Strikers

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I'm not alone in thinking that the reason we are in this mess is because of our underperforming strikers, and, after reading just about everyone's opinion on the team performance today, it seems like Hume should definately start next week. The big poser for me is, who starts along side him?

Howard - Has been hideously out of form recently (as have all of our strikers really), and has really seemed to lose his passion and fight. I wouldn't start him although I think he'll make the XI

DJ - Runs and runs but is often offside and we are running out of time for him to find some sort of goalscoring touch. On the bench for me.

Hammond - Hasn't really been given a fair crack this term due to his (ankle) injury, but I'd like to see us take a gamble and put him on the bench next week. No one can argue that what Elvis lacks in talent, he makes up for in pace, and that could really unsettle and unbalance a nervous Barnsley defence. Bench.

Fryatt - I've backed Fryatt and defended him a fair few times from the likes of Thracian but I've come to the conclusion that he just cannot seem to finish. As is the case with DJ, we cannot afford to wait for him to rediscover his goalscoring form. Not in the sixteen.

Hayles - Has been consistently decent despite being played in numerous positions by Holloway, and keeps going until the final whistle. I think he deserves his chance to start up front as much as anyone (bar Hume)

Among the other options include several youngsters, such as Chambers, Sappleton and McKay. All would be up for the fight, and inclusion in the squad would give our more seasoned players a real boot up the preverbial backside.

Opinions please.

[Simi]

Hume and Fryatt, honestly.

[Bert]

I'll say it again. Hume is our best player. So he should be played in his best position.

[lookwhaticando]

Hu Hu Hu HU

Matty Fryatt

Du du du DU

Hu-uu-uuu-mmmee.

[Fez of Mahrez]

Has to be Howard and Hume for me. We need goals and these are the only two who have threatened them in recent memory.

[davieG]

Hume & Campbell

[General lee]

Hume and Fryatt, they can't be no worst.

[Thracian]

I'm not alone in thinking that the reason we are in this mess is because of our underperforming strikers, and, after reading just about everyone's opinion on the team performance today, it seems like Hume should definately start next week. The big poser for me is, who starts along side him?

Howard - Has been hideously out of form recently (as have all of our strikers really), and has really seemed to lose his passion and fight. I wouldn't start him although I think he'll make the XI

DJ - Runs and runs but is often offside and we are running out of time for him to find some sort of goalscoring touch. On the bench for me.

Hammond - Hasn't really been given a fair crack this term due to his (ankle) injury, but I'd like to see us take a gamble and put him on the bench next week. No one can argue that what Elvis lacks in talent, he makes up for in pace, and that could really unsettle and unbalance a nervous Barnsley defence. Bench.

Fryatt - I've backed Fryatt and defended him a fair few times from the likes of Thracian but I've come to the conclusion that he just cannot seem to finish. As is the case with DJ, we cannot afford to wait for him to rediscover his goalscoring form. Not in the sixteen.

Hayles - Has been consistently decent despite being played in numerous positions by Holloway, and keeps going until the final whistle. I think he deserves his chance to start up front as much as anyone (bar Hume)

Among the other options include several youngsters, such as Chambers, Sappleton and McKay. All would be up for the fight, and inclusion in the squad would give our more seasoned players a real boot up the preverbial backside.

Opinions please.

I'd like to see some of those offsides. On one occasion DJ seemed to be in his own half when he started his run and that linesman was so unconvincing with throw in decisions, even when they were virtually in front of him, that I find it hard to be convinced that he could look in two places at once and get a succession of offsides correct. I'd stand correcting mind cos I was not in position to judge myself.

[Guest]

Howard and Hume, definitely

[Moreton]

Hume and Howard. Obviously Hume but as for Howard he really needs a kick up the bottom. We really do need to play the balls to his feet as he is proving hopeless with his head. Hayles is fine where played today.

[Koke]

Hume and Howard.

Hume is the best forward we have, and we have wasted him completely. And Howard knows where the back of the net is. He wouldn't miss from inside the box.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I threw the Hammond comment in there as a bit of a cat amongst the pidgeons, but no one seems to have picked up on it yet in a sense of disgust.

[Koke]

I threw the Hammond comment in there as a bit of a cat amongst the pidgeons, but no one seems to have picked up on it yet in a sense of disgust.

Elvis is a legend amongst legends. You best believe that.

[Sparky]

Howard and Hume with Mcauley on stand by if Howard isnt having 1 of his "on days"

[Nationwider]

I think Howard, as one of Holloway's big money signings, will start regardless. If he drops the likes of Howard, he may as well sign his own P45 because he'll have lost all face (what's left anyway) with Milan.

Me? I'd go with Hume (on the basis that he actually scores from time to time) and, very reluctantly, Campbell (simply because he's got pace). I'd be severely tempted to put an unknown on the bench, just for the hell of it. McKay or someone.

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

Elvis is a legend amongst legends. You best believe that.

I do and I also feel that we'd have nothing to lose by playing him on the bench, with a view to him becoming and impact sub.

[Flynny]

Hume/Howard or Hume/Fryatt. Leaning slightly towards the latter. It'd be on the understanding that Fryatt isn't going to score but does open the game up for us when he's playing.

I honestly think Hume'd be on 20 goals if he'd started most of out games up front. With the amount we're creating compared to last season when he got 14, someone who can put stuff away should thrive.

If Hume starts in midfield next game I'll be disgusted.

[Moreton]

I think Howard, as one of Holloway's big money signings, will start regardless. If he drops the likes of Howard, he may as well sign his own P45 because he'll have lost all face (what's left anyway) with Milan.

