Ballard/Woodburn/Robson

Hooleys

Hooleys

Well-known member
So with Ballard/Woodburn/Robson all now available for selection, with the way the team is now playing and the results we’re getting, would you bring them back and at whose expense? It would be harsh on whoever lost their place though.
Ballard is the main one obviously and better than both defenders but they complement each other well, plus they are both our players and developing a good understanding and foundation for the team but you want your best eleven?

Plus Anderson and Williams and Virtue to come back too!
 
There is enough games coming up where they will all likely feature due to the Sat/Tues/Sat fixture list.
Very few starting XI's ever remain the exact same week after week, even less so with such congestion.
What puts us at an advantage is that we seemingly have so many players capable of stepping in if needed without too much disruption.
Our bench yesterday was as strong as I can ever remember seeing.
 
Hooleys said:
So with Ballard/Woodburn/Robson all now available for selection, with the way the team is now playing and the results we’re getting, would you bring them back and at whose expense? It would be harsh on whoever lost their place though.
Ballard is the main one obviously and better than both defenders but they complement each other well, plus they are both our players and developing a good understanding and foundation for the team but you want your best eleven?

Plus Anderson and Williams and Virtue to come back too!
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Having had a break prior to the Posh game, the team should be relatively fresh. Barring injuries I wouldn't make any changes for the Doncaster game. Perhaps the FA Cup tie will provide an opportunity to squad rotate.
 
Hooleys said:
Personally not his biggest fan, but watched him yesterday more closely to see what he does, what I did notice was his quick rotation of tge back taking it from defenders and releasing it quickly keeping play moving. ??
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I think grant gets far too much stick , works hard in there and confident on the ball , critch clearly likes him and that's good enough for me
 
You cannot change a team after that performance!
Only forced changes for Tuesday and then some fresh faces on Saturday.
We face an inform Pompey the following Tuesday.
 
Hooleys said:
Personally not his biggest fan, but watched him yesterday more closely to see what he does, what I did notice was his quick rotation of tge back taking it from defenders and releasing it quickly keeping play moving. ??
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Probably his best game yesterday & his defensive duties have surprised me.
Just think Robson has more to offer overall.
 
Woodburn has done nothing to deserve to come back yet. Yes, he's a Liverpool player but I think Kemp, Sullay, Yates, CJ and even Bez have all had a better game than Woodburn's best game for us. That's not saying he won't get back or that we've seen his true ability, just I think players need to play on merit and not reputation.
 
I felt Dougall basically made up for Ward yesterday, to some extent anyway. The peroxide hair was everywhere.

Kenny D with Robson will make us stronger in the middle I reckon when they get match time together. Time will tell.

Did we make Posh look rubbish yesterday or did they contribute to that? They seemed to lack belief and energy and their passing was terrible. And that front three is supposed to be the best in the league. And what happened to Mo Eisa? Wasn't he good last season?

We'll find out how good we truly are soon, got a tough run of league games now - Donny away, Pompey, Cods away, Oxford, Hull, Accy away, Sunderland away. I think we can match these teams, but need to take our chances more than we have been doing.
 
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voyeur said:
I felt Dougall basically made up for Ward yesterday. 1.5 plus 0.5. The peroxide hair was everywhere.

Kenny D with Robson will make us stronger in the middle I reckon when they get match time together.

Did we make Posh look rubbish yesterday or did they contribute to that? They seemed to lack belief and energy and their passing was terrible. And that front three is supposed to be the best in the league. And what happened to Mo Eisa? Wasn't he good last season?

We'll find out how good we truly are soon, got a tough run of league games now - Donny away, Pompey, Cods away, Oxford, Hull, Accy away, Sunderland away. I think we can match these teams, but need to take our chances more than we have been doing.
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Eisa was good in League 2 with Scunny. As we've been told with Hamilton, it's a big step up 😉
 
BlackpoolsFinest said:
There is enough games coming up where they will all likely feature due to the Sat/Tues/Sat fixture list.
Very few starting XI's ever remain the exact same week after week, even less so with such congestion.
What puts us at an advantage is that we seemingly have so many players capable of stepping in if needed without too much disruption.
Our bench yesterday was as strong as I can ever remember seeing.
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Strong and balanced.
 
