To me, the key factors this year are to have Lennon and Bale healthy and providing width if the problem is beating a team we should beat, and to play Sandro and Parker together if we're playing a stronger team. Lennon and Bale overlapping with Walker and BAE create all sorts of problems when attacking, while Sandro and Parker do well getting posession against strong teams. We've had problems with width with Lennon out, and there have been a few key games where I felt Sandro needed to be in and wasn't.
I was waiting for Ghoddle10 to weigh in with his assertion that we should play two holding midfielders against Stevenage and should never rotate in anyone not in the first xi... Niko works on the right, but not as a winger (if that makes any sense) - I wouldn't trust him in the middle due to his lackadaisical workrate (not least as Hudds and Carroll can play there, and put in the effort), and if he plays on the right we have to change things around up top and play 4-4-2 instead of 4-4-1-1, so I wouldn't think he'd work on the right in 4-2-3-1, whilst GDS would as he plays that role for Mexico and did so for Barca...apart from the fact 'Arry seems content to let him hang around in training and occasionally stick him on the bench if he has a good session. GDS will likely leave in the summer as part of a clear-out that will also see Bentley, Jenas, Bassong and Gomes leave - but there's no harm in giving him a few games before he leaves if it helps the team.
I like 4-2-3-1. For a while I got convinced by the anti-argument that it didn't provide enough goals, so stopped supporting it. But if Harry plays it on Sunday, it'll be fine by me. Modric VDV Bale and Ade should be able to provide goals, especially when backed up by Walker and BAE as they were v bolton. Interesting call for Harry. I'm not a fan of two wingers, but quite what our best formation is, I'm not sure. I don't want Bale staying out left. I prefer him in the free role he has been playing of late. When we play two DMs, it's their role to protect the full backs, more than Bale's. Quite what we do with Bale, if we only play one DM, I'm not so sure. I guess play Lennon and he supports Walker, while BAE has to stay back more, and be helped by the one DM.
Bale has been far less effective since he's taken to wandering around all over the place. Adding variety to his game is a definite plus, but he's forgotten what made him so dangerous originally.
I agree, he should be wandering around the pitch as a plan b if running up and down the left wing isn't working.
Bale has said he prefers a free role, Harry seems to like him in a free role, and I think Bale is better in a free role. We'll see how things progress. I expect Bale to play in a free role v Swansea, and I hope we stick with two DMs.
One thing I've seen too little lately is BAE releasing Bale down the left, followed by him impersonating the Roadrunner while the fullback does a Wile E. Coyote. I love to see the expression on the fullback's face shift from anxiety to fear and desperation..
Thats what is missing from Bales game, he has progressed too quickly, in the sense too much change as if we remember when Bale started to make a massive impact, he was stuck to the left and all he wanted to do was create havoc, put in crosses and make the opposition look like mugs. Now, he seems to have matured and moved on and he has lost a little spark, all the talent is there and he still puts in great performances now and then but I would rather he want back to basics.
I'm not interested in numbers, but I will say this, Bale staying wide stretches the defence making the gaps for Modric and VdV + a striker to exploit wider, its just so blatantly simple. As soon as he becomes more central, the full back can get closer to his CB, their LB is already an extra 5yds inside with no Lennon to worry about, so it's all narrowed up in the middle, where we're not good enough to tip tap our way through. This does not play to Adebayors strength either...his first touch, in the main, its terrible. With a bit of room round him he can compensate, but at close quarters with 2 or 3 round him, he either loses it, or has to scramble a pass backwards or sideways, losing the initiative and momentum of the move.
Bale is lethal on the left. Saying it sounds stupid it's that obvious. When Spurs have looked really great over the last few years it's been with pace and quality down the flanks. If everyone's fit it has to be Bale on the left, Lennon on the right, doesn't it? If Lennon's not fit I'd say there's possibly a stronger argument for Bale being on the left. I have no truck at all with Bale on the right. There's talk about how it allows him to cut inside onto his left and shoot but we've seen that he's perfectly capable of cutting in from the left and hit it with his left even if it's a bit more of a difficult angle. He just seems more comfortable going past people when he's on the left.
Good points NSS. However the quality Bale has is too often wasted when he sticks rigidly to playing on the left, especially when is double teamed as he was starting to be. I symapthise with the 'Bale on the left' calls, but as I say he prefers a free role, Harry I think wants him in a free role, and for what it's worth, so do I. That free role includes going left side, but also allows him to cause problems down the middle, eg his goal v Bolton on Tuesday.
Not for me, Lennon's not in my first XI. I think two wingers are high risk, when it's great, it's superb, but other times we lose the centre mid. ATM, my favoured front 6 is the players who played v Bolton. I hope Harry sticks with them on Sunday, and keeps Bale in a free role.
Lennon might not be one of our best 11 players and his form has not been what it was a couple of years ago but I think one of our problems this year (when we've had problems) has been trying to play our best players rather than our best formation. At home against (almost?) everyone we should go with wingers.
When Lennon is on the right, I think it works better for Bale when he moves inside from time to time but when he's not there we need Bale to add the width. In the summer I could take it or leave it with Lennon but he started the season really well and I think he'd have continued if he hadn't kept picking up injuries. When he has the confidence to take on fullbacks regularly he's one of our best players and definitely first 11 for me.
I know loads of people love two wingers, at home especially. I see that point, but I'm still not convinced. What was our best home performance this season? Liverpool 4-0 surely. Did Lennon play? No. Did we play two wingers? No. What was our best away performance this season, probably Norwich. Did Lennon play? No. Did we play two wingers? No.
