The Players

Assuming we have 2 strikers playing out of loven, shola, carroll, ranger etc

then who is your midfield 4? this is hard to decide for me..

I want to see guthrie barton and smith all playing, but then the 4th out of nolan jonas and ryan taylor..

its hard to decide first choice now with guthrie being pure class this season and nolan getting back to his best

Id still probably go for guthrie or barton right side, the other in CM next to smith and jonas on the left.

Interesting to see what you guys think if we go 4-4-2 

It annoys me that we're littered with talent in the CM, we have 4 central players who could all play in the prem top 10, and then Butt could play for Hull or someone like that  while we have bang average strikers, and a good prospect in Ranger, and a back 4 that picks itself every week 

Ryan Taylor seems to only get picked for his great crosses, Jonas runs all day but does nowt so the rest of the team is poor in my opinion.

It's hard to say what the best 4-4-2 would be, as I think it will get rotated alot and Hughton will usually play somethin resembling a 4-5-1, but I think I'd go with

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Ameobi, Loverman

Fairly balanced, and would do a job home or away.  I really rate Barton, but you can hardly take out Smith or Nolan.  I'm  not a fan of Guthrie out wide but I'd play him most games, he's class and still young'ish!

At the min the back 4 and front 1 or 2 pick themselves, but the midfield is a hard choice Cardiff I'd play.

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Barton, Smith, Guthrie, Ranger, Nolan.

Nolan up top looks good just off the front man, still needs to sort his fitness out!

This is a bit of a dilemma.

Ryan Taylor I'd actually play right back and bring Danny Simpson into centre half where he looked very good against Leicester. Then again there are doubts over his defensive attributes. Taylors crossing is class, which can be a huge adavantage when playing two big lads upfront as we've seen however he offeres little else.

Guthrie i like, however I dont think he's best suited to the wing. For the first hald against Leicester he was poor. he's only young though and offers a bit of creativity.

Smith and Nolan were two players I hated before this season. I wanted both out asap however so far this season they have both been oustanding. Splitting them up when their playing so well in centre midfield togeather would be disaterous to be honest.

Barton for me shouldnt play. Not because of his past off the pitch but because of what I said above. For me Barton has never played consistently well for us. He's had the odd game where he's been outstanding but he's had plenty more where he's been dross. Against Leicester he did nowt but give the ball away and the fact that Nolan and Smith are playing so well equates for me that he dosent deserve to be in.

Jonas for me offers more than what people give him credit for. I is good with the ball at his feet, he can murder defenders and he can cause problems. I dont think he's too forest gumpish at all.

Butt has been poor for about a year now. He used to win the ball and play it simple. now he dosent give any protection to the back 4 and when he gets the ball just gives it away. I think he's finished to be honest and dosent deserve to be in the team on the basis of his performances last season.  5th Choice centre mid at the minute like.

on balance it would have to go.

Guthrie Smth Nolan Jonas

This is a bit of a dilemma.

Ryan Taylor I'd actually play right back and bring Danny Simpson into centre half where he looked very good against Leicester. Then again there are doubts over his defensive attributes. Taylors crossing is class, which can be a huge adavantage when playing two big lads upfront as we've seen however he offeres little else.

Guthrie i like, however I dont think he's best suited to the wing. For the first hald against Leicester he was poor. he's only young though and offers a bit of creativity.

Smith and Nolan were two players I hated before this season. I wanted both out asap however so far this season they have both been oustanding. Splitting them up when their playing so well in centre midfield togeather would be disaterous to be honest.

Barton for me shouldnt play. Not because of his past off the pitch but because of what I said above. For me Barton has never played consistently well for us. He's had the odd game where he's been outstanding but he's had plenty more where he's been dross. Against Leicester he did nowt but give the ball away and the fact that Nolan and Smith are playing so well equates for me that he dosent deserve to be in.

Jonas for me offers more than what people give him credit for. I is good with the ball at his feet, he can murder defenders and he can cause problems. I dont think he's too forest gumpish at all.

Butt has been poor for about a year now. He used to win the ball and play it simple. now he dosent give any protection to the back 4 and when he gets the ball just gives it away. I think he's finished to be honest and dosent deserve to be in the team on the basis of his performances last season.  5th Choice centre mid at the minute like.

on balance it would have to go.

Guthrie Smth Nolan Jonas

This!!! Couldnt really agree any more mate!

[Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Ameobi, Loverman]

It annoys me that we're littered with talent in the CM, we have 4 central players who could all play in the prem top 10, and then Butt could play for Hull or someone like that  while we have bang average strikers, and a good prospect in Ranger, and a back 4 that picks itself every week 

Ryan Taylor seems to only get picked for his great crosses, Jonas runs all day but does nowt so the rest of the team is poor in my opinion.

