Team Vs Brighton

[nose returns]

I like OP's team a lot. Maybe Schurrle in for Sess just because he's capable of that moment of magic that could potentially win us a game and I don't think Sess is.

hasn't it been sess moment of magics lately that have actually helped us get points and win us a game.  Schurrles moments of magic have contributed to 3 points all season

sess 5 assists and two goals, nobody else anywhere close to that. also, assists which a stat I dislike are often dependant on the players in the box finishing. I think sess has been one of our most consistently good performers but not used that well.

Schurrle got 6 goals, our second top scorer this season.
I don't have a preference on Sess vs. Schurrle but do think if Sess was the ex World cup winner signed on loan and Schurrle was a product of our academy then everyone would be calling for Schurrle to continue starting games..

I like shurrle alright and think he gets a bad press here ( I was not so sure when he joined but he has really got his down in recent games and is really trying) . it seemed to me he worked very hard against spurs and he absolutely has a goal or two in him. I happen to think sess's best position is left side midfield and we should be playing a fluid 4 3 3 or 4 4 2, and now we have babel i think he could easilly partner mitro as a two. but the only thing is, schurrle has no assists (a stat i still do not like) and compared to others I think that is telling, he does have a tendency to shoot when really alternative options are better, and even though he has a world cup winners medal, it's what he does for us that counts. If he starts I do not have an issue, it is how the team lines up in genral that concerns me.

[fulhamben]

Is anyone calling for Betts to start, or any of our other academy players? And look at schurrles goals, only 2 of them came in a game that meant anything. How can anyone deny that we look worse when he plays. Mitro also looked far superior when he had sess and kamara running off of him. Now kamara has gone, but reverting back to schurrle doesn't work. It hasn't all season and won't magically start working in the remaining games. I don't care what he did for previous clubs, its what he does for us that counts, and literally all he does is shoot from anywhere, with the vast majority of shots being pointless possession losers

he's scored in the games that do mean something in my opinion, those are the games against sides around us (Burnley x 2, Brighton, Cardiff, Southampton). He's infuriating at times but i'd much rather have his goals in the team than not.

Quite. That's goals in games that have earned us 7 points. So you could say he's made a big contribution to 50% of our points this season.

That's hardly 'goals that mean nothing' is it?

his late goal against Burnley didn't really mean anything did it, nor did his goal against Burnley at home or Cardiff. All I know is we are not as good when he plays, and are nearly dead certs for relegation in a season where he has started most matches. Yes our defence is poor, but none of the other positions are much better. A good attack eases pressure on our defence, which hasn't happened in our last few games. Babel looks to be in the ak mould as opposed to schurrle so there might be hope yet

[PokerMatt]

Is anyone calling for Betts to start, or any of our other academy players? And look at schurrles goals, only 2 of them came in a game that meant anything. How can anyone deny that we look worse when he plays. Mitro also looked far superior when he had sess and kamara running off of him. Now kamara has gone, but reverting back to schurrle doesn't work. It hasn't all season and won't magically start working in the remaining games. I don't care what he did for previous clubs, its what he does for us that counts, and literally all he does is shoot from anywhere, with the vast majority of shots being pointless possession losers

he's scored in the games that do mean something in my opinion, those are the games against sides around us (Burnley x 2, Brighton, Cardiff, Southampton). He's infuriating at times but i'd much rather have his goals in the team than not.

Quite. That's goals in games that have earned us 7 points. So you could say he's made a big contribution to 50% of our points this season.

That's hardly 'goals that mean nothing' is it?

his late goal against Burnley didn't really mean anything did it, nor did his goal against Burnley at home or Cardiff. All I know is we are not as good when he plays, and are nearly dead certs for relegation in a season where he has started most matches. Yes our defence is poor, but none of the other positions are much better. A good attack eases pressure on our defence, which hasn't happened in our last few games. Babel looks to be in the ak mould as opposed to schurrle so there might be hope yet

I'd say the 4th at 3-2 when we were under pressure is very important, but you can choose your own way of reading it. That game was far from won.

