It's a win/win for us. Taarabt has apparently said that he wants to remain with us and will do so now at least for the remainder of the season. There was a suggestion that he feels somewhat renewed following Warnock's transfer to ESPN - a comment echoed by some other pros - and Spunky is smart enough to know that the lad has God-given, game-changing talent, but needs careful managing. It's a win/win in that the squad is now better equipped. So if Taarabt fails to impress, we're now a better outfit. If he steps up to the plate, we're still a better outfit. I have metaphorically just come thinking about the 2011/12 Rs Mk III.
Only just seen this response. So, you've never heard of a formation that is 4-4-2 when the team loses the ball, but then becomes more fluid in possession? Call it a diamond if you like, but that formation doesn't stay as a diamond does it? It's fluid!! The problem with MH and Adel is that MH prefers 4-4-2 and, as you rightly (for once) say, Taarabt needs to play in the central play making role. Hence the need for a more fluid formation. Here endeth the lesson!!
Yes! That is why I think 4-3-1-2 is seriously fluid. It forces the middle to move around with the strikers, and create shifting triangles on either wing. The back 4 almost can create a line at the back, being able to control the offside trap more. I just want Tarbs in the middle to orchestrate, be the point man. He can do wonders from there. I just think that 4-4-2 end up being too wide and stuck on either wing, leaving the middle to be wasted. Especially now with our new signings, we want to score, not be so sat back and building, we need to be able to counter as quickly as possible. I trust our back 4 to be strong. The CBs have done a fairly decent job so far. We haven't paid them back enough with goals.
I think Hughes will surprise us all with Adel. remember the days when there was only one holding midfielder? It was the 2006 world cup that highlighted teams playing 2 holding midfielder and everyone then jumped on the band wagon!. Wouldn't be surprised to see him coming in from the left with barton diatke and swp making up the other midfielder. Just think what Taraabts can do for the likes of cisse and zamora. it could be fantastic him having more intelligent players moving for him.
Was hoping you'd contribute to this Bob. One holding midfielder is exactly what I've been saying is the way to accommodate Taarabt. Hope MH thinks the same!!
I don't see why Adel can't play wide in a 4 man midfield, he has often played wide in the attacking 3 of the 4 2 3 1 and with excellent results, remember some of his best goals coming from wide positions. I would have him in a free to roam place based on being wide on the right where he can provide plenty of ammunition for Sisse and Zamora, and finish himself, leaving Traore wide on the left. Traore has shown he can provide the more traditional wide man role of getting to the bi- line and getting in superb crosses. With Onouha behind Adel at RB, and Barton and Diakite/Buz in CM we should have enough cover for Adel's defensive frailties.
What I'm afraid of is that if you stick on the wing, it would be easier to crowd him out by double-teaming him and using the touchline as a wall. That's what the opponents would do, and Adel would be stuck with nowhere to go, and he would just give up halfway through the game. He needs to be in the middle so he can turn and spin with options for outlets. Yes he can cross but if he doesn't get the opportunity to do so, he'll just disappear, and we have all seen that! Let the wingers be wide of him, let the strikers be angled in front of him at the corners of the penalty area, and let him have options to pass, give him the room to move. Otherwise he'll get trapped by the defenders and he'll just mope.
I understand what you are saying Yappy, but as a coach i always say to the players that you can't coach or predict every scenario in a football match therefore initiative, imagination and intelligence comes into decision making. If Adel was to be double teamed by markers then that could well work to benefit the other attacking players. Its all opinions really and mine is that we only need one defensive midfielder but if there were to be two then the lack of tracking back by Adel should be well covered.
Couple of points. Firstly, I think it was Hughes that said that Zamora's a player that can get the ball and hold it, laying it off for other players to run on to (kind of in the HH role.) Secondly, Cisse played most of this season on the wing at Lazio, and created something like 15 goals. So with that said, I can see us going back to last season's 4-2-3-1, with SWP on the right, and Adel and Cisse taking turns to play alongside/off Zamora and cover the left flank.
Having read Everyones post and comments I think rangercol argues the best case to fit Adel in. Hughes is smart enough to know that if he can get the best out of Adel he's got, to put it simply, a player we would never be able to afford to buy. It was clear to see just before Warnocks demise that Adel was trying much harder, unfortunately that still wasn't anywhere near good enough for the premier league where every player has to work their socks off when the chips are down. As a final comment in reply to Qpaaagghhh, are you having a laugh? Missed the opportunity to make a profit on Adel? We bought him for less than a million. We could put him in a 24 carat gold, diamond encrusted box with platinum bows and give him away for nothing, he has paid if his fee 100 times over by winning us the title last year.
It all sounds great in theory, but they have to learn to make successful passes to each other and try to not lose the ball so cheaply. A bit basic I know, but they've got to get the basics right before anything else. Pass and move, pass and move.
True that if he is double-teamed or crowded out that others would be free, but I'm just talking specifically about how Adel would behave, and it would be waste to tell him "go ahead and take them on and attract them to you, that'll help us free up the others" - but that would surely piss him off and that'd be that. It would be better if we told him that he is in charge to orchestrate, have at it from the middle with control as he pleases, be a playmaker, make something happen - that would be a more positive and forward thinking way to express it to him to give him the confidence he needs. You know Adel has fits when he's jammed up the whole game. Let him roam, let him run, give him the one-twos so that he can spin off and pass. That's what I hope for.
