It might be a bit to early for starting this thread as we don't know who's possibly going to be signed before Window closes on Friday at either 2300 or Midnight.

Brill

Raven, Devine, Warren, Tremarco

Draper, Polworth

Watkins, Vincent, Shinnie

McKay

Subs: Esson; Cooper; Tansey; Ross and Pepper.

Not sure when Foran is back or how long Meekings will be out for, so that's why left them out but going by who I have put on bench, Strikers are a must, surely?

How many tickets have we sold? Doesn't look like sections 16, 17, 18 and 19 in the lower tier are available to buy online so I'm assuming they're sold out, which would mean roughly 1200 sold so far. But maybe those sections are being sold in the shop...

Edited January 26, 201411 yr by Guest

 We've sold 25,000 tickets.  I was pretty surprised tbh.

 

I'd go with the team that Renegade posted ( ).  Maybe put Watkins in the middle and swap Williams for Ross.

Edited January 26, 201411 yr by ictchris

You're only saying that coz you're against Mahonio.

Brill 

Raven Warren Meekings Tremarco 

Draper Shinnie

Doran Tansey Williams 

Mckay

Watkins needs to stay out wide for the relentless long diagonal balls that get punted out of defence to the wide areas.

Brill

 

Raven Meekings* Warren Shinnie

 

Draper Foran**

 

Doran Vincent Watkins

 

Mckay

 

Subs: Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Tansey, Williams

 

*Devine in for Meekings if not fit (Polworth on the bench)

**Tansey in for Foran if not fit (Ross on the bench)

 

Time to get back to our solid, best starting 11. 

Do you go with a team that has more experience and been their and done that or the team that should be our strongest?

Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Shinnie

Draper Vincent

Watkins Tansey. Williams

McKay

Devine for Meekings and Foran for Vincent if required.

....waiting....for Renegade to mention that Wawrinka won the tennis!

Who needs Match of the Day when we had Mahonio v. Renegade last night!!

Brill

 

Raven, Warren, Meekings, Shinnie

 

Draper, Tansey

 

Watkins, Ross, Doran

 

McKay

 

Subs: Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Vincent, Williams

                            Brill

 

Raven        Warren    Meekings    Tremarco

 

                 Tansey     Vincent

 

     Doran         Draper           Shinnie

 

                       McKay

 

Strongest team possible IMHO

One of the problems we have currently is 'not scoring goals'. We have become too predictable expecting Billy to  score regularly. He is currently missing quite a few opportunities. Other players are not filling in for Richie in terms of goal contributions. It is unlikely to happen but there has to be something to be said for resting Billy and then bringing him on possibly after 35 minutes so that he concentrates his efforts and achieves success. This is a massive game for him personally because he has last year's semi final miss permanently in the background. 

 

With Andrew Shinnie doing a Rooney down south perhaps he could sign a one month loan deal and provide the change that we need.

What I want to know, is if Laurence a la last season, believes this game is the biggest in the club's history! 

Dropping Billy would be insanity!

What I want to know, is if Laurence a la last season, believes this game is the biggest in the club's history! 

 

I was pondering this a few days ago....What would constitute our biggest game ever? Although a massive game for us, the League Cup semi isn't as big as a Scottish Cup semi. A league Cup Final, however, now that would arguably be our biggest ever!

Tough choices.  Had the players who played so well against Aberdeen also played well against Kilmarnock, then the team would probably have picked itself - but they didn't.  That's maybe a blessing in disguise because I think that would not be our best team for this game.  In making his selection there are a few factors Yogi needs to consider:-

• Cup success is all Hearts have to play for this season - they will be 100% up for this.  They will be in our faces trying to stop us playing pretty football.
• The game will go to extra time if all square after 90 minutes.
• We have a number of players returning from injury who may struggle over 90 minutes and would certainly struggle over 120. 

We need to prepare for a hard combative match and whilst we should look to win in normal time we need to prepare for 120.

 

I would play Tremarco at left back and keep Shinnie in midfield.  The solidity of Vincent and Draper in midfiled will allow Raven and Shinnie to drive forward allowing Doran and Watkins more options.  Vincent perhaps is the most likely not to last the pace but draper can drop back and Tansey come into the attacking midfield role.  Either Greenhalgh or Williams could come on for Watkins and would provide effective fresh legs if needed.

 

I think this would be a hard team for Hearts to break down but one that will be dangerous on the break.  We need to get at them early and get our noses in front.

 

I think Tansey will prove a great signing and whilst I would personally like to see him start, I can't see that happening if he didn't get on at all yesterday.

