Never change a winning team brigade

[carlhltid]

I think Bamba is by far our best central defender. Pace, power and creativity. I'd like to see Bamba and Morgan at the back, as together they would be a physically strong pairing, win headers, win tackles and be a threat moving the play forward from the back. I'd like to see Drinkwater in for Wellens to give us a bit of extra energy in the middle of the park. Drinkwater and Danns are chasers, tacklers and ball winners. I'd give Schlupp a go on the left wing, in the hope he would be better going forward than Marshall and better tracking back and providing some support to Tom Kennedy, to deal with Kebe. I'd move Dyer to the right wing, and let him cut in and get some shots on goal. And finally I'd replace Peltier with Pantsil in at the back to deal with the pace that McAnuff has on the left wing for Reading. Pelteir also needs a rest in my opinion.

at last someone with a bit of sence

[ivarti]

1. Always change a winning team, Sir Alex does it all the time, and it is no reason why you should not change, because you should always see who you are playing, what type of system you would like to play in certain games, and again everything depends on the depth of your squad
   

[lcfcbaby]

If you change a side that bar Tuesday had done very well what will it do to the confidence of the players? The CB role is meant to be a more or less permanent position! You don't change the back 4 unless you have to! Morgan and SSL are still building on their partnership! Honestly I think that if we carry on changing the back 4 we'll never have a fully formed partnership!

[Guest Col city fan]

If you change a side that bar Tuesday had done very well what will it do to the confidence of the players? The CB role is meant to be a more or less permanent position! You don't change the back 4 unless you have to! Morgan and SSL are still building on their partnership! Honestly I think that if we carry on changing the back 4 we'll never have a fully formed partnership!

I agree...

[NeilyBoy]

If you change a side that bar Tuesday had done very well what will it do to the confidence of the players? The CB role is meant to be a more or less permanent position! You don't change the back 4 unless you have to! Morgan and SSL are still building on their partnership! Honestly I think that if we carry on changing the back 4 we'll never have a fully formed partnership!

All very sensible, but does this mean you believe Bamba shouldn't be a part of that back 4?

[lcfcbaby]

All very sensible, but does this mean you believe Bamba shouldn't be a part of that back 4?

Not yet! Not if (excluding Bristol game) SSL and Morgan are starting to build up a partnership! I believe changing it at this point in the season could be detrimental! Changes can be made next season but whilst we have a FA cup shot and the league isnt fully over we need to establish a partnership that can hold out till the end of the season!

[Guest]

If you change a side that bar Tuesday had done very well what will it do to the confidence of the players? The CB role is meant to be a more or less permanent position! You don't change the back 4 unless you have to! Morgan and SSL are still building on their partnership! Honestly I think that if we carry on changing the back 4 we'll never have a fully formed partnership!

I wondered how long it would take the one man "SSL appreciation Army" to get on here.

I'm pretty sure that Bamba only lost his place because he was good enough to represent his country in the African Nation's cup - a team that I've been told went through the whole tourny without conceding a goal.

My point is " don't change a winning team" infers " change a losing team", "don't change a defence that doesn't concede" infers "change a defence that concedes 3 to a crappy team". I must admit I forgot the "hurt the player's confidence" arguers - complete tosh! A squad is set up so that the manager can choose the best set of players for any and every single game in order to win that game. If a player is only kept in the team (despite not being the best player for the position) becuase it will hurt his little feelings he should be sold or simply go work in a shoe factory or something.

Get Bamba back in and get rid of the weak.

If SSL starts crying and asking for a transfer because he's been dropped AGAIN, then put him on the market in the off season. He's a good player but he's nowhere near the level of Sol, Sol Bamba.

[SMX11]

While bamba has his merits i think the current centre half partnership should remain. They have had several great performances of late and only one below par as a pairing, i don't think that warrants any change.

The thing that annoys me with Bamba is that way he gives needless freekicks away and his stupid decision making at times. I just think he is too much of a loose cannon for Nigel.

