I agree with MrRAW. One up front's fine with other attacking options, either up the wings or through the middle (and Barca have both!). It begs the question of why Muntari was played in CM for a solid four months, but that's finished with now. Without any other threat, defences are free to crowd your striker out - we all saw Bent's head go down in September, and Gyan's in Spring. In fairness to Bruce, I think we're better off in this respect this year than last. As so often, he's signed well. Larsson should give us more attack-minded play, and more accuracy than Henderson did, and Vaughan can do damage from the left. Gardner's ten goals through the middle last year is also encouraging. Bendtner might find life a little easier than Bent and Gyan did. But that will take time, and we're already 6 or 8 points off those teams behind the top five - time isn't something we've a lot of if we want a decent season. Maybe 4-4-2 would be best until e.g Vaughan, Larsson and Gardner settle in. Then we could experiment with these other options. The big worry with Bruce is, as Bobby said, how he uses those players. He has to start playing people in their best positions and not mess them about so much. I think the way he played Muntari was a crying shame (especially given how well he played against England on the wing) and Gyan suffered for it. Bruce signs well, but doesn't bring the best out of players.
I do not really care. janie is coming round tonight at 2am. That's all I'm waiting for now. Got the two wee ones tucked up, put the two quid in th jar from the tooth fairy as the little un lost her first this morning & my boy got picked for his school team. Life can be good. Yes.
anyway when i saw what bruce was saying i couldnt believe it was he justifying his ****e formations on the basis that barcelona played with no strikers? when they attack they have about 5 ****ing strikers, we attack with a long ball forward so we end up with one man up front, ffs, if we dont play 2 up front on Sat i am going to be pissed off, even if we win coz all it shows is that bruce hasnt learnt from his mistakes, unless ofvourse we win with a GREAT performance, likely? I dont think so
"Bruce signs well, but doesn't bring the best out of players." Exactly what I think. "When they (Barcelona) attack they have about 5 ****ing strikers, we attack with a long ball forward so we end up with one man up front." Exactly. And when the other team get the ball, those five strikers immediately become 5 defenders, harrassing the man on the ball and protecting the other 6 defenders. They are as good off the ball as they are on it. We can be good with the players we have but we are incomparable to Barcelona.
