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After that display agaisnt ICT, what are your tactics for Sunday?

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500miles

Private Member
Joined
Sep 25, 2005
I've already posted my veiws on this, but i would be interested n what the other bouncers think. Personally i think Sproule should run at Pressley every time he gets the ball, because Pressly is liable to give away free kicks in dangerous areas and even penalties:hmmm Killen should partner him up front and play with his back to goal to let the midfield get forward, or give Sproule time to get into space.

favoured line up:

..........Brown........
Caldwell.........Hogg.......Smith........Murphy
..........Thomson........
Brown(hopefully)....Fletcher
..........Stewert.......
......Sproule
............Killen


For me Whittaker takes too long to get back into position, and makes some poor decisions at crucial times. .Hogg and Smith tend to work well togethr and i have yet to be convinced by Konde, although thats just because ive only seen about 40 mins in total of him.( dont usually go to away games -travel sickness and higher history:roll: )And if Brown is fit his stregnth and speed could make all the difference.
 
dawo_c said:
I defo disagree with Dalgliesh - he's cup-tied :wink:
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:rollfloor :rollfloor :rollfloor

My tactics will be panic and drink shit loads to calm the nerves:(

Not looking foward to this one after watching hibs play the past 2 weeks. :banger:
 
what about steven glass ??? hes been great!

how about:
..........Brown....... .........
Caldwell.........Hogg.......Smith. .......Murphy
..........Thomson....... .........
Brown(hopefully).......... ......Glass
..........Fletcher..... ..........
............ ....Sproule
............Killen

or

..........Brown....... .........
Caldwell.........Hogg.......Smith. .......Murphy
..........Thomson....... .........
Brown(hopefully).......... ......Glass
..........Sproule..... ..........
............ Fletcher.......
............Killen
 
Swoosh said:
:rollfloor :rollfloor :rollfloor

My tactics will be panic and drink shit loads to calm the nerves:(

Not looking foward to this one after watching hibs play the past 2 weeks. :banger:
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is that no what you usually do anyway?!:hmmm
 
Swoosh said:
:rollfloor :rollfloor :rollfloor

My tactics will be panic and drink shit loads to calm the nerves:(

Not looking foward to this one after watching hibs play the past 2 weeks. :banger:
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Not like you to drink shit loads Swooshy :rollfloor :wink:

After watching the last two performances you must wonder if its possible to play that bad three times in a row with the players we have :hmmm
 
A think the difference of us winning or them will come down to one person - Scott Brown. But after reading everything thats been said and listening to Mogga it doesnt look like we are gonna see him :sad
 
Brown
Caldwell Smith Hogg Murphy

Whittaker(Brown if fit) Thommo Stewart Glass

Killen Sproule
 
Look after the ball like it was your only child.

Pass and move with intelligence and keep the gunts chasing shadows for 90 minutes.

Win the one-on-ones against your opponent.

Take your chances when they come your way.

That wee lot would see us through quite nicely. :bbb:
 
calumhibee1 said:
Brown
Caldwell Smith Hogg Murphy

Whittaker(Brown if fit) Thommo Stewart Glass

Killen Sproule
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I would agree with that if it is Scotty at right mid, i don't think this is the type of game where we should be trying Whittaker in midfield for the first time. We need a solid team performance and trying new things like that could cause us problems.
 
You can't play Whittaker and Sproule on the right. Skacel ripped them apart in the last game, and I haven't seen anything to suggest he wouldn't do it again. I'd be tempted to play Whittaker on the right of midfield with Caldwell at right back. If Sproule plays from the start (I wouldn't do it) he should be up front with Killen and try to actually get on the end of some of the balls he'll win. After Stewarts performance yesterday I have come to the conclusion he is either nowhere near fit, or is so inconsistent he shouldn't be close to a start next week.