[Ashley]

I'm in the 'never change a winning team brigade', only change something unless it needs changing. The only change I would make should it have to be made is St Ledger to right back and Bamba centre back. The reason I say this is because Gallagher never really tracks back and has left Peltier exposed at right back however we have Marshall now who does track back.

I wouldn't be suprised to see a back four of St Ledger, Bamba, Morgan, Koncheskey at Chelsea. St Ledger has the experience of playing right back at international level and his place is pretty much nailed on in the ROI team. Bamba will more than likely be up against Drogba and knows him and how he works through Cost de ivorie.

[Guest]

Not yet! Not if (excluding Bristol game) SSL and Morgan are starting to build up a partnership! I believe changing it at this point in the season could be detrimental! Changes can be made next season but whilst we have a FA cup shot and the league isnt fully over we need to establish a partnership that can hold out till the end of the season!

I suggest we "establish a partnership" with the two best CBs.

[leicesterisme]

Some people really don't like Bamba and I don't understand it.

This erratic/makes a blunder line is rubbish. Every defender (every player) we have makes blunders and plays badly at times, the difference with Bamba is that he also plays brilliantly in every game and gives 100% effort which can be contagious.

Think you may have been watching a completely different Sol Bamba to the one I've been watching.

[Steve Agnew]

1. Always change a winning team, Sir Alex does it all the time, and it is no reason why you should not change, because you should always see who you are playing, what type of system you would like to play in certain games, and again everything depends on the depth of your squad
   

This is definitely true. Its not about playing the same eleven players because that's the only way the manager can keep them happy, it is the managers job to make each individual feel they have a unique contribution that they bring to the squad, and to utilise these different qualities against different teams. Its important to everybody to see their own position within the squad, and be motivated to contribute when the manager selects them. Giving ' places for the boys' does also have an effect on those frozen out. We should be utilising a squad of players, and different skill sets against different sides.

[Guest]

Think you may have been watching a completely different Sol Bamba to the one I've been watching.

When I read this board I feel that I must be.

It's not that I'm even relying on dodgy radio analysts or forum reports as I've had the pleasure of watching, in decent quality, more than half the games this season.

Still i'm not the only one - seems to be a split on the Bamba view.

[Steve Agnew]

Analogy: if you were a manger overseeing a team of 20 people, and you gave all new projects to the same choice 11 or 12 members of that team, because you wanted consistency, and you felt the more experience they had of working together, the better they would get. ..... what do you think would happen to the 8 who never got asked for their contribution? Would that be a good use of company resources?

[burni]

Whether we should change the defense I dont know but maybe pantsil should have a go and let peltier rest. Maybe bamba can come in as i think hes fantastic and this talk of him being a risk is nonesense really he gets out of situations with the ball where other defenders may give corners or even concede a goal.

[Guest Col city fan]

When I read this board I feel that I must be.

It's not that I'm even relying on dodgy radio analysts or forum reports as I've had the pleasure of watching, in decent quality, more than half the games this season.

Still i'm not the only one - seems to be a split on the Bamba view.

Do you really believe that 'Bamba plays brilliantly in every game'?

Though I like Sol, that is a ridiculous assertion?

The problem with Bamba is exactly that he sometimes goes missing defensively..and looks like he's difficult to develop a partnership with because his 'mate' don't always know what the Hell he's gonna do next?

Anyway, this is all academic for me...I don't believe the problem lies with the back five, whoever they are... the problem is that we can't defend AS A TEAM. This is why we have needed, all season, a midfield tough bloke and a good target man IMO. Basically, players who can keep the ball when we need them to do so.

Law of averages dictates that the opposition are going to put our defence to the sword if they have the ball more than we do.

[Steve Agnew]

Anyway, this is all academic for me...I don't believe the problem lies with the back five, whoever they are... the problem is that we can't defend AS A TEAM. This is why we have needed, all season, a midfield tough bloke and a good target man IMO. Basically, players who can keep the ball when we need them to do so.

