| Akpom up top today? 08:10 - Jan 1 with 2327 views | RIPbobby |
After our great win at cov I have had a think about today's match. Again it's going to be tough. I thought oxford midfield against us last time played really well. Lots of energy and well played passing. But manager rowett has gone now and therefore it will be a bit of an unknown with Craig Short as interim gaffer. You never know they might go for it. But with short being a defender he might seek to protect what they have.
So as for us. I would imagine Ivan will get a rest. I think he played well at cov. He has shots on target with both feet and a header. He is a better player than people give him credit for and is pretty unlucky not to have at least 3/4 goals. Lots of keeper saves with their legs have stopped him. So I presume akpom will get the start. Again he has been unlucky to not have more goals.
Not sure what to do with Taylor for this one? He was great at cov, but can he play today and away at Pompey in 3 days. I presume he gets benched. Same with Azor? 1 card away from a 2 game ban and has also got a lot of minutes under his belt. I guess you have to play him. But we are short on combative midfielders. I'd be tempted to put a kid on the bench. I don't watch the u23s, but I assume there must be a couple that could fill in whilst we are short in this area. I would blood one into the squad asap.
I'd keep Greaves at left back as he was amazing. Interesting amount of thinking needed by the manager with Pompey in mind. Hmmm? |  | | |  |
| Akpom up top today? on 08:21 - Jan 1 with 2242 views | franz_tyson |
Stick with both Azon and Taylor. These two have been on the bench plenty of times and we haven't worked them to death so far. They should have more in the tank than, say, O'Shea, Mausiwa, Furlong who are always expected to play. Maybe Azon will benefit from more game time. Also, these guys can be subbed after 65-70 mins.
Important we follow Coventry up with a win, so I wouldn't take Oxford too cheaply. |  | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 08:51 - Jan 1 with 2137 views | Blue_Heath |
Ivan unfortunately isn't a natural goalscorer. Akpom has pedigree and I am amazed he's not getting a run to be honest in Hirst's absence. As good an opportunity today as any to get on the score sheet and build some confidence. Ivan is a great impact sub though. Think I'd likely start with Cajuste and hope he can provide a bit of magic other than that think I'd leave team as is. Davis if fit will play we know that much, if not Greaves will be fine. | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 09:16 - Jan 1 with 2021 views | USA |
No idea who will start. But Ivan has been coming on as a sub generally for most of the season and doesn’t need a rest. Taylor can absolutely play today and again at Pompey. Davies may well be better off with an extended break to ensure a full recovery.
You might be right on Akpom, but I suspect he starts in the cup game though, not today. I suspect Cajuste starts to help penetrate the sitting back, | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 09:20 - Jan 1 with 2000 views | trncbluearmy |
Team that stuffed cov.needs to be rewarded
Same team starting, loads of subs when we are 3-0 up |  | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 10:00 - Jan 1 with 1812 views | OldFart71 |
Although he's not scoring enough I'd stick with Azon. I feel he gives a different dimension to the forward line. Play Greaves as fullback when playing away and Davis for home games.
Today it may depend on how Davis has got over his illness. | | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 10:04 - Jan 1 with 1784 views | Wickets |
| Akpom up top today? on 09:20 - Jan 1 by trncbluearmy |
Team that stuffed cov.needs to be rewarded
Same team starting, loads of subs when we are 3-0 up |
Sounds good but if only it was that easy . |  | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 10:32 - Jan 1 with 1711 views | Len_Brennan |
I watched the Coventry game back & realised that Azon had a much better game than I thought at the time. He is not at the level we need as our starting #9 for automatic promotion & if back in the PL, but to his credit, he works his ass off doing huge amounts of running, pulling defenders out of position & generally giving them a torrid time, which creates space for our attackers & leaves opponents more vulnerable late into games.
As much as I think Akpom has more natural quality & is a better finisher, he won't do all the work that is absolutely part and parcel of being a centre forward in a McKenna team.
As I say, Azon is not going to score 20+ goals a season, but he has been genuinely unlucky not to have at least 2 more goals to his name & is a massive upgrade on Al Hamadi, who was very lucky to get amount of goals (some tap ins) he did, as our back up or number 3 striker, given the way the team is set up to play.
Azon is still learning to adapt to English football, so I would expect/hope that the more ... frustrating elements of his game will be ironed out over the coming months. | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 10:36 - Jan 1 with 1691 views | Swansea_Blue |
| Akpom up top today? on 10:32 - Jan 1 by Len_Brennan |
I watched the Coventry game back & realised that Azon had a much better game than I thought at the time. He is not at the level we need as our starting #9 for automatic promotion & if back in the PL, but to his credit, he works his ass off doing huge amounts of running, pulling defenders out of position & generally giving them a torrid time, which creates space for our attackers & leaves opponents more vulnerable late into games.
As much as I think Akpom has more natural quality & is a better finisher, he won't do all the work that is absolutely part and parcel of being a centre forward in a McKenna team.
As I say, Azon is not going to score 20+ goals a season, but he has been genuinely unlucky not to have at least 2 more goals to his name & is a massive upgrade on Al Hamadi, who was very lucky to get amount of goals (some tap ins) he did, as our back up or number 3 striker, given the way the team is set up to play.
