Team for Fleetwood

[Redalert1970]

Letheren

Mclaughlin. Mensah. O Connor. Gibson. Leigh

Mcalmont. Mclaughlin. Phillips

Obika. Stockton

Subs

Andresson
Toums
Wildig
Cooney
Ayunga
Jones
Gnahoua

[Keith]

I don't think you will be too far out.

I don't think either keeper is League One standard. I think McLaughlin doesn't deserve to be dropped, but I think Cooney offers more going forwards and he can cross a ball. I agree with the comments in the other thread that McLaughlin in the centre may leave us light in the air, but I do wonder how well they'd play together? Gibson & Leigh work well on the left, but we don't have that on the right.

In midfield, although Philips played better on Saturday, other than the one excellent shot, that required a fantastic save, he didn't contribute much. I'd prefer either Jones or Tooms. It Tooms is fit, I'd have him with McLoughlin & McCalmont. But, I suspect you are right in who will actually play.

Two up front please! Obika, unsurprisingly, looked off the pace, but he'll hopefully improve quickly with match time. Ayunga looked decent coming off the bench, playing more central. I'd possibly start with Ayunga, to 'soften them up a bit' then bring Obika on later, but again, I think Robbo will go with your line up to start.

It isn't a bad team! A bit of confidence would help.

[Little Shrimp]

I'd like to see:

Letheren
AOC-Mensah-Gibson
Cooney-McLoughlin-Toums-Leigh
Phillips
Stockton-Obika

Might be wise to have the extra defensive grit of Cooney at RWB if we're playing quite an inexperienced CB. McLaughlin showed some decent moments going forward on Saturday, but can sometimes be beaten a little easily. Cooney's got some of the best tackling stats in the league.

I'd throw Toums in for McCalmont. If we're going to be a bit more direct and make the game a bit scrappier, we need him in there to get his foot on the ball from time to time and open things up. I think McCalmont can struggle a bit with that when games are a little more on the 'agricultural' side.

Phillips did a decent job on Saturday - had a few nice moments despite very little service. It's not a particularly sparkling attacking line-up, so I think we need his creativity in there. Hopefully Obika can make more of an impact after brushing off the rust against Pompey, and against a weaker defence. Agree that Ayunga looked good off the bench - sometimes players do just need to be dropped as a little wake-up call!

[redrobo]

SR is frustrating at times in his team set up.

Ayunga is NOT and never will be a wide man and yet SR continues to play him out wide rather than in his natural position of in the middle.

But now that Obika is coming back to fitness it would appear that the intention is to play him alongside Cole. Why wasn't Ayunga given that role from the start when as I've already said is his natural position

By the sounds of it he came on on Saturday and operated mainly in the centre and played very well....

Why has it taken until now for him to play in his natural position...

[RedRedWine]

For this game I would actually revert back to 4-3-3. We’ve recruited to play this way tbh…. And whilst it’s not working vs the likes of Sunderland away, it has got us results to date. Robbo mentioned possibly sticking to the 5-3-2/3-5-2 we had vs Pompey, but we aren’t playing Portsmouth and have we got enough CB to play this way?

Jokull in goal - not much in it, but for me he is more likely to make a save… Letheren is like a statue and only stops things fired straight at him, but more commanding. Not much in it.

Gibson as LCB - unless Mensah is up to scratch… difficult to make an assessment as he has hardly played… can we throw him in now, in what is potentially the biggest game of the season? This might also be why we have to come away from 3 CB. Big question marks as to why we signed him.

McLaughlin played well on Saturday, and has been pretty steady throughout. Leigh struggled, but has been one of the most consistent performers… 7/8 out of 10… the Jamaican Dennis Irwin.

Toums needs to play, as does McLoughlin. Tough on McAlmont or Jones - but we need experienced heads.

Phillips did enough to keep his place, and is a threat from dead ball situations.

Then it’s Ayunga, Arthur or Obika for the last slot. Whoever impresses most in training this week. Obika will have to demonstrate a big uplift in fitness levels.

[Caged Lion]

Andresson
Cooney - O’Conner - Mensah - Gibson or Leigh
Toums
Phillips - McLoughlin - Wildig
Stockton - Obika

Andresson will be itching to get back in
No idea if Mensah can step up to the plate but it’s worth a shot
Cooney has more match winning ability and normally defends well
Toums is a must sitting in. We don’t have another player capable or the experience to fill this role
Wildig is inventive, sometimes works back and scores goals
Phillips is essential, he is a clever player, scores goals and has defence splitting passes, I’d give him the freedom of midfield

I really like Jones and McAlmont and would bring them both on together once Wildig gets injured and Phillips runs out of steam

Whoever gets the nod will have to be on their game because Fleetwood will be keen as mustard to shove us a little bit deeper in the mire
Cole is a given and Obika is unknown but I’m fed up of the jugglers

[redrobo]

Mensah was voted the most promising young player in the country at non league level in 2019 so must have something about him. What I've seen of him he's as good if not better than some who have been played in the centre of defense...so it's about time he was given an opportunity otherwise why was he signed

He's the only SR summer signing yet to be given an opportunity with some extended game time.

https://www.morecambefc.com/teams/first ... ob-mensah/

[Andy D]

I'd like to see:

Letheren
AOC-Mensah-Gibson
Cooney-McLoughlin-Toums-Leigh
Phillips
Stockton-Obika

massive gamble putting a rookie in the middle of a back 3


5-3-2 without the ball then 3-5-2 with the ball


Anderson
Cooney-McLoughlin-O’Conner-Gibson-Leigh
McLoughlin-Toums-Jones
Stockton-Philips


tough one who to go with in goal but Anderson did play well last time against Fleetwood as did Jones in midfield.

