We have to play Shola really don't we....

It's abundantly clear that Shola and Ba can't play together. We should go for Shola upfront with Jonas and Obertan/Sammy supporting him, with Barton, Tiote and Cabaye as strength in midfield.

 

Hell Yes. Also, pull the drunken punter's nose out of her arse groove and drag Kandi Ameobi from City Vaults to play in a 4-3-Ameobi-Ameobi-Ameobi line-up... Sunderland would implode... And I don't mean the team....

 

Sammy?

 

Funnily enough, yes. Lovenkrands is the only other striker who'd compliment him until Ben Arfa's back.

 

There was one other game they have played together in pre-season and they linked up very well and we won the game.

They have one game together in the premier league and from that they cant play together? Against Arsenal no less? This is the problem with some of our fans no patience and or thick as ****.

Having said that I would rather see Ba playing up top alone with Obertan playing just off him, think that could work wonders, Obi doing all the legwork and Ba finishing the move off.

 

I'm not sure we should jump to that conclusion after 1 competitive match especially against Arsenal where we were playing a pretty defensive tactic and not committing too much forward. Against a team where we aren't just hoofing long balls up to the pair of them and actually using patient build up play. We'll get a lot more of the ball against the majority of the teams in the prem.

 

The partnership is ineffective because Ba likes to sit off the shoulder off the last defender waiting for a flick on or through ball and Shola cant supply either of those to him. Swapping positions wouldnt work either as that would require Shola to have pace and anticipation.

If we used Obertan or even Lovenkrands then Ba could actually win a couple of flick ons for them and they would compliment each other.

 

Thats what the midfield is for mate, theres absolutely no reason why they cant gel together given about 5 games to understand eachothers play, I admit that since its Shola theres a small chance of that but I think its too early to be writing them off as a partnership.

Also when was the last time you saw Lovenkrands win a flick on? The bloke is utter gash and goes missing 95% of games, if he was the player he used to be when he played for Rangers when he had pace he would be a good choice but not anymore, Obertan playing off Ba would be my choice.

 

I meant we could use Ba to win the flick ons and play them to Lovenkrands for that part. Wouldnt play him myself, just saying he and Obertan are the only strikers who's style compliments Ba's.

Ba and Shola have their moments, for example looked quite good against Fiorentina, I just like every strike partnership to have a smaller, quicker, creative player with a bigger one to get the goals and hold up the ball. Hopefully Ben Arfa can be the former and if we use Obertan, Marveaux or even Sammy in that role he can step straight back into the side. Shola and Ba together just encourages hoofball as there isnt a player who naturally links midfield to attack (Tiote, Cabaye and Barton are better sitting deep, so Jonas is the best option for this)

 

This is amazing, I want to have this.

 

Ah right I do see what you mean, and agree in general just not with the little players we have in our arsenal, I'm really hoping when Ben Arfa and Marveaux finally get their chances in the team we will see more link up between midfield and attack like you say, thats definitely what we needed against the Arse and thats why Obertan looked so damn good when he came on because hes the only one who looked like filling the void.

 

I wish we'd given him more of the ball, he only had it in possession 2 or 3 times and all of them he looked lively and dangerous. Playing him with Cabaye and Barton could be lethal against teams with a high defensive line, I was not prepared for how fast he is.

 

I really, really, reeeaaaaeally, hope you do play him because guess what, he is not going to be coming up against some ****ty second rate centre half, he's going up against the top quality "best natural defender I have ever had -Fergie" Wesley Brown, the man who will finally slay this dragon. He had one Mag in his pocket last week, anther one this week. Top draw player and for £1 million best buy of the season.

 

If that's the case I'd be very interested to see Brown try to keep up with Obertan

 

I will be even more interested to see if Obertan can keep up with the ball and keep it between the big white lines.

If you think Brown is going to be troubled by a hobbit with a bit of pace think again my friend. Its only his second game for us, he has not yet been tainted by the **** centre half brush we suffer from and most importantly do you think this multiple championship and CL winner gives a **** about Shola, Ba and Obertan, I don't think so.
All his career players like this have been nothing to him, mere dross to be swatted away as he will show you next game.

 

anyone can look good in a good team. It's when they go to a worse one (no offence but we all agree you're not as good as Man U) that you prove just how good you are


PS: Not putting him down. I've always thought Brown was under-rated. Same cannot be said for O'shea though....

 

Fair enough, I'll just wait until derby day. You know he couldnt handle 2 Ameobis though

 

If Obertan's a hobbit he must be a king or giant hobbit, he's 6'2".

 

Quite right, we are no where near Man Utd but Brown still stood out as a quality player in a mid table team. He had your best player for quite sometime in Carroll in his back pocket on saturday, what is he going to do to a (no offense, really ****) striker like Shola

 

You've had good defenders in the past who couldnt handle him. No one knows what happens to Shola on derby day, as like you say he is utter **** 36 games a season.