Who else thinks Odoi and Seri should start?

[Bassey the warrior]

Starting to feel like a bit of a lone voice here. I know both have made mistakes but they add things their replacements don't have.

Odoi is our quickest centre back so can cover players. Seri is our best passer alongside Cairney and he also puts a lot of tackles in, I'm afraid Anguissa as of yet puts fewer tackles in and McDonald is always very safe with the ball, rarely plays decisive passes. Johansen offers bite but yet to fully make the step up, I hope he will.

[MJG]

I dont think your a lone voice on Odoi. If anything I know of only maybe one or two other posters who agree with me that Odoi should not be at CB.

[Woolly Mammoth]

As much as I admire Odoi for his commitment and application and his tenacity on the pitch over 90 minutes.
If we are to survive and stay up, we need an alternative at CB, if not with immediate effect, certainly by January. Which in some ways is a shame because he shows he cares which is more than I can say for one or two others so far.
He may prove me wrong, but I feel we need a step up in quality one way or another.
He is not an orthodox centre back, he has adjusted as well as he can, and all credit to him for that, but he is not a natural.

[Baszab]

Odoi - 100% should start
Seri - should be dropped unless Zambo not fit and ready to play

[bigalffc]

Odoi is our best CB option currently and should stay, Seri however, should not even make the bench.

[Moltobueno]

Supporting the topic starter - although I wouldn't mind seeing Anguissa over Seri.

[KJS]

I think that they should both start in fact I would keep the same team with Shurle replacing Johanson and Kamara in for Sess

[S.F.Sorrow]

Odoi should definitely start. If we had another usable CB I would have loved to see Odoi at RB though. Not sure if he has the pace for playing RB in the prem but it was definitely his best position in the Championship IMO. I want more of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4o85-mfdaY   :Haynes The Maestro:

Seri... not so sure. I think he's been getting worse every game but I still don't think we have anyone better. Something just isn't right. Surely this isn't the player that Barcelona, etc. wanted? I mean, he's definitely a quality player but for some reason it really isn't working out for him here.

[davew]

Odoi should definitely play, Seri is playing like a player who should only be valued at a few million not like what he claims he was worth! The sooner the January window starts the better, we need to strengthen our defence, our midfield and certainly need a quality striker capable of playing in the PL, we only have 1 at the moment!

[Mullers OG]

Odoi would be one of the first names I'd put down on the team sheet together with Mitro.  Although I'm a Betts fan (and I hope he makes it in due course) I'd also put Rico's name on the sheet at the beginning.

Whether in the long run Odoi should be at right back is a moot point.  At the moment his partnership with Mawson seems to be developing.  So far this season Odoi has been the one player in the back 4 who looks like a premiership player and, what's more, someone who looks as if it really matters to him.  We may have shipped a load of goals but without him it would have been far worse, in my opinion.  We need a big stroppy CH in January and then perhaps Odoi can move to RB which is a position where we look light. 

Seri is an enigma.  There's clearly a proper footballer hiding away inside him but, as yet, we've only seen glimpses of it.  I think Ranieri will persevere for the moment with him.

[epsomraver]

Odoi is our best CB option currently and should stay, Seri however, should not even make the bench.

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[filham]

Odoi - 100% should start
Seri - should be dropped unless Zambo not fit and ready to play
[/quote

[Woolly Mammoth]

Agree mainly about Odoi for the moment. But not convinced in the long term. Fulham definitely need an alternative in January.
As for Seri, he is a risk, as I am not sure he has the mental strength and tenacity required in a scrap.

[Sting of the North]

Odoi should start without the shadow of a doubt in my opinion. Been our best CB this season, and I disagree with those saying that he's not a PL quality CB.

Seri should also start, since he is better than the alternatives. However, would like to see him have a really good game now since it's been a while since he had one.

[Deeping_white]

Depending on whether Mawson can be coached to play as a right sided centre half so that MLM can play as a LCB, I'd keep Odoi in because we don't have another natural right sided CB, and it seems that Chambers is a holding midfielder for the foreseeable future. Either move Chambers back into that spot immediately or wait until Jan if we're not going to coach Mawson into adjusting.