There's a lot of talk of Schurrle not doing enough defensively and I can see the point. Fact is he's our second top scorer and our defensive issues are with the defenders first and foremost. You still need to score goals.

We have much bigger issues than Schurrle and it's having a back 5 with only one (currently injured) Premier league standard player.

[davew]

No matter which team we pick, and players we choose, and leave out amongst the squad. We can all select a different line up, it will not matter I do not think.
As I cannot see this current squad of players being good enough to pick up enough points to avoid the drop.
That's why I do not bother choosing my 11 and bench.
It's a team not made for fighting for survival, not enough leaders, not enough fighters, not enough characters, not enough winners, not enough warriors to hold it together.
Too many high maintenance players who don't really give a monkeys, too many lightweights that will roll over when the going gets tough.
We very rarely hold on to a lead, as there appears to be no genuine will to fight from some players.
If you don't believe me, just look at the League Table, that does not lie, and the goals against tally.
Just look at the effort and workrate and commitment or lack of it from some players, let alone their body language, and I haven't even mentioned the obvious lack of communication amongst certain players.
So currently no team sheet from me, the Manager will disagree and select a different team anyway.
Please do not misunderstand, but these are the facts.
I hope I am completely wrong, and want to be wrong, and the team bounces back starting against Brighton and we are on a role and a mission, but where is the evidence to suggest that. 

100% with you, no team sheet suggested by me either, just pick numbers out of a hat, maybe we will end up with 1 goalkeeper and 10 defenders and we still wouldn't keep a clean sheet!

[Woolly Mammoth]

No matter which team we pick, and players we choose, and leave out amongst the squad. We can all select a different line up, it will not matter I do not think.
As I cannot see this current squad of players being good enough to pick up enough points to avoid the drop.
That's why I do not bother choosing my 11 and bench.
It's a team not made for fighting for survival, not enough leaders, not enough fighters, not enough characters, not enough winners, not enough warriors to hold it together.
Too many high maintenance players who don't really give a monkeys, too many lightweights that will roll over when the going gets tough.
We very rarely hold on to a lead, as there appears to be no genuine will to fight from some players.
If you don't believe me, just look at the League Table, that does not lie, and the goals against tally.
Just look at the effort and workrate and commitment or lack of it from some players, let alone their body language, and I haven't even mentioned the obvious lack of communication amongst certain players.
So currently no team sheet from me, the Manager will disagree and select a different team anyway.
Please do not misunderstand, but these are the facts.
I hope I am completely wrong, and want to be wrong, and the team bounces back starting against Brighton and we are on a role and a mission, but where is the evidence to suggest that. 

100% with you, no team sheet suggested by me either, just pick numbers out of a hat, maybe we will end up with 1 goalkeeper and 10 defenders and we still wouldn't keep a clean sheet!

Yes, you can say that again.

[elgreenio]

Is anyone calling for Betts to start, or any of our other academy players? And look at schurrles goals, only 2 of them came in a game that meant anything. How can anyone deny that we look worse when he plays. Mitro also looked far superior when he had sess and kamara running off of him. Now kamara has gone, but reverting back to schurrle doesn't work. It hasn't all season and won't magically start working in the remaining games. I don't care what he did for previous clubs, its what he does for us that counts, and literally all he does is shoot from anywhere, with the vast majority of shots being pointless possession losers

he's scored in the games that do mean something in my opinion, those are the games against sides around us (Burnley x 2, Brighton, Cardiff, Southampton). He's infuriating at times but i'd much rather have his goals in the team than not.

Quite. That's goals in games that have earned us 7 points. So you could say he's made a big contribution to 50% of our points this season.

That's hardly 'goals that mean nothing' is it?

his late goal against Burnley didn't really mean anything did it, nor did his goal against Burnley at home or Cardiff. All I know is we are not as good when he plays, and are nearly dead certs for relegation in a season where he has started most matches. Yes our defence is poor, but none of the other positions are much better. A good attack eases pressure on our defence, which hasn't happened in our last few games. Babel looks to be in the ak mould as opposed to schurrle so there might be hope yet

I'd say the 4th at 3-2 when we were under pressure is very important, but you can choose your own way of reading it. That game was far from won.

