So, so far we have: luv -------------lucas/new --------hendo------allen -------------gerrard -------studge-----suarez Gerrez & Crumpet -------------lucas/new -------hendo-------allen -------------coutinho -------studge-----suarez Danilo -------------lucas/new -------hendo-------gerrard -------------coutinho -------studge-----suarez jenners ------lucas/new----hendo---- ------------coutinho gerrard----studge----suarez Livtor ------lucas/new----hendo---- ------------coutinho sterling----studge----suarez Hello there. Newbie here. I quite enjoy this board, despite its infamous 'cliques', so I'll make my contribution to it at this point in time, which I consider pivotal for our club. Hopefully the input is appreciated and it steers the discussion where it hurts - no pain, no gain. I've been impressed with this year's league. The general quality of football is amazing and we have it tough against City, Chelsea and Arsenal, who are operating at a different gear TBH. However, I'm optimistic we can snatch 4th, and even challenge for the title, IF we do a couple of things that those top 3 clubs + top clubs in La Liga and Bundesliga are doing to be proficient: 1- Manage to accomodate at least two goal-capable forwards. (I think we have this is in the bag with SAS) Chelsea: Hazard + Etoo/Torres City: Aguero + Negredo/Dzeko Arsenal: Giroud + Walcott/Cazorla/Ramsey/Podolski Madrid: C.Ronaldo + Benzema Barca: Messi + Fabregas/Sanchez/Pedro + Neymar/Tello Bayern: Mueller/Robben + Mandzukic + Ribery PSG: Ibra + Cavani 2- Manage to accomodate in our first team sheet our number 10 (Coutinho) along with at least one true winger (Sterling). (I think we'll struggle at allowing for this, as we need to have more than 2 in central midfield) Chelsea: Oscar + Willian City: Silva + Navas & Nasri Arsenal: Ozil + Walcott/Podolski/Cazorla/Gnabry Madrid: Modric/Isco + Bale & Di Maria Barca: Iniesta & Fabregas + Neymar/Tello/Pedro Bayern: Goetze + Ribery & Mueller/Robben PSG: Pastore/Verrati + Lavezzi/Menez & Moura 3- Have a strong central midfield partnership of at most 2. (I think we fail at this, and hence we fail on the above point as well) Chelsea: Luiz + Ramirez City: Fernandinho + Toure Arsenal: Flamini + Arteta/Wilshere Madrid: Alonso + Modric Barca: Busquets + Xavi Bayern: Thiago/Schweini + Kroos PSG: Motta + Matuidi/Verrati Conclusions: 1. If a top team employs a triangle in CM, the apex of that triangle must be the creative ACM ie. no 10. We normally use a triangle of Lucas/Allen + Henderson + Gerrard/Allen, however no matter how Berndan flips it he won't get a no.10 at the apex. Gerrard is not doing that for some years now, and Henderson is good at box-to-box but not at DM or ACM. 2. Without a capable CM partnership, i.e. continuing to play 3 there, we need to drop Sterling or Coutinho or Sturridge. I wouldn't drop Coutinho as all of our worst defeats (Soton, Hull, Arsenal) have come with him outside the starting line-up. 3. Ideally, we must find a strong dm-boxtobox partnership in the centre. If Gerrard can't be neither the dm nor the ACM/#10, then he needs to compete with our box-to-box CM of Hendo or Allen. At that point, we must find a DM to partner the latter. What do you think is the solution that would give us stability and top-club proficiency (without having to rely on Suarez doing wonders week after week)?
--------hendo------lucas/new dm---------- --------------coutinho------------- --Stevie------Sturridge---Luis--- backup of Allen,Sterling,Moses,Alberto, also ass to come back and borini. wont be every ones cup of tea admittedly, but i would like to see stevie in an attacking sense and see some of those 30 yrd goals again we missed.
I quite [blank] this board. Depends on the day and the poster... . But it was supposed to be "enjoy" for today.
for 60 mins a game he would have, then we unleash the Sterling on them lol. meant more in use him as an attacking player, and he can unleash his long shots like he used to do, he would also free up space for Sturridge and Luis to run into as opo know stevie has/had? a sweat shot on him, be nice to see that return again.
Thanks, gonz. I know you're a maverick, too hot for cliques. But that Gerrez fella, he sounds like a zombie puppeteer
Jenners, Dropping in-form Sterling for Stevie on the wing ... I don't think so. Maybe Brendan can experiment with that in the last 15 minutes of games we're winning. Plus, our start to games is too important to experiment, as we can't claw back into games much, however we can dominate them from the get-go.
ok, give me a formation then so i can pick the bones out your choice. you mentioned dropping one of Sterling,Coutinho or Sturridge. i have managed to keep 2 of the best players in the team with my lineup, you do better please.
Its a tough one. One way would be your formation but with Sterling on the wing rather than Gerrard. I understand dropping Gerrard we lose experience and his long pings forward, but on the other hand Henderson tends to become twice the player when he comes out of Gerrard's shadow. In terms of leadership, Agger, Sakho and Suarez can replace some of Stevie's. With that formation, we satisfy all the 3 standards I described that top teams are following. However, in absence of Lucas we still need a DM. Don't think Allen or Hendo can hack that role TBH.
see your point, but if stevie was playing he wouldn't be in midfield demanding the ball off henderson, so might work, hope so any way, as i would like to see stevie get his shooting boots back, and i think personally this is the best position to put him in, and he can be replaced after 60 mins or so like wingers generally are any way and Sterlings pace might be of more benefit in the later stages of games facing tired defences, stevie has 30 yrd shots on him that will worry the opo at the start of games so Luis and Sturridge will get more space hopefully, sterling doesn't. could play them the other way i suppose with stevie replacing sterling, but i don't think it would be as effective personally.
It's an interesting idea for sure Jenners, and it could work if Stevie is feeling fresh and up for battling fullbacks. I like it in the sense that it allows for Coutinho to be in the formation, and also Stevie could help cover when Henderson pushes forward. The caveat for that formation should be that Stevie really busies himself on the wing and relinquishes the CM role to Henderson. Have we ever played Stevie on the wing in recent times, left or right?
Welcome to the site mate Its all about signings for me. Without any it will be tough. I can't look farther than that atm.
I suppose you too think that signing a CM with defensive qualities is no.1 priority. I sure think so. But what if Brendan pulls one Rafa/Mourinho and plays Agger or Kolo at DM? Could it work?
Agger is an interesting choice, as he is good at bringing the ball out with his feet and he already has defensive qualities any way, he not too fragile for that position? kolo i think would be too slow for that position personally. didn't sakho used to be a dm or can play there as well, think someone said something like that before on here.
I'd be disappointed if we didn't sign a DM, however if Brendan decides (and really decide, not just tinker) to go with Agger, Kolo or Sakho at DM, I'll understand. What would bother me is that wierd 3-5-2 formation with 3 cbs and wingbacks, which we employed albeit with some success early on. I hope we never get to see that gnarly cluster sh*te again. And also, sacrificing Coutinho - I won't be OK with that given how we played against Soton, Hull and Arsenal.
