Team for Stoke?

Santon is 6ft 4 so I'd play him in this one over Simpson, I also don't give a **** what people say but I'd play Obertan.

 

I'd play Jonas on the right and Marv on the left so they don't keep cutting in. Play Raylor at right back and Santon at left back.

 

He's out for 6 weeks!

 

Really... what happened?

I'd swap Ameobi with Sammy then. The Ame-obi force will tear Stoke apart.

I think we should definitely play 442.

 

I know Simpson's a popular hate figure but I dont think he's playing badly enough to warrant losing his place, much as I want to see Santon.

 

Krul

Santon Taylor Coloccini Raylor

Obertan Cabaye Tiote Gutierrez

Ba Best

....I would keep Obertan in the team for his physical presence, hes fairly strong and very tall at the same time, think he might stand more of a chance against the big lads for Stoke.

If I had my way Simpson wouldn't ever be in the starting lineup unless covering for an injury so I would put Santon at RB, hes a much bigger lad anyway and also has the pace to go with that.

Ba and Best to start definitely, we need the big lads up front to cope with the hustle and bustle of the Stoke defence.

Wouldn't play Ben Arfa for the two reasons, the first is that I think he will get snapped, and the second is that I dont think this is his kind of game, I'm not convinced by his effort and workrate at times (I know probably too soon to tell that) but I'd prefer we had grafters on the pitch and thats why I'd opt for a start without him, possibly introducing him as an impact sub late on.

In the event that Taylor and Tiote dont make the game, I would move Santon into CB and bring Simpson back in at RB, only reason being for Santon to go into the middle would be that hes a big strong lad and surely must be a better option that Perch?

Where Tiote is concerned the obvious replacement is Guthrie, average CM but can have the odd moment of genius, generally reliable in the centre aswell, only really seen him drop one major clanger and I think we all know what that is.

 

Only issue is this. Ba is our only fit big striker. Best a doubt to play so it's between Lover and Ben Arfa to start.

 

Ah, I didnt know about Best, in that case I would be tempted to have a 5 man midfield with Guthrie being the extra man, I'm just really not convinced this is a game HBA should be playing in for the most part.

 

6ft 4 you say? He's not the same height as Carroll, he's 6ft 2 at the most.

 

his hair is quite high so I accounted for it.

Surly you see what I'm getting at though?????

 

wiki has Carroll as 6' 3" and Santon as 6' 2"

 

Good idea that, rewards Guthrie for a good performance in the cup and lets Cabaye get forward more. Only issue is Tiote is also a doubt! Could then bring in Gosling or Abeid though.

 

I'm very, very curious about what the selection will be tomorrow now, so far the team has picked itself but it'll be interesting to see what we're made of with a few key men out.

 

Same, last season I could never predict Pardew's line up, and I'm betting tomorrow will be no different. Difficult for the opposing team when they dont know who we'll go for either. I'd love for Guthrie to play a blinder and give us real selection problems.

 

Team that will play:

-------------Krul------------

Simpson---Colo---Saylor---Raylor

Ober---Guthrie/Tiote---Cabaye---Jonas

----------Ba------Best/Lover-----

Team that I'd like:

-------------Krul-------------

Simpson---Colo---Saylor---Raylor

Marv---Gosling/Tiote--Cabaye----Jonas

------------Ba----Best/Lover-----

Pards isn't going to change an unbeaten team, I don't care what anyone says. So, if the XI that started against Wigan are available, he'll start with them. I personally don't see why people think Simpson should be dropped ahead of Raylor, the only area of Raylor's game that is stronger than Simpsons is set pieces, and we got perfect example against Blackburn that Dreamboat is more than capable of stepping up should we need him.

The hate campaign against Simpson is just daft, he is an average footballer but we bought Santon to play at LB and that is where we need him, Raylor is not the answer forever and he's been found out a few times already this season. We were lucky Lennon wasn't playing when we played Spurs, he'd have been torn to shreds! Everything good that Wigan did came down their right-hand side, Moses tore him to shreds. Having said that, Stoke is not the best place to give Santon his debut as they'll just throw everything down that side and even the best LB's struggle to cope from constant bombardment at the Britannia, so Raylor should play, simply because he's got experience. From Everton onwards though, Santon should be beginning to play.

Obertan is dump and Marv HAS to come in, I tried to give him as much of a chance as I could but I really thought he'd excel against Wigan, granted we were poor collectively but he stood out as being abysmal, he can't beat his man and for the pace he possesses, that is criminal! This isn't the kind of game for Ben Arfa either, and if we swamp the midfield he might struggle to see the ball (apart from when it's flying over his head). Best and Ba up front for me, just so we DO pose some sort of physical threat from set-pieces.

As for those saying we need to play tall players in order to match Stoke physically - it's no good going to Stoke and trying to play them at their own game, they're just far too good in those areas to beat. If we go there, try and play our own game and create chances, plus getting the balls into wide areas whenever possible (where Stoke are weakest imo) we'll have a good chance. It's gonna be tough, but I have faith in Colo to marshall the back four through.

 

This. Agree with everything except I prefer Guthrie to Gosling.

 

It's all about keeping possession, however due to the pitch being small it will be very hard for us to maintain it. I'd say we need to hold the ball up well up top also so would even play Ranger up tops with Ba rather than a small player.

 

Got more chance of Pardew himself starting than this

 

Forgot about Ranger, with Best and Shola being out he might well be back on the bench. He was for Blackburn, looks like we've given him another chance.

 

This, if we must go 4-4-2 and Best is out.. please not Lovenkrands! He'll get bullied out of the game.. easliy.