Unchanged team for Wigan?

[zeberdee]

Is everyone fit? Did Granero play himself out of a starting place? Mackie/SWP as forwards or give Cisse another run out?

I think defending en mass and hit Wigan with Mackie/SWP running on to long through balls has the best percentage of success because it has the fewest moving parts (Hoofer+Mackie=gooooooooal) ! Notable how many ran out of ideas last half hour vs Wigan so cannot rely on them weaving a way through Wigan/anyone.

Not sure about Granero, nor that lad who farted about to give Villa the opening for the goal, trouble is one you start really looking there are players who are underperforming less under Harry but still underperforming. But then who is there to replace them.

For reference here is the line up vs Villa:

Queens Park Rangers
01 Green
03 Traore
06 Hill
17 Nelsen
19 Bosingwa
02 Diakite (Hoilett - 69' )
10 Taarabt
11 Wright-Phillips
14 Granero (Park Ji-sung - 46' )
40 M'bia (Derry - 39' Booked )
12 Mackie

Substitutes
26 Murphy
05 Ferdinand
20 Fabio
04 Derry
07 Park Ji-sung
09 Cisse
23 Hoilett

[qpr4life]

Same team to start for me, However I would 100 drop Granero and start park or Hoillet.

[MattyRangers]

Id go same side tbh. Although Im a big Cisse fan, Mackie has more than eared his spot in the starting 11 and I think we played well vs Villa - its important to get a settled side.

Although Granero had a poor game, he is a very good player and I would stick with him definitley.

[zeberdee]

Is there a DM who could play instead of Granero?

Also vs Villa who was it played the long through balls to Mackie/SWP ? They were high quality rather than hoofs.

[qpr4life]

Is there a DM who could play instead of Granero?

Also vs Villa who was it played the long through balls to Mackie/SWP ? They were high quality rather than hoofs.

What do you mean?

[zeberdee]

What do you mean?

For the DM I mean a defensive midfielder, another brick in the wall to shield the defence. A player who holds and tackles rather than go forward. Granero was a mixed bag vs Villa I thought. Assuming it was not chasing a ball down that lead to getting hooked off. Might be that an extra DM keeping it solid etc to half time is the way to go vs Wigan then got the option to loosen up second half.

For the long balls I did not see/don't recall who supplied Mackie/SWP with the front to back balls. They seemed very threatening and got a lot of bang for a little buck.

[qpr4life]

For the DM I mean a defensive midfielder, another brick in the wall to shield the defence. A player who holds and tackles rather than go forward. Granero was a mixed bag vs Villa I thought. Assuming it was not chasing a ball down that lead to getting hooked off. Might be that an extra DM keeping it solid etc to half time is the way to go vs Wigan then got the option to loosen up second half.

For the long balls I did not see/don't recall who supplied Mackie/SWP with the front to back balls. They seemed very threatening and got a lot of bang for a little buck.

I understand what a Defensive Midfielder is...

I just wanted to know how you was going to play this....

Granero has been playing a winger role essentially although some will argue that we lined up 4-3-3 on Saturday and therefore you could swap him for a DM

My point is bringing ANOTHER DM wouldnt work.

I would Line up like this for Wigan. IMO You cant drop anyone apart from Granero. (Although I do rate the guy - His best role is CM/AM IMO)
--------------------Mackie
------------Adel
SWP --- Mbia ---Samba --- Park/Hoillet

[The Godfather]

Would drop Granero for Faurlin - apart from that keep the same team.

[zeberdee]

Making CM extra solid by adding a DM and then attacking on the flanks using Boswinga/SWP also Mackie could run into channels is an option I think.
Looking at Villa second half how much incisive intelligent attacking play was there. There was effort but also slipping over and passing straight to the opposition too.
We can make all sorts of explanations for it, lost 3 of the starting midfield, mbia looked very serious, conditions were not ideal, nervous tension in the air etc
But maybe it is also because they just aint there yet and more bypassing of midfield and working on the flanks and long through balls is a possible band aid until/unless the squad can be improved.
It is not ideal but looks an option to consider imo. What cannot work about that?

[qpr4life]

Wigan away is a totally different game once again - We cant play 4-3-3 there...

I cant see us playing 3 along the middle - If we did Faurlin may get a shout

Away from home - Tight game against a hard team (Always tricky to say how Wigan will be)

[paulmason]

------- Mbia - Diakite -------
- Park - Granero - Taarabt -
----------- Mackie -----------

[zeberdee]

Id go same side tbh. Although Im a big Cisse fan, Mackie has more than eared his spot in the starting 11 and I think we played well vs Villa - its important to get a settled side.

Although Granero had a poor game, he is a very good player and I would stick with him definitley.

Yeah I think one balance sticking rather than twisting looks best. At sunderland defence/midfield functioned but not attack, vs Villa all parts of the side at least functioned so build on that. Possible things in training that we don't know about but from the outside Granero looks the most likely candidate for change. If Haim has been at the club for a few days might see him at the bench.

[Felt]

Green

Bosingwa Nelsen Hill Traore

Mbia Diakite

SWP Taarabt Hoilett

Mackie

[qpr4life]

------- Mbia - Diakite -------
- Park - Granero - Taarabt -
----------- Mackie -----------

I like this - Compact but also ability to get wide

[Graham Norton]

Don't think I'd change it all, especially as Hoilett didn't look interested when he came on against Villa... One option is to bring Cisse in for Granero but that'd force Taarabt to play deeper and I'm sure that'd reduce his impact.