There's a lot of talk of Schurrle not doing enough defensively and I can see the point. Fact is he's our second top scorer and our defensive issues are with the defenders first and foremost. You still need to score goals.

We have much bigger issues than Schurrle and it's having a back 5 with only one (currently injured) Premier league standard player.

I dont follow your logic here either Ben unfortunately.

His late goal against Burnley didnt mean anything, apart from giving a team notoriously poor in the last 15mins (worst in the league by a few if I recall) an almost guaranteed win.

The goals against Cardiff, Brighton and Burnley (A) all gave us leads in games....

Yes he could do a lot more defensively (i'd argue he puts himself about a bit more than Sess by the way) but we're also playing with 6 defenders and another defensively minded midfielder, surely they should be able to stem the flow a bit.


It's nice to actually argue who should be in the team for once rather than scratching around and figuring out how we can drop all our players when there's nobody even partly adequate to replace them

[filham]

We put in a performance against Spurs and matched them for 92 minutes, lets stay with that line up. Babel should be a shade fitter by now. Too late now to think of drafting in any new late window signings.

[Twig]

Rico

Christie Odoi Le Marchand Bryan

Seri Chambers

Babel Cairney Sessegnon

Mitrovic

Betts, Ream, S Sess, Anguissa, Kebano, Schurrle, Vietto

May as well try and start taking on the opposition, we aren't going to stay up, so may as well enjoy it while we can.

Absolutely this

[Matt10]

Same set up as Spurs. We kept it at 1-1 against a good side, why couldn't we do the same, if not better, against Brighton. Only way to really push the lineup further. Excited to see the front three continue their development with each other as well.

                         Rico

        Odoi    LeMarchand    Ream   

   Christie    Chambers   Seri     Bryan

        Schurrle      Mitro      Babel

Subs: Betts, Cairney, Sess, Kebano, Cisse, Vietto, Ayite

[ffcne]

Cairney for Seri if we seriously want to win the game.
Otherwise you have 2 defensive midfielders.
Need Cairney to get on the ball and link with front 3.
Seri did  a decent job against Spurs but we need
to dominate possession.

[Mince n Tatties]

Bettinelli is back in goal Tuesday.

[the nutflush]

Cairney for Seri if we seriously want to win the game.
Otherwise you have 2 defensive midfielders.
Need Cairney to get on the ball and link with front 3.
Seri did  a decent job against Spurs but we need
to dominate possession.

This plus Betts in for Ric plus Sess starting in place of Schurrle = 2 nil win.

[ffcne]

Cairney for Seri if we seriously want to win the game.
Otherwise you have 2 defensive midfielders.
Need Cairney to get on the ball and link with front 3.
Seri did  a decent job against Spurs but we need
to dominate possession.

This plus Betts in for Ric plus Sess starting in place of Schurrle = 2 nil win.

I think you are right .Betts deserves another chance and Sess needs a start .

[rogerpbackinMidEastUS]

Rico
Odoi - McDonald - Le Marchand - Bryan
Schürrle - Chambers - Seri - R Sessegnon
Babel - Mitrovic

Bench: Bettinelli, Christie, Ream, Cisse, Johansen, Cairney & Kebano

That's not too bad a team

[The Rational Fan]

no changes from the Spurs lineup.

That was easy wasnt it

The Starting XI was good but the bench and substitutions need to be rethought, plus cannot we have some of nexts Championship Squad arriving 6 months early for next season (like a CB and CF).

[davew]

no changes from the Spurs lineup.

That was easy wasnt it

The Starting XI was good but the bench and substitutions need to be rethought, plus cannot we have some of nexts Championship Squad arriving 6 months early for next season (like a CB and CF).

Or start giving some of our youngsters a game?

[toshes mate]

If one of these doesn't have Christie or Schurrle that's the one for me.

I agree.  Christie just lacks nous to my mind, and Schurrle is just too wrapped up in his own performances.

Would like to see the other young Sessegnon given a chance to show what he can do on the right flank simply because he cannot be any worse than what I have witnessed so far.  He has pace too, an advantage when attacking and defending.

Just don't see it happening though.