Tuesday 27 December 2011

No Nolan. Will we find fluency and shape with kids?

I kept saying that Parker didn't suit the role we were playing him in, and his replacement Captain Kev offers the same dilemma. Tell me, what did he do against Birmingham apart from rake Zigic and argue with the officials. Piquionne and Faubert were dire, but Nolan pushed them for Tosser of the Match. He was booed when announced as MOTM against Barnsley and was anonymous, that foul apart, against Brum.

His highly predictable yellow card means we can see how the team performs without him. Mind you, Allardyce is going to struggle to find eleven players to start. If Baldock had any chance of starting on Saturday, surely he would have been on the bench yesterday. And if O'Neil was half fit, surely he would have come on after 70 mins.

If I was in charge, I would turn to the kids. Montano would be recalled. Montenegro would start. And Hall too.

Derby are shit and I would demand three points from free flowing football. My side would read:

Green

O'Brien, Diop (assuming Faye is not fit), Tomkins, Potts

Montenegro, Noble, Lansbury, Montano

Cole, Hall

Subs: Carew, O'Neil, Stech, Sears, Driver.

Will Allardyce trust the kids? He may not have any choice!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

yes

Anonymous said...

You can't hand out three debuts to teen-agers, with a fourth only playing his third game aged 17.

I agree that the younger players do need a chance, but not in at the deep end, away to Derby County who have won their first match after a barren run. FFS mental patient, you have no knowledge of football (which many people have told you).

I've also read that you've been called a mentally ill person by various people apart from myself. Maybe this is because it is true.

Anonymous said...

Would you play MOntano on the left-wing, he's a striker?

Hammersfan said...

I can and would! It's Allardyce's fault that he hasn't given any of them a chance before and so backed himself into a corner.

Deep end at Derby? Derby only have a shallow end!

I think you are the one conveying signs of mental illness actually. But, after the death of Speed, you might like to consider whether it is appropriate to be throwing that around as an insult. In bad taste perhaps?

As for Montano playing wide left, we have nobody else and, from what I understand, he can play wide - which, let's face it, Piquionne can't!

US HF said...

I agrree, we use "youth"-anise the lineup Why not add stech to the starting line up. Let's see what we have instead never using it.

Anonymous said...

In answer to your question- no, we probably won't find fluency and shape with kids at Derby - you can't just throw a lot of lads in for their first games, and 'demand a win' as you put it. This is real life not Roy of the Rovers.

Anonymous said...

It is difficult to call the team without knowing who is due to return from injury. One thing is for sure, it won't be your tean HF.
Montano, Montenegro and Hall suggests a 4-2-4 formation with three rookie strikers and a very raw left flank. That is not Big Sam's way.

More likely is that Lansbury and Sears will replace Nolan and Faubert. Let's hope Faye is fit otherwise I agree Dioup will probably drop back but is more likely to be replaced in central midfield by O'Neill. If he is not fully fit, Lee or Moncur may be given a chance. Piquionne should be dropped but that will depend on whether Taylor or Baldock are ready to return. Montenegro and Hall on the bench perhaps.

Hammersfan said...

I'm sure you are right 1136, but I said what I would do, not what I expect Doctor Evil to do. How many goals scored in the last 4 games? I fear that without the introduction of goal scorers we will slide down the table.

Anonymous said...

kevin in Manchester writes ..

Goalscorers are the real problem. If we had a nailed on 20 goals a season forward we would be sailing but with Baldock crocked we haven't and that's why we have been struggling to win convincingly. The chances are created ;just not put away. In my heart I'd love to see the kids but head says be cautious. As you wrote in your last team marks, Potts was found out. We really have no idea how good or otherwise our youth are at present. It will be interesting to see how a Nolan-less midfield performs.

USA Dave said...

Based only on written reports and having never seen him play, I'd like to give Montenegro a run.

Lord Canning said...

Derby are shit? Lesser shit than the shit we are putting out lately?
It's January and the decorations are coming down and so are the Hammers. Proof? Middlesboro were 8 points behind us once and now they're level.We need new players now, agile, pacy and with goal scoring ability - will we get them? Not in the Window that's for sure, therefore the only way is youth!
How much longer can BFS persevere with the dross that was on show in the claret and blue on Boxing day. Even Spector was made to look half decent at full-back.
Happy new year !

el martillo said...

We find ourselves in this position entirely due to fat Sam's failure to take advantage of the opportunity that a spell in the championship offers; namely to give the youngsters an opportunity. Had he done so, your proferred line up may have been not far off a first choice team.

As it is however, I suggest your usual astute football sense has suffered from an overdose of seasonal merrymaking! Three debuts and a third appearance by a seventeen year old?

Young Potts was found out a bit when the opposition knew he was going to start and to put Montano ahead of him would not only leave the left flank terribly exposed but risk psychological damage to a couple of good young players.

It's probably academic as Baldock and Taylor look likely to play but this whole situation makes the Jordan Spence question even more pertinent. Why was a lad who looked capable of making the right back spot his own with some excellent pre-season performances allowed to go and rot at Bristol City? He can also play centre back; a position we've been weak in all campaign. Sam Alladyce: Tactical turkey.