How do we approach the Norwich game then?

The defense will need more support than ever, but I don't think it's so bad that we will be leaking goals left right and center.

I personally think we should go into the game with a good, attacking mentality, but also prepare for the fact that our defense will be under supreme pressure.

We still have all our attacking quality, and we can still put away Norwich. Norwich are a good team and we'll have a big task on our hands, but I'm still confident of a win or a draw. Pardew will have all his defenders working hard, Colo I Imagine will still be on the sidelines with Pardew, giving tips to Perch and the others.

Even though Steven Taylor and Coloccini are both fantastic CB's, it's not just their quality that has improved our defense and helped us achieve this great start, it has been Pardew and his coaching of our team. It's not just the quality of our players, it's the way they've been taught to play. All most every player has improved under Pardew. Not just the defenders.

I would personally start with this line up -

---------------------------Ba---------------------------

------------------------Ben Arfa--------------------------

Jonas(c)-------------------------------------------Obertan

---------------Guthrie--------Cabaye--------------------

Raylor---------Santon----------Perch------------Simpson

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

The reason I'd drop HBA and play Best is because we will need more power in the air when defending from set plays and corners ect. Best and Ba are both good in the air. HBA basically has no defensive qualities what so ever. Obertan, Santon, Best and Ba are all good in the air to an extent, and can all help with defending.

I'd have Jonas captain. He's got the right mentality, he's 28, and a big personality. He'll be able to keep the lads in line.

I've finally made up my mind about CB and decided that we should keep Raylor and Simpson in the positions they've gotten used to, mainly because of the way they've developed a partnership with the midfielder in front of them, especially Raylor and Jonas.

Santon maybe traditionally a full back, but it's better IMO than risking Kadar. The lad is just totally inexperienced in any top level, and I'd not risk it. Santon has decent power in the air, and good defensive qualities as well as pace.

Guthrie and Cabaye should help the CB's with closing down players and shutting the door.

We may have to resort to long balls in this game, as I'd prefer Cabaye and Guthrie to sit back a bit. Cabaye has fantastic vision and can play great long passes. He can knock them up to Ba and Best and Jonas and Obertan can support them.

What do you guys reckon?

I'm going to have faith in the team and go for a 1-2 win or a 2-2 draw.

 

Drop Obertan would be the first thing. I'm one of his biggest defenders but the last thing we need in a game with 2 poor centre backs is someone giving the ball away a lot. Make sure everyone in midfield in particular is comfortable on the ball.

I've changed my mind about Kadar, he looked good in the Championship but if the management team see him every day and see nothing in him, I wouldnt play him. Simpson at centre back for me, he's probably got the most experience playing in defence and because he and Perch are fairly quick for centre backs, maybe play a high line. Santon at RB, Raylor and Jonas back on the left together.

Finally, drop one of Ba/Ben Arfa for Shola/Best. Keeping possession will relieve pressure on the defence and one of the big boys leading the line can hold the ball up better for us and help do that:

Krul
Santon Simpson Perch Raylor
??????? Guthrie Cabaye Jonas
Benny----
----Best​

Bench: Harper, Kadar, Gosling, Abeid, Sammy, Shola, Ba

 

I just quickly scanned your team and I though you had Santon as AM

For me it would be:

Krul
Simpson - Santon - Perch - Raylor
Abeid
Guthrie --- Cabaye
HBA-------------------Jonas
Ba​

 

When has Simpson played CB? I'm not snapping at you, I'm just wondering.

I just feel really uncomfortable with two Cb's under 6ft. Perch is like 5ft 10 and Simmo is 5ft 7/8.

Benny is a great dribbler and will produce moments of magic, but he loses the ball a lot because of his style of play. Sometimes he will make runs that no other player in our team will make and it could lead to a goal, but 65% of the time, he gets tackled and gives the opposition back possession.

Best and Ba are both good at controlling the ball and both are useful in defense.

 

dropping Ba smudger? Very brave call

 

Agree with Tash's point about Simpson. He's 5'8" man! Steven Taylor would have trouble with Grant Holt, Simpson would be ****ing flattened by him. At least Santon has the height to deal with him, and possibly even the power

 

Twice that I know of, and he's played over 150 games in England, Santon's played 2 and neither at CB. I think it's only fair his full debut comes in a position he's comfortable in, and I've been reading up, apparently he's quite weak in the air for his size.

Yeah I'm not massively in favour of dropping him, I would be just as happy with Ba-Shola up front, as long as one of the big lads is playing. Plus some Ben Arfa magic could really hurt Norwich, he's only started against top 4 sides.

 

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

Simpson-----Kadar-----Perch------Santon

Raylor***-----Cabaye-----Guthrie*-----Jonas

-----------Ba----------Best**-------------

*Tiote (60)
**Benny(60)
***Obertan(70)

 

Krul
Santon Simpson Perch Raylor
Gosling Guthrie Cabaye Jonas
Benny----
--Ba/Best​

Santon loves to bomb forward from what I have seen so I would play Gosling (depending on fitness) for a bit of added protection. As Tash says the two CM's will need to sit a bit deeper, so IMO you need to have HBA as the link between the midfield/upfront.

Undecided about who to start upfront, but I would probably go for Ba as he is the most likely to score.

 

I'll personally go for..

Krul
Simpson Perch Kadar* Raylor
Obertan Cabaye Guthrie Jonas
Best Ba

*He played so well in the Championship and in the cup games that he atleast deserves 1 PL start regardless weather he's leaving or not. When he was in the Championship and had a decent string of games he looked to me like a good comfortable ball playing CB with decent pass, good height and technique. Although I have a feeling Pards will stick Simpson alongside Perch.

 

I rate Kadar but that was a few Championship games 2 years ago, if Pardew and co arent seeing it in training I take their opinion over mine every time.

 

HBA could storm Norwich. For me he has to play. He's hit the post, put the ball on a plate for Ba and won a pen in the last two away games against the two best teams in the country. Also, whereas he can be tackled by better teams, I think he'd be a decent outlet against poorer teams

 

Krul
Simpson Santon Perch Ferguson
HBA Cabaye Guthrie
Best Ba Shola​

Wishful thinking from me, but I would like us to be very attacking and having Best, Ba and Shola for their height to help with set pieces.

 

This is interesting.

 

HBA CM? Shola Left wing? I'm sorry but I assume this is some form of sick joke?

 

--------------------krul-----------------
simmo-------perchinho------------santon-----r.taylor
area 51----- gootrie------------dreamboat----- guti
Leon ------------- Ba

as much as i love ben arfa he should be dropped, he was very wasteful in possession against chelsea and away from home we cannot afford to do that but bring him on definitely

 

I agree with this aswell.. but come on ****ing Simpson at CB? He's 5ft 8'' for crying out loud.. Holt/Morrison would have a field day with him and Perch who is less than 6ft if the delivery is accurate.. Oh dear I'm already dreading this. If Kadar doesn't play then it has to be Santon for me.

 

The ****?!

 

That just scares me, HBA in centre mid and Best and Shola as wingers?

 

Makes up for it with pace though, and Coloccini's hardly a monster in the air, you dont need to be huge to be a CB. Plus Santon's played two games in England and is supposedly not good in the air for his height anyway, I cant see him playing CB on his full debut going any better than Simpson playing there.