JE93 wrote:
It's felt like a long week this week but tomorrow is the day the squad get to show whether the performance and result v Telford was the new benchmark or just a flash in the pan. It would be a welcome sight before our tough FA cup fixture at home to BPA to put some more point on the board and string together back to back wins for the first time this season.
Like us, Southport are dwelling well below where they thought they might be in the league. The return of Liam Watson has seen them occupy 20th position with a record of 1 win, 3 Draws and 5 Defeats and a goal difference of -7. They do have some good players though. Late season acquisitions Elliott Osbourne (ex-Fleetwood) and Jason Gilchrist (ex-FCUM) along with the summer acquisition of GK Dan Hanford (ex-Gateshead) mean they have quality in their squad.
Focusing back on ourselves I've mentioned on other threads the importance, above all else, of retaining the 4-2-3-1 / 4-5-1 formation that was so successful against Telford. The returning to fitness of players will give Tommy some difficult, but welcome decisions to make. However, it should at least mean we have options on the bench to change the game in our favour should we need to.
Plenty of debate on the team we should be going with but for me we make one change. Styche is our best striker, he proved it last season, and is ahead in the charts this season. For me he has to come back into the team. So I would set us up:
--------------------------- Maddison--------------------------
Trotman ------------ Burn ------- Hughes ------- O'Hanlon
--------------------- Wheatley ---- Elliott --------------------
Thompson --------------- Syers ----------------- Nicholson
---------------------------- Styche -------------------------------
Subs: Saunders, Ainge, Henshall, Galbraith, Bancroft.
I Think this team is good enough to win a fair few on the bounce if we can maintain the system that allows them to perform to their best.
Happy with that line up , bit tough on Saunders but you cant leave your captain/top scorer warming the bench when he's been away on international duty.