Time to map out a plan for Villa's future
- Says blogger Matthew Turvey
Roy Hodgson happy to play three forwards
Thursday 23rd February 2012, 11:00AM GMT.
Boss Roy Hodgson believes his three top strikers can all play in the same team.
Hodgson reckons he could field Peter Odemwingie, Shane Long and Marc-Antoine Fortune in the same side as he considers his options for Albion’s Premier League meeting with Sunderland on Saturday.
Long has been an instant hit since joining from Reading in the summer, Odemwingie bagged a derby hat-trick against Wolves 11 days ago and Fortune has been in outstanding form in recent weeks.
Six-goal Long was among the substitutes at Molineux after back and chest problems but the Ireland international is pushing for a recall.
Hodgson said: “It would be harsh to leave ‘Marco’ out of the team at the moment based on his performances, so I suppose Shane might need to be patient.
“The good thing is that in Marc-Antoine Fortune we have a player who can play in a couple of positions.
“He can play in a central position or as a wider forward so we have some options in front.”
* Albion are laying on 40 free coaches to take around 2,000 fans to the Premier League clash at Wigan on March 17.
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3 forwards sounds exciting and you can see it with MAF and Long through the middle and PO out wide – but we need Sharner on the pitch with Mulumbu to make it work otherwise we could end up like the wulfies last week when the played Fletcher, E-Blake and Doyle but had no holding players.
Also not sure if we can play all three plus Thomas….. sounds like a Mowbray team !!!!
Not sure which 2 from 3 we will go with but its a nice headache for Roy to have.
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I completely agree with you Roy,an’ if they ALL score an hat-trick this week,you won’t see me complainin’……….
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Long and Fortune up front.
Odemwingie on the bench, he’s just not interested since he got his 50 million a week contract.
seriously though, it has to be Fortune plus one. As Happy points out, playing all three could lead to all sorts of problems, and i thought Thomas was superb first half at Wolves, so i’d want to see him in there as well
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MAF middle forward with Long and Odem as inside forwards on the wings… just a thought…
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when you’re on jobseekers allowance they ask for proof that you’re ‘actively seeking employment’
so i’ve applied for the England manager’s job. i know i’ve got no hope of getting it but it’ll keep the jobcentre happy for a bit
my mate Dave ain’t so smart as me though. he’s applied for the Wolves job.
he’s got an interview on Monday…
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Kev,
Wally Smith has turned wo1•Ves down, have you a spare donkey you want to loan out. Be warned, the recompense isn’t much.
BOING~~~~BOING~~~~JtH.
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Why not play 4-4-2 and have Pete on the wing?
No1) Are you forgetting about Andrews? he is the man who will cover Scharner and think he will be ready to show us what he has.
It will be a cracking game on saturday thats for sure.
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5- Quality!
Wolves are priceless… What a mess!
I think Long will be on the bench Saturday with similar team to the Wolves game barring Scharner maybe making way for Andrews.
I would take a point against Sunderland now with a few tough games coming up. 3 points would be awesome though, if we play the way we did against Wolves we can win.
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Puttin’ on me sensible ‘ead,what you have with Roy is experience and organisation,so I don’t see him changing too much from the success of the last game.
I’m guessing Fortune and P.O. will again start up front,with the plan of using Shane as an ‘impact’ player later in the game,when their defence begins to tire.
If Scharner’s missing,we need a strong replacement,so Andrews could come into the picture.
I’ve got no inside info.,but I’d be willin’ to put a fiver on me prediction.
3 Sherlock-
have to correct you there,mate.
P.O. is ONLY on 40mil. a week-
I know ‘cos me mate told me,and he got it from his mate in the pub.
But it’s right that he ain’t interested,if there’d been somebody in for him in the Summer,he’d have been off-FACT.
That was confirmed to me by Mrs. Jones,two doors down,as she was hangin’ the washing out yesterday.
But she still thinks Peter’s a nice lad…….
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Can’t wait to see what Roy will do, Don’t want to appear too eager, come on Inside Man.
B☺ING~~~~B☺ING~~~~J♦H.
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astle 7 – yes andrews may do the job but I’ve not seen enough of him yet to know if he can play the “enforcer” role that Scharner does so well.
He looks a good player but if we play with 3 forwards plus Thomas we will need snotters to protect the back four and so far Scharner and Mulumbu have been our best pairing for that.
That said, its an exciting prospect.
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Sherlock ha ha almost dropped me pint. Will ya mate turn them down as well. No bugger wants the job !
