To be honest, I don't know what has been posted (on here prior to this), but I do think we have to be realistic. We only really wanted one of these two, but, the deal clearly was that they come as a pair. Hey, Egygt is an emerginfg football country - let's use the flow of it it. We are an emerging football team. Watch NickP !!! I was not wrong about Paul McShane, or was I ???
You read my mind Bullshitter. Was thinking of exactly that same formation the other day. As successful as the 3,5,2 has been, a 4.4.2 along the lines you've suggested could well make better use of the talent available.
A thousand apologies Bullshitman, I just noticed your sign-off line explaining your choice of name - you're not a bullshitter at all! Using your logic, I should change my forum name to "Establishment Man".
I actually watched most the game last night, it appears al ahly were beaten 1-0. Gedo was inefective played out on the left wing, didn't see much ball and when he did, did nowt with it. He's fast thou and doesn't back out of a 50/50, got clobbered a few times. Fathi I couldn't really pick out watching on my iPhone acreen, he certainly likes to get forward but I didn't see him do much either in the chunks I watched. He did a horrific pass back to the keeper though, so at least he's in check with the rest of the team in that sense Anyway, al ahly dominated the majority of the match, looked good and creative and really should have beaten Corinthians by a few.
Guys if you would ask anyone in Egypt even Elmo's wife she wouldn't dare comparing Fathy to Elmo Yes Elmos is showing some great attacking stuff but Fathy is totally different story.
Watched the full game and Fathy was the best player on the field...he'd walk into most Prem teams. Great tackler, overlaps brilliantly down the right, box to box nonstop player. Certainly as fit as anyone on our team. He and Elmo will make a brilliant partnership down the right. I'd play him in Meylers spot in right CMF in the five. Fantastic acquisition. Gedo I wasnt impressed with. He played deep on the left...hardly ever got into the box or touched the ball.
Watched that game last night too before going to bed. Very impressed with Fatty, looks like he will be a seriously good footballer.
I noticed Hossam Ghaly was the Al Ahly captain. I thought his name rang a bell so I wiki'd him; In July 2007, he (Ghaly) was set to move to Birmingham City for a fee of £3 million (subject to work permit approval).[7] However, on August 3, Birmingham announced they would not be completing the deal after Ghaly objected to the training methods employed by manager [Steve Bruce].[8] Meh!
It isn't the standard that's the worry it's just the way they play in Africa. I don't watch a lot of African football but when the ACN is on I watch the odd game and it's like watching a different sport to English football. There is a free kick like every couple of minutes, just stoppage after stoppage and so many long balls. Theres a lot of pace and physicality in one-on-ones but not much organisation or quality. I wouldn't be surprised at all if they really struggled to fit into our style of play. Look at Proschwitz, Germany is supposed to the most similar league to England but yet he's taken 6 months to get used to being marked properly and he's still nowhere near the level he was over there. I'd be much less worried if we'd also signed someone someone proven.
And that's exactly why SB chose the most pacey and fast-action players of Egypt..My bet on Fathy though.
I can't see Bruce switching to a 442, given that we could have been playing that for the last few months, considering there are no worries about Rosenior as a full back. Though, it is definitely more of an option now, given the cover for both full backs now. That being said, a very strong point of our squad is 5 quality CB's, playing 3 seems to suit us. If we do stick with the 352 (which I think we probably will and should do), then I think that the evidence is clear - that you can't play Meyler as the most defensive of the midfielders, you have to play someone else with him. So, if you do play Meyler + Evans/Bruce/Fathi, you are going to have to choose between Quinn and Koren. Unless of course you play Koren up top with Gedo/Prosch/Simmo - though i'd like to see Gedo and Prosch/Simmo. Anyway, lots of options, which is pleasing.
The service provided to Gedo was rubbish, several times he made a run of the last defender and just needed a ball sliding through, but instead they looked to pass it across field to their RM or failed to beat the defender!
