A left back is an essential purchase in January because all it takes is another injury to Rose to ruin our defence. Jan needs to be in the middle.
Dawson was shocking against City and I think that team would create less than what we are putting out now.
Can you imagine Paulinho playing in the hole and being our 'creator'. We'd be waiting 5 games for 1 clear cut chance:ross:
Of course re sign that's the tactic!
Bring back Crouch and Keano to bolster the attack, Bentley to provide the crosses and palacios to add some bite in the centre, lee pyo young back at left back. Roll on the good times
He couldn't support someone even if he was a chair ...Not in as a creator, more of an advanced midfielder supporting the striker and getting into the box to get onto the end of Townsend/Lennon crosses.
Shame he is not a leftie as that might solve a couple of issues - Verts back to CB , natural width on the left.------------------Lloris----------------
---------------------------------------
--------Chiriches--------Verts----------
---------------------------------------
Walker----------Sandro-----------Rose
---------------------------------------
----------------Paulinho---------------
--Lamela----------------------Andros--
----------------Dembele--------------
---------------------------------------
----------------Soldado---------------
I think Dembele looks a different player if he is further up the pitch.
Andros on the left will imo mean he provides Soldado more.
Paulinho box to box
Sandro the true DM providing support to the back two.
Lennon for Lamela if we require more width.
You know seeing Chiriches yesterday second half; he might be able to do a job in place of Walker (if need be).
Could this work?
-----------------------------------Lloris-----------------------------------------
---------------------------------Chiriches---------------------------------------
-------------------------Dawson-----------Vertonghen------------------------
--Walker----------------------------------------------------------------Rose--
-----------------------------Sandro----Dembele------------------------------
------------------------------------Lamela------------------------------------
-------------------------Adebayor----------Soldado--------------------------
Saw a report of the Champions League game the other night between Arsenal and Marseille. They reported the formation as almost a wonky 4-1-4-1 with no player really filling the right wing slot. They did the same against us earlier in the year with Cazorla playing as an extra #10 and truly screwing up our formation, as Walker didnt know where he should be with Gibbs pushing up the field. Not only that, but when you look at the persnonel in midfield who started that game against Marseille, you would likely describe them all as playmakers or players who can spot a pass, make an intelligent run and potentially score (Ramsey, Wheelchair, Ozil and Rosicky) with the aggressive and mobile Flamini behind. Obviously they have the luxury of two highly attacking full backs and the physicality of Giroud but it made me compare teams.
We could field a similar system but how many here would say they were comfortable with a midfield of Lamela, Eriksen, Holtby and Sigurdson in front of Sandro or Capoue. These players would be able to keep possession but also have the ability to create more chances. It would be a very risky way of playing due to the risk of being overpowered in certain fixtures but then again to dare is to do.
Remember though, we got away with VdV, Modric, Bale and Lennon all playing together because of our trust in Parker. Maybe this is where it should all begin, drop the physical worker in favour of the more attacking player (less Paulinho and Dembele and more Holtby/Eriksen/Sig). Would require a lot of clever off the ball movement though.
Saw a report of the Champions League game the other night between Arsenal and Marseille. They reported the formation as almost a wonky 4-1-4-1 with no player really filling the right wing slot. They did the same against us earlier in the year with Cazorla playing as an extra #10 and truly screwing up our formation, as Walker didnt know where he should be with Gibbs pushing up the field. Not only that, but when you look at the persnonel in midfield who started that game against Marseille, you would likely describe them all as playmakers or players who can spot a pass, make an intelligent run and potentially score (Ramsey, Wheelchair, Ozil and Rosicky) with the aggressive and mobile Flamini behind. Obviously they have the luxury of two highly attacking full backs and the physicality of Giroud but it made me compare teams.
We could field a similar system but how many here would say they were comfortable with a midfield of Lamela, Eriksen, Holtby and Sigurdson in front of Sandro or Capoue. These players would be able to keep possession but also have the ability to create more chances. It would be a very risky way of playing due to the risk of being overpowered in certain fixtures but then again to dare is to do.
Remember though, we got away with VdV, Modric, Bale and Lennon all playing together because of our trust in Parker. Maybe this is where it should all begin, drop the physical worker in favour of the more attacking player (less Paulinho and Dembele and more Holtby/Eriksen/Sig). Would require a lot of clever off the ball movement though.