FromTheLane
New Member
- Jul 3, 2008
- 214
- 0
The more that I think about this the more it seems to make sense given
a) Our absolutely ridiculous abundance of centre-backs, and their range of strengths which cannot be possibly utilised fully in a two man defence (e.g. Bassong and Kaboul's bringing the ball out from the back, Dawson's organisation and heading being more suited to him playing as the deepest of 3 centre backs)
b) Bale and Walker (our future RB as of next year surely) being 'bombers' whose ideal position would seem to be as up and down all energy wing backs not overly burdened with defensive responsibility but coming onto the ball and with the energy and pace over 90 minutes to still get back
c) Huddlestone's best position as a quarter back ala Pirlo, dropping deep to pick the ball up with runners ahead and start attacks from deep while intercepting and cutting balls out in front of the back four, but without the burden of having to get around the pitch, so essentially just patrolling.
d) Our interest in Diarra/ a ball winner, and the extent of the interest/ the nature of a player of the profile we are looking for being the kind who is not going to want to be a squad rotation player, and the obvious problem of accommodating all three of them, Modric and Huddlestone into a two man midfield.
e) Van der Vaart, Pienaar and Modric all being best as relatively unrestricted creative roaming players
We played this formation almost throughout against Newcastle, with Bale and Hutton getting very high in the first half, but especially when chasing the game in the final quarter, when Bassong obviously dropped in as a 3rd centre back and Lennon went to wing-back, which coincided with our most dangerous and assured spell.
I just think that the following team could be lethal as well as more conducive to squad rotation with many of the players highly interchangeable and adaptive
Gomes
Kaboul Dawson Gallas
Hutton/ Walker Huddlestone Modric Diarra Bale
Van Der Vaart Defoe/ New Striker
Pienaar could interchange with any three midfield positions or VDV, likewise Palacios/Jenas/O'Hara with any of the midfield and King/Woodgate/Caulker/Bassong/Khumalo/Corluka with an of the back three, and then Lennon as an impact player for either wingback or second striker; it just would seem to make the most of resources in a much more integrated and structured way and with greater continuity.
When you consider that the assumed above being our first eleven the below of
Pletikosa
Khumalo/Caulker King/Woodgate Bassong/Corluka
Walker/Hutton Jenas/Kranjcar Palacios Pienaar Ekotto
Defoe Crouch
would make up our squad options, and the prospect for other teams and out strength in depth is simply terrifying.
I realise this is slightly rambling and not brilliantly put but do you get my point?
WHat do you reckon?
a) Our absolutely ridiculous abundance of centre-backs, and their range of strengths which cannot be possibly utilised fully in a two man defence (e.g. Bassong and Kaboul's bringing the ball out from the back, Dawson's organisation and heading being more suited to him playing as the deepest of 3 centre backs)
b) Bale and Walker (our future RB as of next year surely) being 'bombers' whose ideal position would seem to be as up and down all energy wing backs not overly burdened with defensive responsibility but coming onto the ball and with the energy and pace over 90 minutes to still get back
c) Huddlestone's best position as a quarter back ala Pirlo, dropping deep to pick the ball up with runners ahead and start attacks from deep while intercepting and cutting balls out in front of the back four, but without the burden of having to get around the pitch, so essentially just patrolling.
d) Our interest in Diarra/ a ball winner, and the extent of the interest/ the nature of a player of the profile we are looking for being the kind who is not going to want to be a squad rotation player, and the obvious problem of accommodating all three of them, Modric and Huddlestone into a two man midfield.
e) Van der Vaart, Pienaar and Modric all being best as relatively unrestricted creative roaming players
We played this formation almost throughout against Newcastle, with Bale and Hutton getting very high in the first half, but especially when chasing the game in the final quarter, when Bassong obviously dropped in as a 3rd centre back and Lennon went to wing-back, which coincided with our most dangerous and assured spell.
I just think that the following team could be lethal as well as more conducive to squad rotation with many of the players highly interchangeable and adaptive
Gomes
Kaboul Dawson Gallas
Hutton/ Walker Huddlestone Modric Diarra Bale
Van Der Vaart Defoe/ New Striker
Pienaar could interchange with any three midfield positions or VDV, likewise Palacios/Jenas/O'Hara with any of the midfield and King/Woodgate/Caulker/Bassong/Khumalo/Corluka with an of the back three, and then Lennon as an impact player for either wingback or second striker; it just would seem to make the most of resources in a much more integrated and structured way and with greater continuity.
When you consider that the assumed above being our first eleven the below of
Pletikosa
Khumalo/Caulker King/Woodgate Bassong/Corluka
Walker/Hutton Jenas/Kranjcar Palacios Pienaar Ekotto
Defoe Crouch
would make up our squad options, and the prospect for other teams and out strength in depth is simply terrifying.
I realise this is slightly rambling and not brilliantly put but do you get my point?
WHat do you reckon?