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Its looking thin if Vincent and Williams dont recover in time.

RB Shakes?
LB Smith
CB Nicho
CB CCP

Sub????????

If we have to field that defence I think we'll get beaten. :|

Looks like it would have to be that.  Either that or Pook or Brown fill in as a full back, but that would scare the crap out of me.  I agree it looks shaky, lets hope the two old heads can make it.

That's certainly a weak back 4... You'd hope with high confidence it could work in our favor.

Could be a 4-3er!!!

Does Ifil's ban start immediately then?

That combination looked comfortable at the end against Chester. If Williams is not fit and Gurney a long way off ready then how about Ince as emergency RCB partnering Nicho at LCB, with CCP at LB  and Smith at RB

Yeah I think all bans do.

As for the back line, I have full confidence in Shakes to do a competent job at FB - when he's played there before he's impressed me. But a centre back pairing of CCP and Nicholas unnerves me slightly. I'm a fan of CCP and Nico has been better this season, but the two of them together? :?

That's a superb back line - Shakes is god and can do really well at right back. Smith is in his regular position as is Nicho and CCP started as a CB, so we're laughing.
It could be so much worse.

No its not.

Only one of them is in their natural position, they are all under 25 and Nicholas has the most 1st team experience out of the lot. :shrug:

No and No to the above.

Booo with all this moaning we'd never be a team at the top of the league.

Enjoy it and have faith in the Shakes

Whos moaning?  

I'm just pointing out that in the short term -due to injuries and suspension - we may have 4 experienced 1st team defenders missing on saturday.

This will make out team weaker. it is worth discussing.

No problemo.

Just saying that 2 of these 4 are in regular positions (JS is a LB, Nicho is a CB).
And also CCP was a CB originally, moved to midfield by Iffy.
And Shakes has done a good job when asked in two previous matches.

It could be worse e.g. Lapham, Wells, Nicho, Smith.

I was hoping Wise may have got loan in this week to cover at the back.

Loan window only reopens on Friday - so that was never an option.

agreed, they looked comfortable but it was against a team who didn't really threaten us and wrexham are likely to be a much tougher opposition.

i don't think ince is anywhere near match fitness, so i'd keep it the same as it was at the end of friday's game.

Is Weston going to be fit as it looked as though he picked up a nasty knock or three against Chester. If not, does Pook come in & could Ince make the bench?

possibly, although i'd imagine that holgate would make the bench instead...

We could just play Nicho, CCP and Smith as 3 at the back. It's weak i know, but cover this with Evans and Ince both playing defensive/covering roles deep in front of the back 3 and they will get alot of protection. This way no one is playing hugely out of position and we could have an excuse to see Ince play.

-----------------Peacock--------------------Robbo--------------------------------


Brown-----------------------Weston-----------------------------------Shakes


---------------------Evans---------------Ince------------------------------------


------CCP------------------Nicho--------------------Smith----------------------

Ince is not the answer - he's a fair way from match fitness isn't he?

For this reason why aren't we mentioning Wise - he's fitter isn't he?

CCP is the only one of the inital 4 that I counted as being in position.

Smith is right fooed, and is therefor a right back.

I'm unconvinced that nicho is a centre back.

Cobian, Tuomela, Reeves, Hieselberg.

Cobian, Tuomela, Reeves, Hieselberg.

Could be worse... could be...

2. Inadequate Loan Signing
3. " "
4. " "
5. " "

 :D

Its not ideal but if JV and Adie are out ... id go with

Shakes RB
Comyn Platt LCB
Nicholas RCB
Smith LB

I Think JV Might make it tho ... but if he doesnt then it allows Ince into the team with Weston going to right wing

*shudder*

The closest we got to that was Kim, Juan, Reeeeves and van der Linden and we drew with a conference bound Exeter City.

Christian Roberts played off the bench for the Grecians that day.

I thought Shakes looked ok as a right back against Palace,although that was a pointless friendly.

I think:

Shakes  CCP  Nicho  Smith

I don't see the problem with it. Nicho and CCP are both fine in central defence, and Smith has played plenty of games on the left. Shakes isn't the ideal solution but would do for me.

The other option would be to change the formation and I'm not sure if that would be the right thing to do.

I still think that defence could hold out tbh.

Me too. Confidence in the squad is collectively high, and besides, if Wrexham do get behind them they still have a certain Mr Brezovan to deal with!

Worry not. Keep the faith  :)

I cant help but feel that some of you are getting over-confident.

I dont really want to be the VD85 suicidal voice of misery here, but unless Williams or Vincent (particually williams) are fit on saturday I think we might struggle at the back. The players we are left with are simply not that good.

