Maya Yoshida's Japan, the current holders, have lost 5-4 on penalties to the United Arab Emirates in the quarter final. Maya can now return to the south coast... DTLW
The question now is who plays against Swansea? Yoshi was the replacement with Gardos behind him. Gardos has not put a foot wrong though, so keep him in or Yoshi?
Ron seems to favour Yoshida...bet he'll be glad to get a CB back. We'll have to wait and see if Gardos's form has changed RK's mind....if it does, that will show how disappearing for any reason can work against you.
Yoshi really wound up the swansea fans at theirs, what with the Bony sending off etc - V funny . Got subbed at half time though if my memory serves me correctly...
With you JFB, against Swansea I would like to see this flexible formation to ensure the Swans don't over run our midfield with their high press strategy and will tie back their wide men into defending against our flying FBs
Exactly this. Jose maya and florin will all play since Ron loves his 3 at the back. Must say that Japan being beaten by UAE is a big upset!
"loves his 3 at the back" ? How many times have we played it this season? Wasn't the first against Everton when Morgan and Wanyama were out. Strikes me it is his preferred option when those two are out. His opinion might change if he can play both Cork and Reed...
Ron likes three at the back against two strikers as it means you're not allowing one of their midfielders a free run into the box with your CBs occupied, Swansea play two up very rarely - except in their last game against Chelsea where they experimented with it... And lost 5-0. Be very surprised if they went with it again especially away from home. To dominate their midfield and pin their wingers back it'd 4-3-3/4-5-1 as it allows us to shift the midfield across to the side the ball is on, and their wingers actually have to track our fullbacks whereas with 3-5-2 they would leave them to their opposite fullbacks and either tuck in or stay up allowing them to break at our CBs.
I still have a very slight uncomfortable feeling with Gardos. He still seems a little nervy on the ball and he absolutely tries to win the ball too often when he should just be holding a player up. He has done well, but I don't think he has played as well as Maya had in the games he played. Three at the back would be interesting though again.
Gardos looked so composed vs Man U. Yoshida is top quality though and easily Japan's best player. So good to have them both in the team.
