Team for Brighton

[SPARTA]

Even excluding last year we rarely have 50% of possession in a game

You haven't taken much notice of our possession stats this season then?

[CayeneMatt]

Fully expecting Blackman to get the nod again. Also wondering if Pog will feature given NA's comments about his 'Pavel chat' and 'fresh start'....

[AkpansBFF]

Mccarthy
Gunter Morrison Pearce Bridge
Guthrie Karacan
McCleary Williams Drenthe
Alf

Federici Kelly Cooper Hrk Obita Ugwu Pog

[Royal Ginger]

--------------------McCarthy-----------------

Gunter------Pearce------Morrison-----Kelly

-----------Guthrie--------Karacan----------

-McCleary-------Drenthe--------McAnuff-

---------------Le Fondre-------------------

Federici, Cummings (assuiming Bridge is still injured) Gorkss,Williams, Robson-Kanu, Blackman, Pogrebnyak

I don't see major changes afoot, and the youth won't get on the bench, not when the likes of Akpan can't even get there.

[melonhead]

I'd like it to be 4-2-3-1 like this...

McCarthy

Bridge, Pearce, Morro, gunter

Williams, Karacan

Drenthe, Guthrie, McCleary

ALF

Subs: Feds, Kelly, Obita, HRK, Pog, Ugwu, McAnuff

Probably too many wingers on the bench and I'd like to see an U21 like Griffin, Taylor or Samuel on the bench if there are any injuries, but who knows with NA and his team selection

yeah, that

[loyalroyal4life]

We can't score due to lack of service. I would rather give Pog a start over Blackman, need to go 2 upfront

[OLLIE KEARNS]

Even excluding last year we rarely have 50% of possession in a game

You haven't taken much notice of our possession stats this season then?

We've played 5 games Plus if you like stats then consider that a player will only be in possession of the ball for somewhere between 60 and 90 seconds during a game. What he does for the other 89 minutes is therefore quite important. Don't get me wrong, not saying he is a must pick every week, just saying that his work rate out of possession and reading of the game is much better than some of our other options at present. Kebe is also a big loss in that respect because he had realy learnt and applied that side of things to his game over the past two seasons.

[peterroyal76]

McCarthy

Gunter Pearce Morrisson Bridge
Karacan Guthrie
McCleary. McAnuff
Drenthe
Pog

Cummings Feds Gorkks HRK Williams ALF Obita

If this game wasn't on tv I would of put Royston on the bench, I don't think he's done enough yet but I think the cameras might inspire his ego.
As others have mentioned Nigel spoke of a fresh start for Pog and that's the only reason I'd start him over Alf.

[Royal Ginger]

Don't think we'll be seeing bridge on Sunday

From the OS

In football terms, the 30-year-old[Kelly] was also pleased to get his first 90 minutes of the season in the international challenge match - something which could vital for the Royals with Wayne Bridge currently sidelined with a knee injury.

So probably Gunter on the right and Kelly on the left.

[CountryRoyal]

We can't score due to lack of service. I would rather give Pog a start over Blackman, need to go 2 upfront

The last time we went 2 upfront, we shipped 6 goals to a team in a division below us.

... and we didn't score.

Brighton would have a field day.

[Royals-lad14]

I don't really think the 1 up top works as effective as NA would like and can leave certainly ALF very isolated so would personally like to see:
=======================McCarthy===========================

===Gunter=======Pearce==========Morrison=======Bridge=======

=======================Guthrie============================

=====Williams===========Karacan================Drenthe=====

=================POG===========ALF=====================

Subs: Federici, kelly, gorkss, akpan, mcanuff, HRK, mccleary

will most likely be:

===================McCarthy=======================

====Gunter=======Pearce======Morrison========Bridge==

================Guthrie======Karacan===============

=====Blackman==========Williams=============Drenthe==

======================ALF=========================

subs: federici, kelly, gorkss, mcanuff, mccleary, hrk, pog

[urzmikep]

Who cares what the side is going to be, it doesn't matter who plays; we won't score a goal in open play and we won't keep a clean sheet......we move on....

[andrew1957]

--------------------McCarthy-----------------

Gunter------Pearce------Morrison-----Kelly

-----------Guthrie--------Karacan----------

-McCleary-------Drenthe--------McAnuff-

---------------Pog-------------------

Federici, Cummings, Gorkss, Williams, Robson-Kanu, Blackman, ALF

I think we have to start Pog as we need to get value from him and ALF is frankly better off the bench.

