Lineup v Oxford

[BCFCGav]

May be the most important line-up in his year in charge so far.

Bird 10, Twine LW has to stop. Yes they interchange, yes positions are flexible these days, but it doesn’t work. Keep it simple stupid. Players in their positions.

4231:

O’Leary: Tanner, Vyner, McNally, Pring: Bird, Knight: Yu, Twine, Mehmeti: Sincs.

Mehmeti is a tough pick, he’s not looked great of late. But in Bell’s absence it’s him or a youngster. A rogue shout, like Morrison (or even Naismith who has played there historically) is tempting.

Whatever he does, it has to work.

[And Its Smith]

Needs to go to a back 3 and get more players around our number 9. 

[Red Army 75]

Roberts needs to come back in. 

[Super]

Drop Sykes and Williams firstly.

[Gol]

My team would be

 

[bcfc01]

Main thing for me is to get Twine central and Bird in the 2 either with Knight or preferably Williams. 

Mehmeti on the left and Sykes on the right. Nicely balanced if nothing else.

 I'd consider Roberts over Pring at this time.

[Loosey Boy]

3 minutes ago, Super said:

Drop Sykes and Williams firstly.

Think this is highly likely after today.

Play Bird and Knight in MF, Twine in the 10 (as we signed him) and bring Yu in from the start.

[Simon bristol]

22 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said:

Think this is highly likely after today.

Play Bird and Knight in MF, Twine in the 10 (as we signed him) and bring Yu in from the start.

Yes, and fally at 9 and Armstrong playing off one side!

[Creg]

My team for the “Manning Derby”:

Oxford, I reckon. 

[AppyDAZE]

39 minutes ago, Gol said:

My team would be

 

Think Armstrong is gonna get caught offside a lot playing that far forward.

[AppyDAZE]

Just now, AppyDAZE said:

Think Armstrong is gonna get caught offside a lot playing that far forward.

Or do you mean in goal for them?

[beaverface]

I'd like us to all out attacking (within reason) and spring a surprise on Oxford by lining up 4132.

Play two up top, maybe even start Cornick on the left of the three.

[steviestevieneville]

1 hour ago, BCFCGav said:

May be the most important line-up in his year in charge so far.

Bird 10, Twine LW has to stop. Yes they interchange, yes positions are flexible these days, but it doesn’t work. Keep it simple stupid. Players in their positions.

4231:

O’Leary: Tanner, Vyner, McNally, Pring: Bird, Knight: Yu, Twine, Mehmeti: Sincs.

Mehmeti is a tough pick, he’s not looked great of late. But in Bell’s absence it’s him or a youngster. A rogue shout, like Morrison (or even Naismith who has played there historically) is tempting.

Whatever he does, it has to work.

Sod the team , it doesn’t matter . We’ve been steamrollered the last two games . We look weak & poorly coached . I genuinely hate to say it but the players will be nervous next week . Oxford , nothing to lose . Away win , no matter who he picks . 

[Davefevs]

48 minutes ago, And Its Smith said:

Needs to go to a back 3 and get more players around our number 9. 

5-0-5 it is then

[mozo]

I think the only kernel of a positive about two bad defeats is that now Manning can change whatever he likes without worrying about being loyal or upsetting the applecart.

For example, Williams and Sykes have played their way out of the side now in my opinion.

Roberts has earned a go at LB.

Twine SIMPLY MUST play in the 10.

Who plays left side is a puzzle. We need a new head there in one of the next two windows.

Armstrong has to start most games now. I've been really impressed with him.

Edited Saturday at 19:04 by mozo

[maxjak]

Phew!   What a relief..............Liam says they'll be having a big meeting on Monday morning!        I get the impression sometimes that he fills the players heads with so much planning and tactical theories that they have forgotten how to play football as a straight forward  game  ?

[sglosbcfc]

3-5-2 is the answer, we must become harder to beat. Our only win all season saw us concede 3 goals! A defeat v Oxford and we will be facing a relegation scrap.

[cotswoldred2]

13 minutes ago, beaverface said:

I'd like us to all out attacking (within reason) and spring a surprise on Oxford by lining up 4132.

Play two up top, maybe even start Cornick on the left of the three.

Cornick...?.

