It's a Shame it's in the sun. That's great news. I'd just like to hear it from a few other sources first. Have u got a link?
I think it could be too difficult to define what our "first team" will be this season, HD. Redknapp has mentioned a few times how the squad is going to have to be juggled about, due to the europa games on a thurs. the most important thing for me is that the cover in all positions is of good enough quality, so anyone can step in. 2 or3more players and we've got a great chance of proving critics wrong, as well as winning the EL, IMO.
Completely agree. However behind my question is a thought that maybe VDV is not guaranteed a place. He was brilliant when he first came, but due to fitness and injuries tailed off badly towards the end of the season. Maybe we are going back to a traditional 4-4-2 and I can't see a place for both Modric and VDV? There's always another possibility here of course.....
I think Crouch would go to Stoke, as would Palacios. Adebayor and VDV would be the main pair upfront. VDV would interchange with Defoe, and Adebayor with Damiao. Pav could pair with Damiao, Ade or at a push Defoe. Deadly strike force.
Another possibility is VDV on right side of 442, with Walker behind we would still have pace and Lennon to come on against tiring defences?
VDV is a strange one. he's agreat player, but he's also a huge headache. You want to see him play week in week out because he's undoubtedly a class act, but his "role" can be a real nightmare at times. but when he doesn't play, I find myself asking "what if" regularly. We've now got adebayor, who is a huge presence, he'll hold the ball up well and should be able to release VDV if he's playing in a partnership. Crouch has been this "adebayor type of player" previously and has done well, but just lacks the cutting edge at times. Damaio is also a strong player and could also provide this solution if we sign him. we've desperately needed this, to give us something new up front. This is why i feel sorry for defoe. he's a sniffer and can score out of nothing. But not when his back is to goal and he's holding the ball up like we saw on monday - it just doesnt work.
Lock Stock, I honestly think we could be seeing deja vu with Pav as we did with bent. what i mean by this is "sandra could have scored that". there is no way harry can be impressed by him at the moment. I've always defended the guy and thought that he never gets a good enough run in the team - but there's no excuse for not a professional footballer to be hitting repeated shots into "row z". It's happening too often with him now. i agreed with andy townsend last night where he said "he doesn't look like he wants to play for this club". i actually thought that andy was going to follow that up with "this guy is S*it." you could just sense it in his voice.
This is how ~I'd expect us to play if we do revert back to the trusted 4-4-2, but don't be too certain that that'll happen, Harry loves his 4-5-1 right now
The 'trusted' 4-4-2 will not get us into the CL positions. We need two holding midfielders and four attacking players (out of Modric, VdV, Bale, Adebayor, Pav, Lennon, Pienaar, Crouch, Defoe etc) in a flexible formation to compete with the better teams. And we shouldn't have a 'first' team: who plays should depend on the opposition strengths and weaknesses and how best to exploit them. But with the new signings we've got the right players for this mostly. Diarra for Palacios and Damiao for Pav (or Defoe) would be improvements and I'm not yet convinced that Rose or Townsend are ideal left backs. But other than that I think we've got the squad to really make a challenge if Harry rotates them right.
This would be our stringest starting XI I think: ...............Friedel Walker...Gallas...King...BAE ...............Sandro .........Hudd.......Modric VdV..........................Bale ..............Adebayor Subs from: Gomes, Cudicini, Daws, Kaboul, Bassong, Rose, Corluka, Iago, Livermore, Lennon, Pienaar, Townsend, Kranjcar, Pav, Defoe, Kane. To be sold: Hutton, Jenas, Palacios, Bentley, Crouch
Mine would be pretty close to that aswell. As it stands,I'd currently have VDV in Hudd's position with lennon on the right. dawson would also be at the back instead of King. Simply because of the injury situation, not ability obviously.
What makes you so certain it would'nt get us Champions League Qualification? We qualified for it in 2009/10 with a rigid 4-4-2 which was effective and solid. Maybe doesn;t work so well against top 4 but against anyone else i'd rather see 4-4-2.
Good teams, but my question was what team would we play if Leandro came. Just on subs bench, or would you accomodate him in the team?
brings me back to my original VDV "headache" point i replied to you with earlier mate. i really don't know! i guess it depends on who we're playing? away in europe could potentially require 5 in midfield as european football is a completely different game. However in the prem I feel we need 2 strikers. this question will be full of opinion HD, it's a bloody good one. However, i'm sure DB will will have the answer. "put Adebayor on the bench and play Leandro Damiao".
Afternoon all, I mentioned yesterday that it wouldn't suprise me if a deal was put in place for Leandro - particularly as we have links with his club and that something could be arranged for a Jan 2012 arrival. I was told I'd been on the sauce! Having seen him play several times, I think he would be a fantastic signing and with Adebeyor joining, we could then release Crouch and Pav and have a quartet of Adeybeyor, Leandro, Defoe and VDV, with Kane and Coubilay as up and comers.
