Blackburn (FA Cup 4th Round) 9/2, Build Up & Match Thread

[The Bear]

This game is rumoured to be on iPlayer.

We don't have a game for another week afterwards so may as well go as strong as possible and give the new guys a run out IMO. Bellegarde deserves to keep his place in CM, and Johnstone will keep his cup place for no particular reason. I wouldn't be averse to Lima playing at RWB again too.


....................... Johnstone

.......... Agbadou - Djiga - Toti

Lima - Munetsi - Andre - Bellegarde - RAN

....................Guedes - Cunha

 

[From Distant Shores]

I think there is little chance of us playing a three man midfield anytime this season. I would guess that Agbadou will definitely continue in the middle of the back three unless Toti doesn't play and then he'll be the one moved over to the left side.

If Muntesi does play, Bellegarde could well moved into the front three. Personally, I think that would be a shame after his solid performance last week. It would be good to see if he can play as well again.

 

[KiwiWolf61]

Without doubt our most memorable FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers.

 

[Lycan]

We don't have a game for another week afterwards so may as well go as strong as possible and give the new guys a run out IMO. Bellegarde deserves to keep his place in CM, and Johnstone will keep his cup place for no particular reason. I wouldn't be averse to Lima playing at RWB again too.


....................... Johnstone

.......... Agbadou - Djiga - Toti

Lima - Munetsi - Andre - Bellegarde - RAN

....................Guedes - Cunha

He's not going to change the system FFS

 

[Tony Towner]

Yeah, if he didn't do it last week, he's not going to this season.
Johnstone
Doherty Agbadou Toti
Lima Bellegarde Gomes Gomes
Sarabia Cunha
Guedes

Fwiw LL says it's Doherty's place to lose despite signing Djiga.

 

[Lycan]

Johnstone

Doherty Agbadou Toti

Semedo J.Gomes André Aït-Nouri

Sarabia Guedes Cunha

SUBS: Sá, Djiga, Bueno, Lima, R.Gomes, Munetsi, Doyle, Forbs, Hwang, Bellegarde

Munetsi or Djiga might start if Vítor sees this game as an opportunity to get them more familiar with the system. If Djiga does play it'll be interesting to see who he comes in for and what the back 3 looks like considering Vítor wants to play a full back there.

 

[Mel Evo]

Got to fulfil my personal contractual obligations by raging against selecting a sub par goalkeeper just because that’s what you do. He’s going to do it though. Right, I can move on now.

 

[Lycan]

Got to fulfil my personal contractual obligations by raging against selecting a sub par goalkeeper just because that’s what you do. He’s going to do it though. Right, I can move on now.

Agree but he set the precedent against Brizzle unfortunately.

 

[sycophantia]

.....................Johnstone
Lima....Djiga....Agba....Toti....RAN
...........Munetsi......Bellegarde
....R. Gomes....Larsen*....Cunha

*Larsen if fully fit, if not then Hwang or Guedes.

 

[The Bear]

He's not going to change the system FFS

Well it isn't really, as Munetsi has played as a No. 10 plenty before so will be further forwards most of the time.

 

[Lycan]

Well it isn't really, as Munetsi has played as a No. 10 plenty before so will be further forwards most of the time.

It is really, it's completely different and he's not going to do it.

 

[Mel Evo]

Would like to see Djiga more than Munetsi right now, given the alternatives in their position and my desire for a good win. Understand the shirt is Docs to lose, but I hope he takes the same approach to that as I do to my phone charger.

 

[Lycan]

Would like to see Djiga more than Munetsi right now, given the alternatives in their position and my desire for a good win. Understand the shirt is Docs to lose, but I hope he takes the same approach to that as I do to my phone charger.

I'm hoping he thinks Toti can be the full back in the back 3. Doc has had good games there since Vítor has come in but as we saw against Forest there's always the potential for him to throw in a 1/10 performance.

 

[Tony Towner]

I still think that was a comment made to justify playing Doherty ahead of career centre halves. I think he wants players who are comfortable if they are pulled wide, that's one of Toti's strengths and Djiga's YouTube clips show a lot of his work towards the right touchline. I just think it means he doesn't want a Dawson or Bueno type in those wider positions not a career full back.

 

[Bertiewolf]

Without doubt our most memorable FA Cup clash with Blackburn Rovers.

The highlight of my 6 year old life! Great to see highlights from the final that don't show 20 mins of Dave 'he broke my leg' Whelan rolling about on the floor. Though watching the full game years later, Blackburn were definitely the better side until they went down to 10 men and had to drop Ally McLeod (yes him!) back to full back. Then again we did have the ball in the net five or six times!

 

[Dire Wolf]

I'm hoping he thinks Toti can be the full back in the back 3. Doc has had good games there since Vítor has come in but as we saw against Forest there's always the potential for him to throw in a 1/10 performance.

I think he can often be playing ok and then have a 1/10 moment that makes you think WTF! That's his problem, he can just switch off occasionally and boom, you've conceded a goal. I think his 1/10 games are few and far between but those 1/10 moments happen too often. Though less so at CB so far, to be fair.

 

[Jinky]

Vitor presser.

- new signings add more physicality to squad. Both physically strong players - both can add something to the squad. Said it would be "difficult" for them to feature this weekend. Marshall only had one training session with them, Nasser hasn't trained yet. (highly doubt they'll be involved). Feels squad is more balanced with them here.

- Mario told Vitor he didn't want to be here, so Vitor didn't feel comfortable to include him. Preferred Mario being honest with him, said Mario said it's nothing to do with Vitor, is "to do with the club". Cut off the chap who tried to press further about the reasons behind that - wouldn't go in to any further details.

- had a good week of training, happy with the squad. Said with last result v Villa there's a feel good factor around the club. Thinks group is more competitive and can see this in training.

- Was asked about how important the FA Cup is. Said he only thinks about the next game. Said we go to every game to do our best and win, doesn't matter if it's cup or league.

- asked again about if new players will feature - "maybe some time but to start, no". Marshall definitely closer to starting - said he ran more than every other player in their last training session.

- wished our womens team the best against Manchester United this weekend, hopes they win and said he'll try and watch the game.

 

[Jinky]

Johnstone

Doherty Agbadou Toti

Semedo J.Gomes André Aït-Nouri

Sarabia Guedes Cunha

SUBS: Sá, Djiga, Bueno, Lima, R.Gomes, Munetsi, Doyle, Forbs, Hwang, Bellegarde

Munetsi or Djiga might start if Vítor sees this game as an opportunity to get them more familiar with the system. If Djiga does play it'll be interesting to see who he comes in for and what the back 3 looks like considering Vítor wants to play a full back there.

Based on Vitors comments in the presser, I'd be very surprised to see anything other than this. Marshall to make his debut from the bench and doubt Nasser will be involved at all.

 

[Sniffer]

Only guessing but was Mario out of contract at the end of the season and presumably any contract that was or wasn’t offered was not to his liking?

 

[Kenny]

Only guessing but was Mario out of contract at the end of the season and presumably any contract that was or wasn’t offered was not to his liking?

Probably more around he had a clash with Shaun Derry, he had the armband taken off him and he grumbled to Hobbs etc and they backed GO so he said fuck this.