What line up would you play against Spurs then?

I'd like to see the 4-3-3

Krul

Simpson
Taylor
Coloccini
Santon

Tiote
Cabaye
Jonas

Ba / Marveaux
Ben Arfa
Cisse

 

If HBA available then this

Ba----Cisse-----HBA

Jonas-Tiote-Cabaye

Santon-Colo--Williamson-Simmo

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

Same as last year i know but not sure if he would play saylor from the start yet...maybe a few games in before he is a regular starter again....

If no HBA then swap him for Marv....

Ideally would love to see debuchy in there but cant see it happening!

 

Why?

Why MUST Jonas play? It will all depend on our game plan.

Jonas is in no position to expect a guaranteed spot in a game just because he's fit and available, now we have more options.

 

Saylor isn't playing straight away, that's what Pre-season is for. He's had time to get back in touch with the team.

 

Another one I'd like to see is:

--------Ba----Cisse--------
-----------HBA------------
---Jonas--Tiote--Cabaye---
Santon--Colo--Saylor--Simmo
------------Krul------------

Allows our midfield three to all play, Ba to play centrally, but still keep the same ideas as the 4-3-3.

 

He's only played about 135 minutes so far. When he completes a full pre season game, then he can be considered for selection. Personally I don't think he's ready to manage 90 minutes against Spurs yet.

 

Personally i believe that if Jonas is fit and available he has to start. He offers us a lot going forward but more importantly if we are playing a 4-4-2 formation then he offers great defensive cover for either full backs. With the current set of full backs we have it could arguably be our weakest area on the pitch so the extra cover would always be essential. I guess like you say it's always going to be dependent on opposition and our particular game plan for that match, as much as Marveaux and Ben Arfa offer us a great deal in an attacking sense i don't feel like they would be willing to put in as much graft as Jonas does in his forfilling his defensive duties. Either way i believe that if we play a 4-4-2 or indeed my preferred 4-3-3 then Jonas has to start because of his tireless work rate and defensive qualities. This is however just my opinion and i think you could argue the pro's and cons for Jonas starting or not.

 

............Ba..Cisse..............

Jonas..Tiote..Cabaye..Raylor

Santon..Colo..Saylor..Simmo

.................Krul.................

I have a feeling we will go 4-4-2

We also have Europe coming up and I think Pard's will want to give Obertan, HBA, Marv, Shola, Gosling, Willo a run out in Europe.

 

I'm actually quite worried about the lack of game time Cabaye has had in pre season, wouldn't be surprised if Abeid/Bigi/Jonas started in CM instead.

 

Jonas is an absolute shoe in. When he was fresh at the start of last season, he was as good as any in those opening games. Certainly in a game like Spurs he'll be very important. I assume Raylor is ahead of Simpson while contract dispute continues. If so Krul, Raylor, Santon, Saylor, Colo, Tiote, Cabaye, Jonas, Benni, Demba, Cisse in our usual system, Cisse/Ba interchangeable.

 

Agreed...Cabaye hasn't even had 90 mins in total in pre season, I can't see how Pardew can start him especially as he's not even made the trip to Cardiff today!

 

I suppose Jonas would be a sensible choice. I picked the 4-4-2 to counter Spurs' wing threat, and also because we have our biggest threat down the center.

So I suppose if Jonas is the better LM defensively, he should play. But I think Marv is easily the better player in terms of creativity.

I dunno. We'll have to see.

You're probably right.

I'd probably play the same formation I put out before, but with Jonas instead of Marv at LM.