Should we adopt a counter attacking style?

Since we got Sissoko and Gouff, we've looked a bit deadly at times on the counter.

We scored a decent amount of goals from counter attacks and from pacey moves.

We're getting Coloccini to stay, plus we have the likes of Mbiwa who, according to Pardew, is like a natural leader, and I think we can all agree that he's a great player with a lot of ability. Hopefully we'll have another CB in, but Saylor should do a good job for half a seasons worth of games at least. Debuchy is a good defender. He's made some mistakes, but I think he will shine next season. Santon had a bad end to the season, but started it very well. He was our best player for the first 15 or so games.

I think we could relive the early stages of the 2011/12 season. I see us losing to Man City, and I don't see us going on an unbeaten run again, but I could see us being defensively solid like we were before last season.

I was very impressed with our display vs Arsenal last game of the season. We held off a side pushing for the champions league with their lives and only lost to a set play, and we could have taken them a couple of times.

I'd like to see us use the pace in our side to counter, as it can be effected. We should attack teams, no doubt, but I think counter attacking should be something we could work on.

I really loved our goal vs Spurs away. Yes it was a deflected shot, but it came from a great pacey counter attack with Sissoko, Gouf and Jonas working together.

There might be some changed in the line up, but here's the line up I'd play vs City if there's no additions -

-------Cisse--------Gouff----------

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

------------Cabaye----------------
------Tiote----------Sissoko-----------

Mbiwa----Colo---Saylor------Debuchy

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

I know you're thinking that Santon should be in an counter-attacking formation, but I really see him getting raped an new arsehole by Navas. Mbiwa would be my choice for Defensive solidity.

Tiote will be the defensive mid that stays back and plays in front of the defence. Sissoko is the one that starts nearer the back then makes runs forward. Cabaye just in front of the two CM's acting as the distributor.

Ben Arfa in a sort of free role wandering from left, mid to right and working his magic. Both Cabaye and Sissoko can try and slot the pacey strikers through.

 

Tash, Pardew demands his lover Jonas is in team every week and we don't even know if Cisse, Krul or Cabaye will be here come August.

 

You change your username more often than you change your socks Tash.

 

I was in a transitional period. This name is staying as it is. Belial is a word that covers a lot of what I'm about, so i'm sticking with it.

 

We should start Colo and Yanga together (CB) every time possible, Yanga can learn from Colo and will be 1 of our best defenders of all time if he for fills his potential! Saylors good but can be a little bit of a liability!

 

He goes through lots of socks apparently

 

dirty tash

 

Whatever style we use can't be worse than last season. We played better at Motherwell with more ideas than we did all last season.

Put the guys on the field and let them get on with it, none of the , "You play there and do that, and you do this and you do that" messing with their heads. They are professionals and should know the basics and what is expected of them by now.

 

Sorry Obi, can't give you any welcome back rep.

I must spread some Reputation around before giving Obi Wan some again.

 

Whatever lineup , that has Jonas OUT of it, is not a good representation of what we'll play.

In any case, we do have players capable of playing on the counter well. Cabaye with his passing, HBA, Gouf, and a finisher in Cisse.

Ultimately, it'll be a game-by-game decision on how risky we'll play. I can see us getting burned against teams like Man City with this.

 

With them two up front we will struggle to score goals like last season
If we don't replace ba we are screwed
Simples

 

The term belial (בליעל bĕli-yaal) is a Hebrew adjective meaning "worthless" from two common words beli- (בְּלִי "without-") and ya'al ( יָעַל "value").

 

As always, you should tailor your style to suit your opposition. This is what we did so well in the season we finished 5th and in Europe last year. For some reason we seemed to forget this for the league. It really depends on the opposition and their weaknesses. For instance frustrating Arsenal has proved very effective at times. Going longer and high tempo against Man U has at times proved a useful tactic. Sitting tight and playing on the break against Rodgers teams usually proves better than leaving space and playing open. Stoke are another team it has proved useful to stay compact and hit them with quick counters. Someone like Norwich you want to impose yourself and get after them.

I do agree though that our team ethos in general should be to keep our shape and then spring out quickly. It lends itself to isolating people like HBA and Gouffran with their men. Sissoko has the ability to carry the ball long distances and gut busting speed too.

 

Focusing solely on counter-attacking is too reminiscent to the hoofball crap we had to watch this season. Mind the same can be said of those games where i watched us hold all the possession and do **** all. call it whatever you want all i want to see is positive football, looking like we actually want to score. Snockers makes the best point, no set formation but switches based on the opposition