afar Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 My first choice team would never be picked by Rafa, but I do think he needs to look at the effectiveness of Perez in the 10 role and Hayden's lack of composure in every game bar West Ham. I would like to see LeJeune back in the starting line up but hard to say Clark and the Capt have done anything wrong to warrant either of them being dropped. Although I've like what I've seen from Joselu, if Gayle is fit, I would perhaps be tempted, maybe not for this game as it might be more suited to a forward that offers more than just scoring goals. Rafa likes his rotation, so I wouldn't be surprised to see some changes, they'll probably be more subtle ones though, than the wholesale stuff I'm advocating. Think this is going to be a good gauge on just where we are, Spuds are way out of our league and we can't expect really to compete against them, Swansea and Huddersfield are relegation candidates this year, West Ham are on paper a mid table team but playing like relegation candidates. Stoke have mid table written through them, in really good nick, a victory here would point us in the direction of having the potential to be at the same level as them and that would be a fantastic first season back in the PL. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
hakka Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Atsu must come back in for Murphy IMO and I'd like to see Yedlin start for Manquillo. Other than that, same side. I guess we have to rotate to stop burnout etc. but I do feel like Jacob should be getting 20 or 30 mins at the end of games right now to ease him in more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gallowgate Toon Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Murphy's runs off the ball will be an asset against them, if they do come and sit back. He's picked up good positions with good movement in his limited minutes. I wouldn't mind him starting but best for his confidence if he's a sub; his brain is a second behind PL football at the minute. I'd be quite tempted to play Shelvey-Merino, tbh, but I think Rafa will wait to see how they set up before bringing Shelvey in. If they're deep and trying to counter, he's a great weapon to have, especially if he can't be marked out with Merino next to him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Reckon we'll lose this and everything will be shit again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lotus Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I would think we have the personnel for a midfield 3. Shelvey......Hayden......Merino Hayden sits, if Shelvey pushes up Merino can drop back and vise versa. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Reckon we'll lose this and everything will be shit again. With the negativity Rafa will have reintroduced to his shite signings at training coupled with his boring football it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanji Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 What is our fully-fit (sans PD) best back 4? Assuming Yedlin is our #1 RB, and Mbemba is probably our best LB at the moment, who plays CB? There's absolutely no way you could shift Lascelles or Clark after two clean sheets in a row, but Lejeune will be on hand as soon as one of them has a slip. Clark was superb against West Ham and Lascelles the same against Swansea, so it's hard to say with any confidence that bringing in Lejeune would improve things at the moment. Totally agree with you, debatable if Lejeune in the same position as Lascelles makes that slide. Obviously a good problem to have when all fit that we have some sound CBs at this club. I'm hoping Mbemba can play at LB this week as I really do like him there and I don't mind Manquillo's pace, he's a good carrier of the ball but he's kinda rank at defending . Yedlin plz. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 4p from this and the Brighton game would be great Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest firetotheworks Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Not gonna get too carried away. Stoke are a decent enough team in the grand scheme of things and traditionally this is the sort of game we'd lose. I think we'll all go into it confident, but this early on it's still about getting to know what we're like as a team. A 1-0 win feels about right, but nothing aside of a thrashing either way would really surprise me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy84 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Stoke have been pretty poor away from home for a while, even so I'd be happy with a point. Just happy to keep things ticking over Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1964 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 4p from this and the Brighton game would be great You must be the easiest to please gambler in history Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 4p from this and the Brighton game would be great You must be the easiest to please gambler in history Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
themanupstairs Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Heart says 6 pts from the next two. Head says 1. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
HaydnNUFC Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Buzzing for this. I said before Swansea that I'd be happy with 4 points from that game and this one, so a point would be ok. Think we'll win though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
henke Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 0-0 with their keeper pulling off countless great saves, just like a couple of years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ponsaelius Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Definitely a harder game than the last two in terms of personnel and form. Like fuck should we ever fear a Mark Hughes side though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Reading the Oatcake we're privileged to be sharing the same grass as them what with their Champions League players and our Championship attack. Oh and being utter utter dog shite. Stokalona City Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Perez's role in the 10 is mainly to press when we don't have the ball, he's been doing a pretty good job at that so far this season and I can't see Rafa changing it anytime soon now he's decided Diame isn't up to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Reading the Oatcake we're privileged to be sharing the same grass as them what with their Champions League players and our Championship attack. Oh and being utter utter dog s****. Stokalona City Excellent. This is how West Ham and Swansea viewed us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
afar Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 Reading the Oatcake we're privileged to be sharing the same grass as them what with their Champions League players and our Championship attack. Oh and being utter utter dog s****. Stokalona City Excellent. This is how West Ham and Swansea viewed us. Absolutely being underestimated is a huge benefit to us right now, on one hand long may it continue but in order for that to happen we would have to put in a bunch of abject performances and garner few points. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza ladra Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I'd like Yedlin - Lascelles - Clark - Gamez Merino - Shelvey Ritchie - Perez - Atsu Joselu If nobody's sent off, we'll win. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I'd like Yedlin - Lascelles - Clark - Gamez Merino - Shelvey Ritchie - Perez - Atsu Joselu If nobody's sent off, we'll win. Can't see us winning if we play without a goalkeeper. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
samptime29 Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 4p from this and the Brighton game would be great Agreed. Would be a really solid start. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
henke Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 I'm really looking forward to this, we can definitely get something from it. I might have a ticket spare if anyone is interested. Mind it'd mean sitting next to me for 90 minutes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leazes_End_Mag Posted September 13, 2017 Share Posted September 13, 2017 3 points here would be massive, even at this stage of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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