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Sheff Utd v Newcastle, 02/11/09 - Pre Match Thread


Decky

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Guest BlacknWhiteArmy

It's definitely a bonus we have Smith back in the side. Butt is absolutely awful, imo. Even at this level he struggles. Nolan should start alongside Smith in the engine room, although he offers us little mobility through the centre but does increase the added chance of a goal.

 

Coloccini isn't great but our backline will have a better feel to it actually playing a CB in CB.

 

Please no Lovenkrands and Harewood. Both are absolutely gash....no other way about it. It's gotta be Carroll and Ranger up top for me. They may not be the most experienced but look at the experience we have throughout the rest of the side; Harper, Enrique, Coloccini, Smith, Nolan etc.

 

I think we can win this, for sure, but I'd settle for a draw.

 

I agree with the Harewood comment but it's quite unfair to say that about Lovenkrands. When he has featured this season, he's only played once up front, and he was alongside Harewood, who are too much of a similar player to gel well up front. He had an OKish game up front next to a rather incompetent strike partner and a team that was misfiring during our poor spell running up to the Scunthorpe encounter. His only other appearances have come on the wing, on the left and on the right against Peterborough. He is not a winger and although he could show a bit more effort, it's no surprise he's been poor. He's a striker, simple as. Put him alongisde Carroll or Ranger (Or Ameobi when fit) and he'll do a good job. He's quick and he's a good finisher, not a winger.

 

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Well some would have you believe that it's the steel of Smith and Nolan in midfield, or the goals of Carroll and Ranger up front.

Smith and Nolan is arguably our best partnership, tbf. Nolan is our top scorer and Smith has probably stood for the most Man of the Match winning performances so far.

 

Though of course, that post was really just another way to have a dig at Carroll, wasn't it?

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Well some would have you believe that it's the steel of Smith and Nolan in midfield, or the goals of Carroll and Ranger up front.

Smith and Nolan is arguably our best partnership, tbf. Nolan is our top scorer and Smith has probably stood for the most Man of the Match winning performances so far.

 

Though of course, that post was really just another way to have a dig at Carroll, wasn't it?

 

Not at all, but some idiots would have you believe that he's a good player.

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Guest CaPiTaL cHaP

Don't know who'll be fit in defence but the back will probably pick themselves.

 

The rest:

 

.......................Smith......................

 

...........Nolan................Guthrie.......

 

.....Ranger............................Loven

.......................Carroll.....................

 

Carroll would be useful for us when defending set plays.

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I'm not sure i'd drop Guthrie, given his recent assists.

 

There's the headache, like. Do you push Guthrie into centre-midfield? Nolan's undroppable so do we play him off Carroll/Ranger in that case?

 

I'd probably relegate Guthrie to the bench because i reckon we're crying out for a bit of balance, even if he's got in there with a couple of assists recently.

 

And personally i'd put Carroll and Lovenkrands upfront. Carroll's the most likely of our strikers to score, so he's automatically there for me. Like Ranger a lot but he's best as an impact sub if you ask me; at the moment anyway. I'd give Lovenkrands a bit of an ultimatum. Sort your shit or prepare for some bench time. Personally i think he's a decent professional, just very peeved at being played on the wing where everyone knows he's useless. He could be class for us this year but we're not letting him.

 

So,

 

Harper

 

Simpson Taylor Coloccini Enrique

 

Taylor Smith Nolan Jonas

 

Carroll Lovenkrands

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                        Harper

 

R Taylor   S Taylor   Coloccini   Enrique

 

           Guthrie   Smith   Nolan

 

           Loven   Ranger   Jonas

 

 

Is probably what i'd play to be honest.

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4-5-1 defending/4-3-3 attacking? Personally i reckon them two off Ranger would spend a lot of time just aimlessly flitting around doing not very much. Particularly Lovenkrands.

 

Plus, you'd like some form of goal threat from each striker and Jonas clearly isn't going to provide that (nor is Ranger tbh)... he's got no delivery to fall back on either. Plus he'd be more central meaning he's got more men around him; less space to do what he's good at. Saying that, he hasn't had nearly the motivation to do "what he's good at" recently, but if we're going to see it at all - he needs to be out wide. It's not simply a fact of him on the ball - it's the fact he's got pace and opponents lock several players on him when he's actually up for it, and running up and down. It frees space in the middle. If he's central it nullifies his whole threat.

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4-5-1 defending/4-3-3 attacking? Personally i reckon them two off Ranger would spend a lot of time just aimlessly flitting around doing not very much. Particularly Lovenkrands.

 

Plus, you'd like some form of goal threat from each striker and Jonas clearly isn't going to provide that (nor is Ranger tbh)... he's got no delivery to fall back on either. Plus he'd be more central meaning he's got more men around him; less space to do what he's good at. Saying that, he hasn't had nearly the motivation to do "what he's good at" recently, but if we're going to see it at all - he needs to be out wide. It's not simply a fact of him on the ball - it's the fact he's got pace and opponents lock several players on him when he's actually up for it, and running up and down. It frees space in the middle. If he's central it nullifies his whole threat.

 

When did I say Jonas should be central? I just want the lad further up the pitch.

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