Team for Bournemouth

[LoyalRoyal22]

Anderson

Kelly
Knight
Cooper
Ake

Akpan
Kuhl
Norwood

Blackman
Appiah
Cox

[Victor Meldrew]

I suspect the team will be something like that.
We were talking yesterday about why we should or shouldn't put out a weakened team-the general consensus was that you play your best team every game (Chelsea being a good example) and , assuming you don't get stuffed every week, that becomes the first team.
I would add that the wise people involved are all old and brought up in an era when men were men, the ball was twice as heavy etc. and games were played on energy-sapping ploughed fields that made Bradford and Blackpool look like Lords or the Oval and any recuperation after a game involved 6 pints at the Spread Eagle.

Neverless, if the leading manager in the country plays the same players in nearly every game why on earth don't we do the same especially when they have games like yesterday's which was no more exerting than a gentle training session?.
With Bournemouth having to get a result on Tuesday the game might mirror Saturday's to come in that our first team would have preparation for a big game instead of gentle training all week when players are just as likely to get injured by going in half-heartedly to any tackles for fear of getting injured and spend more time using up mental energy when they could, at least for a couple of days, be focussing on a proper game.

Also I have to express a stronger than normal interest in this game as I will have to face gloating Cherries fans on Wednesday morning having been embarrassed by our last 3 pathetic performances against them.

[surrounded by saints]

I hope Steve Clarke puts out his strongest team on Tuesday. I want us to be giving Bournemouth something to think about, not hand them three easy points. I don't think it matters much what team he puts out next Saturday, the result, I fear, is likely to be the same.

[windermere_royal]

Anderson

Kelly
Knight
Cooper
Ake

Akpan
Kuhl
Norwood

Blackman
Appiah
Cox

I`m sure that will go down very well in the Middlesbrough camp given that we gifted Watford 3 easy points last month too

[tidus_mi2]

I don't think it makes a lot of sense to rest the whole team, there's always the risk of injuries but personally I would have thought allowing the first team to play Tuesday keeps them going with regards to competitive matches, also Bournemouth being quite a bit stronger than us right now would serve as a good test of tactics for the Arsenal game, call them a mini-Arsenal if you will.

Against Watford it made sense because we had less than 2 days between the matches, this time we have 5 which is more than enough.

[Ian Royal]

Two approaches here.

1) Bournemouth make a good transition practice game for the Arsenal match - so field a full strength side. Could be a big morale boost getting a result, but equally getting a beating could hammer them hard. And how many of the players are really going to commit knowing they'll be playing at Wembley in a handful of days?

2) Play the reserves. We have a gazillion midfielders right now, we get to look at a few players some more to think about the contract situations and how much they might be involved next season. This is what I'd plump for.

.................Andersen
...Keown, Cooper, Knight, Travner
...............Karacan, Kuhl
Stacey.........Taylor............Blackman
....................Appiah

I really don't want to see Pearce or Pog play, because I think they'll struggle most with the two physically draining games in quick succession. Yakubu is a waste of space IMO. Norwood is just totally out of sorts. Gunter's contract must surely mean Kelly is gone in the summer. Maybe Akpan in for Jem, if he's being considered for Arsenal... not sure about an Ake - Chalobah midfield at Wembley...

[Nameless]

Obita definitely won't play.
I'd not play Mackie.
I'd probably not play Chalobah.
I'd definitely give Jem another start.
I'd probably play Cooper, probably instead of Hector.
Other than that I'd stick with the regulars

Feds
Gunter
Pearce
Cooper
Ake
McLeary
Karacan
Williams
HRK
Blackman
Pog

[Royal Ginger]

Two approaches here.

1) Bournemouth make a good transition practice game for the Arsenal match - so field a full strength side. Could be a big morale boost getting a result, but equally getting a beating could hammer them hard. And how many of the players are really going to commit knowing they'll be playing at Wembley in a handful of days?

2) Play the reserves. We have a gazillion midfielders right now, we get to look at a few players some more to think about the contract situations and how much they might be involved next season. This is what I'd plump for.