That is a surprise surprise.

[Gillies Downs Leeds]

4 minutes ago, sglosbcfc said:

3-5-2 is the answer, we must become harder to beat. Our only win all season saw us concede 3 goals! A defeat v Oxford and we will be facing a relegation scrap.

My problem with that is who plays right wing back? Sykes out of form and Tanner is not a wing back. Right back in a 4 or Right centre back in a 3 for me.

[Loosey Boy]

33 minutes ago, Simon bristol said:

Yes, and fally at 9 and Armstrong playing off one side!

Don’t disagree - be good to watch for sure

[cheddarwedlocker]

fairly simple here. do what worked last year (barring stoke)

Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Tanner/sykes Knight Bird Pring

Yu Twine

Armstrong

[Davefevs]

43 minutes ago, mozo said:

I think the only kernel of a positive about two bad defeats is that now Manning can change whatever he likes without worrying about being loyal or upsetting the applecart.

For example, Williams and Sykes have played their way out of the side now in my opinion.

Roberts has earned a go at LB.

Twine SIMPLY MUST play in the 10.

Who plays left side is a puzzle. We need a new head there in one of the next two windows.

Armstrong has to start most games now. I've been really impressed with him.

I see that as a negative…it shouldn’t take bad defeats to make decisive decisions.  And I think LM might be one who would rather avoid them / take an easier way out.

I knew he’d pick Mayulu today, and I knew he’d use Armstrong’s international duty as the reason.  He has therefore avoided Mayulu becoming impatient.

He did it with Mehmeti, left him out to accommodate Bird / avoid not playing Twine.

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

22 hours ago, beaverface said:

I'd like us to all out attacking (within reason) and spring a surprise on Oxford by lining up 4132.

Play two up top, maybe even start Cornick on the left of the three.

Get further overwhelmed and bypassed in midfield?

One midfielder is just fire-fighting and asking to be swamped?? Am I misunderstanding.

[The Original OTIB]

22 hours ago, beaverface said:

I'd like us to all out attacking (within reason) and spring a surprise on Oxford by lining up 4132.

Play two up top, maybe even start Cornick on the left of the three.

Won't happen, but for all the haters, Cornick is far more up for it than most and always makes things happen. Better from the bench than starting though generally, but we need players with the right attitude at the moment.

[Sniper]

3-4-1-2 for me. This one up front isn't working.

              Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Yu Knight Bird Armstrong

             Twine

           Fally Wells

[east sussex red]

23 hours ago, BCFCGav said:

May be the most important line-up in his year in charge so far.

Bird 10, Twine LW has to stop. Yes they interchange, yes positions are flexible these days, but it doesn’t work. Keep it simple stupid. Players in their positions.

4231:

O’Leary: Tanner, Vyner, McNally, Pring: Bird, Knight: Yu, Twine, Mehmeti: Sincs.

Mehmeti is a tough pick, he’s not looked great of late. But in Bell’s absence it’s him or a youngster. A rogue shout, like Morrison (or even Naismith who has played there historically) is tempting.

Whatever he does, it has to work.

Mehmeti is inconsistent but at least he has a run at the oppo defences...yes he messes up occasionally but when he's on form he can be v good.

[Mr Popodopolous]

10 minutes ago, Sniper said:

3-4-1-2 for me. This one up front isn't working.

              Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Yu Knight Bird Armstrong

             Twine

           Fally Wells

Yu and Armstrong at Wingback??

Bold...I'll give it that..It could he inspired.

Edited Sunday at 17:50 by Mr Popodopolous

[Loosey Boy]

7 minutes ago, east sussex red said:

Mehmeti is inconsistent but at least he has a run at the oppo defences...yes he messes up occasionally but when he's on form he can be v good.

Agreed - @BCFCGav side is the one I’d play on Saturday.

Better balanced with Twine in the position we signed him to play in.

Yu deserves his chance and on the left, Pring will get the support that’s been lacking with Twine in the left. You could also put Sincs on the left and play Fally up top but I’d still go with what Gav suggested as now is not the time to tinker as Manning really needs a result

This side is more than good enough to get results at this level…..

Edited Sunday at 17:52 by Loosey Boy

[Stockwood gate]

8 minutes ago, Sniper said:

3-4-1-2 for me. This one up front isn't working.

              Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Yu Knight Bird Armstrong

             Twine

           Fally Wells

I think we need to get Nahki in the team just for his experience, as Fally and Sincs are not working need help 

[cidercity1987]

O'Leary

Tanner Vyner McNally Roberts

James Bird

Yu Twine Mehmeti

Armstrong 

[Mr Popodopolous]

I'll have a quick look at Oxford and see how they set up.

Their side yesterday with the best will on the world, doesn't look especially special by any stretch.

One or two impressive sounding players there but come on.

[cidercity1987]

1 minute ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

I'll have a quick look at Oxford and see how they set up.

Their side yesterday with the best will on the world, doesn't look especially special by any stretch.

One or two impressive sounding players there but come on.

Terrible Champ level team. I mean Harris ffs, a trier yes but a bang average L1 player if I ever saw one.

They've lost all their away games so we should be OK, if not then it really is panic stations 

[Mr Popodopolous]

3 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

Terrible Champ level team. I mean Harris ffs, a trier yes but a bang average L1 player if I ever saw one.

They've lost all their away games so we should be OK, if not then it really is panic stations 

I wouldn't go quite that far but yeah I thought their squad or 1st XI was a bit better.

Harris has 4 in 5 in the League so far...very random division this year. Maja who got 1 in 12 last year has 5 Goals and an Assist in 5.

Played 2, lost 2 on the Road but only by 1 Goal each.

Edited Sunday at 18:05 by Mr Popodopolous

[Loosey Boy]

3 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

Terrible Champ level team. I mean Harris ffs, a trier yes but a bang average L1 player if I ever saw one.

They've lost all their away games so we should be OK, if not then it really is panic stations 

We thought that about Derby…..

Given our start, we can’t underestimate anyone

[Mr Popodopolous]

4 minutes ago, Loosey Boy said:

We thought that about Derby…..

Given our start, we can’t underestimate anyone

Tbh Derby Away, would be tricky. There was an air of overconfidence on here and elsewhere that I didn't buy into.

Their Home Record, new momentum etc.

Derby have 100% Home Record 3 in 3, 3 Clean Sheets. Oxford also have 3 in 3, 1 Goal conceded at Home to date.

On the flipside both have 0 from 2 on the Road.

Edited Sunday at 18:11 by Mr Popodopolous

[Back of the Dolman]

33 minutes ago, Sniper said:

3-4-1-2 for me. This one up front isn't working.

              Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Yu Knight Bird Armstrong

             Twine

           Fally Wells

If Liam Manning picks that team, I’ll buy everyone in the ground a pint.

but that’s after I’ve called for him to be sacked immediately for such a shocking team selection

[Mr Popodopolous]

Our fans generally this summer have had a strange and misplaced confidence so far..based on what appears on Social Media, I'm generalising a bit but.

Edited Sunday at 18:27 by Mr Popodopolous

[tin]

What’s the story with McCrorie in all this? Unless I’ve missed it, he’s gone AWOL.

For me, Oxford is must-win otherwise I can see it getting toxic at the Gate. 

Max; Tanner, McNally, Roberts; Sykes, Knight, Bird, Pring; Twine; Armstrong, Wells.

*Sykes and Pring get in on the grounds we have nobody else for those roles. 

Edited Sunday at 18:34 by tin

[Mr Popodopolous]

16 minutes ago, tin said:

What’s the story with McCrorie in all this? Unless I’ve missed it, he’s gone AWOL.

Wasn't mentioned in the pre-game, can only assume he isn't yet match fit or similar. Good point though, seems to not be mentioned much.

[Gillies Downs Leeds]

59 minutes ago, cidercity1987 said:

O'Leary

Tanner Vyner McNally Roberts

James Bird

Yu Twine Mehmeti

Armstrong 

Have we resigned Matty James ?

[Silvio Dante]

“Manning Derby”

Oh, **** off!

A Derby by nature has to have some kind of rivalry. The Oxford fans are revelling in Liams current failure, not ours. Is it ironic that we’re playing them on such poor form? Yes - but based on Liams time in charge, we’ve been in poor form more often than good form. But it’s not a Derby. It’s (again) ironically a game where for both sides the long term best outcome may actually be the same result, and nobody here will care about the result long term.

