team selection not good yesterday

[Slaphead in Qatar]

When i saw the team sheet yesterday my heart sank a bit. Why did he start duff, djag should start. And why start dempsey, he is off the pace, richardson should have started on the left.

We have got to sort out the defence. Only reither is pl standard from yesterdays starting 5. Stek and hangeland hopefully can come in and play well. That leaves us needing to buy an lb and central defender.

[Snibbo]

Has anyone crunched the stats of our record when Dejag / Reither both start versus not?

For me, our decline started when Dejagah got injured v QPR last year - him and Reither had been stellar before then, or at least that's what my unreliable memory tells me.

[BishopsParkFantastic]

I was really surprised with the team selection. I would have picked Hughes over Senderos, and put Kara in midfield behind Berbatov, with Kasami to replace in the the second half. I could understand the selection of Duff, for his defensive work, experience and accuracy at corners and set pieces. If Hughes was unfit, I would have played Burn instead of Senderos. I do not understand what has happened to the attacking intentions that Rene introduced before the appointment of Wilkins! We have always been at our best with greater pace and tempo, which has gone missing again.

Re-introducing a fit Hangeland and Hughes as the centre back combination must be the way forward for now, with Burn and new signing ready to replace. Therefore I think the priorities as of now are: new left back (Bertrand), creative central midfielder, centre back, and striker - not over 30, proven but with more potential to achieve. How many more times must this be said!!

[Holders]

Has anyone crunched the stats of our record when Dejag / Reither both start versus not?

For me, our decline started when Dejagah got injured v QPR last year - him and Reither had been stellar before then, or at least that's what my unreliable memory tells me.

I think that was stage 2 of the decline. Stage 1 was the dismantling of the Dembele/Ruiz/Dempsey axis.

[Zu-Meister]

agree completely.

[Slaphead in Qatar]

Do we think rene is being compromised by wilkins. On the touchline those two are constantly chatting to each other. Wilkins must be having some influence.

[David Allen Crankshaw]

Like others I was dismayed on hearing the team selection. Why do we have to play with inverted wingers again? We need wingers getting behind the defence and not having to rely on our fullbacks getting in the crosses. However when I hear that Berbatov is in the team nowadays I always feel depressed.

[Alan]

Not only did Duff starting over Dejagah confuse me, but also, why bring on Kasami for Taarabt, then play Dempsey in the middle & Kasami on the left? If the Brains Trust wanted to take Taarabt off & play Dempsey in the middle, then why not bring Kacaniklic? I may not be much of a fan of Kacaniklic, but, playing Kasami on the left means that he's giving you nothing. It won't help his confidence, which in turn won't help the team...