Yuck, we're off to Bolton on Saturday. Not only have we rarely won there, they also subject us to their turgid brand of survival football. Set pieces and hope it bounces off Davies shoulder. Total entertainment. It does get results, and often at our expense, but really, would you pay to watch that tripe? It will be interesting to see if the neat football we have been playing of late, except against Middlesbrough, will be enough to see us through against them.
It's an interesting part of the season for us right now, what I would like to call the Curbishley Tipping point. We're heading for safety, but are we going to push on and trouble the European places? Is the FA Cup going to be our priority once safety has been secured? I've got the feeling Zola likes the FA Cup and would like to bring that sucess to Upton Park. I've got no problem with that as long as the players and club still keep us entertained in the league and give us value for our season tickets. Oh, and we've got to do Tottenham down the lane as well.
Anyway, on to the game this weekend, Neill is suspended and Carlton will still be out, I'm not sure about our star man Behrami, but I hope he is back as we will have some real issues on the right if he is not. Assuming he is, this is how I imagine us lining up;
Green
Illunga - Upson - Collins - Spector
Collison - Noble - Parker - Behrami
Tristan - Di Michele
Bench - Lastuvka, Savio. Boa-Morte, Lopez, Kovac, Stanislas, N'Gala
If Behrami is out, then you'd have to put Noblre on the right, push Collison in and have LBM on the left. Due to the nature of their game, it's not one to start with Savio I wouldn't think and I don't know if Kovac is match fit, though he could be another option in the middle if Noble needs to go out to the right.
Anyway, will be an interesting one, I'll be happy to come away with a point based on our previous record up there, so let's head for 1-1 and prep for the replay against Boro next week, which is incidentally now live on ITV. Come on you Irons...
LBM is out injured for a month! celebrate or commiserate as you see fit!
Posted by: Mike | 18/02/2009 at 23:13