[Ashton Fete]

43 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Tbh Derby Away, would be tricky. There was an air of overconfidence on here and elsewhere that I didn't buy into.

Their Home Record, new momentum etc.

Derby have 100% Home Record 3 in 3, 3 Clean Sheets. Oxford also have 3 in 3, 1 Goal conceded at Home to date.

On the flipside both have 0 from 2 on the Road.

Agreed re Derby, they’ve won 8 successive home games across both leagues which clearly gives them that confidence.

If Armstrong had taken 1 of the 3 great chances against them in the first 20 mins then who knows but it was the way we just got overrun and bullied once they went 1-0 up that worried me cos it was only going to end up 2 or more. 

That said I thought we win 3-1 so I had that overconfidence myself!

[bearded_red]

Trying to think how you could make anything sound less appealing than calling something the ‘Liam Manning Derby’.

 

[MarcusX]

40 minutes ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

Our fans generally this summer have had a strange and misplaced confidence so far..based on what appears on Social Media, I'm generalising a bit but.

I agree, a lot of talk about how good the window was but we’ve basically brought in a load of unknowns.

In the expectations thread I said minimum is challenging for playoffs but I base that solely on what’s been said by our management after Pearson etc. they’ve set those expectations and I’m just hoping they have done their homework on the signings.
 

 

[Mr Popodopolous]

6 minutes ago, MarcusX said:

I agree, a lot of talk about how good the window was but we’ve basically brought in a load of unknowns.

In the expectations thread I said minimum is challenging for playoffs but I base that solely on what’s been said by our management after Pearson etc. they’ve set those expectations and I’m just hoping they have done their homework on the signings.
 

 

Yep.

I'm cautiously optimistic about the trajectory medium term and the signings have raised my expectations from what was already a solid base but..

Twine to Conway

Vs

Twine to Armstrong

Twine to Mayulu

Different patterns of play.

Young and raw relatively speaking strikers.

We now have no Goals in 2 Games, they now have no Goals in 3 Games. Bit of pressure can build there too as well as the general patterns of the side.

[Mr Popodopolous]

Edit an unnecessary post.

Edited Sunday at 19:20 by Mr Popodopolous

[sglosbcfc]

2 hours ago, Sniper said:

3-4-1-2 for me. This one up front isn't working.

              Max

Vyner Mcnally Roberts 

Yu Knight Bird Armstrong

             Twine

           Fally Wells

Even Ossie Ardiles' teams weren't that loaded with attackers 

[EX8 Red]

Manning will pick the side. Pity it can’t be picked by this forum as a lot feel Sykes,Williams and Pring need to be benched. My sentiments exactly. You would hope Manning sees it too and isn’t stubborn.
The end of last season,Robert’s more than justified his place in the side,was unfortuate he got injured.

Skyes,doesn’t look the same player post injury.

We spend weeks chasing a 10. and then play him on the wing?

Somehow we play like Barcelona in training,but this is never replicated in a match

[Sniper]

4 hours ago, Back of the Dolman said:

If Liam Manning picks that team, I’ll buy everyone in the ground a pint.

but that’s after I’ve called for him to be sacked immediately for such a shocking team selection

What's your team then DH 3-0 and 3-0 lets keep it defensive again shall we, that went well :laugh:

[CTRed]

Arguments against? Based on Atkinson getting through u21 game this week. Clearly our strongest team (aside from Dickie and Hirakawa) I’m sure people will disagree re O’Leary but Bajic has done nothing wrong and can’t do any worse than O’Leary, who has never been a championship keeper.

If Atkinson can’t start then Robert’s LCB and Pring LWB

Edited Monday at 02:33 by CTRed

[Robbored]

We won’t see two up top under Manning.

[BCFC Rich]

I didn't actually get to see much of the game, but from everything I've read would hope for some changes. Doubt we'll go two up top though. My guess would be Williams dropping out, bird playing a bit deeper and twine as a central 10 with Yu coming in as well. 

[BCFCGav]

McCrorie is injured and I really don't agree re O'Leary. Bad mistake Saturday but he's a bloody tidy keeper. 