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Dan (Ashworth),
Thanks for giving us insight into your valuable position within our club. The blog is impressive knife edge stuff, again thanks.
B☺ING~~~~B☺ing~~~~J♦H.
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What about Simon Cox?
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Just heard that Scott Carson has been interviewed for the wolves job.
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Out of Odemwingie, Long and MAF, I think PO is the only one with enough invention and craft to excel in a wide position. However Roy will inevitably demand his 4-3-3 becomes 4-5-1 when we lose possession, is PO reliable enough for that? That said, he was brilliant at it last week and right at it from the off, he’ll definitely get a chance I think.
On other stuff, Kev- I know you have a gripe about Wolves references, but even you must admit this is becoming comical!! Has anybody got Bryan Robson’s phone number?
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I’m sorry to disturb the story,but this is too good to miss-
I couldn’t resist having a quick look at the wolves site,on the thread of ‘Walter Smith turns them down’.
I’ve never seen anything like it,the wolves fans who wanted Mick sacked,and can’t stand Steve Bruce,are now shouting for both of ‘em to be signed up as the new ‘dream team’.
It really seems to be their worst nightmare happening.
The club wouldn’t sign any new players in January,but they’re tryin’ to bring in 20 Managers during February.
Complete meltdown……..
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We will have to be creative to break down a very disciplined Sunderland defence. They played a great game v Arsenal last week. Martin O’Neill has done well with them. With Fortune getting in to cause problems I think he can lay-off to the host of potential mid-field scorers we have. And as you say astleistheking, Andrews looks to be great cover for Scharner.
This will be the match to turn home game fortunes in our favour! No schoolboy mistakes!!
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You may not all like Peace – but watching our neighbours shuffle from one embarrassment to another you gotta be slightly pleased we have someone who can actually run a football club in charge.
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I find the Wolves fiasco very embarrassing, not only for them, but football in general. Why, or how is it, a man can make millions in business, be astute under pressure, then buy or join a football club and lose all his skills overnight? I know football is volatile,
the fans change with the weather, the pay is outrageous, the clinging with finger nails to the Prem more important than entertainment, but you would think that someone would give his right arm to manage Wolves. I AM NOT JOKING either! If I owned Wolves and paid the wages, I wouldn’t let fans influence me one scrap. In the main, fans are workmen with a boss. Their experience of big business absolutely nil. Why consult or listen to them? Some would have moaned had Sir Alex taken the job….past it, Scottish, what has he won lately? There are times and this is one of them, when the owner should say, ‘You’re the man I want, what will it take to get you?’. That time has passed. What the hell they do now I do not know.
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Warren
The ony gripe I’ve got is when people reply to idiots who post over here not tekin’ the ssip out of the Dingles and at the moment,Dip ya bread son!
Are you going to the match on Saturday, if so which pub and before or after?
Adéu
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Jack
I’ve already had a word with the three of ‘em and they all said the same, they think they would be perfect for the job as far as the players are concerned,them being of the same race n’all but they don’t think they’re ready for a big club like that just yet but they are keeping a eye on Chelsea.
Thinking about it if they did take the job and took ‘em down the Dingles would swear blind they were The Wooden Donkeys of Sandwell.
Adéu
Bomber
Are you defiantly in the Sportsman before and after the match on Saturday?
Adéu
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Sherlock @ 5: Excellent post.
I think it is very unkind of those people sneering and laughing at the wolves. Mind you, it’s quite hard not to.
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Lets play 3 up front at man u have a real go at them there defence and midfield is old and slow now and a dodgy keeper who cracks under pressure another 5-3 why not …
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I haven’t written anything today for laughing. Happy, sherlock, Rocket, Wimabigclub etc and now Ethel all on superb form. As Happy said the other day, when it’s good this site is brilliant.
PS B90.
I think you’re right, a point would be a good result against them at the moment, I think Arsenal or Chelsea would be an easier game.
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The very best wishes to my old sparring partner and friend, ‘WE ONLY NEED ONE HALF’.
Not been too well, and wishing him a speedy and full recovery.
GET WELL SOON big fella !
I hope the Baggies bang a couple in for you against Sunderland on Saturday.
( i also hope Sunderland score 3, but you get me drift im sure ;)
See you back on here soon pal.
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23 Lonely,
I thought about WONOH yesterday,he put a few posts on here a week or two ago,then it went quiet,I thought it was unusual.
I think he said a few months ago that he had some health problems,so whatever it is,I hope he recovers soon.
Best wishes to him.
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5, Lock. That even made me loff.
