Can't help but feel like we are incredibly flat at the moment and seem out of ideas in the creative front. Yesterday you would have thought we where the team leading because we seemed scared to go further than the halfway line with square and back passing constantly. They all lacked bravery and imagination. I would suggest we should probably lose the 3 at the back for the Burnley game. I think we look a much better and creative side when Rosenior plays and frees Elmo up from defensive duties and they look for the overlap. Jak Rosenior--------Chester-------Davies--------Robertson ------------------------Livermore ----------------Huddlestone------Diame Elmo-----------------------------------------------Brady ------------------------Hernandez It would be nice to think we could incorporate Ben Arfa and Ramierez in the same team but I can't see that happening. We definitely need to start scoring some goals. Jak Rosenior--------Chester-------Davies--------Robertson ----------------Huddlestone------Diame Elmo-----------------------------------------------Brady ---------------------Ramierez ------------------------Hernandez
We've got in Ben Arfa and Ramierez two incredible talents. One question. How do we get the best out of them?
Ben Arfa had some good touches in the first half. He linked well and got into their penalty area more than in previous games. He's getting better and could be our best player if he gets enough game time to sharpen up.
ive always thought we looked better playing the wingbacks, but its hard to fit ben arfa in... lack of forwards causing a problem no matter what sytem we play, i thought robertson and brady showed some signs of linking up well, so wouldnt mind a 4--4-2 with those down the left.. tho i keep thinking brady as an option for up front, he played him there in the promotion decider a couple of years ago, a pretty big game but from memory never tried it again..
I know Diame doesn't like being played out of position, but right now we need him to do a vital job for the team, so how about... --------------------------Diame Rosenior--------Chester-------Davies--------Robertson -------------Livermore-------Huddlestone------ Elmo----------------Ben Arfa---------------------Brady ---------------------Hernandez
We have a problem imo that our entire attacking force is left footed, makes us very easy to defend against, just keep showing us down to our right flank. Southampton did that very well yesterday.
we also still have the problem of a sqaud of players unable to beat the front post defender at a corner..
I thought Robertson looked good and potentialli provide an attacking outlet. Hopefully he's fit to start next game. Regardless of formation or team selection, we need to be quicker getting up the pitch to support our forward (s).
I don't know how good he is but Watson looks tiny. It isn't fair to judge him on this but in the shooting practice yesterday he looked woeful. We are in desperate need of two new keepers. Harper May as we'll retire now because he was likely to do so at the end of the season and there is a long recovery with that type of injury. People know I aren't a fan of McGregor but we could do with him now. I'd rather have a new number 1 but that isn't happening. I personally don't think Jak is up to this level. He gets flustered easily, his decision making is poor and he seems to cause unnecessary problems. Completely unrealistic but it would be pure fantasy to sign Valdes on a short term contract. We miss the finishing and work rate of Jelavic. Come January I believe a striker and a goalkeeper are essential.
Firstly the OP is bollocks. We aren't playing badly. Not at all. Let's not be silly. In terms of formations, I agree with the first couple of responses; that our attacking players don't suit the 3-5-2, especially with Jelavic out. But it suits Elmo perfectly, and Robertson/Brady too. And the midfield three in fact. Still, I'd maybe try a back 4 at Burnley and try to get more use out of our attacking players. Jakupovic Elmo Chester Davies Robertson Huddlestone Livermore Ben Arfa Diame Brady Hernandez The midfield might be in danger of ending up as a 4-5-1, but it also should be interchangable with the middle 3, and the wide partnerships with full back and winger should be great, on paper. We don't have a second fit striker at the club, so lets accept that and play other players instead. Give the midfield more license to get in the box instead of shoe-horning Ben Arfa into a striking role where he can't find the space, leave him on the wing where he can cause damage with Elmo. We ended up with no one in the box every time it came in yesterday and I hate it when we do that. Having said all of that, I can fully see us frustrating them and getting a 1-0 win playing a 3-5-2.
There's some ridiculous knee-jerking going on last night and this morning. Yesterday, we played one of the best teams in the league and matched them for most of it, if fact, for fifteen minutes after their gifted goal, we outplayed them. Some of the passing and movement between Brady, Huddlestone, Diame and Ben Arfa during that period was up there with the best football i've ever seen us play. The lack of desire, urgency and ideas in the second half was obviously disappointing and frustrating, we have so much ability in the currect squad and it's not yet fully realising it's potential, but we're really not far off. We have a fundemental issue, in that with Jelavic out, we don't have enough of an attacking threat. Hopefully, he will return for the Spurs game and ahead of that we only have Burnley and if we play like we did yesterday, we should still beat them no problem.
We want to change the system that got us a draw at Arsenal and Liverpool after one bad half? We where okay in first half, but very lifeless in the second half.
We barely created a thing in either of those games either. We looked far better in the West Ham game and the games we played 4-4-2.
We won't change a system that has delivered us all of our three clean sheets this season,and which the squad have played for the best part of three seasons. If we show the same miserly defensive aptitude at Turf Moor as we have in our last two away games then at the very least we'll have a point to bring back from Burnley,and possibly all three.
But would we have created more chances playing any other formations? We're always going to be on the back foot in them type of games.
The back 3 really needs Jelavic and Hernandez both up top to provide options for our wingbacks. With 1 striker it's not as effective. As mentioned it does suit Diame (and the others in the central trio) very well though. With only Hernandez up front I'd shift to a back 4 and play a trio of attacking midfielders behind/around him. -------------- Jakupovic Rosenior - Chester - Davies - Robertson Elmo ---- Diame --- Huddlestone -------------- Ramirez ------- Ben Arfa ------------- Hernandez It means dropping Livermore (or Diame) but probably suits the availble squad better with Jelavic out. The back 3 is still good defensively without Jelavic but I'd worry a bit about creating chances against them and seeing 0-0 in a game we really need 3 points from.