[Redandproud]

4 hours ago, CTRed said:

Arguments against? Based on Atkinson getting through u21 game this week. Clearly our strongest team (aside from Dickie and Hirakawa) I’m sure people will disagree re O’Leary but Bajic has done nothing wrong and can’t do any worse than O’Leary, who has never been a championship keeper.

If Atkinson can’t start then Robert’s LCB and Pring LWB

It's about time O'Leary was rested, too many mistakes 

[fatchers]

O'Leary is a good shot stopper, But, there is more to Keeping than that. He does not give me confidence when he has the ball at his feet. Too slow ,invites trouble and his distribution is poor.

[Swede]

He needs to wake up and smell the coffee with playing people in their best positions

Max

Tanner Vyner McCrory Roberts

Hirakawa Knight Bird Pring

Twine

Sincs

[FNQ]

32 minutes ago, Redandproud said:

It's about time O'Leary was rested, too many mistakes 

If mistakes are the criteria for being rested Max would be way down the list. He’s bailed us out on so many occasions.

[David Brent]

Given how free-spending we’ve been in the summer, I am surprised we didn’t bring in another keeper too. Max has to start though.

[Silvio Dante]

Great. I’m on the twilight zone thread where somehow dropping Max O’Leary (bailed us out massively over recent years and has certainly gone from bomb scare to established championship keeper) is stated by some as a viable option, but everybody’s team includes Scott Twine, who has done the square root of sod all to justify being an automatic pick - and since arriving has made Bird worse.

Just because someone cost £3m plus you don’t need to play him. Well, Liam does, but you don’t!

[MarcusX]

No chance Bajic comes in, and I'm still not placing the blame squarely on Max for that goal. In the video Williams makes a move towards him to receive the ball - the issue is the patterns of play were so predictable, Max is doing what he's told and we'd already made that pass 3 or 4 times prior (then williams out to full back). Blackburn knew it was coming and pressed it well, Williams just stopped and complained about being fouled.

I can't see that he's suddenly going to switch to a formation we've never played under LM, and it's not just about formation but about how we're asking the team to play.

If he switches to a back three I expect it to be similar to our run at the end of last season, with 2 10s behind a striker probably Mehmeti and Twine with Bird and Knight as the midfield two but that all depends on McCrorie being fit because Tanner isn't a wing back.

 

[hinsleburg]

23 minutes ago, Swede said:

He needs to wake up and smell the coffee with playing people in their best positions

Max

Tanner Vyner McCrory Roberts

Hirakawa Knight Bird Pring

Twine

Sincs

Slight sense of irony you've mentioned playing people in their best positions and then put Pring Left Wing and an injured McCrorie at Centre Back...? And then going back to the original post, Roberts is certainly not a LWB at all, very different role to LB in a 4 or LCB. I'm still wary of playing Mayulu and Armstrong from the start as it leaves nothing off the bench for us if we need a goal.

With what we've got I'd go with this

                  Max

Tanner    Mcnally   Vyner    Pring

              Knight       Bird

Hirakawa     Twine           Mehmeti

                     Armstrong

If we had McCrorie fit I would consider changing to something like this but is harsh on Tanner and wouldn't play Sykes at Wing Back

                 Max

     Mcnally   Vyner     Roberts

McCrorie                                  Pring

                 Knight Bird

     Hirakawa                            Twine

                       Armstrong

[1960maaan]

Apart from;
dropping OLeary (Bizarre)
playing a back 3,  with a player having come through one 90 since a cruciate injury , when the Manager hasn't played that system for an age.
A WB who couldn't even make the bench last time out.
and playing 2 up top when even if chasing a game the Manager hasn't tried. 

Yeah good effort .

Seriously , I would expect the same XI as Blackburn with Armstrong back for Mayulu . Whether he swaps Bird and Twine to get some balance who knows. But we will not see wholesale changes .

[headhunter]

56 minutes ago, Redandproud said:

It's about time O'Leary was rested, too many mistakes 

Prior to Saturday please remind me when the last one was

[FNQ]

4 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

Apart from;
dropping OLeary (Bizarre)
playing a back 3,  with a player having come through one 90 since a cruciate injury , when the Manager hasn't played that system for an age.
A WB who couldn't even make the bench last time out.
and playing 2 up top when even if chasing a game the Manager hasn't tried. 

