Tiote and Obertan back for united.

What????????????

 

This is gonna be a real headache time for Pardew cos none of the subs have been bad... If I was in his place I'd drop Benny and play Guthrie, Tiote and Cabaye in midfield with Obertan on the right...

 

Simpson is ****e, Tiote is more defensively minded than Guthrie and Sammy's too inexperienced

 

His defensive positioning is awful!

 

Ah I though he meant sammy, guthrie and simmo were all injured, phew.

 

I've watched them and I would agree wholeheartedly up to the Citeh game. Since then I could not fault their back 4. I imagine a riot act was read post that humiliation, and they're all too frightened to **** up now. They've sacrificed a fair bit of attacking threat as a result of course.

 

Yup, same for me.

 

I think Obertan isn't ready yet. But he will come on as an impact sub against tiring legs. Sammy will start as will Tiote. Leave the defence as it is. (Y)

 

I agree with the player selection etc, however I don't buy in to this 4-2-3-1 bollocks. It's quite clear it's still 4-4-2 and has been invented by overpaid foreign managers trying to justify their wages.

 

This ^^^

I know people say don't mess with the back 4 but Santon's miles better than Raylor or Simpson, how's it affecting Santon when he can't get in the side ahead of those 2? Santon is absolute quality and will be for years to come, play him! Can't even get my head round people saying play Guthrie ahead of Tiote and Obertan has been good for us on the right, Sammy doesn't have the experience, pace and isn't ready for a regular first team spot yet.

 

If Obertan isn't ready then Sammy definitely, definitely isn't ready. Sammy is still very raw, with his 6 first team games to Obertan's 93 in all teams. Obertan is still learning a lot himself, but he'll have a much better idea of how to handle some of the better defences in this league (like Man Utd) compared to Sammy.

4-2-3-1 just better explains the more detailed elements of the formation. 4-4-2 would be correct if Ba and Ben Arfa were playing on the same line (i.e. side-by-side) whilst the wingers were playing on the same line as the CMs. However, that usually isn't the case. If Pardew asks the wingers to play a higher line, and he asks Ben Arfa to drop deeper to help out the midfield and support Ba, then it becomes a 4-2-3-1.

 

Santon has spent enough time not getting a game to understand how a team works. He'll understand that Simpson and Raylor are in superb form. He'll expect the same when he gets in and is in excellent form. Fair enough if Raylor has a poor one again at Man U but not on those 4 mins. Simpson is undroppable at the minute, he is playing far too well. Santon has also arrived with a number of niggles so the longer we give him to recover fully the better.

I'm keen to see Santon but not at the expense of team morale. Personally I think he needs to dislodge Simpson not Raylor because that is his natural role.

 

Understand your sentiments but I think Raylor will be found wanting more and more often at LB esecially against the bigger/better teams. That said I'd play Raylor ahead of Simpson because he's a better crosser has has more of the a goal threat.

 

Okay, I get why people might want to play a three man midfield with Guthrie, Tiote and Cabaye, but what is wrong with playing HBA out on the right?

 

How does anyone know if Santon is better than Simpson, or indeed any good ?

He clearly has a good reputation, but do we have anythign else to go on ?

 

I think HBA works better in the middle. He had a few brief moments of genius on Saturday, and if we can have pace on the wings and skill down the middle, we could exploit what I think has been one of United's weakest defences in a long time.

I think the best way to play against United is to put low crosses into the box (they've been awful with them this season) and shots from outside the box from Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Taylor. De Gea is good with quick reaction saves, but from distance he's not that good.

I would start with:

Obertan - Cabaye - Tiote - Jonas
HBA
Ba

Then change to maybe:

Jonas - Cabaye - Guthrie - Tiote - HBA
Ba

 

Had the single worst record in Europe of any goalkeeper for being beaten from distance.

 

Evident this season, he's not impressed me, or any Man Utd fans I've spoken to. I thought he was awful against City both times they've played and he had a stinker against WBA too. I seriously think if Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Taylor get their shooting boots on, we've got a good chance of grabbing a goal or two.

I just hope our defence can keep Man Utd out as well as they kept City out. I'm more optimistic about this fixture against them than I've ever been in my life. Just watching how Swansea, Sunderland, Norwich and WBA gave them good games and made them work for the result makes me think we could potentially come away with something, providing we don't start making daft mistakes and giving away penalties.

 

I'll be putting a bet on 0-0. I really do think there is a good chance. They are defending really well at the moment, but anyone who has atched their games will know they are surrendering a lot more possession than usual and creating very few chances. Rooney is playing in midfield! I understand why and would have done the same if I was Fergie (shutting up shop after Citeh). they have to stay in the hunt and in striking distance. Take the 4 mins of madness and Ben Arfa trying to defend out of last weekend and we defended very well again. Indeed when Raylor handled the first ball, they were just beginning to get frustrated. If we can maintain our discipline I can see them struggling to score. I think we might too as they're like fort knox at present, but I'd happily take 0-0. Maybe a long range screamer from wor Yohann will settle it...................

 

Won Serie A title with Inter in 2008-09
Played in Champions League
Played for Italy 7 times (including making Becks look very ordinary a couple of years ago)

and he's still only 20. This guy is going to be great for years to come I really don't see how he can't be starting ahead of Danny Simpson & Ryan Taylor.