind the whole team more then they might all gain confidence - just a thought.

[demon_dog]

Some food for thought this one!!

While DJ has the pace, he seems too lightweight and is easily knocked off the ball, at the moment his shooting also seems suspect.

Howard on the other hand lacks the pace but has the build to withstand the pushes, knocks and shoves a striker gets, also can certainly score when given the chance.

Hume as we all know, when played up front can match defenders and create shooting chances, however sometimes does to much and loses the ball.

Fryatt, from what little we have seen of him this season difficult to comment on, although I think most people would agree that he is potentially a good striker, he has the brains to generally be in the right place at the right time.

Hayles, I reserve judgement, don't really think we have seen him at his best yet, so who knows.

For the Bristol game I think they will almost certainly come for the win, therefore likely to play attacking football, this will hopefully give us enough space to play the ball on the ground and hit them on the break.

Initially I would start with Howard and DJ upfront with Hume playing just behind them.

Later I would bring on Fryatt and Hayles as subs.

[Joe.]

If we have decent wingers then Howard with somebody, preferably DJ for me.

If no decent wingers then DJ and Hume as Howard would be too ineffective.

[AyewJoking]

Hume and Campbell

[SOCCERROO FOX]

I would seriously play with 4 strikers 3-3-4

Hume DJ Howard Fryatt

Hendrie Clemence Oakley

Kisnorbo Ngotty McCauley

Alnwick

[irememberwellerstights]

Theres no doubt we need to sign a decent striker in the summer.

Decent as in pay out £5m if we have to, as long as we sign a goalscorer.

Eh, that'll be Adi Akinbyi then^^

[Thracian]

Fryatt played well last night. I think that it's because the fans got behind him...maybe if we got behind the whole team more then they might all gain confidence - just a thought.

Fryatt did one thing particularly different against Preston - he got deep into the box. The "goal" which Stearman made for him was a cracker in terms of movement and exactly the right final ball and it summed up all the things we weren't generally doing all night.

The officials might have been arseholes, not for the offside decisons which seem to have been okay, but for the penalties they chose not to see, but the reasons we lost were reasons that have been duplicated almost all season.

We didn't get enough people into the box and such wingers as we had didn't stretch the Preston back line by maintaining the width. Both came inside far too often - not a problem at all when others take their place but they didn't and that's down to the manager.

I've emphasised time and again that two goals a game is our minimum requirement and we won't score at that rate without finding gaps in tight back lines and with supporting in numbers when we attack.

It should be obvious but clearly it isn't getting through to anyone at City and it sounds as if the reserves are having at much trouble scoring now - with Hungarians not seeming to have any greater effect at that level than with the first team.

I've never been more pleased about a player getting injured than Clemence. It's not that I wish him ill but someone has to get forward to join Howard and DJ. Someone said at least Clemence is a damn site better than Hughes but he's a clone of the guy.

Never pass forwards and take a risk when a sideways pass to nowhere in particular will do.

I've nicknamed him Gerry after Gerry and the Pacemakers cos thats what he is - a pacemaker. In athletics circles he'd do two thirds of the race at steady pace then kop out. I've mentioned before how rarely now he drives forward in support of attacks but paces himself through games and that was so apparent Tuesday.

He hardly ever got near the penalty box as I recall.

As for Hume it's time to end the experiment. He's a striker. Just watching the pre-match warm up it was so obvious Hume has a better striking technique than others. He's wasted on the wing - and not much good there as a winger anyway.

We were barmy not to keep Gradel and I don't see Hendrie being our saviour on the left wing either.

What would I do?

Well I'd never had got us in this shit in the first place because I'd never have left us with virtually no threat from free-kicks/set pieces for a couple of months and no pace on the flanks nor a shortage of support from midfield but still.

What I'd do now is:

Use the new loanee on the right wing and pray that he's some good because precious few of Ollie's newcomers appear to fit that description. Pace on the right.

I'd introduce Beswick on the left to ensure fast and accurate passing from that department as well as the potential for a goal.

I'd play Hume and DJ up front with Howard/Fryatt coming off the bench to give us pace and movement, I'd make the wide men stay wide or ensure someone replaced them if they moved inside.

This would mean a 3-5-2 arrangement with, now Weso's injured, Oakley,/King/Hendrie in midfield.

The three at the back would be Stearman, Kisnorbo, Clapham/N'Gotty.

Team:

Henderson,

Stearman, Kisnorbo, Clapham,

Etuhu, Oakley, King, Hendrie, Beswick;

Hume, Campbell.

Subs: Chambers, N'Gotty, Bori, Howard, Fryatt,

Suddenly our team has 6 perhaps 6.5 potential scorers in the side along with passing, pace, movement and support.

It has lots of fluidity and is no longer full of ageing journeymen.

We would score the two goals necessary and would probably win the game.

[Hugo Sanchez]

Hume and Fryatt

DJ and Howard are not working, DJ all pace but no end product and Howard is doing nothing ... Not even winning flick ons and even if he did DJ wouldn't be there.

Hume and Fryatt when on form can be one of the best partnerships in this league.

[Koke]

Hume and Fryatt is a tested (but failed) partnership. What makes you think it'll suddenly work again?

[Sods]

Hayles and Fryatt.

Would competly drop EGO hume.

Howard and DJ on the bench.

[Calum McDermott]

I think it should be howard and hume but i really can't decide between hume and DJ, i think give DJ a long run in the team and see how he does because, he has played a few games in succession now and he seems to be very sharp and lively.