Team vs Rotherham

[Hastings gull]

don't estimate Rotherham. They'll fight like dogs. Remember Barnsley last year when we lost 2 0 at home? Plus the league is highly unpredictable. Keep winning team mentality in the camp Lua lua aside.

My thoughts entirely. In fact, somewhat perversely, I am more worried about this game than the match against Hull. The over-confidence in the crowd can transmit itself to the pitch, and I too recall that awful night. On paper, of course, you would fancy the Albion to win, but unfortunately it does not always work out like that. Here's hoping I am wrong.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

Albion have been a dire, woeful shambles in all matches against bottom 3 teams for what seems like forever.

Please, Albion... SORT IT OUT.


Forget losing on a Tuesday at the AMEX ( which also became a bit of a habit ).


Stand or Fall.

 

[8ace]

Forget losing on a Tuesday at the AMEX ( which also became a bit of a habit ).

We are unbeaten under CH at home on a tuesday

 

[Zebedee]

I have an idea that this game is going to be a lot tougher than it looks on paper. I hope we don't go into the fixture thinking the three points are already in the bag.

 

[Blue Valkyrie]

I have an idea that this game is going to be a lot tougher than it looks on paper. I hope we don't go into the fixture thinking the three points are already in the bag.

Given our woeful record against bottom 3 sides, why wouldn't we go into the match expecting anything other than another predictable defeat ?

 

[Zebedee]

Given our woeful record against bottom 3 sides, why wouldn't we go into the match expecting anything other than another predictable defeat ?

A good betting opportunity perhaps?

 

[severnside gull]

Expect a night where they sit deep and waste time from the first minute. Our counter-attacking strength won't help us and there will be no space to play in. If we get sucked in to a slow probing game we will struggle but maintaining a high tempo quick-passing game against a side who will commit niggling fouls to break up play is hard going and it''ll be easy to get frustrated.
Not expecting an easy night but if we can hit them as hard from the whistle as we did against Hull andtake our chances we should be okay. If not it all gets very frustrating and it only needs one break for us to be chasing the game - something we haven't had to do this season but were singularly poor at last year

 

[goldstone]

With Lua Lua suspended and a few players looking exhausted, changes are inevitable.

"Exhausted"?? What are you on about? I should bloody hope not. The season is only six weeks old and they've just had two weeks off (except those involved in internationals). Try speaking some sense.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

With Lua Lua suspended and a few players looking exhausted, changes are inevitable. Will you pick our benched England U21 stars? Will you give Elvis his debut? Is it time to bring back Dunk and where does Albion legend Bobby Zamora fit in? Here is my team. I really won't mind if you want to change it although if you bring Holla into central midfield, you'll get a thumbs down!

--------------- Stockdale --------------
Rosenior --- Dunk --- Uwe --- Bong
Murphy - Stephens - Ince - Elvis
--------- Zamora -- Baldock ----------

--------------- Stockdale --------------
Rosenior --- Greer ----Dunk --- Bong
Murphy - Stephens - Kayal - Elvis
--------- Hemed -- Baldock ---------

I'm assuming it's an oversight on both your parts to ommit Bruno? Or has the anti-Bruno sentiment from last season spilled over into this one? He's been immense this season.

 

[severnside gull]

I'm assuming it's an oversight on both your parts to ommit Bruno? Or has the anti-Bruno sentiment from last season spilled over into this one? He's been immense this season.

Anti-Bruno/anti-Greer. Just the latest in a long line of lobbies constantly wanting to impose their views. It wouldn't be so bad if they were actually bad players or weren't contributing to our success but I guess we are all guilty at some point of having an unjustified dislike of a player that makes us blind to their value to the side.

 

[El Turi]

Apparently Rotherham sat deep and time wasted from the first minute against Charlton on Saturday so I imagine they'll be even more negative tomorrow. That's why my team would be:

Stockdale

Bruno
Greer
Hunemeier
Bong

March
Kayal
Stephens
Murphy

Baldock
Hemed

Subs:

Maenpaa
Dunk
Rosenior
Forster-Caskey
Ince
Manu
Zamora

 

[Bold Seagull]

I'm assuming it's an oversight on both your parts to ommit Bruno? Or has the anti-Bruno sentiment from last season spilled over into this one? He's been immense this season.

Unbelievable the blind spot people have on certain players. He's been in brilliant form this season, he gives us so many options on the ball, he is tenacious in the tackle, puts his head in where it hurts, and always puts in one hell of a shift. Amazing full back who plays with a real joy of loving his football, genuinely feel for the people that can't see it.

