Hello! Its another blog, and we're headed to Wolverhampton for the FA Cup Replay- which has only added to our already congested fixture list. I know its traditional, but I think FA Cup games should simply go to Extra Time and Penalties if they're drawing after 90 minutes- it just generally being better on the players and (to an extent) the fans.
I touched on it briefly in my Cardiff Review/Breakdown of where we've been going wrong since Christmas- but I would value a Cup Run pretty highly as of now. Unless a lot of things fall into place we aren't going to go down, and we're by no means going to challenge the Top 6 unless a lot of things fall into place- as such I think we should look at trying to piece together a good Cup Run just to give the fans something to get excited about this season, and give the young players some confidence.
In terms of when we're playing Wolves, I genuinely can't think of a better time. Sako is in Equatorial Guinea- and Wolves are coming off the back of a tricky game Yesterday against Blackburn which I'm sure will have left some tired legs in the dressing room with little time to recover. As such I can see Wolves doing almost wholesale rotation for tomorrows game- and while that One Extra Day isn't a huge difference the fact we were on the ball for the majority of the game in comparison to Wolves should leave us in good stead with regard to fitness- at least in comparison to the players in Orange.
As You may have already ascertained, I would go pretty full strength tomorrow- with a few exceptions. Naturally Bettinelli should continue in goal, even though he hasn't been keeping many clean sheets he is still definitely one of our better players and suspension and injury notwithstanding he should be in goal for the rest of the season without a doubt.
The Defence is another area where I don't necessarily see the need to change. I think Grimmer and Stafylidis are in the team whether we like it or not until Hoogland and Amorebieta are fit again, because Kit clearly doesn't trust Zverotic (or Voser) and Kit clearly sees Kavanagh as more of a midfielder. However, I do think Bodurov deserves a rest- and considering the physicality of the Wolves side I think Dan Burn should use this game to redeem himself in the eyes of the fans, and in the eyes of Kit after the Watford debacle. Although Hutchinson looked a bit shaky at the weekend he is definitely coming on leaps and bounds still- and I don't see a reason as to why we should halt this momentum.
I'm accepting Bryan Ruiz will not be a factor in the Midfield plans, at least for this month and if by some miracle he's here come February then it will be similar to when he came back into the team against Blackburn in September. You also have to bare in mind Kacaniklic and Tunnicliffe are ineligible for this game (to my best knowledge, basing it off the fact Holtby etc. were ineligible for Sheffield United) so we do have very limited options with regard to the Midfield. I think we should go for a Flat 4-4-2, but I think we'll persist with the failing diamond so I'll talk about who I would pick for both formations. If we are going for a Diamond, it would mean McCormack playing at the tip most likely. The Three in behind should be Fofana, Parker and Kavanagh, despite Fofana's short comings he's probably the only viable option we have for this game, because to my best knowledge Hyndman is away at a Youth Tournament. If we are going for a Flat 4-4-2 the personnel would be similar, but of course how they would lay out would be different- and McCormack would go to where he rightly belongs-up front. If we go for a 4-4-2 I'd have George Williams playing on the right, Fofana and Parker playing in the Central Roles and Kavanagh on the Left.
As I've already said with regard to McCormack, he belongs in this section, and that is where I'll keep him- at least until I'm convinced McCormack playing in the Diamond doesn't hamper his game- and that of the players around him. Of course using the fact Kit has played McCormack in the diamond, similar to the midfield means I'll discuss both options. If McCormack does play in the Diamond it would probably mean Rodallega and Woodrow up front, however I firmly believe Rodallega needs a rest as he is looking jaded at the moment which only really leaves us with Dembele and Woodrow, neither of whom- especially in Dembeles case are fully ready at this stage. This is also why I think McCormack should be up front in a 4-4-2, and the Woodrow-McCormack dynamic will be an interesting one to explore for the game tomorrow.
Team for Wolves (Diamond)
Bettinelli
Grimmer, Hutchinson, Burn, Stafylidis
Fofana, Parker, Kavanagh
McCormack
Rodallega Woodrow
Team for Wolves (4-4-2)
Bettinelli
Grimmer, Hutchinson, Burn, Stafylidis
G. Williams, Fofana, Parker, Kavanagh
McCormack Woodrow
As I've already eluded to, we should be looking at putting together a Cup Run as that will be our only real source of excitement barring a fight for 14th as we currently are. This combined with the fact Wolves will most likely be prioritising the league and the time they've had to prepare for the game we should be looking at this game to at the very least break out barren run in front of goal.
Thanks as always for reading, I hope our current lack of form isn't turning you off to these blogs- as I still enjoy doing them despite the on the pitch antics. Anyway thanks again for reading, and lets hope we're headed to Sunderland rather than the Cottage on the 24th.
Quick Side Note: Odds on us winning tomorrow, and Stuart Pearce being sacked just in time to play us in the rearranged fixture with the New Manager effect doing us in.
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