if you were Hughton......

[Icy Gull]

All fair comments. On the Hughton part I'm sure (and hope) you're right. However there is nothing random in this, Tilley is on fire at the moment and whilst I am being a little unfair on Akpom, to me the area we are lacking in most is the cover for Baldock (or no 10 role as it is called these days). Pure creativity through dribbling the ball centrally, rather than working it wide. Inexperienced or not, we need that type of player (dare I say a Pritchard), and Tilley fits the bill.

With 7 subs, I would always include a younger player, for the experience (we have Tomori at the moment I suppose, but that is more of a 'needs must' selection), as i am sure we'd rather have our own players gaining the experience.


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If CH does not think we are strong enough now he only has himself to blame for deciding not to dip into the January window (I am assuming Bloom would have backed him here)

 

[crasher]

Clearly big changes are NOT what's needed. This squad has brought us to the very brink of success and they can get us over the line. Hemed for Murray and maybe Norwood for Sidwell would seem like reasonable changes for Tuesday (to allow those two old geezers a rest as much as anything).

I also agree with the idea that we need to hold the ball better - when we give it away we get flustered, when we get flustered we give it away. A bit more possession football to dictate the game is probably what CH is looking for.

I can't imagine a bollocking from Chris is what the team needs now. More likely, he needs them to remember all the things that have got us this far and then INSISTS that they keep doing them for the next dozen games.

All of that said, I do sometimes wonder if we should sometimes be ready to switch from 442 to something different when it's needed. If we need to keep possession, perhaps an extra midfielder for Baldock to own the middle and give Knockeart and Murph/Solly a bit more permission to stay forward.

But ultimately I trust CH to know what's needed, since he knows 100 times more about football than I do.

 

[Rugrat]

Said it a couple of weeks ago but it's times like this that really show how good a Manager is and how much they can influence the eventual outcome ... it will be intersting to see how we play Tuesday night and next week v Derby

I'd sit the lot of them down and show them endless videos of Huddersfield games. Even in defeat they look a quality side (apart from the bizarre 3rd), all over the pitch pressing and harrying. Not giving the ball away too much and a good range of passing. I don't see any argument to say they have better players than us. But then I'm not a Manager so I'm allowed to be fallable!!

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

If CH does not think we are strong enough now he only has himself to blame for deciding not to dip into the January window (I am assuming Bloom would have backed him here)

Tricky though isn't it.....
let's say we fail (just saying), if we'd purchased a 'first team ready' player, going rate £3m - £8m, we'd be closer to failing FFP in the future.

I know the speculate to accumulate argument, but spending is no guarantee to success see Norwich and Sheff Wed.



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[Icy Gull]

Tricky though isn't it.....
let's say we fail (just saying), if we'd purchased a 'first team ready' player, going rate £3m - £8m, we'd be closer to failing FFP in the future.

I know the speculate to accumulate argument, but spending is no guarantee to success see Norwich and Sheff Wed.



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True. Norwich do have parachute payments though and there is no guarantee Weds won't pass us (or even beat us) on their way to the Premier League but I take your point.

Sad to say I have zero confidence that we can go up though the playoffs, we are serial chokers or cursed every time. We can't even make the final ffs

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

He's reminding me alot of Teixeira lately, always trying to beat one too many when a pass is on.

This.


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[One Teddy Maybank]

I don't doubt that's still there BG.

I just think there are one or two who are not doing what they are told to do. Look at Murphy in the last few games. Although he has a decent left foot he is not the greatest of crosser of the ball with his left but you can see he is moving away from his preferred route which is to cut inside. It's obvious he has been told to not be so predictable and that if the route inside is blocked then he should go on the outside and get crosses in....................Although it hasn't been greatly successful I think he at least follows instruction.

I don't think Knockeart brings anyone into play except Bruno and that's only in the hope that he gets the ball back to go for glory himself. That's not how all football matches are won. Yes he has won matches with bits of brilliance but we have three striker on double figures this season - He needs to trust in their abilities as well as his own if he is going to progress into a great player instead of a very talented glory hunter

I know he's your friend, but until the last couple of games Murphy along with Skalak have been the biggest disappointments for me this season.

Currently, Chris Hughton's biggest dilemma/challenge for me is the fact that some of his 'leaders' (Bruno/Dunk apart), have lost form or gone into hiding, and they need dropping (or resting).




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[ewe2]

Well if Akpron is out for any length of time,then Tilley and perhaps,Connolly must feel they have a chance.

 

[Rugrat]

Currently, Chris Hughton's biggest dilemma/challenge for me is the fact that some of his 'leaders' (Bruno/Dunk apart), have lost form or gone into hiding, and they need dropping (or resting).

