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Joao Moutinho

Does avb know that we're playing 433 next season even after saying 4231 is the favoured formation of these players? Mourinho played 433 at Chelsea now plays 4231 just cos avb has used it before doesn't mean it's a guarantee we'll be doing it next season but alas what do I know.
 
NWND said:
I've been reading the articles by German press/journalists on twitter and around the net and it seems they all seem to think that similar to Modric, although he started out as a no. 10/winger, he has lately been played as a deeper-lying play-maker in central midfield, which is where is long-term position and skill-set are seen.

So I guess Holtby is going to be our play-maker, meaning I think Moutinho will be left as being just too expensive. I can't see any more recruits for central midfield slots. Assuming AVB does want to go to 4-3-3 eventually I see the starting midfield 3 being Sandro, Dembele and Holtby, with Parker, Sigurdsson, Dempsey and Carroll providing more than adequate back-up. I think Thudd/Jenas/Livermore will all be gone.

I feel funds will be concentrated on the front-3 positions, especially if we end up losing Bale.
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Good post. I can't see us shelling out £20+ million for Moutinho when we've just locked down Holtby for next season. We'll have a very good core of central midfielders in the summer - starting off with Holtby, Sandro, Dembele, Huddlestone, Parker, Livermore, Sigurdsson and Carroll (and Jenas, lol). That, IMO, has a lot of flexibility about it and a lot of the players can be interchanged. As Sigurdsson progresses this season, we may see him show the kind of form he had at Swansea and lock down a starting place, who knows.

But I agree, the priority for the summer is a starting striker and cover for the wide positions. Lennon is doing well for us this season but I don't feel we have someone good enough who can step in so that he can be rotated throughout the season in order to stave off injury. Cover for goalkeeper might be needed, as Gomes is on too much money to be a 3rd choice shot-stopper and needs to be shipped out in order to keep wages focused on more important areas of the squad.

In the summer we should have a very balanced squad of players with a lot of depth in a number of key positions (Centre back, central midfield, full-back). We may not have a lot of world beaters in our squad like City or United, but we seem to be moving towards a group of players that are all of a good standard and ready to challenge on all fronts. AvB is quietly building a serious side here.
 
Huddy said:
I've got to ask Gutter Boy does Parker know your retiring him aged 32? ;)
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Well, I'd count a move to West Ham or QPR as retirement too. I think with his style of game (very high tempo), his age will catch up quicker with him than other type of players.


WestBerkshire said:
Does avb know that we're playing 433 next season even after saying 4231 is the favoured formation of these players? Mourinho played 433 at Chelsea now plays 4231 just cos avb has used it before doesn't mean it's a guarantee we'll be doing it next season but alas what do I know.
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AVB's had a very explicit philosophy since he started coaching a decade ago that the ideal way to play is always a "4-3-3 of ball possession and movement", and when necessary the use of a "high defensive line and vigorous ball recovery".

The only reason we aren't playing it yet IMO is because we don't have a ballplaying 3rd CM (Holtby or Moutinho) or an inside forward for the right, so he's going more for evolution rather than revolution.
 
Fryers ahead of Rose :rolleyes:

I don't even want Moutinho, especially not at £22m. Give me someone who will do something in the final third of the pitch please.
 
Rossi22 said:
Fryers ahead of Rose :rolleyes:

I don't even want Moutinho, especially not at £22m. Give me someone who will do something in the final third of the pitch please.
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It's not AVB's way though. He believes in patient build up play and beating teams through passing, movement and probing, rather than relying on the brilliance of an individual #10.

And yeah, I've seen almost nothing of Fryers, but really don't rate Rose at all.
 
Gutter Boy said:
It's not AVB's way though. He believes in patient build up play and beating teams through passing, movement and probing, rather than relying on the brilliance of an individual #10.

And yeah, I've seen almost nothing of Fryers, but really don't rate Rose at all.
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Yes! its too easy to man mark an important player. By becoming a talented passing teams that moves it around whilst probing its harder to stop our tactics.

Personally I would love Moutinhio. He is a top drawer player all over the midfield. Holtby i see more as replacing probably Thudd and Livermore in our squad and being more useful to us that both of those are now. With the two wide players and a talented Forward we have 3 positions to do the damage.
 
Ok well I think passing is all well and good, but it's pointless if there's no end product to it. Sandro, Moutinho, Dembele and Lennon might get you 10 a season combined. So that leaves Bale and and whoever's up front to get the rest, good luck with that.
 
Rossi22 said:
Ok well I think passing is all well and good, but it's pointless if there's no end product to it. Sandro, Moutinho, Dembele and Lennon might get you 10 a season combined. So that leaves Bale and and whoever's up front to get the rest, good luck with that.
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I guess the idea would be to either replace Lennon with an inside forward, or try and convert Bale into a more cutting-in Hulk type; and maybe end up with a goalscoring lone forward more in the Falcao mould (Leandro?).

But if we're dominating possession and probing the opponent's penalty box, all our front 6 (and/or the full backs, because Sandro will at times drop between the CBs to form a back 3) will be chipping in with goals because they'll be playing further up the pitch than our current on-the-break style. Ideally we'd become like Barca that by that when we do find the right pass there'll be about 3 players queuing up to tap it in because they've timed their runs perfectly.
 
Rossi22 said:
Ok well I think passing is all well and good, but it's pointless if there's no end product to it. Sandro, Moutinho, Dembele and Lennon might get you 10 a season combined. So that leaves Bale and and whoever's up front to get the rest, good luck with that.
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I think the whole point is that with a different style of play, once implemented, all of the above will be able to contribute more. As Gutter Boy has said, perhaps AvB will replace Lennon (or he could try to evolve his game further to get closer to goal, as I believe he is a very good finisher).
 
Ok well I don't think there's anything wrong with our midfield. It's the #9 and #10 letting us down but hey, lets spend over 20m on a central midfielder.
 
Rossi22 said:
Ok well I don't think there's anything wrong with our midfield. It's the #9 and #10 letting us down but hey, lets spend over 20m on a central midfielder.
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We don't need one - we've just signed Holtby for the summer. Moutinho isn't moving here in january, especially when Porto have a Champions League campaign ongoing.
 
It was posted on SC too which got everyone excited and then the real team was posted and the thread went into meltdown and had to be locked :lol:
 
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