I would bring Bridge back if he is fit but that sounds doubtful.

[St. Brynjar]

------------------------------McCarthy-------------------------------------

Gunter-----------Morrison-------------Pearce----------------Cummings

McAnuff(c)-------Guthrie--------------Williams---------------Drenthe

---------------------Pog-----------------Le Fondre------------------------

Subs: Federici, Gorkss, Kelly, Karacan, McCleary, Obita, Blackman/Ugwu

Same back four as Yeovil who got our only clean sheet.

Harsh on Karacan but I'd rather go two up front and I prefer Williams.

Strikers are interchangeable, but the two I chose are the most different.

[Ian Royal]

--------------------McCarthy-----------------

Gunter------Pearce------Morrison-----Kelly

-----------Guthrie--------Karacan----------

-McCleary-------Drenthe--------McAnuff-

---------------Pog-------------------

Federici, Cummings, Gorkss, Williams, Robson-Kanu, Blackman, ALF

I think we have to start Pog as we need to get value from him and ALF is frankly better off the bench.

I would bring Bridge back if he is fit but that sounds doubtful.

Competitive games this season:
ALF
Starting 4, goals 3, assists 1
Sub appearances 2, goals 0, assists 0

I think he's doing fine from the first 11.

[Struggle Pig]

4-2-3-1:
---------------McCarthy---------------

Kelly---Pearce---Morrison---Bridge

---------Williams---Guthrie----------

Mccleary------------------------Obita

----------------Drenthe (free role)--

---------------Pogrebnyak------------

Subs: Alf, HRK, Karacan, Uguwu, Gunter, Griffin, Federici

Kelly is in for Gunter because I believe he is better defensively, I don't mind right back not attacking much. Williams in for Karacan, close call, but I think he has the attacking edge over Jem and he can push forward into attack with Drenthe. Drenthe has a free role, he won't defend, but let him do what he wants, let him cause defenders problems and create space for the other attackers. Obita I believe deserves a run in the side (huge potential). The Pog I think can do very well for us and if we are not winning by 60 mins, take him and Williams off and put Alf and Uguwu on and switch to 4-4-2.

Depending on possible loan signings, this is my team

[andrew1957]

--------------------McCarthy-----------------

Gunter------Pearce------Morrison-----Kelly

-----------Guthrie--------Karacan----------

-McCleary-------Drenthe--------McAnuff-

---------------Pog-------------------

Federici, Cummings, Gorkss, Williams, Robson-Kanu, Blackman, ALF

I think we have to start Pog as we need to get value from him and ALF is frankly better off the bench.

I would bring Bridge back if he is fit but that sounds doubtful.

Competitive games this season:
ALF
Starting 4, goals 3, assists 1
Sub appearances 2, goals 0, assists 0

I think he's doing fine from the first 11.

Fair point Ian. But I really meant that ALF was the best we have at coming off the bench and changing a game - which he has done very effectively for the last two seasons. Whereas Pog and Blackman have so far shown no ability to come off the bench and change a game. So IMO it would be better to encourage Pog to play 60 minutes to tire out the defence and then bring on ALF with a remit to change the game if we need to. I think ALF could score 20 off the bench this season but we need other strikers to chip in. At least Pog has shown in patches last season that he can score goals, whereas Blackman has shown nothing yet to that effect. So for me Pog has to start from now on - or at least until we have better striking options available.

[howser]

McCarthy

Gunter, Pearce, Morro, Bridge

Sissoko

McLeary, Guthrie, Karacan, McAnuff

Petri

[Ian Royal]

[
Fair point Ian. But I really meant that ALF was the best we have at coming off the bench and changing a game - which he has done very effectively for the last two seasons. Whereas Pog and Blackman have so far shown no ability to come off the bench and change a game. So IMO it would be better to encourage Pog to play 60 minutes to tire out the defence and then bring on ALF with a remit to change the game if we need to. I think ALF could score 20 off the bench this season but we need other strikers to chip in. At least Pog has shown in patches last season that he can score goals, whereas Blackman has shown nothing yet to that effect. So for me Pog has to start from now on - or at least until we have better striking options available.

Fair comment. Although I'll stick with wanting ALF to start.

[URZZZZ]

Mccarthy
Gunter
Kelly
Pearce
Morro
Williams
Jem
Guthrie
Drenthe
Mccleary
Pog

Subs: Feds, Cummings, Gorkss, Akpan, HRK, Obita and Alf

No point in starting le fondre because he is too isolated up front on his own.