 

 

                          Brill

Raven   Warren   Meekings  Tremarco

           Vincent         Shinnie

Doran            Draper        Watkins

                        Mckay

 

Subs.  Esson, Devine, Tansey, Williams, Greenhalgh

I would go along with that D D,

 

 I would also say that Tansey is a must to come on at some point this game I would also like to see Christie re-introduced as well.

Has to be:

. Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Tremarco

. Draper Shinnie

Doran Vincent Williams

. Mckay

Esson, Watkins, Devine, Ross, Tansey, Polworth, Christie

Has to be:

. Brill

Raven Meekings Warren Tremarco

. Draper Shinnie

Doran Vincent Williams

. Mckay

Esson, Watkins, Devine, Ross, Tansey, Polworth, Christie

Good line-up. But teams only get 5 subs in the League Cup.

Brill

Raven Warren Meekings Shinnie

Draper Tansey

Doran Ross Williams

Mckay

Here's my thoughts, for what they're worth.

 

At the back, we need to go with the strongest defence we have - which is, unquestionably, Raven, Warren, Meekings and Shinnie.  Warren and Meekings are better players than Devine, and an established partnership too.  Frankly, Shinnie is better than Tremarco at everything.

 

Draper must play in centre mid.  We badly miss his physical presence, all the more so when Foran is out.  I'd much rather have Tansey than Polworth, again because he is a better player.  Polworth might yet come good, but when he plays poorly (such as in Perth or in Kilmarnock), we are drastically weakened in an important area of the pitch.  If Vincent is fit, then slot him back into his role between midfield and attack, where his workrate and engine have proven to be far more effective for us this season than Nick Ross' attempts to impersonate Andrew Shinnie.

 

On the right, I tend towards Doran rather than Watkins, simply because the Doran-Raven partnership works so well and Doran is never as good when on the left.  The downside is, as RiG pointed out, Watkins offers us an effective diagonal because he's good in the air.  Maybe we could use Marley on the left, but I don't recall him playing there before and a cup semi final doesn't seem like the best place to experiment.  So maybe Ross on the left, where he will cut inside and open up space for Shinnie to attack?  But if we went with Williams' pace, then I wouldn't be particularly upset.

 

And up front, Mckay, of course.  Who else?

 

So, in conclusion, it should be: Brill, Raven, Warren, Meekings, Shinnie, Draper, Tansey, Doran, Vincent, Ross, Mckay.  Subs: Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Watkins, Williams

There's so little between all our choices.  Shinnie at LB or mid and who's out left

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=airT-m9LcoY

Here's my thoughts, for what they're worth.

 

At the back, we need to go with the strongest defence we have - which is, unquestionably, Raven, Warren, Meekings and Shinnie.  Warren and Meekings are better players than Devine, and an established partnership too.  Frankly, Shinnie is better than Tremarco at everything.

 

Draper must play in centre mid.  We badly miss his physical presence, all the more so when Foran is out.  I'd much rather have Tansey than Polworth, again because he is a better player.  Polworth might yet come good, but when he plays poorly (such as in Perth or in Kilmarnock), we are drastically weakened in an important area of the pitch.  If Vincent is fit, then slot him back into his role between midfield and attack, where his workrate and engine have proven to be far more effective for us this season than Nick Ross' attempts to impersonate Andrew Shinnie.

 

On the right, I tend towards Doran rather than Watkins, simply because the Doran-Raven partnership works so well and Doran is never as good when on the left.  The downside is, as RiG pointed out, Watkins offers us an effective diagonal because he's good in the air.  Maybe we could use Marley on the left, but I don't recall him playing there before and a cup semi final doesn't seem like the best place to experiment.  So maybe Ross on the left, where he will cut inside and open up space for Shinnie to attack?  But if we went with Williams' pace, then I wouldn't be particularly upset.

 

And up front, Mckay, of course.  Who else?

 

So, in conclusion, it should be: Brill, Raven, Warren, Meekings, Shinnie, Draper, Tansey, Doran, Vincent, Ross, Mckay.  Subs: Esson, Devine, Tremarco, Watkins, Williams

 

Think this post will save a lot of people posting their opinions. Absolutely spot on

Obviously changes need to be made after the Killie showing. We need our strongest side out.  I like the look of hislopsoffsideagain's  suggestion.  I definitely think Tansey deserves a start after his showing v Dons.  Devine for Meekings if the latter's injury prevents him playing.

Edited January 27, 201411 yr by Caley Mad In Berks

just to throw a spanner in the works... just heard that Foran is in line to start on Sunday!

anyone know when the referee is announced?