Alex Bruce in midfield against Arsenal is just asking for trouble, and if that happens... One thing you can't do against teams like Arsenal is give the ball away cheaply or have midfielders who can't knock it about on the deck. It would be suicidal. What wrong with bringing Meyler back inside and sticking Livermore in front of the back 4?
500m people will be watching the cup final, it's our chance to show what we can do on a world stage and we're considering playing Alex Bruce in midfield? God help us.
Us getting "physical" with the "mighty Arsenal" would probably just end up with Meyler getting red-carded, and us parking the bus for the remainder of the match.
Isn't it just the most ridiculous suggestion ever? Also, Swanny reckons he's been used 'to great effect in midfield several times this season'. Unless my memory fails me, it was about half an hour when he wasn't really playing in midfield, rather just being Nolan's shadow and didn't actually have anything to do before being substituted. Hardly great effect several times is it.
I've defended the idea of Bruce in midfield before but this season, when we've got a wealth of in-form central midfielders plus Quinn and Koren looking good when they come off the bench, why the hell would you want to try someone totally different all of a sudden?
If Bruce is fit, he should play as part of a back 3 with Chester and King Curt, enabling us to play Meyl-man, Huddz and Livers as a 3 man centre midfield, with Elmo and Gorgeous on the flanks. This is our only hope of beating Arsenal. Make it so, Mrs Doubtfire.
If we're going to play a back 3 I'd sooner see Figueroa make up the third centre half. I think his bad games and wobbly moments have been as a left back and for the most part has been sturdy as a centre half (centre third?). Away at the Emirates Bruce had rings run around him and couldn't keep up with Arsenal mentally or physically. I'd hope he doesn't play in the final, I don't think he's up to it.
Being more physical than them is the only way we'll beat Arsenal. So there's no place for people who won't get their foot in. We need everyone to put a shift in on the 17th. It's not necessarily parking the bus as we'll have to hit them on the counter on the odd occassion. You honestly think we'll be able to compete if we just give them free reign. We can't pass them off the pitch.
Peter Swann is a ****er, Bruce hasn't even played centre mid several times this season. He was shocking when played in there last season, absolute gash. Is it possible for a football pundit to be so thick ? Or is he just paid to be controversial ? Play Bruce in the middle....**** off
We dominated much of the first half yesterday playing passing football, Arsenal are a team you can play against as they don't press too high.
No we will replace Jelavic with someone more comfortable on the ball so it will actually be easier to pass it around
No one gets more annoyed at Jelavics poor ball control but yesterday he had football boots on his hooves and was playing some tidy stuff, looked a different player. That criticism can't count towards yesterday's performance in my opinion as I thought Jelavic was superb.
I would go with Bruce in a back 3. We need to drag Arsenal into a game they don't want to play - i.e. a physical battle - if we want a chance of winning the FA Cup final. No way will we out pass them or beat them in a "beautiful game" contest. Our best chances will probably come from set pieces so we need to play our biggest players and most physical line up. I would go with: Harper, Chester, Davies, Bruce, Rosie, Meyler, Livermore, Huddlestone, Elmo, Fryatt and Sagbo.
They certainly didn't like the physical stuff yesterday but the problem with playing the physical battle is that you get the referee throwing yellow cards all over the place and if I am not mistaken Mariner is the ref for the final and he is one of the worse. Would of preferred Howard Webb as he is in my opinion one of the fairest and professional referees around.
