[Blast]

Since our NT plays approx 10 times a year and we all know that this is not enough time to make your team gel and to iron some mistakes out of the way they play, well an NT coach doesnt have as much time as a club coach to stamp his style of game onto the players is what it comes down to.

The first 11 doesnt get a chance to šplay together all that often.

This question has been bugging me for some time and i am in two minds about what the right thing to do is

(Well lets say that I am in two minds due to the fact that I can see the advantages of both options)


a) Should you play your strongest team as much as possible to give them the experience of playing together and get some things gelling?

b) Should you play with your reserves to give them match practise and to see what they can offer you as a team (a team that you wouldnt usually play as your strongest)


Could we please have a poll on this as it is a question that will come up before, during and after our game vs Scotland and in the friendlies just before the EC.

 

[Ćevapčići kid]

ok, i think you pick a squad then choose an 11, play them through the qualifiers, dabble with a player or 2.

Friendlies shouls be experimental. All of them no matter the opponent. Or should i say experiment taking into mind the opposition and what you COULD do should we meet them in a tourney or a team like them

 

[IVO]

Your options are too extreme, it should be something more like CK says.

Anybody watch Milan-Arsenal the other night? With the pressure that was on the Milan central defense, just imagine Simic being thrown in and you had bet on Milan. How would you feel about your chances?

The way I see it, the only players on our team who should be assured of starting come June are Petric, Modric, Srna, Corluka and Simunic. The rest of the players are very replacable either because they're not very good (i.e. Simic and Kovac) or because they have other players who can take their spot (i.e. Kranjcar).

A 4-5-1 may have been good against the Dutch as they're generally a team who keeps possession well against anybody in the world. Against teams like that you just can't afford to make mistakes like we did at the back. The second goal would likely not happen in a tournament but the first goal could very well happen. Simic has become pretty good at marking his man only to let him to at the last second and watch him score. I just can't believe Knezevic didn't get more chances considering who we have in the middle.

Bilic has done a lot of good things with the team and I hope he builds on it rather than sits on it. If he does the latter, the job offers will stop coming, you can be sure of that.

 

[Blast]

Point taken the options are quite extreme.

I was thinking about adding a third option which resembles CK's answer but thought it wouldn't make for a good discussion.

We as an NT do not get much playing time so the core of the players who will be your strongest team should remain on the pitch if you wish to assess the team vs any competition. The core of the team is 7 out of the first 15 players (subs included) remaining on the field thru the entire game and the others who need the valuable playing time with the sqaud fit into their respective possitions. Only then will we be acomlishing something as this would very well be the players that would have a shit show of a chance to play together in an actual game that meant something.

I would not at any given stage of any match put on only my B side and watch them play without mixing it up with players who would normally have a spot on the team if it were a competetive match.

Ok I guess I am hanging near the middle and the 3rd option is the one I would have settled for also

 

[PanaSlaveBelupo]

Here's food for thought. Play your Defensive regulars since that is the weakest link of the starting eleven and ensure you rotate your strikers now that Eduardo is a no-go.

Shoring up that defense is critical if this team is to get to the knockout phase of the competition.

 

[tvrdoGlav]

Here's food for thought. Play your Defensive regulars since that is the weakest link of the starting eleven and ensure you rotate your strikers now that Eduardo is a no-go.

Shoring up that defense is critical if this team is to get to the knockout phase of the competition.

:thmbup:

 

[Ljubuski]

Always play the best XI at the time.

If they're in form for their clubs then they should play. I've always been a fan of that system.

I know the Klasnic example will come up but I still say play him, because his form is still of proven worth.

Cheersch