How we can survive - Getting the basics right. 4-4-2, Hard work, determination and a bit of luck.

I'd play 4-4-2 and just hammer the **** out opposition at every opportunity with crosses and balls into the box. Get Mitrovic, Wijnaldum, Cisse or De Jong into the box.

The only way we've threatened the last two teams we've played is from crosses and set pieces, and that's what I'd go for. Get Shelvey and Townsend in the positions to produce a quality delivery, and get players into the box.

4-2-3-1 and trying to play good football aint going to work. Nor are great tactics. The players are either too **** or too thick to do it right. We need Benitez to be a man manager and motivator more than anything.

Mitrovic, Cisse, Wijnaldum, De Jong. All players that have shown they can provide a threat in that final 8 yards.

I'd start with this next game -

------------Mitro-----Cisse/De Jong---------
Townsend--Wijnal--Shelvey--Sissoko
Anita-------Mbemba--Lascelles---Janmaat
---------------------Elliot------------------

Perez is a class player but he just isn't made for this current team. I'd play Cisse and get balls into him. He'll have something to prove after his injury, and he looked reasonably sharp and has a nack of popping up with last minute crucial goals.

I fancy Cisse to nab a goal vs Norwich, and we can't just sit back in this one.

I'd put Anita LB because we seemed more calm with him on the pitch and he's, IMO, superior to both our current fullbacks defensively.

 

------------Mitro-----Cisse---------
----------------de jong---------------
Townsend--Shelvey--Wijnaldum
Mbabu---Mbemba--Lascelles---Anita
---------------------Elliot------------------

That's better

 

That would get raped mate.

4-4-2. Solid formation. Basics.

 

------------Mitro-----Cisse---------
Townsend--Wijnal--Shelvey--Sissoko
Anita-------Mbemba--Lascelles---Janmaat
---------------------Elliot------------------

I like the look of this Tash.
Two tweaks at half time.....

1- If Sissoko is being a lazy **** again, swap for Aarons or Perez and get him to cut in.
2- If Cisse is being a lazy **** again bring on De Jong to play off Mitro's shoulder (remember Nolan with AC).

 

I'd not start Cisse. De Jong for me. It's not like we're creating a billion chances and we need someone to put them away. Cisse is a complete liability for a team who need to create more.

And I'd go Sissoko middle and Gini wide right. Gini has end product, Sissoko does not. He has one strength - his strength. Give him a shot in the middle of the park again, purely to add some height and power in there.

Assuming we've got not left back then, yeah, Anita will have to do. PL football club and THREE LB's injured, even FOUR with Mbabu, all of whom are sh!t when fit. Fcking ridiculous.

------------Mitro-----De Jong---------
Townsend--Sissoko--Shelvey--Gini
Mbabu---Mbemba--Lascelles---Janmaat
---------------------Elliot-----------------

Strongest line up for me. Possibly even regardless of injuries.

 

De Jong and Cisse need to start, so does Anita, something like:

------------------------CIsse-------------------------------
------------------------De Jong---------------------------
Townsend---------Shelvey-----Sissoko--------Gini
Anita------------Mbemba------Colo--------Janmaat
-----------------------Elliott----------------------------

If this doesn't get goals, then replace the frontine with Perez and Mitro, but De Jong links things up much better than Mitro and Cisse is more likely to get goals than Perez.

 

We have to get Gini wide. Personally I'd drop Sissoko or play him left back where he looked ok Seriously though you can't put him through the middle and you can't play him wide, I can't see the point in picking him.

 

Isn't Haidara due back this month? - could be our saviour!

 

Mafia game is on mate

 

Just posted on there - have been ill with flu and forgot about it!

 

There's nobody dropping deep to regain the ball in those line ups.

 

I'd probably play this. Keep Cisse as an option. I think you are better off starting Mitro rather than the other way round. De Jong in theory is our best player so of fit he is our best chance of trying to whip up some creativity around him. Even if he himself is ready for the knackers. Sissoko I have no idea what to do with and the team can't spend any more minutes on the pitch trying to work it out either so I've benched him. How long is Tiote out for? Could do with him really.

----------------------Mitro--------------
---------------------De Jong---------
Townsend--Saivet--Shelvey--Gini
Anita---Mbemba--Lascelles---Janmaat
---------------------Elliot-----------------

 

I really don't understand the people saying Gini should be RM now simply because he got an assist vs Sunderland.

At LM he was useless and simply just ran into the center constantly, and always left his fullback exposed.

Imagine ultra attacking Janmaat and Gini on the right? Jesus we'll get raped on that side!

 

But something HAS to change. Simply carrying on with Sissoko there with his one goal and two assists in 17 years isn't working. Gini isn't working at 10, he isn't working in the middle, and I don't want to necessarily see him dropped. Problem is it's all broken and we need to start again, but we can't do it with 8 matches to go so it's about finding A solution. Maybe Anita RB/Janmaat RM, SIssoko dropped?

 

Can Mitro and Cisse work together up front? I'm not so sure. Maybe give them a game to have a look at it, but we're running out of games to be experimenting. It will probably come down to either Cisse or Mitrovic up front, though, and to be honest Cisse has the better record and I think he's the busier of the two, but is he fully fit and in form?

I'd like to see De Jong in the team, possibly alongside Shelvey in a 4-4-2. I like Townsend and think we need his pace and guile in the team because there is precious little elsewhere. I couldn't bring myself to drop Wijnaldum as he at least retains the ball well and has some guile despite his drop in form. It would seem, therefore, that there is no place in my side for Perez or Sissoko.

Not so sure about Anita at RB. He's been fairly poor at the defensive side in the past IMHO. LB for the next couple of games at least, I'd play Mbabu I guess.

 

I've been saying 442 all season

Congratulations

 

Perez will be dropped next game.

 

You are normally right mate.
The rest of the lads should smell that coffee.

 

I think it will do him good.
He's has loads of game time and looks a bit burned out to me. A couple of games out and then back for the last 7 would work for me.

 

Had a look at Physioroom this morning and Janmaat now has a knee injury apparently with no return date. Haidara looks set to return for the Norwich game so we may lose a RB and gain a LB
Mbabu may also be back although he is down as a slight doubt , same as Colo.

Would no one else here consider dropping Shelvey? I've been pretty disappointed with him recently. Consistently seems to be over hitting 30 yard balls cross field just handing the possession back to the opposition.

Mitro is also shown as returning from his elbow in the head for the Norwich game but I think we need a more proven PL goalscorer.

With all this in mind I think I'd probably play:

----------------------Cisse-------------------
---------------------De Jong-----------------
-Townsend---Saivet-----Gini---Sissoko-
Haidara---Lascelles--Mbemba---Mbabu
----------------------Elliot----------------------

Yes I know that Sissoko is a lazy fecker but I still have hope that Benitez will get through to him and maybe he'll have one of his good games? I would also be OK with having Perez on the right.