Team News/Your XIs for tomorrow:

[FPT]

Might as well kill two birds with one stone.

We are without:

Two goalkeepers: Marcus Bettinelli and Andy Lonergan.
Four right backs: Jazz Richards, Ryan Fredericks, Jack Grimmer and Kay Voser.
One centre back: Cameron Burgess.
Two central midfielders: Emerson Hyndman and Sakari Mattila.



With that... Your line ups for Saturday? I think we could well see an academy debut in Liam Donnelly as a conventional right back, though another option could be Lasse Vigen Christensen as a wing back.

It depends what you prefer really; I don't think the Burnley game should kill our testing of the 3 at the back system, these things take time and the Bristol City game showed how we can execute it and I believe the players are best suited to it, though I understand why others would be against that option.

For the record, I'd go for:

Lewis,
Donnelly, Stearman, Ream, Husband;
Cairney, Christensen, Tunnicliffe, Kacaniklic;
Dembele, McCormack:

Subs: Rodak, Burn, Garbutt, Pringle, Parker, O'Hara, Smith.

[westcliff white]

We could ask one of our left backs to play right side

[twang]

Lewis
Tunnicliffe - Stearman - Burn - Ream - Husband
Cairney - O'Hara - Christensen
Dembele - McCormack

[fulhamben]

Lewis
Donnelly  stearman burn husband
Lvc.  Tunnicliffe   Cairney.  Kaca
Dembele. Ross

[HatterDon]

We could ask one of our left backs to play right side

I think that may be the most likely solution

[Wimbledon_White]

Genuine question; what's the thinking behind dropping O'Hara?!

[@jolslover]

                     Lewis
Tunnicliffe Stearman Burn Ream Husband
              Cairney O'Hara 
                  Kacaniklic
                Dembele Mccormack

[fulhamben]

Genuine question; what's the thinking behind dropping O'Hara?!

more mobile midfield for me. Same midfield that destroyed reading

[steve magnets]

Dan burn at full back!........oh no, that's right, that total idiot magath tried that particular master stroke against stoke, never felt more embarrassed for any player .

[PaulJ123]

Lewis
Garbutt Ream Stearman Burn Husband
Cairney O hara (deeper) Tunniclifee
Dembele Mccormack

[FPT]

Genuine question; what's the thinking behind dropping O'Hara?!

His impact is waning on the ball. We're suffering at times defensively from his inability to move, he's fairly easy to cut through whether it's a pass vaguely near him or simply running past him. His positioning doesn't make up for his pace and causes problems in vital areas. I think we could pop Cairney in that role and be better off, I feel Cairney is as good technically as O'Hara, but has increased mobility.

It's something I've noticed for a few weeks now, but if you go back and watch maybe the last few games of highlights or breeze through the 90 minutes and just watch O'Hara, he's very easily passed.

I would like to see Christensen and Tunnicliffe take up the middle in the wing back system - I think we'd benefit from that bit more energy and mobility in there.

But yeah, I think there's some pretty serious defensive issues with O'Hara because of his lack of athleticism. Not to say he's a bad player, but I think we'd be better with him in a role with a block of four behind for example and he doesn't have such an importance defensively.

[Sheepskin Junior]

I'd go for Pringle at RWB because he's played there before, and will have Stears as cover if need be.

Lewis
Stearman Burn Ream
Pringle Tunnicliffe O'Hara Cairney Husband
Dembele McCormack

I know Brum have a significant threat on the wing with Demerai Gray, but with our CBs covering, and Tunni and Cairney helping out when needed, it's a threat we can contain

[fulhamben]

Genuine question; what's the thinking behind dropping O'Hara?!

His impact is waning on the ball. We're suffering at times defensively from his inability to move, he's fairly easy to cut through whether it's a pass vaguely near him or simply running past him. His positioning doesn't make up for his pace and causes problems in vital areas. I think we could pop Cairney in that role and be better off, I feel Cairney is as good technically as O'Hara, but has increased mobility.

It's something I've noticed for a few weeks now, but if you go back and watch maybe the last few games of highlights or breeze through the 90 minutes and just watch O'Hara, he's very easily passed.

I would like to see Christensen and Tunnicliffe take up the middle in the wing back system - I think we'd benefit from that bit more energy and mobility in there.

But yeah, I think there's some pretty serious defensive issues with O'Hara because of his lack of athleticism. Not to say he's a bad player, but I think we'd be better with him in a role with a block of four behind for example and he doesn't have such an importance defensively.

agreed with the ohara bit. But I can see this 3 at the back becoming the new diamond formation. It worked well for one half against a crap team and now seems to be the in thing. It wasn't good at all against burnley and will provably cost us again tomorrow, especially with our injuries if he tries it again.

[colinwhite]

I wish I could say I know what Kit is going to do but I dont really have a clue if I am honest . I just hope he doesnt go with the obvious playing stearman at right back ( or even worse bodurov) with Ream and Burn in the middle and Husband at left back.
In a way his team selection is going to define my view of him from here on in . A bit harsh I know but its going to say alot about KITs management style who he picks .
I would like to see him  gamble and pick his best 11 players and work around that .
to me that would mean :

           Lewis
LVC  Stearman  Ream Husband
?  Tunnicliffe Ohara   ?
Dembelle   Ross

Lvc has the abillity and mobillity to adapt to right back .Who we then play out wide  is anyones guess and another issue .Cairney will feature ,and kaka played well against Reading but but i dont fancing him or pringle to start .
I dont know who the eleventh player would be . Im glad its not me picking the team .

[dannyboi-ffc]

Baird played left back.
Rosenior played left back.
Kelly played left back.
Richards has played left back before.
Voser has played left back.
I think Zverotic played left back.

All are right backs and it seems the obvious solution when left back options are very short. So why not the other way round? It's rare a left back covers at right back. Why not give Husband or Garbutt a go on the right?

Admittedly I was first to assume LVC but it seems strange not to consider a left back if we are that desperate

[Forever Fulham]

5 in the back?  That's crazy.  Might as well construct a bunker and a pill box. 

[colinwhite]

IVe slept on it and my prediction for Kits team is:
       

                              Lewis
 LVc      Stearman  Ream      Garbutt
Cairney  Tunniclffe Ohara    Husband
       Ross     Mousa

At least this team has a bit of dynamism . I think on consideration he probably feels obliged to play garbutt,
and it could be a really good game for him to show that he is aas good aplayer as he has been made out to be.
Danny , left side players tend to be more one -footed than right sided ones so i cant see that happening!

[Mladens Nan]

My team prediction:

Lewis
Garbutt Stearman Ream Husband
Tunnicliffe O'Hara
Cairney McCormack Kacaniklic
Dembele

[Bronaldinho]

Glad to see people moving Tunners to right-back.

More than comfortable to play there and would have the energy to support the 3/5 at the back system if we play it.

[simplyfulham]

My team prediction:

Lewis
Garbutt Stearman Ream Husband
Tunnicliffe O'Hara
Cairney McCormack Kacaniklic
Dembele

Yeah this seems most likely to me.

I wouldn't be surprised if Donnelly snuck in at right back. I've always been a fan of using players on their natural positions even if they are further down the pecking order. Rather then use players out of position who may be more accustomed to the level of the competition.