.................Andersen
...Keown, Cooper, Knight, Travner
...............Karacan, Kuhl
Stacey.........Taylor............Blackman
....................Appiah

I really don't want to see Pearce or Pog play, because I think they'll struggle most with the two physically draining games in quick succession. Yakubu is a waste of space IMO. Norwood is just totally out of sorts. Gunter's contract must surely mean Kelly is gone in the summer. Maybe Akpan in for Jem, if he's being considered for Arsenal... not sure about an Ake - Chalobah midfield at Wembley...

I believe Taylor is on loan at Leyton Orient?

I think we'll see a half baked reserve side. Not sure we'd get away with the youth team from last time as there's a big enough gap unlike after the Watford game. I'd go

---------------Federici------------------
Gunter---Hector--Pearce--Travner
Stacey---Ake--Akpan--Blackman
-------Appiah-----Pogrebnyak---

[Kuhl_Runnings]

Knowing Clarke, he'll most likely play the loanees and the grandads, so...

--------------------------------------------Andersen-----------------------------------------------
Kelly----------------Sweny--------------------------Knight------------------------Travner
Stacey---------------------------------------Ake-----------------------------------------Blackman
-------------------------Appiah--------------------------Yakubu------------------------Cox----

Subs being Lincoln, Cooper, Keown, Rinomhota, Chalobah, Urbancic and Novakovich.

[andrew1957]

Stacey not in Under 21 team tonight so looks like he will start tomorrow.

I think it will be all change to protect the Wembley starting 11 (which I would expect barring injury to be Fed, Gunter, Pearce, Hector, Obita, Chalobah, Williams, HRK, McCleary, Mackie and Pog). Possibly Karacan protected too in case needed.

so I think it will be:

Andersen
Kelly (if fit)
Knight
Cooper
Ake (left back)
Akpan
Norwood
Stacey
Blackman
Appiah
Yakubu

If so I fully support the manager as the semi final is the most important game of the season - even though I still expect us to get thrashed by Arsenal whatever team he selects in all honesty.

[Ian Royal]

Two approaches here.

1) Bournemouth make a good transition practice game for the Arsenal match - so field a full strength side. Could be a big morale boost getting a result, but equally getting a beating could hammer them hard. And how many of the players are really going to commit knowing they'll be playing at Wembley in a handful of days?

2) Play the reserves. We have a gazillion midfielders right now, we get to look at a few players some more to think about the contract situations and how much they might be involved next season. This is what I'd plump for.

.................Andersen
...Keown, Cooper, Knight, Travner
...............Karacan, Kuhl
Stacey.........Taylor............Blackman
....................Appiah

I really don't want to see Pearce or Pog play, because I think they'll struggle most with the two physically draining games in quick succession. Yakubu is a waste of space IMO. Norwood is just totally out of sorts. Gunter's contract must surely mean Kelly is gone in the summer. Maybe Akpan in for Jem, if he's being considered for Arsenal... not sure about an Ake - Chalobah midfield at Wembley...

I believe Taylor is on loan at Leyton Orient?

I think we'll see a half baked reserve side. Not sure we'd get away with the youth team from last time as there's a big enough gap unlike after the Watford game. I'd go

---------------Federici------------------
Gunter---Hector--Pearce--Travner
Stacey---Ake--Akpan--Blackman
-------Appiah-----Pogrebnyak---

Cock it, Cox then. And as Ake is cup tied stick him LB to make Travner even more of a waste of time.

[KC Royal]

Two approaches here.

1) Bournemouth make a good transition practice game for the Arsenal match - so field a full strength side. Could be a big morale boost getting a result, but equally getting a beating could hammer them hard. And how many of the players are really going to commit knowing they'll be playing at Wembley in a handful of days?

2) Play the reserves. We have a gazillion midfielders right now, we get to look at a few players some more to think about the contract situations and how much they might be involved next season. This is what I'd plump for.

.................Andersen
...Keown, Cooper, Knight, Travner
...............Karacan, Kuhl
Stacey.........Taylor............Blackman
....................Appiah

I really don't want to see Pearce or Pog play, because I think they'll struggle most with the two physically draining games in quick succession. Yakubu is a waste of space IMO. Norwood is just totally out of sorts. Gunter's contract must surely mean Kelly is gone in the summer. Maybe Akpan in for Jem, if he's being considered for Arsenal... not sure about an Ake - Chalobah midfield at Wembley...

