If all strikers are fit - who starts on Sat?

[Veins Of Old Gold]

Above is a tough decision for Mick in my eyes.

SEB and Fletcher seem to be building a very strong partnership.

SEB has the attributes to cause some major damage to Premiership defences. He's quick and powerful and has shown he 'can' finish.

In my eyes it would be harsh dropping him. He is clearly in form and has worked hard to prove himself.

Fletcher is a quality quality player and should definitely start the game. He has shown clear grounds to why we coughed up £6.5mil for him.

And then there is Kevin Doyle.

He makes things happen. He was easily a contender for player of the season, top goal scorer and a great finisher. Dropping him would be harsh, very harsh IMO but if he came on with 20 mins to go he could finish a team off.

I'm well and truly stumped on who I would pick out of Doyle and SEB. As Doyle has picked up a little bump it makes it easier.

SEB and Fletcher for me against Stoke.

Nice tough decision for Mick!

 

[Bahama Wolf]

Play all 3!!

 

[ProudWolf]

Doyle and Fletcher.

 

[Veins Of Old Gold]

Play all 3!!

Would make things a hell of a lot easier!!

 

[Bahama Wolf]

I would start with Fletch and SEB as they have the shirts as it were and scored in the last game. SEB is busting a gut to score and he has a perfect opportunity to start off with a bang. if he scores on Saturday, can see him going on a run of goals..

 

[Ogerp]

Sorry SEB

No brainer.
Doyle and Fletcher have to be first choice. Both ooze class upfront and are proven goal scorers in the Prem.
SEB, maybe the impact player from the bench late on.

 

[wolvo_boi]

Doyle isn't 100% so its a no brainer for me plus seb and fletcher linked up very well for the 1st on sat!!!

You only have to look at england to see what happens when u pick the best players and not the best team!

 

[dolmanrj]

no brainer.
Doyle and fletcher have to be first choice. Both ooze class upfront and are proven goal scorers in the prem.
Seb, maybe the impact player from the bench late on.

+1

 

[Taffywolf]

Doyle won't start as he's only 85% fit

 

[robwolf]

I cant see Mick risking Doyle when SEB and Fletcher played so well together on Sat.

 

[GoldenHorseshoe]

Doyle and Fletcher.

Must be!

 

[Virginia Wolf]

SEB & Fletcher with Doyle to replace SEB around 70 mins.

Doyle's dead leg sounds as though it is taking a while to shake off.

 

[astraltrader]

No brainer.
Doyle and Fletcher have to be first choice. Both ooze class upfront and are proven goal scorers in the Prem.
SEB, maybe the impact player from the bench late on.

+1 [Unless Doyler is unfit]

 

[thaibri2]

Keogh and Ward, anyone

 

[North West Wanderer]

Doyle and Fletcher every time. Unless Doyle is not fit.

 

[albell]

For me if Doyle is fit he has to start alongside Fletcher.

It's hard to believe that we are potentially strong enough up front that we can debate whether to leave Doyle out of the starting 11. Nice!

 

[North West Wanderer]

we aren't in my eyes. Pre season means nothing. doyle is still the first name on the teamsheet when fit and i.m astounded that anyone can remotely think otherwise.

 

[Wolf]

Doyle and Fletcher - Give SEB 25 mins to replace Doyle if he's struggling a little - Still gives SEB his chance

 

[sedgwolf1980]

Anyone who suggests dropping Doyle (unless he isnt 100%) has well and truly lost the plot.

 

[North West Wanderer]

Hallelujah.

 

[5 - Lescott]

Might not go down well, but I think it's got to be SEB & Fletcher. SEB has clearly worked himself into the ground over pre season judging by his leaner look & increased workrate in games. For the Stoke game he is an absolute must, considering Doyle will not be 100%, which he wont be. I think dropping SEB for a 3/4 fit Doyle could really see SEB's head drop big time. Dropping Doyle for a game won't hurt him & who knows what a goal on opening day would do for SEB. Well worth the risk if you ask me.

Go on...shoot me down

 

[Marauding Wolf]

Well the title of this thread is - if all strikers are fit.

All things being equal in terms of fitness you have to play Doyle, he was our top scorer and arguably best player last year. Now that we seem prepared to give him a partner you do not have him on the bench. We spent all summer hoping he wouldn't go to a bigger club and now that he hasn't people want to start him on the bench.