Me? I'd go with Hume (on the basis that he actually scores from time to time) and, very reluctantly, Campbell (simply because he's got pace). I'd be severely tempted to put an unknown on the bench, just for the hell of it. McKay or someone.

Hmmm i acually agree with what your saying there, even though i want Howard to start. Weird

[Miquel The Work Geordie]

I think Howard, as one of Holloway's big money signings, will start regardless. If he drops the likes of Howard, he may as well sign his own P45 because he'll have lost all face (what's left anyway) with Milan.

Me? I'd go with Hume (on the basis that he actually scores from time to time) and, very reluctantly, Campbell (simply because he's got pace). I'd be severely tempted to put an unknown on the bench, just for the hell of it. McKay or someone.

Good call on McKay. As an unknown quantity, neither us, nor Barnsley will know what to expect.

It could be exciting.

[Mikey]

Howard and Hume.

[Koke]

I'd like to see some of those offsides. On one occasion DJ seemed to be in his own half when he started his run and that linesman was so unconvincing with throw in decisions, even when they were virtually in front of him, that I find it hard to be convinced that he could look in two places at once and get a succession of offsides correct. I'd stand correcting mind cos I was not in position to judge myself.

Yes, I saw that incident as well. I thought it was a strange call from the linesman considering DJ started his run from his own half.

[Thracian]

I'm not alone in thinking that the reason we are in this mess is because of our underperforming strikers, and, after reading just about everyone's opinion on the team performance today, it seems like Hume should definately start next week. The big poser for me is, who starts along side him?

Howard - Has been hideously out of form recently (as have all of our strikers really), and has really seemed to lose his passion and fight. I wouldn't start him although I think he'll make the XI

DJ - Runs and runs but is often offside and we are running out of time for him to find some sort of goalscoring touch. On the bench for me.

Hammond - Hasn't really been given a fair crack this term due to his (ankle) injury, but I'd like to see us take a gamble and put him on the bench next week. No one can argue that what Elvis lacks in talent, he makes up for in pace, and that could really unsettle and unbalance a nervous Barnsley defence. Bench.

Fryatt - I've backed Fryatt and defended him a fair few times from the likes of Thracian but I've come to the conclusion that he just cannot seem to finish. As is the case with DJ, we cannot afford to wait for him to rediscover his goalscoring form. Not in the sixteen.

Hayles - Has been consistently decent despite being played in numerous positions by Holloway, and keeps going until the final whistle. I think he deserves his chance to start up front as much as anyone (bar Hume)

Among the other options include several youngsters, such as Chambers, Sappleton and McKay. All would be up for the fight, and inclusion in the squad would give our more seasoned players a real boot up the preverbial backside.

Opinions please.

Forget the kids for a start, they're not ready.

Sadly there's no easy answer concerning the rest.

For a start our next game is away and Holloway always seems more cautious on his travels.

Unusually, I am still not convinced our strikers are terminally hopeless.

Confidence is important. You can almost see the tension and anxiety in Fryatt and it's a wonder we're not developing a referee complex, so many of our better attacks are frustrated by flag-happy linesmen and whiostling referees.

So the first things I'd do is sort their minds out and that would mean it wouldn't matter so much which strikers we chose cos they'd all do fine..

Unwisely we've never developed proper strike partnerships this season which is beyond comprehension to me and something we are paying dearly for neglecting.

But, in a normal 4-4-2 with natural wide players like Beswick and Bell, I'd start with Howard and Campbell because they are probably best able to attack crosses.

With a 4-3-3 I'd use Hume, Hayles and Campbell because pace up front would be paramount and, with a 3-4-3 I'd use Hume/Howard/Campbell with Bell and Beswick in wide midfield.

[Moreton]

Forget the kids for a start, they're not ready.

Is that really Thracian saying that

I'd use Hume/Howard/Campbell with Bell and Beswick in wide midfield.

Oh yep it must be

[Koke]

Forget the kids for a start, they're not ready.

Sadly there's no easy answer concerning the rest.

For a start our next game is away and Holloway always seems more cautious on his travels.

Unusually, I am still not convinced our strikers are terminally hopeless.

Confidence is important. You can almost see the tension and anxiety in Fryatt and it's a wonder we're not developing a referee complex, so many of our better attacks are frustrated by flag-happy linesmen and whiostling referees.

So the first things I'd do is sort their minds out and that would mean it wouldn't matter so much which strikers we chose cos they'd all do fine..

Unwisely we've never developed proper strike partnerships this season which is beyond comprehension to me and something we are paying dearly for neglecting.

But, in a normal 4-4-2 with natural wide players like Beswick and Bell, I'd start with Howard and Campbell because they are probably best able to attack crosses.

With a 4-3-3 I'd use Hume, Hayles and Campbell because pace up front would be paramount and, with a 3-4-3 I'd use Hume/Howard/Campbell with Bell and Beswick in wide midfield.

I usually agree with you Thracian - But there are no justifications whatsoever to pick DJ Campbell over Iain Hume. No matter the formation, be it 4-4-2 or 4-3-3.

[StroudFox]

I'd like to see some of those offsides. On one occasion DJ seemed to be in his own half when he started his run and that linesman was so unconvincing with throw in decisions, even when they were virtually in front of him, that I find it hard to be convinced that he could look in two places at once and get a succession of offsides correct. I'd stand correcting mind cos I was not in position to judge myself.

I agree. Most of the offsides were bad decisions I felt.