They are two very different players. Obviously Diame has made a far larger impact this season, but I don't think putting him in the Ramirez role would be an improvement. I'd like to see Quinn playing, because Ramirez and Quinn seem to be our only players that actively seek the ball, can pass it, and keep possession for us. Quinn has been criminally under and misused this season. I highly doubt we would have won QPR on the opening day without the huge impact he made when coming on. I recall him getting one or two chances in the same role (where he did nothing wrong), before being relegated to a bit-part role on the left. Quinn needs to roam around the middle of the park to really get the full benefit out of him (rather than assign him to basic left midfield work, in which he is fully capable, but isn't going to be Ronaldo). Maybe playing Quinn would allow us to make more than 2 passes, and have possession for more than 10 seconds at a time?
Whilst I do agree, I find it very hard to leave any of Diame, Huddlestone or Livermore out. As Saturday showed our midfield looks lost without Tom, Jake has been improving recently and offers the legs in the side, and Diame is just class and able to jink his way through the enemy as well as get up the pitch and get on the end of a cross/run beyond the striker and get in behind scoring a cheeky lob/plough through an entire opposition midfield and defence like a battle tank going directly through (or over) a South African shanty town/score a peach from 75 yards on his weak foot. I don't think any of the 3 can really be left out when all are fit. Diame might not get all over the pitch and help our play link up and flow freely as Quinn does, but what he does offer is too much to leave out imo, specially away against a team like Everton where we're unlikely to see a great deal of the ball anyway and any meaningful attacks will probably be the result of barging our way through on a swift counter attack.
I similarly find it difficult to choose who to leave out (of Hudd/Jake/Diame), but let's get real, they have been a pretty ****e trio recently. Individually they all have great qualities, but after some woeful team performances where we can't keep the ball in midfield AT ALL, i'd be willing to upset one of them for the sake of getting some possession. Hudd and Jake are both solid off-the-ball, great at positioning, break up play well etc... But if we play 3 at the back it's overkill. Certainly Huddlestone can't play with 3CBs (not in the role he always plays for us anyway), just look at Burnley, we had no midfield because Huddlestone does not play as a midfielder in possession, he plays as a CB who can pass. Diame goes missing. He doesn't have the off-the-ball quality that Jake and Hudd do - but he has done so many special things with the ball that it is really difficult to leave him out. I'd like to see him play just behind Jela, as a link between the midfield. The thing is, even if we have 4 at the back, experience shows that Jake and Hudd just aren't going to do enough behind Diame to keep possession and get the ball forward. So I keep Huddlestone out, put Quinn alongside Jake, and see how it goes.
Same difference really, it's just how you decide to portray it. 4 defenders, 5 midfielders, 1 striker... Could also call it a 4-3-3
exactly what i was thinking, or 4-4-1-1- at best.. if going 4-4-2 would have to throw sagbo back in, which to be fair id rather see then another attacking midfielder posing as centre forward..
it will be another repeat of the Man Utd game. Us defending with everybody behind the ball, hoping they have a bad day in front of goal.
Personally Tom is the first person I'd name in midfield. His quality not just at passing the ball but winning it back, keeping hold of it and releasing a good counter attack is the most valuable thing we have in the middle of the pitch. I find Jake and Quinn really quite similar except for Quinn having more of a mind for attack and Livermore more a mind for defence. If Livermore was told to, and played like he did last season in the 4-4-2 where he actually got forward and supported attacks more there's absolutely no reason why I can't work well with all 3 of them in. It certainly worked well against West Ham who we were unlucky to draw with. It also worked well away against Arse with those 3 but fell apart when it got further forward with no proper striker able to make any mark on the game. I think the biggest problem is at times it's been like watching a Nigel Pearson team where all the centre mids are told to sit back and hold fort and just let whatever wide men and strikers we have on the pitch try and do all the attacking on their own, and that's obviously an instruction.
Did think about that but I think Jelavic is already very good at the things Sagbo is useful for and the partnership wouldn't really have much about it as both players are too similar. Not to mention Sagbo seemingly is well off form. I'd definitely rather see Sagbo in then Ben Arfa/Brady/Aluko or any other winger playing as a Phil Brown striker, but I wouldn't mind Diame behind Jela as he is at least fast, big, strong, direct, has a good eye for goal and a good technique.
I think brucey has to make a big statement. The boys who are not getting a game will be so annoyed if they don't get played now. The so called 'first teamers' haven't done it, so the likes of meyler, Quinn and rosenoir must be given a go or the squad morale will be at an all time low. Mcgregor Rosenoir Chester Dawson Robertson Huddlestone Elmo Meyler. Quinn Brady Jelavic Save diame after his knee problem for Saturday
4-4-2 for me , i'd push Diame forward to partner Jelly , it will make the midfield stronger in all areas Hernandez is away and Ben Arfa is probably on some naughty step , erm Anyway - my XI is the same as i chose before Man Utd and Diame aside Spurs Versus . Everton ... --------------- McGregor -------------- Rosie --- Chester --- Dawson --- Robertson ------- Huddlestone - Livermore ---------- Ben Arfa -------------------------- Brady ------------- Diame ----------------------- ------------------- Jelavic ------------------
3-5-2 works with two strikers but when it's really a 3-6-1 it just doesn't. At all. We've got one striker so just accept that ane play him on his own with maximum midfield support. Don't **** about pretending someone else is a striker. The Tottenham formation played perfectly to our strengths out wide. McGregor Elmo Chester Dawson Robertson Huddlestone Livermore Aluko Diame Brady Jelavic I wish I could fit Rosenior in, and I'm maybe being generous to Aluko there but I think he did well on Saturday and deserves a chance in his proper position. That probably isn't too compatible with everton's substantial threat from out wide but we aren't getting anywhere by sitting back and it looks good on paper.
I think we tried to defend against Man Utd, but it backfired as we cant keep possesion! ...lets play the 4-4-2 and go for em! ...id like to see chester and dawson at the back, and rest davies & livermore! Jakapovic (2 goals in 3 games instead of mcgregor 7 goals in 3 games, just saying!) Elmo Chester Dawson Robertson Huddlestone Ben Arfa Brady Diame Jelavic Hernandez
i said before the utd game we should just go for it as playing defensive won't get us a draw or a win.. i was so right thing is we will lose to everton but beat a **** wba i want bruce out tbh.. i'll say the same in a month even if we beat lesster
The question is, in a 4-4-2 who do you play at LB/LM out of Brady and Robbo? Brady is more solid in defence IMO and seems to have lost some of his ability in taking on his man so is becoming more suited to being a full back, whereas Robbo is excellent at going down the line past his man and putting in a great cross but is defensively weak at times.
There's little point in putting Rosie in, if you don't use it to get Elmo into his more favoured position, swap Elmo for Ban Arfa and that would be my team.
It doesn't matter how we set up. We will probably be robbed here again with an offside goal and Gareth Barry committing ABH on two of our strikers.
Diame had his worst game of the season against Man Utd & I would not pick him for this away game so as to keep him fresh for the West Brom game which we need to win. I'd start with Huddlestone & then swap him with Diame at half time so they both get half a game (and hope Huddlestones doesn't get booked!). A point at Everton would be a bonus, whereas three against West Brom is a "should get." I'd start with the following: McGregor, Roseinior, Chester, Dawson, Robertson, Elmo, Huddlestone, Quinn, Brady, Livermore, Jelavic.
