Defensive line: Stearman, Buchanan or Forsyth?

[Dimmu]

This might sound quite unfamiliar and disruptive, but what if we speculate about a football?

SO, our defensice line has been changing more than it should with Jags leaving, Stearman getting dismissed and injury to Buchanan. The question is, how would you continue from now on?

IMO Davies and Byrne are nailed to their own positions. But when Stearman is available, it gives Rooney bit of a headache.

Buchanan has been really solid replacing him but would you put Stearman back into a starting lineup straight away? He had hardly put a foot wrong all season before that stupid tackle.

Stearman back in and Buchanan at LB? Or Forsyth? Or keep it as it is?

Obviously many see (or at least has seen before yesterday) Ebosele as a fullback, IMO he is wasted there. (And yes, I'd still love to develope him to striker, but if the fullback is as bad as Hull's, he definitely should play on the wing.)

[Marriot Ram99]

Think we should go unchanged for Saturday and then take it from there personally. 

If the same back 4 play well again against Middlesbrough then we will probably stick with the line up against Peterborough. 

Rooney also likes to change the team based upon the opposition which makes sense to me as well just not changing it up every week as you have no continuity. 

Against teams with no pace upfront it makes sense to put Stearman in over Buchanan for a more solid and strong defender at LCB, and if Stearman plays CB we can rotate Forsyth and Buchanan on 3 game weeks. 

For now we will probably go unchanged for Saturday but then rotate based on form and opposition and have just Davies and Byrne as the settled me members of the defence for abit, then possibly stick with a back 4 as we approach the end of the season. 

[ramsbottom]

I  think Rooney will play horses for courses and pick based on the opposition.  A team with a big lump up top go with Stearman, and if like last night they're more mobile put Buccannan there.  

[Sparkle]

Depends who we are playing - Rooney could easily have played Forsyth at centre half but the team needed him on the half way line to challenge and win headers from our goal keeper kick as we simply do not have anyone who can win or effectively challenge the aerial ball up front - just making the best with what we have available 

[LeedsCityRam]

18 minutes ago, Dimmu said:

This might sound quite unfamiliar and disruptive, but what if we speculate about a football?

SO, our defensice line has been changing more than it should with Jags leaving, Stearman getting dismissed and injury to Buchanan. The question is, how would you continue from now on?

IMO Davies and Byrne are nailed to their own positions. But when Stearman is available, it gives Rooney bit of a headache.

Buchanan has been really solid replacing him but would you put Stearman back into a starting lineup straight away? He had hardly put a foot wrong all season before that stupid tackle.

Stearman back in and Buchanan at LB? Or Forsyth? Or keep it as it is?

Obviously many see (or at least has seen before yesterday) Ebosele as a fullback, IMO he is wasted there. (And yes, I'd still love to develope him to striker, but if the fullback is as bad as Hull's, he definitely should play on the wing.)

Depends on the attacking threat I'd say. Buchanan worked well last night as they were more mobile up top but up against a Mitrovic or a Kiefer Moore, you'd need Stearman there alongside Davies.

Agree re Festy although I generally like him coming onto the ball from a deeper position (RB or RWB) - Hull gave him space so will be interested to see how he does for example against Millwall, who won't give him an inch in their final 3rd. Technically he seems to have improved though so perhaps he would be able to deal with that attention now as a starter at RW & the upside of that is massive as we saw last night.

[Red Ram]

1 hour ago, Sparkle said:

Depends who we are playing - Rooney could easily have played Forsyth at centre half but the team needed him on the half way line to challenge and win headers from our goal keeper kick as we simply do not have anyone who can win or effectively challenge the aerial ball up front - just making the best with what we have available 

Buchanan can also do that very effectively

[Phoenix]

Interesting fact I discovered about Craig Forsyth, trawling Wikipedia.

He helped Dundee finish sixth in the First Division the following season, despite the club being docked 25 points for entering administration.

Been there, done it all before!