Law of averages dictates that the opposition are going to put our defence to the sword if they have the ball more than we do.

Very much agree with this.

[Guest]

Do you really believe that 'Bamba plays brilliantly in every game'?

Though I like Sol, that is a ridiculous assertion?

The problem with Bamba is exactly that he sometimes goes missing defensively..and looks like he's difficult to develop a partnership with because his 'mate' don't always know what the Hell he's gonna do next?

Thanks for that, ridiculous or not that's my feeling, aside from Kasper he's the best player we have.

Given your forthright views on beckford, Wellens et al, I'll not take offence at your disagreement.

[Guest Col city fan]

Very much agree with this.

Well its not rocket science I guess.... the times when we have gone in front in a game (eg. Bristol) and needed to slow it down, keep the ball, regain our shape and frustrate the opposition, has been massively apparent for me this season.

It is true that you are at your most vulnerable when you have just scored and what we have done far too often, after we have just scored, is for Wellens to try a forty yard ball, Becks to try a fancy flick or Kasper to try one of his full pitch length kicks which have just given the opposition the ball straight back...

Keep the ball better City... and our back five won't be under so much pressure.

I don't think we've been very clever tactically this season.

[lcfcbaby]

I wondered how long it would take the one man "SSL appreciation Army" to get on here.

I'm pretty sure that Bamba only lost his place because he was good enough to represent his country in the African Nation's cup - a team that I've been told went through the whole tourny without conceding a goal.

My point is " don't change a winning team" infers " change a losing team", "don't change a defence that doesn't concede" infers "change a defence that concedes 3 to a crappy team". I must admit I forgot the "hurt the player's confidence" arguers - complete tosh! A squad is set up so that the manager can choose the best set of players for any and every single game in order to win that game. If a player is only kept in the team (despite not being the best player for the position) becuase it will hurt his little feelings he should be sold or simply go work in a shoe factory or something.

Get Bamba back in and get rid of the weak.

If SSL starts crying and asking for a transfer because he's been dropped AGAIN, then put him on the market in the off season. He's a good player but he's nowhere near the level of Sol, Sol Bamba.

I may think that SSL is a good player an I can not dispute that Sol is our best CB but it's not just about being the best at your position as shown with mills who has ability which was proved at reading. It's also about working well as a team and forming partnerships and SSL does that a lot better than the other two. In addition we've opted for progressive passing as our style of play which obviously starts at our defence! Now not only does our defence have to be able to defend but to pass which is easier said than done! No one is perfect and mistakes will be made but on the whole SSL is our best defensive passer of the ball!

[Guest Col city fan]

Thanks for that, ridiculous or not that's my feeling, aside from Kasper he's the best player we have.

Given your forthright views on beckford, Wellens et al, I'll not take offence at your disagreement.

No, don't take offence, cos none is meant..

I like Bamba, and have always made this clear...so I don't disagree with you over him.

However, perhaps your views on him are as biased as mine on Beckford?

[Guest]

However, perhaps your views on him are as biased as mine on Beckford?

To be honest my opinions of beckford are not that hot but whilst I can happily agree your views may be biased I must insist that mine are 100% undeniably true

[Guest Col city fan]

To be honest my opinions of beckford are not that hot but whilst I can happily agree your views may be biased I must insist that mine are 100% undeniably true

To be honest I wouldn't be too surprised to see Sol back in today.

[Guest]

Consecutive games allowing 3 goals. Building a reliable partnership.

[Grewks]

Just throw an intersting fact into this argument......................

read an article last season which stated that Fergie had only kept the same team in back to back games twice since he has been there.

- you pick a team to win the game, everygame is different so you need different skills.

e.g. you are up against two center backs who are good in the air, e.g. today reading, so you want pace e.g. dyer, schlupp, beckford to get over the top or round the back and you change you style of play to suite this, you do not play route one.

Maybe our inconsistent league form is because of this, each team we play knows who will start and how we will play, even our fans call us predictable.