Brown
Caldwell Hogg Smith Murphy
Whittaker Konde Thomson Glass
Fletcher Killen
 
I would definately play five in midfield because the last thing we want is to be outnumbered in that area on a big pitch like Hampden. I would move Whittaker forward as well, and have Caldwell at right-back. However, I doubt Mowbray will do this. My team would be :

Brown

Caldwell Smith Hogg Murphy

Whittaker Thompson Stewart Glass

Sproule

Killen


It's bad enough that the players that Hearts fear the most (Scott Brown and Derek Riordan) are out. Sproule is the other one they will shit themselves about, and he has to play from the start IMO. It is vital that he has some sort of understanding with Killen, and feeds off him. It's the overall fitness of the players I am anxious about though. If there is any doubt whatsoever about the fitness of players like Michael Stewart and Chris Killen, then I would have Konde and Fletcher in.
 
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Skacel might no' even play. If you believe the papers (aye, I ken) he's not held in very high esteem by the Ripwanovs, Brellier neither.
 
I remember watching Stevie Whittaker playing for Hutchison Vale a few years back(Under 18s he might have been)and he was an attacking central midfielder, where he was exeptional, an absoulute standout ie; then signed by hibs.

We all know he has defensive flaws and is probally working his ass off in training to improve both positionally and defensive descision making. I just feel as though he has natural attacking attruibutes - good with the ball, running at defenders, descent strike/delivery.

Its funny...I watched Hutchie at Tyncastle in the Scottich Cup(again not sure what age group) where they won 3 v 1 and guess who was the hero......Whitty, scoring two, one a screamer of a volley.This lad is more than capable of playing at Right Mid and IMO would excel...

You never know, if he was tried at Hampden he could be the hero as he was for his young Hutchie team!!!!
 
Hit them hard, hit them early. The players have got to show that they won't be bullied off the park, and, once they've established a foothold in the game, they can start to express themselves.

I think we should stick with the 433/451 formation. Hearts usually go with 4 in the middle, I think, so if we have an extra body in the middle, that can only be a good thing. I would certainly not play Sproule and Whittaker on the same side of the park, as both are liabilities defensively. Not sure I agree about playing Caldwell at right back though, as whoever is brought in to the centre to replace him would not be match sharp, which could prove costly.

I'd pick Simon Brown over Zibi in goal, as I think he's an exceptional shot stopper, even if he never comes off his line. Hearts don't have that much pace in the side, so we shouldn't be too bothered by balls over the top, limiting the occasions upon which the goalie would have to act as a sweeper.

I'd also play Fletcher rather than Killen, regardless of fitness. Killen inspires very little in me, he doesn't seem like he wants it as much as Fletch does at present. This may be down to fitness, as, during the Celtic game, for the first half hour, Killen was tremendous, chasing everything, winning most ball from Balde, and bringing it in, then laying it off, almost Mixu like. However, he seemed to disappear after that, and stopped challenging as much as he had been doing. I know 4 goals in his first 6 matches or whatever it is is a very, very good record, but he doesn't look sharp to me.

I think Scott Brown will play, even if he's only about 75% fit. All the chat about not risking him is, in my book, a total bluff. He's too good not to play him, especially with all the other injuries we've got.

With all that in mind, I'd go with a first XI of -

...........Simon Brown

Whittaker ........Caldwell..... Smith ....Murphy

....Stewart....Glass........ Thomson

Scott Brown.... Sproule
........Fletcher
 
........Brown.........

Caldwell.....Hogg.....Smith.....Murphy

Whittaker......Thomo..........Glass

.......Sproule........Fletcher........

.........Killen........

Whittaker moved up into Right Mid with Caldwell at right back to deal with Skacel, get whittaker to play his game but 15 yards further forward so he tries to stop him in midfield but if he doesnt manage it caldwell will be there in support or to deal with the ball as it goes past whittaker.

Drop Stewart as he was gash against ICT and doesnt look fit enough for this game.

Sproule and Fletcher lining up behind killen to make the runs for the big man to header the ball onto or play them in when he gets it with his back to goal and pushing out wide to get the crosses in when needed.
 
*chops said:
What is it then? An elephant? :yeah:

Who would you play in defence?
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I would have Hogg as right back to completely nullify Scakel. Konde in the middle along with Smith. Murphy left back and Caldwell sweeper.

Or are we not going to deal with the causes of goals we've conceded?:hmmm
 
Smurf said:
I would have Hogg as right back to completely nullify Scakel. Konde in the middle along with Smith. Murphy left back and Caldwell sweeper.