It's hard to say what the best 4-4-2 would be, as I think it will get rotated alot and Hughton will usually play somethin resembling a 4-5-1, but I think I'd go with

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Ameobi, Loverman

Fairly balanced, and would do a job home or away.  I really rate Barton, but you can hardly take out Smith or Nolan.  I'm  not a fan of Guthrie out wide but I'd play him most games, he's class and still young'ish!

At the min the back 4 and front 1 or 2 pick themselves, but the midfield is a hard choice Cardiff I'd play.

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Barton, Smith, Guthrie, Ranger, Nolan.

Nolan up top looks good just off the front man, still needs to sort his fitness out!

That'd be my starting eleven 

is jonas injured?

DZ your post was pretty much spot on actually

DZ you were right in lots of ways, but you say about splitting Nolan and Smith up?  Correct me if I'm wrong but as I watched it the last 3 games he's been playing off the frontman.  Strangely at Palace Guthrie seemed to be in a more advanced role, but Leicester and Huddersfield he was certainly up higher for the majority.

It's strange that we have so many central midfielders that can do a job, and so much dross everywhere else!  Hughton will just try and accomodate them all and we'll end up playing 4-5-1, or just generally being very narrow!

[Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Barton, Smith, Guthrie, Ranger, Nolan]

It annoys me that we're littered with talent in the CM, we have 4 central players who could all play in the prem top 10, and then Butt could play for Hull or someone like that  while we have bang average strikers, and a good prospect in Ranger, and a back 4 that picks itself every week 

Ryan Taylor seems to only get picked for his great crosses, Jonas runs all day but does nowt so the rest of the team is poor in my opinion.

It's hard to say what the best 4-4-2 would be, as I think it will get rotated alot and Hughton will usually play somethin resembling a 4-5-1, but I think I'd go with

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Guthrie, Nolan, Smith, Jonas, Ameobi, Loverman

Fairly balanced, and would do a job home or away.  I really rate Barton, but you can hardly take out Smith or Nolan.  I'm  not a fan of Guthrie out wide but I'd play him most games, he's class and still young'ish!

At the min the back 4 and front 1 or 2 pick themselves, but the midfield is a hard choice Cardiff I'd play.

Harper, Simpson, Taylor, Colo, Enrique, Barton, Smith, Guthrie, Ranger, Nolan.

Nolan up top looks good just off the front man, still needs to sort his fitness out!

Can't see you getting the managers job Nathan lad.

Picking only 10 players won't get us anywhere 



I really like Barton as a player but Nolan, Smith and Guthrie are all playing well at the minute so Hughton can't exactly drop them for Barton.

My midfield 4 would be (from left to right)  Jonas  Smith  Nolan  Guthrie

I'd play Lovenkrands and Shola upfront when both fit.


I read the chronicle today though and Hughton looks like he's going to put Butt back in the team on Sunday at Cardiff, so god so one of Smith Nolan and Guthrie will be dropped which is shocking!

  never noticed that scoot, I hate Geremi and Butt that much I forgot them 

I reckon he'll play Butt, and he'll be captain 

Carroll will probably start with Nolan just behind him, Ranger gets MOTM and now I fully expect him to be dropped for some reason.

On a slightly different note, did anyone have people near them at the game slating Ranger?  There was some right t**ts behind me who said Enrique and Guthrie should leave  and Ranger was s***, we would of scored loads with Shola on  then they didn't know who the subs were!  All about opinions I know, but why s*** on 2 of our best players, and kill an upcoming youngster 

Fans like that really f**k me off!

Yeah Nath when I was watching it there was a guy sat on the next table in the pub going "Enrique man you're s***!!!!"  but football is all about opinions I guess!

I can't believe everyone thought Ranger had a good game, I can't believe people thought Jonas had a good season last year and I can't believe how crap people think Geremi is but these things do happen!!!

[retart]

                         Harper

 R. Taylor   S.Taylor   Colo   Enrique

  JGuthrie    Smith    Nolan    Jonas

           Ranger    Lovenkrands

Thats what I would play 4-4-2. Simpson looks decent but I wouldnt start a loan signing ahead of one of our players.

Whois this J Guthrie you speak of steve, is it Danny's brother 

I like R.Taylor for what he offers from dead ball situations, but wouldn't want him RB, he's a liability in the back 4, but he gets away with more in midfield.

Also I think we need Guthrie in the team somewhere, but he looks ineffective out wide right in my opinion.

[Whois this J Guthrie you speak of steve, is it Danny's brother]

Whois this J Guthrie you speak of steve, is it Danny's brother 

I like R.Taylor for what he offers from dead ball situations, but wouldn't want him RB, he's a liability in the back 4, but he gets away with more in midfield.

Also I think we need Guthrie in the team somewhere, but he looks ineffective out wide right in my opinion.

Whoops !

Jonas   Nolan     Guthrie     R Taylor

It's annoying that we have 4 good central midfielders but I don't think it's a good idea getting frustrated by that and playing people out of position.

Every team needs width and regardless of what anybody thinks about either player, Jonas and Taylor do provide it.