Yeah good effort .

Seriously , I would expect the same XI as Blackburn with Armstrong back for Mayulu . Whether he swaps Bird and Twine to get some balance who knows. But we will not see wholesale changes .

I’d go for Roberts in for Pring too..

[TDarwall]

2 minutes ago, 1960maaan said:

 

Seriously , I would expect the same XI as Blackburn with Armstrong back for Mayulu . Whether he swaps Bird and Twine to get some balance who knows. But we will not see wholesale changes .

From an offensive perspective the set up worked v Millwall & Cov. I totally get why he didn't change it for Derby. However it's failed miserably the last 2 games so, to use a phrase I loathe, he needs to grow a pair & drop a "big" player.

I don't see him dropping Twine (nor would I right now), so he needs to bench 1 of Knight, Bird or Williams. If he resists the temptation again then I'll be sold on the notion that ala' LJ before him, he was far more comfortable dropping certain players than others.

[LondonBristolian]

After two heavy defeats, I'd far prefer a manager fail by trying something different than fail keeping things the same.

I'd like to see Roberts at left-back and Pring at left-wing as I think that would give us more width, a better passing range and more tactical flexibility. I'd start Yu over Sykes, Twine over Williams and Armstrong over Mayulu. 

[Back of the Dolman]

6 hours ago, CTRed said:

Arguments against? Based on Atkinson getting through u21 game this week. Clearly our strongest team (aside from Dickie and Hirakawa) I’m sure people will disagree re O’Leary but Bajic has done nothing wrong and can’t do any worse than O’Leary, who has never been a championship keeper.

If Atkinson can’t start then Robert’s LCB and Pring LWB

On the other thread we’ve already got for the team to face Oxford, I saw a team selection and said that if that team was picked I’d buy everyone in the ground a pint once I’d called for LM to be immediately sacked

Well if he picked this team I’d not only buy everyone a pint but I’d throw in a pie as well.

That would however be after I’d called for the immediate LM sacking and a 28 day detention for the purpose of a mental health assessment.

[Back of the Dolman]

9 hours ago, Sniper said:

What's your team then DH 3-0 and 3-0 lets keep it defensive again shall we, that went well

What does DH mean ?

And we weren’t keeping it defensive either, we were playing what has been LM’s chosen formation.

Its not defensive it just doesn’t work.

I’m very undecided on returning to a back 3 because of who we play at wing back.

I think if we play three then Vyner and Roberts would be there but I’d have Tanner right side of 3, not seen enough from McNally to suggest Tanner should lose his place.

Wingbacks well Yu hasn’t started a game yet and I don’t think Armstrong has played WB before so you’d have to go with Sykes who we know has played there and Pring.

I’d have Bird and Knight as the two in midfield but if that was the formation that had to be played then I’d have Fally and Armstrong up top with Twine behind.

So that’s the team I’d have if we were going to use a 3412 as you suggest.

Edited Monday at 08:56 by Back of the Dolman

[DaveF]

1 hour ago, Swede said:

He needs to wake up and smell the coffee with playing people in their best positions

Max

Tanner Vyner McCrory Roberts

Hirakawa Knight Bird Pring

Twine

Sincs

3 of the players in your lineup aren't playing in their best position?

[Rocking Red Cyril]

46 minutes ago, hinsleburg said:

Slight sense of irony you've mentioned playing people in their best positions and then put Pring Left Wing and an injured McCrorie at Centre Back...? And then going back to the original post, Roberts is certainly not a LWB at all, very different role to LB in a 4 or LCB. I'm still wary of playing Mayulu and Armstrong from the start as it leaves nothing off the bench for us if we need a goal.

With what we've got I'd go with this

                  Max

Tanner    Mcnally   Vyner    Pring

              Knight       Bird

Hirakawa     Twine           Mehmeti

                     Armstrong

If we had McCrorie fit I would consider changing to something like this but is harsh on Tanner and wouldn't play Sykes at Wing Back

                 Max

     Mcnally   Vyner     Roberts

McCrorie                                  Pring

                 Knight Bird

     Hirakawa                            Twine

                       Armstrong

Yes both those teams look great on paper but is LM likely to pick them ?