Watford - Team/Reports/Ratings

[gessa]

My grapevine reports Byram back tomorrow and Morison is fit so will start.

[1964white]

My grapevine reports Byram back tomorrow and Morison is fit so will start.

If only Bellusci was available then Redders could have selected the same team that provided us three clean sheets on our good run prior to Brighton

[Genghers]

If only Bellusci was available then Redders could select the same team that provided us three clean sheets on our good run prior to Brighton

We'll see how Cooper and Bamba do tomorrow I suppose. Had high hopes for them as a partnership - hopefully Brighton was just a blip (for the rest of them too!).

If Morison isn't fit I'd start Antenucci over Cani. He may not be the 'right' build for a lone striker, but at least he knows the league now and gives us good movement up top.

[Ratscoot]

Looking forward to the game hopefully their fully rested and up for the challenge, as I suspect it's going to be a difficult game but have high hopes (as always ) plus their my old boss's team from when I was in the RAF so always love turning them over.

Hopefully Byram back as Brighton showed how much we need him down the right

[Dons Legends]

I fancy a result against Watford, a draw at least, even a win.

[andywatson]

Strange this thread is so quiet. Is there another one I missed? Maybe the issues I am going to highlight actually explains why the thread is so quiet- there's nothing to discuss!

Redders has a problem.

The easiest thing in the world is for him to drop back into the same squad and formation that we used against Boro in that magnificent win, with the exception of Cooper coming in for Bellusci- assuming Byram & Morison are fit. That's fine, but it highlights both of Redders problems.

Firstly the formation. 4-5-1 seems to suit us very nicely, but I think its fair to say we have no plan B. If we meet a team that is capable of dealing with 4-5-1 then we are in trouble. And the longer we play it, the more teams will be able to plan against it. That's not to say we shouldn't start 4-5-1, we should, but Redders doesn't have the option to really change it if it isn't working- beyond throwing 3 strikers on.

Secondly the team. I think Redder has his first X1.
--------Silvestrri-----------
Taylor--Cooper---Bamba----Wooton
Byram--Mowatt--Austin--Murphy--Cook
----------Morison---------

That's it.

Now think about who might be replaced out of that team with another player in our squad that wouldn't weaken the team significantly. I would argue there are 2.

Cooper/Bellusci. I think most of us accept that Cooper is the better long term defender here, but at the moment Bellusci does a perfectly competent job partnering Bamba. A few rash lunges here & there, but generally solid enough.

Morison. Look, we all know he works incredibly hard, and his defence against Boro probably saved us the 3 points in the same way Silvestri's performance did. However that's not his job, his job is to score- and he isn't. But here's a curious thing- we have 5 strikers in the first team squad, and Redders is picking the one that hasn't scored in about 1000 minutes of football this year. Now there must be a reason for this. Either:
a) Redders is an idiot. (possible, but I doubt it)
b) No other striker is capable of playing in 4-5-1 (Antenucci, Sharp, Adryan)
c) There is something on the training ground that is meaning Redders isn't trusting them at the weekend. (Doukara)
d) They simply aren't either good enough/ready. (Cani, Adryan)

I have tried to guess which category each fits into, but they are only guesses. Adryan, I'm really less sure. But the simple fact is that our manager has a single working formation, and a single working 11 players.

Swapping out any other player would lead to the team being significantly weaker.

So, back to todays game, and Redders is in a bit of a bind. If these weaker squad players are to improve, or show they have the ability/temperament to challenge for the shirt, they need to be given some opportunities. So Redders does have to keep rotating in a squad player or 2- also to be able to rest 1st teamers. We had a tough game last weekend, and a midweek game. Our subs bench the last few games has been full of strikers- I don't think Redders knows what his answer is there himself. So I think his only option is the team I named above(assuming Byram/Morison is fit) (might have got some left/rights the wrong way round!), with at most 2 swaps for rest/experience- but those swaps might be fairly random looking depending on Redders perception of individual players being keen/jaded etc.

Tough game today. Result is quite important- I would like to see us bounce back hard from the Brighton game- but as always it's all about the performance and building for the future.

[theleedsmango]

Sharp starts up front in a 4-5-1 formation. Byram returns to starting 11 as expected.

Walters on the bench! As is Adryan.

Let's see how Sharp performs in a 4-5-1. He'll have a point to prove so I'd expect a great shift here. Plus Watford will know about Morison and will have probably planned to counter our style so having Sharp up there at least makes us look a bit unpredictable.

[The Subhuman]

little annoyed Sharp throws his toys out of the pram and gets rewarded...Antenucci is the better player. Having said that if he plays well and shows he can lead the line then fair play but I have the feeling we'll see a Linekar/Owen type effect here with Sharp waiting for service

[rab_rant]

Billy sharpe the fox in the box... a goal within 7 minutes.

[theleedsmango]

Sharp keep throwing your toys from the pram and that ball in the net!

[Ratscoot]

Go on King Billy fantastic when you have a striker on that knows how to score a goal

[rab_rant]

Walters on the bench... I hope the lad gets a few minutes if they have to change the forward line

[YorkshireSquare]

Afternoon peeps, decent start for Leeds.

A striker scoring a goal, who'd have thought?!

[theleedsmango]

Austin strike, apparently an absolute scorcher of a goal!! 2-0

[YorkshireSquare]

Get in!!!

AUSTIN, TWO NIL

[rab_rant]

rudi scores on the volley... off the chest and scores a wonder goal.
Rudi Rudi Rudi chants the crowd. Goal of the season

[YorkshireSquare]

Austin strike, apparently an absolute scorcher of a goal!! 2-0

He's always threatening to hit an absolute screamer, sound like that was

[The Subhuman]

great start...2-0 up last year though?

[theleedsmango]

Not the greatest quality but a glimpse of Austin's goal available here;

https://twitter.com/Robadopalous/status ... 4622050305

[The Subhuman]

Leeds looking the stronger team,