Maiga Medical Tomorrow....?

Might suit Santon too. In a 4-3-3, wingbacks are encouraged to go forward, with the DM, covering if one chooses to venture forwards. Thats why we've had success, Santos and Koscielny/Djourou/Sagna/Jenkinson are bombing forward, and the intelligent Arteta just hangs back and becomes a ballwinner, something he's suprisingly good at. I saw a bit of Santon at Inter, and he seems very good going forward.

 

------------------Krul-------------------
Simpson --- Saylor --- Coloccini - Santon
------- Tiote --- Cabaye --- Jonas -----
---------- HBA --- Ba --- Maiga --------

Could work?

How does Arsenal use Song? Could be a clue as to how Tiote would be used in a 4-3-3 formation or similar.

 

Arsenal (Starting) Formation (if injuries never happened)

Sagna Vermaelen Koscielny Santos
----------------------Song
-----------Arteta------------Wilshere
Walclott------------RvP----------------Gervinho

Song is deployed as a box to box midfielder. His primary role is as a holding player, but he does go forward often, and he can be used as a creative midfielder. When he goes forward, Arteta drops back to cover for him, so you'd have to assume Cabaye would have to play that role if Tiote went forwards. Trouble is, Arteta can play DM, Cabaye can't. You'd have to sign another box to box midfielder to make it work, unless you already have one on your books.

 

Ahh, so it's just a 3-man midfield with song playing a little deeper. A triangle, if you will.

The only problem with that, in my opinion, is that you need two really ****ing good natural CMs to deal with potentially being outnumbered. Tiote could do the DM job fine, and I think Cabaye could be good enough, but I don't think we have another CM to partner Cabaye who would be able to deal with not having much winger support. It would have to be someone as good as Cabaye to pull it off, otherwise we'd be better off sticking to a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1.

 

Cabaye can cover DM well enough, and the outnumbering thing wouldnt be an issue because a 4-4-2 just has 2 CMs. I think long term we will switch to 4-3-3 but right now 4-4-2 works better for us.

 

You need a CM in January then. Want to buy any of our ****e rejects, such as Diaby? I'm sure Pardew could get something out of him.

 

Also found this http://www.sabotagetimes.com/footba...riker-who-can-bring-cl-football-to-newcastle/

 

any news on him having the medical from a reliable source

 

Arshavin

 

Not a CM.

 

What's happened to Arshavin? He used to be my favourite non NUFC player.

 

Easy. He's being played way out of position. If you watch him play for Russia, he's a CAM, and he's very good. If you watch him play for Arsenal, he's a LW, and he's crap.

 

Id still maybe have him on loan as Arfas Backup

 

Shame, he's quality when on form.

 

Always said this. Also, Arteta is a wide player not a CM, ask any Everton fan. No offense, but Wenger hasn't got a clue anymore. If you changed your manager, you'd start winning trophies again.

 

So did his medical happen yesterday or what?

 

asked that as well but no one seems to know

 

I think Arteta had been playing CM at Everton before moving.

Thats a good article, cheers for posting Smudger It goes without saying like players with few emotional ties to a club will have their head turned by bigger clubs coming in for them. It happens to the majority of teams including us.

 

This.

He was played on the wing before being put in the middle (usually as the DM) a couple of seasons ago

 

I recognise that, but any Everton fan will tell you, he is far superior out on the left (lived with 2 everton fans last year and they were always moaning when he was playing CM). Remember last season, he played left wing at SJP and was awesome, whilst he played CM most of the season and was not as effective. He was actually very poor in CM when we went there and beat them last year.