How is our playing style then?

I haven't really had a chance to watch any of our pre-season matches, so I was just wondering if anyone has noticed any change in our playing style with the new players we have in and the tactics Pards has tried to put into the team?

Are we playing (or trying to play) more creative technical football?

Are long balls now a thing of the past?

Are we still just sending in crosses, or are we playing more short passing football through the middle now?

Have we made more effort to keep possession, a la Arsenal?

If anyone has any views, I'd be interested to hear them.

 

Tash & AB will no doubt give you a better idea than most people

 

Did you not see my videos?

To answer your question, we seem to be a lot more creative and faster, but we still lack a goal threat at times. Shola is the same old ****. Best is on and off, Lover is good in midfield, but he's not threatening much in attack, Ba is pretty good.

Ba has good composure, links up well with the other players. He's not going to be a 20 goals a season striker, but i can see him getting a decent total. Probably around 12+ goals.

 

The glimpses I've seen are promising. Some good football being played by the squad, Cabaye in particular!

 

Ball playing midfielders (Barton, Cabaye, Tiote, Guthrie even), and quick wingers and attackers (Ben Arfa, Jonas, Marveaux, Obertan), just quite heavily reliant on Ba for goals. So a better side in terms of quality of play IMO.

 

I did, but highlight videos don't really show much about the overall playing style across 90 minutes.

But if were playing more creative and with higher intensity, then that's good

 

My videos are more in depth than you'll see from any other videos, it's not like they're just goal highlights, i show around 6-8 mins of footage.

The Fiorentina video is worth checking out, it shows good play.

 

I would include Gosling in your ball playing mid's, he has been impressive pre-season albeit not as much as Cabaye. We defo need another striker and a left back and we should be set!!

 

6-8 mins isn't 90 minutes is it .

But still, I'll take a look of it shows some good glimpses.

 

Gosling I like, he's the box to box industrious midfielder we thought we were getting in Nolan in 2009.

EDIT: Abeid has a very good range of passing as well

 

Cabaye will be our stand out player ( if he isn't taken out of the game by a reckless challenge like one he took yesterday in a friendly, of all things ) and I'm expecting great things from Ba who has a good eye for goal. Both great additions to te squad.

I think we've got a lot to look forward to this season.

 

Yer I reckon he could be immense when he gains full form and fitness. Going to be interesting to see where Pardew plays him this season, possibly as back up to Cabaye or he could be RW ahead of Obertan?

 

unconvincing

 

I think he'll be 3rd choice in central midfield, he doesnt really like playing wide and doesnt have the pace a winger traditionally has. If he plays really well he could end up as a starter alongside Tiote with Cabaye in a more advanced role.

 

All that counts is how we pull it together next Saturday. God hopes we can find Tiote, he has disappeared in to deepest darkest Africa, lets hope he is back in time!!

 

I agree and if we can play Barton and Enrique and get a striker in I'll be strangely confident of an upset.

 

Haha you strangely confident that would be a 1st

 

The last time I was confident we lost 5-1 at Bolton

 

6-8 minutes is still cutting out 82-84 minutes of football Tash.

 

It's still 6-8 minutes more than anyone else has posted.

Keep up the good work, Tash me lad!