Strikers

If Shola and Lover were to find themselves in a matter transporter a la The Fly, what would they be called?

Shover or Lovola?

 

If we had no strikers we could use him as a false 9, but definitely wouldnt be doing it now

 

We should keep on playing Ba and Ben Arfa.

Those two moments of class from Ben Arfa that almost got us two goals, no one else in the squad would have pulled them off. Perhaps Cabaye with the pass, but not with the runs.

HBA will be a great player in the future, and for his first full start back he was good against City.

Keep on playing HBA for now, and see how it works.

If HBA can unlock City's very strong defense, than he can unlock Manure and Chelsea's out of tune defenses.

Best and Ba would be playing into Manure and Chelsea hands if I'm honest. Playing HBA will frighten the **** out of Ferdinand and Terry.

 

I wasnt talking about who to play next game necessarily, just if all 3 were on form, who do you think are the best partnership?

 

Once again, he misses the point.

 

First off, Amnesiac **** off you miserable ****.

Smudger, on form I'd say Ben Arfa and Ba. I know Ba and Best have had more time together, but the way Ba and Ben Arfa linked up for that chance that Ba should have finished off was class. The one touch passing and the lovely reverse ball.

They showed that they could potentially rip defenses apart.

Ben Arfa and Ba for me. Bring Best on if we need something a bit different.

 

It's a difficult one, that probably does just depend on who you're facing and keeping players egos in tact too.

Best and Ba compliment each other brilliantly in my opinion. They both work a lot for each other and link up with the rest of the team really well. Best does more of the dirty work and wins the first ball, whereas Ba usually drops deeper and then is there in the right place at the right time to finish the move as well.
I dont think we've seen Ba make any of his own chances yet or finish a nice passing move, but surely thats just a matter of time. The passing interchange at the weekend needed a better finish, hitting the post against Blackburn in the cup, hitting the crossbar against someone early on in the season.
Against sides such as Stoke and when you need your forwards to defend a lot as well, Best and Ba will by far be the better option.

As for using Ben Arfa as one of the strikers, Best probably should be the ideal player to be in front of him but i reckon Ba will probably end working the best for us. Leon stays up more and gets the knock ons, but he doesnt play as intelligently as Demba. I think he'd waste a lot of Ben Arfa's through balls and be caught off side way too often, whereas Ba hangs with the last defender really well and seams to have a decent understanding with Ben Arfa. There's also the language barrier, as im not too sure Hatem can speak English very well yet, can he?

Ideally i'd like all three of them to play but i cant see us ever trying any sort of 4-3-1-2 with Ben Arfa just behind Ba and Best and Guthrie, Tiote and Cabaye in the middle. Which is why i want Be nArfa to start out wide with a decent enough fullback behind him to let him wonder some times.

You've also got to factor in the very high possibility of Modibo Maiga coming into play come February... You'd assume to make it Ba and Maiga? We'll see.

Ba / HBA for me though, if Hatem isnt allowed to play on the wing. It'll just take time for them to perfectly click.

 

Went for Ben Arfa and Besty.

IMO, Best has been the better striker this season, Ba has turns up every now and then (and when he does, he is mental) but I feel Hatem and Leon is the way forward for us.

 

Shola Lovenkrands <run>

 

Imagine if someone was actually called that.

 

How about Perchino and Sanchino upfront? I heard Santon can play as a goalie, in defence, in midfield and upfront he's quality! He also needs game time so why not?

 

Best and Ba up front, with Ben Arfa playing in the hole. This is the best solution, with the wingers providing crosses into the ball and cutting inside will be great to see.

This is what i think Pardew will install for the attacking front eventually, but with Cabaye and Tiote and Guthrie in the middle fighting it out, it will be hard for Ben Arfa to play in the hole. Pardew has good selection headaches available to him, and it's exciting to look forward to each match as it comes. With transfers coming in to the fold come January, Summer time, i look forward to recruiting new players, as I firmly trust our transfer policy and dealings, knowing that every player we get is not overpriced and has been evaluated to fit the team mould.

Best and Ba offer a great attacking threat up top and the partnership they have is good, they're always looking to help each other out to create goals.

I'd look to start....

Krul
Simpson Saylor Colo Santon
Oba Tiote Cabaye/BenArfa* Jonas
Best Ba

*With rotation on form

 

I would like to try this out personally.. this would include all three of them playing too! Ba has good pace so he can slot out wide and play as a ''inside forward'' same with Ben Arfa and Best can be the typical central-forward with Cabaye, Tiote and Guti/Guthrie in the middle depending on form/injuries/suspensions etc.. basically a 4-3-3/4-5-1 sort of formation.

Krul
Santon Saylor Colo Cissoco/Pieters/Carr ''gem''
Cabaye Tiote Guti/Guthrie
Ben Arfa Best Ba

 

As soon as you start playing 433, that applies pressure on the back four. With Guthrie playing instead of Jonas, that changes the defensiveness that Jonas offers. It also leaves more holes in the formation for a counter break the opposition could score on. Three in midfield allows the other team to dominate the middle of the park and we are doomed with long balls from defence to attack.

With playing Ben Arfa and Ba on the wings, they will need to track back a hell of a lot to gain possession back and then move up the field as a team unit, 433 is a very intense style of play, i think our players will tire a lot more and be prone to errors.

442 is a balanced formation which suits our passing play on the ground and provides outlets to the attackers with Cabaye/BenArfa distributing passes across the front field.

 

Shoveover.

 

I would like to see all 3 play.

if i had to pick 2, would have to be best and ba .

HBA is the better player out of the 3, but I dont like him being played off the striker

 

This. What was his best game to date in a #nufc shirt? AS A LEFT-WINGER!

 

He's only started 3 games, the one on the left he had Enrique behind him as well. We could have played no one on the left when Enrique was here.

 

Yes but the 3 games he started at LW he was great. (Man City/Stoke/Everton in the 10-11 season)

Although he was impressive against Man City in the ''free role''/''attacking mid''/''no.10'' role.

I guess Pardew & co will know more than all of us.. so let's wait and see.

OK I'll ask you this if we played a ''proper'' LB who could defend and attack like Enrique so effectively.. would you put Ben Arfa out wide?

 

Nope, I think Jonas and Ben Arfa would work magic together. Plus I think I'm the only one who thinks Best is **** (though he has grown on me and not in the AH way)