Wizaard said:
Eisa was good in League 2 with Scunny. As we've been told with Hamilton, it's a big step up 😉
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Jeez, you're having a a bad time Wiz.😉 There's two Eisa's The one at Peterboro played for them last season and they got him from Cheltenham. The other Eisa is still at Scunny and scored for them in midweek
 
20togo said:
Jeez, you're having a a bad time Wiz.😉 There's two Eisa's The one at Peterboro played for them last season and they got him from Cheltenham. The other Eisa is still at Scunny and scored for them in midweek
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Hold my hand up on this one.
 
Ballard would definitely come in for Ekpiteta for me as he is just much better than him. The rest will have to win their place back.
 
Wizaard said:
Hold my hand up on this one.
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no problem. I think they are brothers. P'boro signed their Eisa from Cheltenham for big money where he'd had a good season goals wise. He started vey well for P'boro last season and he looked very good at Bloomfield Rd. Not certain but late season his goals dried up and i think he found himself on the bench which is where he's been this season.
 
I'd take Robson over Ward.

Other than that I'd say keep it the same. I'd 100% of said Ballard over Gretarson with his first couple of performances but he looked solid last night.
 
voyeur said:
I felt Dougall basically made up for Ward yesterday, to some extent anyway. The peroxide hair was everywhere.

Kenny D with Robson will make us stronger in the middle I reckon when they get match time together. Time will tell.

Did we make Posh look rubbish yesterday or did they contribute to that? They seemed to lack belief and energy and their passing was terrible. And that front three is supposed to be the best in the league. And what happened to Mo Eisa? Wasn't he good last season?

We'll find out how good we truly are soon, got a tough run of league games now - Donny away, Pompey, Cods away, Oxford, Hull, Accy away, Sunderland away. I think we can match these teams, but need to take our chances more than we have been doing.
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I think the first comment is a bit unfair on ward, he quietly goes about his game, breaks up play, moves it on, makes himself available for passes out of defence moves the ball on. He rarely does anything particularly exciting but the last few games i think hes been pretty good. We are now comparing him to Dougal who has been exceptional. Id still swap Robson for Ward, hes more of a box to box player and has a goal or two in him.

Interesting point about did we make Posh look bad, or did they contribute. DF seemed to think that they created their own problems, but personally we were just a much better side. Most if not all teams in L1 will not like JY in the face of their two or even three centre backs, which you can't defend against and will force them into at least a couple of mistakes, the only option then is to go long which the viking and Epki and Ballard when he plays deal with reasonably well, and with a player like Dougall picking up the pieces we have a better than average chance of controlling a long ball game now I think.

you're right about taking chances, like ive said elsewhere there is going to be a team that we really take apart of we play like that or even close to it every week.
 
Personally I would leave the starting eleven well alone , the confidence in that side must be sky high at the moment , it only needs to be changed for injuries, or tactical reasons during a game. If someone has a howler then that is different but to change for the sake of it would be sense in my opinion
 
I think with this Saturday Tuesday run we are going into we'll need replacements anyway. My instincts would be to keep it steady and not tinker too much at all. Players that come in for injuries and suspensions will have to perform to keep a shirt. Plus we can use the balanced, strong bench mentioned above in the all important 60-98 minute section that seems to be more the norm these days.....
 
Different players for different opposition, all good players so feeling pretty confident the more they all get to play together the more the squad will grow together.
 
Costero Poderoso said:
I think the first comment is a bit unfair on ward, he quietly goes about his game, breaks up play, moves it on, makes himself available for passes out of defence moves the ball on. He rarely does anything particularly exciting but the last few games i think hes been pretty good. We are now comparing him to Dougal who has been exceptional. Id still swap Robson for Ward, hes more of a box to box player and has a goal or two in him.

Interesting point about did we make Posh look bad, or did they contribute. DF seemed to think that they created their own problems, but personally we were just a much better side. Most if not all teams in L1 will not like JY in the face of their two or even three centre backs, which you can't defend against and will force them into at least a couple of mistakes, the only option then is to go long which the viking and Epki and Ballard when he plays deal with reasonably well, and with a player like Dougall picking up the pieces we have a better than average chance of controlling a long ball game now I think.

you're right about taking chances, like ive said elsewhere there is going to be a team that we really take apart of we play like that or even close to it every week.
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Yes the Ward bit felt a tad unfair when I wrote it but felt yesterday that CJ and Kaikai didn't play particularly well and that Ward as usual wasn't bad but wasn't terribly influential either. And that Dougall seemed to make up for all of that. Maybe I should watch the game again.
 