Or are we not going to deal with the causes of goals we've conceded?:hmmm
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I don't think the way to deal with anything is to introduce two players who will be lacking in match sharpness to the line up for such an important game, or to play players out of position.

In my opinion, the goals that come flying down our right hand side are not only due to Whittaker, but to the fact that Sproule is playing infront of him, giving him no help whatsoever. We've all known SW isn't as strong defensively as he is going forward since he started playing at right back, but this wasn't exposed to the same extent last season. Now that Sproule has started playing more regularly, and from the start, SW is isolated on that side of the park. Additionally, we played 442 last season, for the most part, so there were always 2 bodies relatively close together on either side of the park. Now, with this 433/451 thing, that isn't the case, as the wide midfield players are often pushed so far forward that they appear to be strikers.

In my preferred XI, I had Brown infront of SW, as I believe he offers far more defensively than Sproule does. I had Sproule on the left wing because I feel Murphy is a better defender than SW, and could deal better with the lack of cover than SW can.

If we're dealing with the causes of the goals we've conceded, would we not be better off trying to sign some 28 year old, experienced international defenders?
 
....Broon........
Caldwell.....Hogg.....Smith.....Muphy

Broon.....Thomo.....Stewart.....Glass

.........Killen........Sproule......

I'm not sure on that, Stewart for me may lose us the match if he does his fantastic dissapearance act and leave us with a man doun in the middle of the park.

Even if Scotty Broon is 5% fit I would still play him because he has the fight that has been missing the past few eeks especially last week.

Alothugh Mowbray will not do it caldwell has to be moved to RB as Whitty got ripped up for erse paper by Rudolf last time round.

For even the slightest chance of winning every player will have to put in 110% and more. If not I can see another 4-0 embarrassment on our hands.
 
Yeah i agree CadgeMac, i would deffo start with Hogg in defensive but im not sure about droppping smudge as them 2 together were immense this season when playing together-our best run defensively. I would put Hogg in and move Caldwell out to the right and push Whittaker forward. Hogg has played reserves so he will be match sharpness..
 
Mowbray will go with 5 in midfield imo. Wrong tactics if you ask me but I have a strong feeling he will. I would drop Whittaker put Caldwell right back and bring Hogg in alongside smith.
 
Why dont we go a bit mad,and really go for it.
........Brown.......
....Hogg.......Smith.......Murphy...
......Calldwell......
Whitty...Brown....Thomson...Glass.
........Sproule........Killen........
 
..........brown..........

Caldwell.........smith........hogg.........murphy


..........konde.............

Sproule........stewart.....thomson.......glass


.........killen/fletcher........
 
..........brown....... ...........

Caldwell.........smith.........hogg........ .......murphy


Sproule........stewart.....thomson.. .....glass


.........killen/Benjji........
 
1875steve said:
..........brown..........

Caldwell.........smith........hogg.........murphy


..........konde.............

Sproule........stewart.....thomson.......glass


.........killen/fletcher........
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You have 12 players in your starting lineup.:hmmm
 
*chops said:
Think he meant either Killen or Fletcher would play, not both of them :dunno:
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ok if I was going with one striker a would choose killen because of his strength and ability to hold up the ball.:thumbgrin
 
Young_hibee said:
ok if I was going with one striker a would choose killen because of his strength and ability to hold up the ball.:thumbgrin
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Agreed, it is about time we had someone up front who Webster and Pressley cannae handle(Also my reason for putting the big man Knote on the bench, he is destined to win us the Semi.:thumbgrin :hmmm )
 
Proclaimers said:
Agreed, it is about time we had someone up front who Webster and Pressley cannae handle(Also my reason for putting the big man Knote on the bench, he is destined to win us the Semi.:thumbgrin :hmmm )
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So what is Benji like? How does he play:hmmm The big question is what does he do that Webster and Pressley cant handle:hmmm
 
GloryGlory said:
So what is Benji like? How does he play:hmmm The big question is what does he do that Webster and Pressley cant handle:hmmm
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I don't know a lot about Benji, hopefully he could be a secret weapon against the Gunts.

Killen for me has the physical ability to get in amongst the Hearts back two and hopefully get the ball down for the other striker or for Sproule if Mowbray decides to play him in his Right Wing position. He may also get a goal or two.
 
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