Wouldn't it be a great managerial quality to get these players back on form or out of hiding? It seems to me the easy way out, just dropping them, unless there's a physical issue of course.

I'm for Hughton getting them back and fired up and keeping them that way

 

[GoldWithFalmer]

Looking at things i think the players will now realize the urgency of the situation,see we are in a fantastic position,see that there is little time of the season remaining and have a little huddle and try harder,by that i mean with more clarity and focus....

A 3rd defeat on the spin could be just the catalyst for such a kick start,i am expecting a defeat Tuesday.

Followed by our best run and form of the season yet.

 

[dolphins]

Don't get me wrong - AK is amazing overall and has deserves the utmost respect for his attitude on the pitch and for how he has handled the tragic events in his personal life over the recent past. I think someone else said in another thread that if anything he is trying too hard and I think this descibes it well. You notice it most in the final third where AK will try and ride one or two tackles too many, get past one or two too many players or fail to make the best pass or run decision more regularly than make the right choice.

It's all well and good having someone with the talent and style of AK but the mark of a player that is playing intelligently and to their best is that the result of their involvement is positive and produces something.

Agreed SB and AK are different players but the point is that, over recent games, when SB has had the ball we have seen more positive results than when AK has had the ball. I really am not knocking AK, he is a brilliant player and, in his moment, perhaps the most scintillating player we've had for decades but his obvious desire to win, his passion and his energy needs to be focused on playing in a team and not as a one man army.

I am sure CH knows this more than I ever will and I am sure that we will see the balance shift the right way again soon.

Agree with all this. It is a slight concern for me the way AK has been striving over the last few games to be the one to try and score despite the opposition players in front of him, when there's been the likes of Murray etc. in a great position, begging for the ball. AK needs to be more aware of this, and sometimes pass the ball to them if they are in a less congested area of the box, for instance. You can't fault his determination to score but when it could be channelled into a superb, well timed pass/assist, it could make the difference in some games.

 

[blue'n'white]

Personally I'd rest Murray and put Hemed in alongside Baldock
I'd give Aaron Connolly/Henrik Bjordal/James Tilley a place on the bench as Akpom seems to be injured
I'd play Kayal alongside Stephens

 

[jamie the seagull]

Norwood when he came on was one of our best players yesterday. Corners, a couple of shots, and started spraying the ball out to the wings.
Despite the miserable result we had a 15-20 minute period when we were all over them.

Went to the game yesterday and this is spot on.
During this 15 - 20 min period we started to spray the ball out to our wide men quickly and this spread Forest.
Centre Midfield is our issue and there has been too many performances like this for just a bit of straight talking to sort out.
I would start by putting an extra man in midfield and instruct the 2 wide men to play further up in line with 1 main man upfront.
This would be flexible to with the ball we are 4 - 3 - 3, but without the ball 4 - 5 - 1.
It did not look good for Duffy yesterday so this would give extra cover for Tomoroi.

Stockdale
Bruno Duffy Dunk Rosenior
Kayak Stephens Norwood
AK Murray March

 

[Lifelong Supporter]

If Duffy is out that is one major enforced change. The only other one I would contemplate is Hemed for Murray but we should be creating chances against Rotherham so I would stick with Murray for the first hour. It is not as if Murray has been missing chances, we just have not been creating them for him. OK he has not been great at the 'fancy' stuff but he is still our best finisher by far and his penalty against Newcastle was superb.

 

[dazzer6666]

Norwood when he came on was one of our best players yesterday. Corners, a couple of shots, and started spraying the ball out to the wings.
Despite the miserable result we had a 15-20 minute period when we were all over them.

Yep, it was looking like a repeat of Fulham possibly until the Stocko error killed it.

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Wouldn't it be a great managerial quality to get these players back on form or out of hiding? It seems to me the easy way out, just dropping them, unless there's a physical issue of course.

I'm for Hughton getting them back and fired up and keeping them that way

Depends if psychologically they react to a verbal 'rocket'/reassurance or the indignity of being left out.

Don't know the characters well enough.

Of course, also they may just be mentally and physically shattered.


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[Rugrat]

Depends if psychologically they react to a verbal 'rocket'/reassurance or the indignity of being left out.

Don't know the characters well enough.

Of course, also they may just be mentally and physically shattered.


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Can't disagree with that. Getting the best out of anyone needs different approaches, some need a kick, others a cuddle. Plus I take the point about mentally shattered, I might see why Newcastle might handle it better but not the others.

So I think this is where CH is really put to the test and he is going to earn every penny of his pay packet if he gets us over the line from here