I think we need to drop SWP, Barton and Kenny to the bench. The first two for poor form and not giving a **** and the latter just for poor form. We need fighters and leaders on the pitch and people like Traore and Derry can't do any worse can they? I'm not a big fan of Smith, but with Cisse and Diakite absent, this is the team I'd play: ----------------------------Cerny------------------------ Onouha-------------Ferdinand-------Hill-------------Taiwo ----------------------------Derry------------------------ Smith----------------------Taarabt----------------Traore ------------------Mackie--------Helguson---------------- Thoughts?
Get the thinking Col, but don't think we will see this team in a month of Sundays. At least 2 of Barton, SWP and Zamora will play, unless they are injured. Really hope the Taiwo / Traore combo on the left is given a proper chance. Who comes on for Derry when his legs go? I prefer him in a 2 at the base of midfield because of his (lack of) pace. Christ we miss Faurlin.
I agree we need leaders but for all his leadership Derry has shown he can't do it in a 4-4-2 and if he's partnered by Taarabt it can only exacerbate that. I'm not saying it would necessarily be any worse than what's there right now, but I think Derry would need more help than those other three could offer. How about... ...................Derry.......................... ........Barton..............Traore ...................Taarabt.................. in a diamond. It negates our width but we never seem to utilise it anyway.
If Young is fit then he has to play. We are leaking goals, our best two CBs are Ferdinand and Onouha.
Even when I was typing the team out I was thinking...."this ain't good enough!!". My head tells me to play Zamora, Young and Barton, but Christ on a bike, the others can't do any worse surely?!! We need people who give a **** or we're definitely doomed!! I don't think MH will leave Zamora, Barton or SWP out....he had SWP in a central play-making role ffs!! I was giving the team I'd like to see, based on the so called "bigger" players' recent form and was hoping to see what others would like to see, not what they expect MH to select...I reckon we all could get pretty close to that!
Think this thread sums up our season entirely! We who have followed all season can't really find an adequate team to compete. we change players weekly in our heads (myself included) with no real continuity. the amount of players we have used this season is amazing!!
The fact is we are not good enough to be in the play off places in the Championship, IMO this is not an exageration nor is it a knee jerk reaction it is based on reality as I see it.
Yep, but at least we should go down fighting. I like Col's team - sends out a clear message about the passion we need. The only change I would make is to restore Young rather than Onouha if he is fit. It is also possible that Traore (who really must start!) will need to replace Taiwo who picked up a significant knock on Saturday.
I'd have Cerny in as well Col. I'd play 4-2-3-1 and try to make us more solid by playing Barton and Derry in front of the back 4. I prefer Gabbidon (and Onouha and Hall) to Anton at present. I reckon Taiwo will be out injured but in any case playing Taiwo and Traore together didn't seem to work. I put Buz in the central attacking midfield role because with Adel on the left I can think of noone better, and in the hope he plays like he did against Wigan! I'd also have Buz and Adel take the dead balls and not Barton. Chose Mackie narrowly over SWP as he's a little more likely to get in the box and score, though SWP is better defensively, and Zamora narrowly over HH but not sure about him yet. 12th man is NeverGiveUp and 13th man NoStupidCards! ------------------------Cerny------------------------ Onouha-------------Hill -------Gabbidon-------------Traore ---------------Barton-------------Derry------------------------ Mackie------------------Buzacky----------------Taarabt--------- -------------------------Zamora----------------------------
I don't think it's fair to slag SWP off on the basis that he's not putting in effort. To me, he obviously is putting effort in but he's just got his wires in a tangle at the moment and doesn't have the same confidence going forward. I think he's the kind of player that will only have confidence if confidence is rife throughout the whole team. The annoying thing about Barton is that he's actually good at football. But I'm honestly starting to think that we would be better off without him as he might be negatively effecting the players around him.
I've always liked 4-2-3-1 mate. Trouble is MH prefers 4-4-2 and I don't see 4-2-3-1 working when Cisse returns. But it's certainly the best system to get Adel in the centre of the 3, although you put Buzz there!
Put Buz there because I don't see a better alternative for the left side of midfield than Adel. Taore and Taiwo together looked a disaster, and if Hill is our best stopper now, one of the 2 T's needs to play LB. For me SWP and Mackie can't play left side. I know MH seemed to prefer 4-4-2, but recently he seems to have been trying all kinds of formations, so I hope he settles with 4 -2 -3 -1 which I think the majortity of our players are most comfortable with, and it better protects our porous defense. I'd have Cisse on the right side of the attacking midfield 3 when he's back.
Alas, Im finally thinking maybe 4-1-3-2 might be an alternative after 15 games of whatever rubbish we've been playing ---------------Kenny/Cerny---------------- Onouha-----Ferdinand-----Hill--------Traore ----------------Derry---------------------- SWP----------Taarabt-------------Mackie -------HH------------Zamora-------------- A bit experimental but my thinking is that with the two up top we are very good in the air and will win many a flick on header. Because of this we can finally make use of SWP's pace and Mackies endeavour as they'll be able to run onto the balls, put a cross in or god knows maybe be through themselves. This also means Taarabt can have more options in who to pass to or collect a ball from the strikers inbetween the oppos midfield and defence where he can act as our playmaker. Our own David Silva if you will! Id play Derry mainly because I 'kin hate Barton and need someone to sit and just act as protection to the back four. The back four is also on the presumption that Taiwo and Young arent fit. If they were Id swap in Young for Hill and Traore for Mackie.
With the likes of Cahill, Fellaini and Pienaar in midfield we will be torn apart unless there's a proper balance to our midfield. I think Derry is gonna have to start and we should pray that Young is fit to bring Onuoha back into central defence. ------------------Cerny---------------- Young--Ferdinand--Onuoha--Taiwo --Taarabt--Barton--Derry--Traore-- ---------------HH--Zamora-----------
Did you see them when they played together? I thought they could be great, but it was a disaster, they seemed to be tripping over each other all the time. I guess it could be sorted and hoped it would be in Portugal, but nothing much else seems to be so I remain sceptical I'm afraid.