[sandgrown]

I'd like to see:

Letheren
AOC-Mensah-Gibson
Cooney-McLoughlin-Toums-Leigh
Phillips
Stockton-Obika

Might be wise to have the extra defensive grit of Cooney at RWB if we're playing quite an inexperienced CB. McLaughlin showed some decent moments going forward on Saturday, but can sometimes be beaten a little easily. Cooney's got some of the best tackling stats in the league.

I'd throw Toums in for McCalmont. If we're going to be a bit more direct and make the game a bit scrappier, we need him in there to get his foot on the ball from time to time and open things up. I think McCalmont can struggle a bit with that when games are a little more on the 'agricultural' side.

Phillips did a decent job on Saturday - had a few nice moments despite very little service. It's not a particularly sparkling attacking line-up, so I think we need his creativity in there. Hopefully Obika can make more of an impact after brushing off the rust against Pompey, and against a weaker defence. Agree that Ayunga looked good off the bench - sometimes players do just need to be dropped as a little wake-up call!

I like that line up !

[fulwoodshrimp]

In these critical games for the club Toums must play. He has bags of experience and is a quality footballer.

[RedRedWine]

Cooney-McLaughlin-O’Connor-Gibson-Leigh

I thought about something similar - but do we really want to go with a back three that is made up of two full-backs… or a back five that is made up of all four of them? I can see that being problematic.

We’ve only kept three clean sheets all season in the league (Sheff Wed, Lincoln, Shrewsbury = all home wins) and are the divisions leakiest defence - even with Wooton and Delaney available. I can’t see us keeping one on Saturday when we’re so shorthanded at the back. With this in mind I’d focus on how we can hurt them, and for me that isn’t by playing so many players in roles that are alien to them.

We needed to tighten up at Pompey because we were so naive and open at Sunderland - but that doesn’t mean we need to have a rigid in our approach… particularly when we dont really have enough options to fit into a particular way of playing. We’ve already beaten Fleetwood once playing 4-3-3, and have generally been ok at home playing this way.

The first goal is absolutely vital. We came back against Charlton - but I don’t fancy us taking many points when falling behind, particularly at the moment.

[Gone_Shrimping]

I didn't know until today that Fleetwood are under a Transfer embargo.

Could weaken them for the 2nd half of the season.

[Andy D]

Cooney-McLaughlin-O’Connor-Gibson-Leigh

I thought about something similar - but do we really want to go with a back three that is made up of two full-backs… or a back five that is made up of all four of them? I can see that being problematic.

We’ve only kept three clean sheets all season in the league (Sheff Wed, Lincoln, Shrewsbury = all home wins) and are the divisions leakiest defence - even with Wooton and Delaney available. I can’t see us keeping one on Saturday when we’re so shorthanded at the back. With this in mind I’d focus on how we can hurt them, and for me that isn’t by playing so many players in roles that are alien to them.

We needed to tighten up at Pompey because we were so naive and open at Sunderland - but that doesn’t mean we need to have a rigid in our approach… particularly when we dont really have enough options to fit into a particular way of playing. We’ve already beaten Fleetwood once playing 4-3-3, and have generally been ok at home playing this way.

The first goal is absolutely vital. We came back against Charlton - but I don’t fancy us taking many points when falling behind, particularly at the moment.

you could be right, could have a familiar back 4 of McLaughlin-O’Conner-Gibson-Leigh and pack the midfield.

[RedRedWine]

Just revisiting this:

Cooney-McLaughlin-O’Connor-Gibson-Leigh

It worked really well on Saturday from a defensive perspective. Gibson and McLaughlin performed excellently in roles that we have not really been accustomed to seeing them play - and overall we looked much more solid as a unit. O'Connor was superb, and rightfully sponsors MOTM - perhaps it helped him that he had more competent players on the ball either side of him? It does make you wonder what the purpose of bringing Mensah here was - if he is the fourth recognised CB, 2 our out injured, and we are looking to play 3 yet he still does not feature.

Gibson in particular seemed enthused to be given an opportunity to play. Managed to get back and defend a breakaway opportunity, diverting a Fleetwood shot that was well saved by Letheren. Gibbo commented in his post match interview that he can have no complaints not getting games on the left due to the form of Greg Leigh (although this has dipped slightly of late IMO) - but that the change in shape has given him a chance to be involved. He did have a nightmare against Accrington at home, but otherwise I think he is a player that has rarely let us down.

I was surprised that Cooney and Leigh were not more influential going forwards - we rarely seemed to get to the byline or attack down the flanks, but when we did we seemed to have some success. McLoughlin rode a few challenges on a couple of occasions, but couldn't find a forward. In general I thought we were too direct on Saturday - too many long balls to Cole, who didn't seem to get any help from the officials with some subjective fouls awarded against him.

Overall it was a very fair point, from two sides that cancelled each other out all over the pitch - and perhaps both not wanting to lose.