I hope I'm totally wrong and we make it 7 with another clean sheet though.

Time will tell.

I'm slighlty apprehensive if we have no Williams and Vincent.  A lot of our problems last season at the back were due to inexperience and a lack of communication.  Williams and Vincent have been the cure.  Without them, I fear a similar circumstance could arise.

I'm more cautious than anything and, to me, without Ifil, Vincent and Williams it does look weak and I'm hoping player confidence will be a major factor in our performance on saturday.

 :nod:

agree with a big BUT...


..this season the teams we are coming up against are even worse, not to mention we have a much better supporting midfield ethic this season as well.

Going into a game with the possible defence being suggested would not be ideal, but is something we may well be able to cope with this season at times.

I liked Dennis Wise's comments on loan signings on the Offish wesbite.

Sounds pretty odd after years of relying on the occasional loan signing.

vincent has been inconsistent and less than impressive, so i'm not too concerned about losing him to injury.

williams and ifil on the other hand leave us short of cover, although i do believe comyn-platt and nicholas are more than capable of doing an adequate job in central defence for us, as others have said we will lack communication at the back.

a back four of smith, ccp, nicholas and shakes isn't the end of the world. henry could be recalled from his loan spell according to the wdp, so that would allow nicholas or comyn-platt to slot in at left-back, smith remain at right-back and henry in central defence.

there's always the option of throwing in a yoof player to avoid shuffling the team around too much, young lad called tom evans is due to go and play in a tournament with wales u17's - perhaps he'd be an option?

this will be our toughest test and it's become tougher with our personnel woes.

The 4 that finished the game Friday looked handy enough.

Also, in the past Wells and Pook have both played right back, infact I thought Pook played well when he was shifted to right back that time I cant really remember for that reason that didnt make sense...

But really, we must have some youth players. I know Henry is out on loan...but we must have some center backs after him.

Fingers crossed Adie and/or Jamie will make it though...

umm....we're going up as fucking champions!!!

Williams more likely to make it.
Wise can then keep his favoured back 4.
Smith Williams Nicholas CCP

I'd be happy with that, I know I've been overally critical....but Nicho looks the part this season...long may it continue....

i wouldn't call that his favoured back 4, but that's defence will keep wrexham at bay without doubt.

tbh i think on there day ccp and nicho are more than capable of doing a job.on the other hand they are capable of fucking up royally(mainly nicho).i just hope its the right day on saturday

Nicho hasnt fucked up for a while though....

Can I throw one more in here?

If (and a big if) we lose on Saturday - can we really say it was the defence?
Wrexham away would be a hard game even with the original back line and I think most people would be happy with a draw from the fully fit side.

Favoured Back FOUR as opposed to less favoured back THREE. ie the number and pattern of play rather than the actual personnel.

Come again?! :|

Dennis Wise perfers a back 4 as opposed to a back 3

Wise likes to play 442 rather than 352 so he favours a back 4 over a back 3!!!!

Valid comments. Also, if they do lose the team can say to themselves that it was due to the defense.

I feel this would help get over the loss should that happen. Hopefully, Williams and Ifil will still be full of confidence and unaffected by the loss.

The rather intriguing scenario develops of Ince being brought in and getting the chance to trample all over Darren Ferguson.....

i agree dv he hasnt and i hope that continues.just hope he can do the job saturday

that could easily have been interpreted either way, but fair enough.

i don't see anyone suggesting us playing a 3-5-2 formation anyway.

The tought of three at tthe back had crossed my mind, but its probably more sensible to stick to what's worked thus far

It's also a bit nonsensical that a returning centre back would make us less likely to play a back three.

I really hope Williams makes it but if he doesn't I think we can still be strong.  I also like Reg's proposition...

I think an Ince debut is on the cards. See what the old legs can do.

  *Disclaimer*  I've made no proposition to Amir.

has he taken it the wrong way then Reg?

 Enough of thread degeneration....I didn't see Ince playing at the back, in the way that Stef did a couple of times in an emergency...but rather the Ricky to RB, Weston wide and Ince /Evans midfield axis..

sorry. We need that Colonel off Monty Python who comes in and says "Stop that. It's getting silly".

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/7f/Graham_Chapman_Colonel.jpg

FAR TOO SILLY!

:Ride On Fatbury's Lovestick: that's the fella.

Sorry for not quite getting the jist Santini....

the thought of a back 3 makes me shudder....doubt many of the players fancy it either and Brezovan certainly won't have a clue whats going on...suppose someone could just throw 3 fingers in the air at him

Petra could always tell him what was going on

Try here:


...
Seems very sensical to me:  Barry Scott's 3 + 1 returning = 4

Getting very silly now :wink: