Who to pick going into the final game?

[robinrover]

A lot of shouts for the youth to be given a game but you do have to be realistic not to swamp the team with academy players and pay the price.
I would definitely play leutwiler in goal and if he plays well offer him a contract
He has convinced me that he is a ok keeper and definitely one to challenge raya for the shirt.
Nyambe back at right back and persevere with bell at the left.
Keep Williams at the back alongside magloire.
Conway on the left,Rothwell on the right with Buckley and Travis centrally
Butterworth and brereton up front.
Something different and with quality on the bench if it isn't working.

[AucklandRover]

Robin - my guess:
Leutwiler
Nyambe Lenihan Williams Bell
Chapman Travis Davenport Rothwell
Brereton Butterworth.

[champs95]

Not Rodwell. As I really hope that's his lat game for the club strolling around Carrow Road yesterday. Very poor, again.

I'm going back to my original feeling with Rothwell. He is not a player we need moving forwards. He is not good enough for CM. He runs into blind alleys, and won't make it in the Champ. Chapman is a far better option. I'd let Rothwell and Rodwell go in the summer, along with Mulgrew, Leutweiller, Bennett, Smallwood, Gladwin, Downing. And a few of the young lads who won't make it with us.
And Dack. We carry him too much. With 18 goals he should be commanding around £10m. I'd suggest a southern club like Fulham is the exact type of fit for player and club. And they will have money, and will fancy a good go at promotion. We likely won't have any money to spend, so will need this to te-build. We could get in 3 or 4 players by selling him. And improve overall. He's good at times. Over a season, we can't carry him. So best he goes. I see TM is back out in Europe again scouting.
Looking at Norwich and their transfer policy and season they've just had. We should definately be using them as a blueprint. They barley spent a penny.

[champs95]

I want to see Chapman. And Buckley, Davenport and

[champs95]

....Butterworth. Maglorie is also due a game I feel. I don't see the point of us seeing Elliott Bennett knock another simple cross directly out of play another game. Or Rodwell stroll around uninterested. Same with Dack and surprisingly Graham. Who didn't actually touch the ball yesterday? If I was Brereton, I'd have been very disappointed after scoring in my last game. And looked good. Give Ben a game up front.

[AucklandRover]

I don't really agree about Rothwell, Champs, but here is a related question for you all.
Is having Armstrong and Rothwell on the pitch at the same time too much of a luxury - given that neither of them do much in the way of tackling or covering!

[champs95]

I don't really agree about Rothwell, Champs, but here is a related question for you all.
Is having Armstrong and Rothwell on the pitch at the same time too much of a luxury - given that neither of them do much in the way of tackling or covering!

When Rothwell plays, no. Because he drifts inside and clogs up the midfield and we are left with no width. And his ball retention isn't what it should be. Also he offers no defensive cover, and isn't a winger.
Chapman is a far far better option but still would offer no real defensive cover.

For me, this highlights what is the key issue with our style of play. And what will need to change over summer.

We desperately lack a player (a Tugay type) who can pick the ball off a defender in between the lines, and give it to an attacker. Not one of our midfielders are capable of that. So its been too much of a weakness this season. And at times, its been pointless playing with wingers, as we cant get them in a game. That's why I keep mentioning Bannan. Of all the players at this level I have watched, he is one that stood out. That is number one on what we need. Before anything else. Its midfield where we are weakest. And only really have Travis who is good enough. Maybe Evans aswell. Neither can unlock the oppo. Hopefully Davenport and Buckley can come in and add to what we have. But we still need to buy someone decent. Like Bannann.
We will definately change our style next season. We will look to play the ball forward from defence to midfield to attack. When we play with Dack and Graham, we become too predictable. Our style of play has been sussed. We need another way of playing. One that allows us to get the best out of Brereton, Chapman, Armstrong. And use the raw pace of Butterworth and Vale.
We have the solid foundation, now we need some tweaks. We will change our style for next season, and a slight variation on our formation. But we have been found wanting when it comes to getting our best players on the ball. Keeping Dack means we are very limited in how we play. And we end up carrying him way too much. He is our only player who can command a good transfer fee. We have no money we can spend, but desperately need some players in. So I feel its maybe best all round of he leaves. He is better off with a club like Fulham and his career will grind to a halt. We have seen as good as it will get here with him, so time to move on for both parties. I think it frees us up to strengthen for the greater good of the squad, and I also believe Mr Dack has outstayed his welcome.

[AucklandRover]

I Like Bannan too, Champs, and I think one reason Villa have come good is that they have TWO players who can do the play-maker job - McGinn and Grealish. I know Grealish sometimes plays wider, but he is very versatile. It's annoying that we nearly got McGinn, but this happens to all clubs every season. Money talks.
My original question was based on the concern you have expressed in your post too. We have several "flair" players, Dack, Armstrong, Rothwell and (probably) Chapman, but you need someone to set them up, and I don't see how you can have them all on the pitch at the same time.
Let's say we have the GK and four defenders, plus Graham and the four mentioned. That makes ten! The 11th player would need the combined qualities of Usain Bolt, Mo Farah and a Rottweiler!
I think we are going to have a rotating pattern again, which doesn't suit fans with the "pick the best XI and play them every week" mentality!
I would still like to see 4-4-2, with one of the wide players a proper winger, and the other more in the style of Conway or Bennett. In the middle, we could then have someone like Travis (or Davenport?), alongside the much-needed "play-maker".
The front two would be a hold-up centre-forward (like Graham), and a genuine No. 10 - Dack or Butterworth-style.
As you can see, though, a lot of our present players would only have bit-parts.
I reckon that must be one of a manager's biggest headaches. Ideally, you'd have about 20 players, all good enough for the 1st XI, but how do you then keep them all happy?
Derrick Williams is a case in point. If we DO buy the second dominant centre-half everyone's calling for, what happens to DW? Does he become another Downing, waiting for injuries? Obviously, he can cover full-back too, but he is surely too reliable, to have him kicking his heels for three-quarters of the season.
And if Chapman becomes a regular, what happens to Armstrong? He might replace Dack at No. 10, if he leaves, but Butterworth, Samuel and Brereton would all like that job too!

[champs95]

but how do you then keep them all happy?
Derrick Williams is a case in point. If we DO buy the second dominant centre-half everyone's calling for, what happens to DW? Does he become another Downing, waiting for injuries? Obviously, he can cover full-back too, but he is surely too reliable, to have him kicking his heels for three-quarters of the season.



Aucks, our season pretty much fell apart in one game, which then had an impact on the next few months. Brentford away. After 20 mins of this game, we where 6th in the league. Around where I think we could've finished this season. As its been not great standard wise.

We went on to lose 5-2 and lost Lenihan to long term injury. Then we wilted and dropped like a stone. the reason, we had no back up.

The answer to your question, both Williams and Lenihan are fine. If you can guarantee both play in every game, and never get injured or suspended its a good pairing.
What happens if one gets injured? Or suspended? I asked this at the start of last season. And it came back to bite us really hard. Same with the GK situation.
You cant just have 11 players and the rest just merley making up the numbers. They need to be as good as the one they are replacing. If we lost either CH we will be in big trouble, again. Finding a way of keeping everyone involved and motivated is the job of a manager. Football changed many years ago, it went from a 11/13 man squad, to a 22 man squad. That's what is required in a marathon which is the Champ. What happens is, you get completion for places.
If you drop your performance level, you are out of the side. Where Mulgrew should have been ever since last Dec.

[seventwo]

The last home game of the season is a celebration of what's gone before so it should be the usual group of players.