(Aint we all got a mate like “Dave” though ?)
We will eventually get the managerial appointment correct im sure, Because we are actually quite a large football club. Are we not ?
( you o.k. for normal friday hostilities ?)
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Wanted at the mol experianced chainsaw operator male or female As wolves fans c’ant see the wood for the trees.John Mcenroe or Wonderwoman lookalike preferred.thats a shoe in for you then kev
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5 Sherlock. I enjoyed reading you had applied for the england job,and your mate had an interview for the wolves job.great stuff.
Now to saturday,let’s have a tremendous roar when the lads emerge from the tunnel,as was suggested by sherlock recently
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Midfield is key this weekend. O’Neil stopped Arsenal by using two and banks of four and pressing high up the pitch. We failed to deal with Swansea who played like that.
As for Wo1ve5, you couldn’t make it up, soon they’ll run out of names in the hat and beg Mick to come back. Or better still, pair up Mick and Roy Keane
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Alright, so i aint clever enough to ever manage the baggy’s, but i am clever enough to av a go at the wolves job.
I do have an over-all veiw of this great club and i feel i could do a good job anall if given the chance, If only i could ever find a way down from me scaffold that supports this new quarter of a ground that spawned european football, ide give it a bloomin good goo. ( but i would want slightly more than me minimum wage that a scaffolder earns at the minute) But i doubt Moxey will want to spend that sort of cash…..
Their loss. I am Dave.
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A Wolves mate told me today the The Man From Del Monte had said no to them as well. I think they should go for Steve Kean as he’s used to the abuse.
WONOH.
If you’re reading get well soon mate, I need your facts and figures.
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Dave
Sorry mate, too busy negotiating a extension to
me donkey’s contracts in hope that they’ll stay here, their heads have been turned by an offer from a big,big club in England and it’s very attractive cause there won’t be any language difficulties.
Adéu
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Haappy Rockit Bully (bostin name that) an all yo other boggies.
I ope yo do mind me ritein on yower blogs, like me mate wimabigclubweam, iv bin banned frum postin on the wulvs blog, probably the biggist blog the world.
Them suggestin tha i ay wolves, i cor beleve it, ay i allwis tellin evrybody ow big we am.
Its reely urt me feelins, i mean i was one of the 48,000 peeple in the crowd of 2000 odd at the chorly game.
Anyroad, we should goo fur a gaffa thats used to urope-een footy, cus thats weer weem hedin, that pip gondola thats hoo we shud goo for.
See ya soon tescos
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so Walter smith as turned down the job comes to somthing when the local butcher dont want it!
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Whats been going on?
Havent been able to post due to being so busy at work. As most of you know i run a recruitment agency and we have had our work cut out this week. First of all we have had Mick McArthy register with us looking for work.
His impressive cv and experience has meant we have had difficulty finding him the right sort of work. We eventually placed him in an ideal position working as a traffic warden. He called me yesterday and told me he found the attitude towards him by those he ticketed to be strangely reassuring and comforting. After working as the Wo1ve5 manager he found being spat at, called a numpty, told to fu%$ off, and watching parked buses quite easy to get used to.
We have also been given a job vacancy by a local football club. I wont go into it, but we are slowly working through our data base to see if anyone wants it. We are upto the R`s so far but not to worry we have quite a few Eastern Europeans so the Y`s Z`s and W`s could still throw up a taker, but i wont hold my breath.
Kev
Whats the plan for Saturday? Im in a pickle at mo, i need to meet some mates in Wednesbury to drop some tickets off at the boozer. Then ill get down to the sportsman, just not sure on time.
Cant meet up after the game, got to shoot off and pick up Belle.
However if your here for the chelsea game im up for a session?
Oh and im on coach 3 TAN for Man U.
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Bomber
OK, we’ll leave it for Saturday as nobody else has said they’ll meet up, me and Cantello will go in the Vine for the real ale and the last time I asked in the Sportsman for a Bottle of Vino Tinto they wanted 16 quid.
I have to leave about 1:15 anyway to meet up with my old mates down the Oak in Newton St but I’m up for the Chelsea game, I’ll put my sombrero in mothballs, be in touch.
Adéu
PS, just goin’ up me land to check if Moxey has been sniffing around again.
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“Since we made the difficult decision to part company with Mick, we have been through a diligent process of assessing potential candidates,” Wolves chairman Steve Morgan told the club’s official website.
“Having spoken to a number of people we have drawn that process to a close and myself and the board are unanimous that Terry is the right man to lead the club for the remainder of the season.
Haha hehe hoho
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