I believe Taylor is on loan at Leyton Orient?

I think we'll see a half baked reserve side. Not sure we'd get away with the youth team from last time as there's a big enough gap unlike after the Watford game. I'd go

---------------Federici------------------
Gunter---Hector--Pearce--Travner
Stacey---Ake--Akpan--Blackman
-------Appiah-----Pogrebnyak---

Cock it, Cox then. And as Ake is cup tied stick him LB to make Travner even more of a waste of time.

Travner's injured anyway isn't he? I suspect that's why we brought Ake in, to cover at LB and for Chalobah/Williams in midfield.

Not sure what i'd go with, i'd expect changes but Bournemouth would be the ideal test for us, top team and similar style of play to Arsenal. Think we need pretty much our strongest defence out there, we can mix it up further up the field. Something like:

Fed
Kelly (if fit)/Gunter
Pearce
Hector
Obita
Stacey (if McCleary not fit - would like him to get minutes off the bench at the very least)
Norwood (not sure I see Jem starting two games in quick succession. Might be worth giving Williams some match time if fit, hasn't played for a couple of weeks)
Ake
Blackman
Cox (if fit)
Yakubu/Appiah

[JC]

Surely Obita will not play if there is a risk of suspension hanging over him

[IceIceGylfi]

--------------------------------------------Andersen-----------------------------------------------
Kelly----------------Sweny--------------------------Knight------------------------Travner
Stacey---------------------------------------Ake-----------------------------------------Blackman
-------------------------Appiah--------------------------Yakubu------------------------Cox----

Subs being Lincoln, Cooper, Keown, Rinomhota, Chalobah, Urbancic and Novakovich.

Rinomhota is another Brett Williams and will likely never make an appearance. Urbancic is out on loan, (check his twitter) and I expect Jem and Federici to still play.

Federici
Kelly
Knight
Cooper
Travner
Blackman
Akpan
Ake
Stacey
Yakubu
Appiah

[IceIceGylfi]

Jem being a HT sub ^^

[Snowball]

Tricky one.

On the one hand rest a load of players, lose 0-6, be demoralised
(a defeat is a defeat even if the first team didn't play)

Or put out the best side, POSSIBLY get beat, but at least it would be close
plus you're playing the Wembley side (except for Obita)

After all, they have Wed-Thu-Fri and a lot of Saturday to recover.


But Saturday, if we are to have any hope, will mean running and
running and running to cover. Top athletes. Will they really benefit
from an extra two days off?

Of course the manager has a chance to take a look at a couple of kids
(and the perfect excuse for a bad result)

Was hector merely rested? If so will he rest Pearce tonight?

Is Cooper injured or does SC simply not like him?

Suspect it will be

======== Feds ========= (but ought to be Andersen)

Kelly Hector Cooper(Knight?) Ake

Stacey (Chalobah for 50 mins then Akpan) Karacan Norwood

HRK (would prefer Mackie)

Appiah

[Snowball]

who needs a left wing?

[SCIAG]

--------------------------------------------Andersen-----------------------------------------------
Kelly----------------Sweny--------------------------Knight------------------------Travner
Stacey---------------------------------------Ake-----------------------------------------Blackman
-------------------------Appiah--------------------------Yakubu------------------------Cox----

Subs being Lincoln, Cooper, Keown, Rinomhota, Chalobah, Urbancic and Novakovich.

Rinomhota is another Brett Williams and will likely never make an appearance.

I think that's a pretty premature comment. Brett Williams was well into his 20s when we signed him. Rinomhota is more like Antonio when he signed for us.

The big issue there is that Urbancic is currently on loan in Iceland.

[Platypuss]

Throwing the Watford game and getting rolled over didn't appear to have any negative effect at all on our performance v Bradford,

So my vote goes to "who cares who plays tonight as long as we don't injure/suspend any of the squad due to play Saturday".

[LUX]

pretty sure I'm in a minority of ONE when I say I care more about this match than I do about Saturday (and I've paid over 500 fcking Euro plus hotels etc to fly over for the Wembley game).

Still worried about relegation, hopefully stoopidly.

I suppose the most hurtful thing is, even if we played our best eleven tonight, and they all tried their hardest, we'd still lose.