Azon is still learning to adapt to English football, so I would expect/hope that the more ... frustrating elements of his game will be ironed out over the coming months. |
Fully agree. His off the ball work was excellent. If he could find those natural goalscorer spaces and become more clinical he could develop into a pretty decent striker. |  |
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| Akpom up top today? on 10:50 - Jan 1 with 1593 views | itfcsuth |
We put a lot into the game on Monday so depending on fitness levels you’d want to see minimal changes, a real opportunity to really start building momentum.
Would like to see us changed, with exception of seeing Burns in from the outset.
Options of Sindre and Jaden from 60 minutes as the game opens up aren’t bad options. |  | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 11:04 - Jan 1 with 1545 views | cressi |
Azon cramped up Monday so every chance that Akpom starts today. | | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 11:40 - Jan 1 with 1437 views | Blue_Heath |
| Akpom up top today? on 10:36 - Jan 1 by Swansea_Blue |
Fully agree. His off the ball work was excellent. If he could find those natural goalscorer spaces and become more clinical he could develop into a pretty decent striker. |
He finds spaces, just can't finish, how many shots/headers has he had?
Has some great qualities but sadly natural goalscorer is not one of them. | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 11:44 - Jan 1 with 1414 views | RIPbobby |
| Akpom up top today? on 11:04 - Jan 1 by cressi |
Azon cramped up Monday so every chance that Akpom starts today. |
Exactly.
I do worry that some of our fans either don't watch our games and understand what our manager is trying to do. Some of the replies on this thread are terribly unlikely. I think some people think our players are computer games and not human beings. You have to mange them and nurture them. Did anybody notice that Cov looked knackered on Monday. Full credit to the manager who is keeping us very sharp. But today will be tough no matter what. | | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 12:07 - Jan 1 with 1309 views | Metal_Hacker |
I think there might be two changes today
Cajuste in for Taylor , keeping Taylor for Portsmouth away and I think we’ll see Akpom up top
Azon for as suffering with cramp , Philogene only just made the bench by all accounts and resting up Leif for another game given Greaves’ performance ain’t a bad idea |  |
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| Akpom up top today? on 12:27 - Jan 1 with 1250 views | Marshalls_Mullet |
Aa few changes as possible please.
Burns start, and Egeli up front if Azon not fit.
It won't happen, but I'd love to see it. |  |
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| Akpom up top today? on 13:27 - Jan 1 with 1136 views | BouncebackIpswich |
| Akpom up top today? on 12:27 - Jan 1 by Marshalls_Mullet |
Aa few changes as possible please.
Burns start, and Egeli up front if Azon not fit.
It won't happen, but I'd love to see it. |
That's an interesting idea (Egeli up front)
I have my doubts if he's ready for it yet. Physically or tactically.
Wouldn't mind seeing him in the 10 though.
It will probably be Akpom by default of no other options that know how to play there. I think he's an absolute waste of space but equally if he's going to make it here it's surely going to be as a poacher up top so maybe it's worth giving him a fair shot |  | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 14:33 - Jan 1 with 942 views | fallyblue |
| Akpom up top today? on 08:51 - Jan 1 by Blue_Heath |
Ivan unfortunately isn't a natural goalscorer. Akpom has pedigree and I am amazed he's not getting a run to be honest in Hirst's absence. As good an opportunity today as any to get on the score sheet and build some confidence. Ivan is a great impact sub though. Think I'd likely start with Cajuste and hope he can provide a bit of magic other than that think I'd leave team as is. Davis if fit will play we know that much, if not Greaves will be fine. |
I had pedigree when I was younger and thought I could shag for England , however and unfortunately I can no longer perform at the same levels I think Chuba maybe the same but in a different box | | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 18:31 - Jan 1 with 780 views | RIPbobby |
I guess I was right in the end.
Actually thinking about it a bit more. Taylor had to be benched. Had he started and Azor got booked both of them would not play at Pompey. It would be tough for us with both of them on the sidelines. | | | |
| Akpom up top today? on 18:56 - Jan 1 with 672 views | USA |
| Akpom up top today? on 18:31 - Jan 1 by RIPbobby |
I guess I was right in the end.
Actually thinking about it a bit more. Taylor had to be benched. Had he started and Azor got booked both of them would not play at Pompey. It would be tough for us with both of them on the sidelines. |
Jack Taylor is more than able to play 90 minutes in consecutive /3/4 games | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 19:00 - Jan 1 with 661 views | TheBoyBlue |
I love McKenna and some of the nonsense that's been said about him by some fans is frankly draining and counterproductive.
However, even I have been a little bemused as to why Akpom hasn't played up top more. He gets in all the right places that you would hope a striker would get.
That said, we could still really do with a more prolific striker in the January window, as much as that is easier said than done! | |
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| Akpom up top today? on 22:31 - Jan 1 with 468 views | Nthsuffolkblue |
| Akpom up top today? on 19:00 - Jan 1 by TheBoyBlue |
I love McKenna and some of the nonsense that's been said about him by some fans is frankly draining and counterproductive.
However, even I have been a little bemused as to why Akpom hasn't played up top more. He gets in all the right places that you would hope a striker would get.
That said, we could still really do with a more prolific striker in the January window, as much as that is easier said than done! |
Akpom did well today. A nicely taken goal. His best game for us from what I have seen. |  |
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