 

[casbom]

[MENTION=13728]scousefan[/MENTION] - what is the worrying aspect about Elvis that you were talking about? Or does anyone else know for that matter? What did CH say about him?

 

[Papa Lazarou]

Anti-Bruno/anti-Greer. Just the latest in a long line of lobbies constantly wanting to impose their views. It wouldn't be so bad if they were actually bad players or weren't contributing to our success but I guess we are all guilty at some point of having an unjustified dislike of a player that makes us blind to their value to the side.

If you watch the highlights from Saturday, in the second half Hull have a couple of very good attacks down the right wing, both of which resulted in crosses into the box. On both occasions, Greer manages to get in crucial headers to flick the ball away from the striker. Yes, it's his job, but they were both crucial headers that stopped them getting a header on goal fron close range.

And, Bruno has been one of our best players this season so far, both defensively and also getting forward.

 

[tigertim68]

Apparently Rotherham sat deep and time wasted from the first minute against Charlton on Saturday so I imagine they'll be even more negative tomorrow. That's why my team would be:

Stockdale

Bruno
Greer
Hunemeier
Bong

March
Kayal
Stephens
Murphy

Baldock
Hemed

Subs:

Maenpaa
Dunk
Rosenior
Forster-Caskey
Ince
Manu
Zamora

Rosenoir in for March ,then you have the starting line up for tomorrow . Rose noir has had 2 really good games keep March for the bench

 

[El Turi]

Rosenoir in for March ,then you have the starting line up for tomorrow . Rose noir has had 2 really good games keep March for the bench

I agree Rosenior has played very well in the last two games but I would have a more attacking player on the wing as I think Rotherham may be hard to break down.

 

[tigertim68]

If you watch the highlights from Saturday, in the second half Hull have a couple of very good attacks down the right wing, both of which resulted in crosses into the box. On both occasions, Greer manages to get in crucial headers to flick the ball away from the striker. Yes, it's his job, but they were both crucial headers that stopped them getting a header on goal fron close range.

And, Bruno has been one of our best players this season so far, both defensively and also getting forward.

Keep both playing Bruno and Greer until there performance level drops ,both have been playing well this season so why change?

 

[severnside gull]

If you watch the highlights from Saturday, in the second half Hull have a couple of very good attacks down the right wing, both of which resulted in crosses into the box. On both occasions, Greer manages to get in crucial headers to flick the ball away from the striker. Yes, it's his job, but they were both crucial headers that stopped them getting a header on goal fron close range.

And, Bruno has been one of our best players this season so far, both defensively and also getting forward.

Can't disagree with any of that although some sadly do. But then it's not about actual football at all. Just individuals' perceptions, they don't see the positives and sometimes the negatives they do see never actually happened.

I do think Greer tends to defend too deep (the BfG is a good counter to this as he naturally plays a higher line) and he isn't the quickest on the turn but he has good positional sense so gets his head to the ball (or his body in a position to put forwards off) and above all is a fantastic organiser of the defence which is pure gold for any side.
Bruno for me is one of the best footballing fullbacks in the country. Such a good footballing brain and genuinely creative. Okay so he is sometimes a little lackadaisical and tends to tire a little towards the end of games but in my view he would walk into any side in this league and at least challenge for many in the league above. He will be a tough tough act to replace.

 

[Munkfish]

People judge Greer and Bruno more on there age than they do playing ability. Bruno has been class this season, Rosenoir is not going to be frustrated by not being first choice when you have a player playing as well as Bruno. Greer as well has done nothing to deserve being dropped apart from a slightly dodgy backwards header on Saturday. People want to put Dunk in, fine, but this is the same player who wanted to **** off until we offered him a huge new contract, he can sit on the bench and wait for his oppotunity he gave up his position when he refused to play at Southend.

 

[severnside gull]

People judge Greer and Bruno more on there age than they do playing ability. Bruno has been class this season, Rosenoir is not going to be frustrated by not being first choice when you have a player playing as well as Bruno. Greer as well has done nothing to deserve being dropped apart from a slightly dodgy backwards header on Saturday. People want to put Dunk in, fine, but this is the same player who wanted to **** off until we offered him a huge new contract, he can sit on the bench and wait for his oppotunity he gave up his position when he refused to play at Southend.

They also miss that Dunk prefers playing the left side of the central defensive pairing so tends to be in competition with Hunemeier. The direct competition for the right sided Greer is Goldson