Gretarsson can play as a left back, I believe, so one option would be to replace Hubby with Ballard and play Greta at LB.
 
voyeur said:
Yes the Ward bit felt a tad unfair when I wrote it but felt yesterday that CJ and Kaikai didn't play particularly well and that Ward as usual wasn't bad but wasn't terribly influential either. And that Dougall seemed to make up for all of that. Maybe I should watch the game again.
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i dont think missing tywo sitte helped Kaikai yesterday and he was in and out of the game, as was CJ. there is a multi pronged attack CJ or Kaikai or Madine or Yates might have a couple of players on them but defences cant put two players on each of them. they will both have better games in the future but saying that they did both provide assists so - - - -
 
Wizaard said:
When is Garbutt due back?
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Supposed to be back in training.
I know you're not a Hubby fan and I'm well aware of his weaknesses. I'm still not sure. Hubby strength is his ruthlessness.
"They shall not pass" which can also be his downfall.
I've not seen enough of Garbutt yet but the little I have seen didn't make me think "wow".
So for now if I was manager I'd let Hubby keep the shirt.
Tough call and I'd certainly be looking at alternatives in the 2 Cup competitions.
 
Critchley obviously rates Hubby as after the recent disciplinary issues it would have been very easy to cast him into the wilderness. I agree he brings an edge to matters that Nottingham didn’t.
 
The weakest part of the team is the defense. Ballard is a must for me, for either centre half, but Ekpiteta could do with a break. I also didnt think Kaikai had his best game yesterday, and I would play Kemp in his place. Maybe that would motivate Kaikai.
 
Mohammed Eisa: Bristol City - Peterborough.
Abobaker Eisa: Colchester - Scunthorpe
 
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southshore said:
The weakest part of the team is the defense. Ballard is a must for me, for either centre half, but Ekpiteta could do with a break. I also didnt think Kaikai had his best game yesterday, and I would play Kemp in his place. Maybe that would motivate Kaikai.
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11 teams have conceded more goals than us,
17 teams have scored more than us,
in League One.
Those facts don't support that.
 
Insider said:
Supposed to be back in training.
I know you're not a Hubby fan and I'm well aware of his weaknesses. I'm still not sure. Hubby strength is his ruthlessness.
"They shall not pass" which can also be his downfall.
I've not seen enough of Garbutt yet but the little I have seen didn't make me think "wow".
So for now if I was manager I'd let Hubby keep the shirt.
Tough call and I'd certainly be looking at alternatives in the 2 Cup competitions.
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I'm thinking that Hubby will be approaching a ban. Marv is one yellow away from a one match ban.
 
Sorry been away a bit. Yep, forgot the Bristol City bit, I knew he'd had a good season at Cheltenham.
 
Ballard for the Viking and Robson for Ward on Tuesday night for me - not seen so much of Woodburn yet to know what I'd do with him but he'll get time in the Harrogate and Cods EFL Cup games.
 
BFC76 said:
Ballard for the Viking and Robson for Ward on Tuesday night for me - not seen so much of Woodburn yet to know what I'd do with him but he'll get time in the Harrogate and Cods EFL Cup games.
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Drop Gretarsson after his display on Saturday? And replace with a right sided player? I'd be more inclined to rest Marv. Or leave it alone.

Maybe Woodburn for Kaikai.
 
voyeur said:
Drop Gretarsson after his display on Saturday? And replace with a right sided player? I'd be more inclined to rest Marv. Or leave it alone.

Maybe Woodburn for Kaikai.
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Sends a terrible message. Have your best game marshalling a massive centre forward and keeping him extremely quiet and then get dropped.

Sorry not for me. Same 11 but maybe I would swap Ward and Robson around. Robson looked great when he came on.
 
SeasideKurt said:
Sends a terrible message. Have your best game marshalling a massive centre forward and keeping him extremely quiet and then get dropped.

Sorry not for me. Same 11 but maybe I would swap Ward and Robson around. Robson looked great when he came on.
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I'd go Robson too.
 
I think Anderson thought he was a shoe in before his injury and looked pretty lazy to me. Nice to see the work rate he put in on his cameo when he came on. I was a bit worried when we changed the midfield last 10 minutes against Posh but if anything it freshener it up and Robson ruled the show with some pin point passes.
 
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