Seri yes I'd also keep him in. He's become a scapegoat for people who aren't willing to look at what he does in games and instead chastise him for other players mistakes and make up various excuses as to why they wouldn't play him. "He can't tackle" but makes the second most tackles in the Chelsea game and joint most in the Southampton game, "he gives the ball away all the time" makes the most amount of passes out of everyone in our team in the Southampton and Chelsea games. You don't see anyone crucifying Chambers for twatting the ball 50 yards down the line to nowhere but heaven forbid Seri tries to pass to a Fulham player and doesn't make it because suddenly he's not got his heart in it or he's a waste of money or however else someone wants to describe it.

[filham]

This is the problem area, the back four and the midfield. The midfield was our strength last season but now we are getting over run time and again. Both Seri and Anguissa arrived at the Cottage with good reputations but so far have been failures and are in need of a spell of bench warming.

The success in the last three games has been Chambers, he should stay and McDonald should be recalled.

[toshes mate]

Odoi would be one of the first names I'd put down on the team sheet together with Mitro.  Although I'm a Betts fan (and I hope he makes it in due course) I'd also put Rico's name on the sheet at the beginning.

Whether in the long run Odoi should be at right back is a moot point.  At the moment his partnership with Mawson seems to be developing.  So far this season Odoi has been the one player in the back 4 who looks like a premiership player and, what's more, someone who looks as if it really matters to him.  We may have shipped a load of goals but without him it would have been far worse, in my opinion.  We need a big stroppy CH in January and then perhaps Odoi can move to RB which is a position where we look light. 

Seri is an enigma.  There's clearly a proper footballer hiding away inside him but, as yet, we've only seen glimpses of it.  I think Ranieri will persevere for the moment with him.

Agree with you on all points.  Odoi plays as if every game is his last chance to show what he can do.  He'll do that wherever you play him.  I believe the exploitation of our defensive weakness, and no team is without them, is largely down to failure to show upponents what damage we can inflict on them when they lose the ball.  Teams quickly learn when opponents are not winning fifty/fifty balls in midfield that pressure will pay off because of that frailty.  Our full backs, IMO, are also too lacking in quality as attacking forces which seems as important to Ranieri's strategy as it was to Jokanovic.  Seri may be distracted by events off the pitch but, as a seasoned professional, he should be more than capable of approaching his best when in a FFC shirt.  It is just that FFC need to find the best position for him and, arguably, that is as a straight swap for Cairney as a playmaker.  I just do not see him as a natural ball winner.

As for tonight's game I really would not want to be in Ranieri's shoes picking a side right now.  Rico, Mawson, Odoi, Chambers, and Mitrovic should be certain starters but, elsewhere I haven't a clue.   

[nose returns]

Starting to feel like a bit of a lone voice here. I know both have made mistakes but they add things their replacements don't have.

Odoi is our quickest centre back so can cover players. Seri is our best passer alongside Cairney and he also puts a lot of tackles in, I'm afraid Anguissa as of yet puts fewer tackles in and McDonald is always very safe with the ball, rarely plays decisive passes. Johansen offers bite but yet to fully make the step up, I hope he will.

I think odoi has to start, he brings much more to the party than he takes away.

Seri is more tricky. He came with a massive reputation and has spectacularly underperformed. His lack of judgment and fist touch far too often dropping us right in it. I also feel he lacks the same work ethic as the players we had last season. And yet i feel there is a good player in him, but not at the moment and for that reason, namely poor form, a spell on the bench would seem to be a good idea. It may 'concentrate' his mind.

[Sting of the North]

I just want to say that this is a really positive thread, wherein posters (at least mostly) argue without the need to brand anyone player as crap. It is refreshing to see, so please keep it going!

[Spirit of 2000]

Odoi is a funny one - always a mistake in him and ideally he's that incredibly useful squad player who gets plenty of game time as he gives a decent and commited performance anywhere in the back 4 when a full back or CB is out. He shouldn't be an automatic starter at this level though and the issue is Mawson and can he play on the right side of the the CB pairing? If he can't then do we play Ream on his wrong side? Not ideal. Chambers is the obvious optionb but he's doing an amzing job at DM right now and we would be foolish to take him from tyhere - especially considering his stints for us in the back 4 have been much less impressive. TFM? Not for me - wouldn't think he's disciplined enough to slot into central defence. It's an issue for Ranieri to solve and maybe he'll do so in January - for me the options are leave Odoi there for the next few games and get someone in January or try Maswon (who is right footed predominantly) on the right side. Seri? Bench 100%.