Not that he needs it, but his height (versus SEB) would also be an advantage against Stoke.

However, with all that being said if we ignore the title and imagine Doyle is only 80% fit, certainly SEB has put forward a strong enough case to say a fully fit SEB is more deserving of a start than a patched up A.N.Other striker.

P.S Don't get me wrong I am fully hoping SEB shows his worth as a premiership player this year, but I want to see Doyle and Fletcher build a partnership asap.

 

[we love jez moxey]

Start with what we know, Doyle up front on his own. Then introduce Fletcher and/or SEB when we feel comfortable enough to do so.

 

[albell]

Anyone who suggests dropping Doyle (unless he isnt 100%) has well and truly lost the plot.

Correct!

 

[Adrian_Monk]

I've seen a fair bit of pre-season and whilst SEB might look like he's lost a couple of pounds and is trying to run more, he still doesn't convince me he has what it takes, and hasn't looked like he has the mental sharpness or decisiveness to gamble like many goalscorers at the highest level do and have done for many years. It always looked to me like he had this trait in abundance but something isn't working for him and pre-season hasn't suggested to me that anything significant has changed, so if Doyle is fit it MUST be Doyle and Fletcher, both of whom ooze class, aerial ability, work rate, hold up play and technique.

I'm all for giving chances but we need points on the board early in particular as we have a horrendous 8 or 9 weeks so soon in the season, and playing SEB might improve his ability in front of goal like it did with Iversen halfway into the season (before the idiot Jones ditched him) and get him sharp, but look where that got us last time- we have to think about Wolves not SEB and play the players who, if fit, are unequivocally our best strikers.

 

[wanderer24]

SEB and Fletcher. The in form strike partnership of pre-season who did the business against Bilbao. Suggesting that Doyle should automatically start just because of last season is ridiculous. Ive no doubt Doyle will force his way into the same and is the best option playing one up front against tougher teams, but SEB and Fletcher have earnt the right to start against Stoke and Mick will see it the same.
The team that started against Bilbao is pretty much the team for Stoke, Mick only real conundrum is the left hand side, whether combination of Ward, Van Damme, or Elokobi because he's not 100% sure about Jelle yet or revert Jarvis back that side, and Geudiora on the right.

 

[Veins Of Old Gold]

I was expecting a reaction like this.

Many think Doyle should start and others think SEB should.

Against Stoke I personally think Ebanks Blake would be more effective. He's strong, stronger than Doyle and I would personally put money on him beating Doyle in a 100m sprint.

The Stoke backline is tall but certainly not fast.

Give SEB a go.

 

[Hoganstolemywife]

Doyle's played well in pre-season too remember!

Doyle is the first name on Mick's teamsheet - rightly so too

 

[Marauding Wolf]

SEB and Fletcher. The in form strike partnership of pre-season who did the business against Bilbao. Suggesting that Doyle should automatically start just because of last season is ridiculous.

It's not about blindly selecting Doyle, it's about recognising that Doyle hasn't performed badly in pre-season, his injury stopped him playing against Bilbao.

Given that Doyle's form isn't bad, it seems much more ridiculous to back a player based on a couple of friendlies against weaker opposition than a player who has done it against the best week in week out. All this assuming Doyle is fully fit of course.

One further thing to add, I believe there's some ridiculous Prem stat about number of games lost when you score first (not many is the answer) the point being we need to be all guns blazing from the start rather than thinking, oh we'll give SEB a chance and Doyle can win us the game it doesn't work out.

 

[Sedgers]

I know this is slightly off topic but, frankly, I don't care as I'm full of excitement. I would go with the following Spanglish formation side:

---------Doyle---------
----Jarvis-----Fletcher----
---------Jones---------
----Henry-----Gued----
JVD--Cradd--Berra--Zubar

Lovely.

 

[OsloWolf]

we aren't in my eyes. Pre season means nothing. Doyle is still the first name on the teamsheet when fit and i.m astounded that anyone can remotely think otherwise.

+1

 

[Barracudawolf]

Assuming Doyle is fit, definitely him with Fletcher. If he is not, then SEB's been playing well enough to play him without worrying about being underpowered up front.

 

[Red Socks]

I would play all 3, with Doyle starting of wide right, SEB up front with Fletcher, with Fletcher, Jarvis and Doyle switching Left to Right. I think having quality players allows us to make more movement and removes some of the predictability we have had.