Who starts up front against Norwich ?

[BoysInBlue]

We're going to need more than Lukaku to last the season. If Jelavic goes, who's left? Vellios? He's hardly played under Martinez and is another one dragging his feet on leaving the club, either to go on loan or permanently.

We need to keep Jelavic.

 

[Christiffa25]

Only sensible comment on here so far.

You should always start your form players, otherwise how on earth can you expect ANY player to work hard to produce good form?

I agree that Lukaku is the better player, but he's been leading the line since September and rarely been subbed off, and the fatigue has started to show. Jelavic can view this as an opportunity to force himself back into contention with us, or at least generate some interest in him from other teams. The only risk is that he might not play that well, but if that's the case you sub him off and bring Lukaku on.

Jesus Christ...He's played one game, against lower opposition and scored a couple of goals for the first time since March 2013. He's not in form FFS!

Lakaku starts no question.

 

[Tree13]

Jesus Christ...He's played one game, against lower opposition and scored a couple of goals for the first time since March 2013. He's not in form FFS!

Lakaku starts no question.

If scoring two goals in your first start for four months doesn't indicate you MIGHT be coming into form, what does?

If you want rid of Jelavic, he needs to be in the shop window. Siting on the bench every week does not achieve that. There is no better combination of reasons to give him a start than "he scored twice in his last game, he's trying to attract bids from other clubs, he wants to get back into contention for his WC squad and our starting striker has gone ever so slightly off the boil in recent weeks".

Had we regularly been subbing Lukaku off with 20 minutes to go in the last six or eight games I'd be more inclined to agree with you, but the fact remains he's 20 years old and we're asking him to start and play 80+ minutes every game as a lone striker. His breakout performances last year were a mix of starts and appearances off the bench. We are risking running him into the ground physically.

Personally I would have put Lukaku on a plane to Belgium at the final whistle yesterday and told him to go spend a few days with his family as a reward for his excellent work in the first half of the season. Then I'd have called Jelavic into the office, poured him a whisky and said "Well done mate. A few more like that and you'll be off to the world cup, no problem."

 

[Goat]

Jela will be sold before Norwich.

*cough*

 

[DualityNSNO]

I bet it's gonna be our new signing - Messi.

 

[Tubey]

Still maintain that if Jelavic was not nailed on for a transfer before the Norwich game, he would have deserved the start.

As it is now, it's Lukaku all day long. And I hope he's not on his heels yet again and shows the dangerous side of him he was displaying before December, as the excuse of "he's tired" won't wash any more.

 

[Goat]

Im currently the number 1 ITK on Got lads.

 

[Tubey]

Im currently the number 1 ITK on Got lads.

... and unquestionably the heaviest.

 

[Goat]

... and unquestionably the heaviest.

Are you a mod mate?

 

[Walken]

We should let Jela play upfront if he wants these next two weeks, then pay his wages for his first month at Hull

 

[Tubey]

Are you a mod mate?

Amazingly no. No idea what's going on there like. Dan mustn't have got my email and/or massive envelope of cash.

 

[chicoazul]

*cough*

Did you have a fairy cake stuck in your throat there mate?

 

[bainesontoast]

False 9 with Osman up front. Nailed.

 

[The Equaliser]

Did you have a fairy cake stuck in your throat there mate?

I'd say it was some of this