By Hughie Southon
We call every one a six pointer these days!
But the upcoming game against Southampton truly is as big a game as we have faced in a long, long time.
Win it and if other results go our way we can claw our way onto 27 points and give ourselves some real breathing space.
The teams above us are involved as follows: Arsenal v LEEDS, PALACE V LEICESTER. FOREST V WOLVES, EVERTON v Spurs.
It isn’t exactly a defining weekend but the briefest of glances at those games makes it clear what an important weekend it is going to be.
There’s two games in there where teams who could easily slip into serious trouble, clash whilst Leeds and Everton have seriously difficult games.
David Moyes has some serious thinking to do and this is a match where we will need much creativity and a truly attacking attitude against a team that has been picking up points lately against such as Chelsea, Man United and the Spuds.
It is to be hoped the manager will include Manu Lanzini who was superb in the last European game and I think it’s time to play Pablo Fornals rather than the unpredicatble Said Benrahma.
The front man remains a problem wirth neither Scamacca or Ings looking the part tight now so it is Antonio for me
A win is so utterly crucial and this would be my team, Give us yours:
Areola; Coufal, Aguerd, Zouma, Emerson; Rice, Soucek, Lanzini. Fornals, Bowen, Antonio.
Same as yours Hugh, except Paqueta for Soucek.
…or play Fornals in the middle instead of Soucek, and Cornet on the left.
…or play Downes instead of Soucek.
Just anyone instead of Soucek, if you’re hoping for a little pace…
Haven’t seen enough from Paqueta and he apparently crap against Morocco. Too big a game for Downes imo
You won’t see enough of him if you don’t play him, and 40 international caps for Brazil suggests he can’t be all “crap”. Perhaps it’s the pernicious Moyes affect?
Agreed
OMG!! … Are you mad?
Lanzini? – don’t know what game you were watching last Thursday. Should have been sold last Summer.
Fornals? – doesn’t have the pace of thought or movement to be anything other than someone to bring on once we’re ahead to park the bus.
Antonio? – needs too many chances to score – consistently fails to put away the one-on-ones with the GK. For me he should be Bowen’s back-up at RW.
Paqueta dropped? – Why? He’s becoming a force in our midfield now he’s been put in his proper position alongside Rice. Their partnership should have been put together as soon as he was fit. His passing ability is on a whole different level to Soucek.
Your craziest choice is dropping Benrahama – The stats prove he is our most productive player for creating chances this season – he’s the only one who’s consistently provided something different that could potentially unlock a packed defence. His partnership with Scamacca needs to be nurtured – he simply HAS to play.
I would go with – Areola, Coufal, Zouma, Aguerd, Emerson, Rice, Paqueta, Cornet (Left) Bowen (Right) Benrahama (#10) Scamacca … at least that team might get some goals.
I’ll refrain from calling you mad or crazy simply that I disagree obviously. Wish I had a tenner for the “dunno what game you were watchuing ” cliche I must have heard 100 million times
Like most of your team Hughie but don’t want to see Fornals on the left where he’s ineffective. For me, Cornet on left, no to Soucek. Be prepared to bring on Paqueta and Benrahma as well as Ings or Scamacca. At some point we must be two up top dedicated, four ball players, plus back four. The idea of two DCM must not figure this weekend.