The College Dropout

It's Colo or Mapou with Willo or Saylor. At the start of the season I wanted Colo/Saylor but I would stick with Mapou/Willo for the time being. Tbh the sooner we can transition Colo out the side the better. Although the same thing applies to all of our CB's except Mapou.

So he was shit the entire season we finished 5th? Playing in nearly all of those games when we won 6 on a trot. Man United at home 3-0. Chelsea away 2-0. Playing in those opening 6-7 games we went unbeaten. All the way crap yeah? Okay.

He was also a liability in his 45 minutes against Everton. There's many factors to our recent decent form at the back. Not playing HBA in midfield is one of them. No coincidence Debuchy now looks a player without HBA.

Bang on the money. There's a modicum of hope that the ball will stick up there for a bit.

I do agree...Just rather he play than Shola or Cisse atm. Shola has been kinda useful there so far. I mean it's really a toss-up but i'd rather start Shola and bring the other two later on.

His footballing intelligence at AM is horrendous tbf

Yes he was.. he and his fullback were targeted/exploited against Hull (especially) and Everton. He was dropped against Cardiff and we won away. Played uptop against L'pool and we got another result looking more secure than before. Moreover, he hasn't played well since mid September.

This is true. But this is down to Pardew more than anything else. At our best with him, we've either been a steady team defensively with "moments of magic" or a good counter attacking unit... also steady defensively. Possession, controlling games... nah I don't think Pardew can do that.

It's quite weird, I still feel a bit nervous about the protection they provide to the defence playing as a 2, even though we haven't let that many goals in. Just wonder if they can really cover the ground. But I guess they're doing a decent job at the moment. Ignore me, basically. Eh? They've always offered good protection to the defence. It was them who played during our solid run at the back when we finished 5th early in the season. The problem is that they are often out numbered and spend too much time defending. At which point Cabaye gets huffy and Tiote starts to think he's Yaya.

That's fine for certain games (away against attacking sides or at home against the really top sides). But if we try to play like that in the next two games at home to Norwich and West Brom we'll struggle badly. Pardew needs to keep reminding Ben Arfa that he has to work hard fair enough, but we also need him in the side for most games, especially at home. Also Ben Arfa earns his place plenty, he's had a couple of bad games and then been dropped and all of a sudden people are talking as if he's the kind of player who does nothing most games then occasionally plays well When he's played in his preferred position he's usually our best player. ben Arfa was a liability for a decent number of games before he started getting moved around.... he only got moved around because he is a liability.

Yes we can. I wouldn't start Coloccini personally. Shola's ability to win the odd header and give it to a team mate has been helpful tbh.

We managed to do so for the majority of the season that we finished 5th (Best in for Shola). We haven't played well with one up top in a long time too. Pretty certain City tonked Norwich for 7 playing 2 out and out strikers up top. HBA hasn't done anything in a few to make me want him to start. Before moving upfront he was a liability outwide. I'd keep him out the starting line-up as long as the others keep it up or he turns up off the bench. Only debate for me is Shola maybe out for HBA but to be honest, I would give it 45 minutes as it is (Anita in for Debuchy). If we are level or behind, we can move Anita the CM and take off Shola

Arsenal missed a trick not being in for this guy. Would add some pace and directmess

Aye. The issue is he's one of the few that hasn't really looked better this term.It's pretty much he, Cisse and Colo who haven't had a number of really good games. The other two have been out the side too. If he has the quality the months we have stuck by him will do him wonders in the long run

All these angry posts about the football games i've been too haha. Someone questions if I watch games and I had to remind them that I watch them in person.

Quite similar actually, our lot are nowhere near as intelligent as the Arsenal duo though. Mapou is. I've never seen a defender run away from a ball but I won't start that again. John Terry when we played them. It happens quite often actually even though coaches always say go to the man. You probs don't get to watch any games. I've been to over 100 football matches in the last 5 years. I've never seen a defender run away from a long ball straight down the middle. David Luiz did it the other week. Boom 1-0 Cardiff. He's another one that relies on pace to make up for his inadequate positional sense. I think he could be a tremendous CB (the same way Mapou can) but he seems to only concentrate in bigger games.

Tiote's not getting dropped guys.

Always been a poor defender. Not particularly good going forward.

Quite similar actually, our lot are nowhere near as intelligent as the Arsenal duo though. Mapou is. I've never seen a defender run away from a ball but I won't start that again. John Terry when we played them. It happens quite often actually even though coaches always say go to the man. You probs don't get to watch any games. I've been to over 100 football matches in the last 5 years. I've never seen a defender run away from a long ball straight down the middle.

Quite similar actually, our lot are nowhere near as intelligent as the Arsenal duo though. Aye. Partnerships mean much more than individual ability.

Quite similar actually, our lot are nowhere near as intelligent as the Arsenal duo though. Mapou is. I've never seen a defender run away from a ball but I won't start that again.

I want to change as little as possible tbh. A straight swap.

Think Willo-Mapou might be able to form a Mertesacker-Koscielny like partnership myself. The last time Colo was consistently good was probably around the time Vermaelen was consistently good.

Generally those types of defenders cost an arm and a leg. Even with just one of those attributes in addition to Williamson's own, you're looking at a good international defender.

I wouldn't. No one really deserves to be dropped after wins against Chelsea and Spurs, but imo the same starting eleven is more suited to counter attacking than breaking teams down like we'll have to do against Norwich if we wanna make it easier to win. At half-time we could drop Anita at CM, take Tiote off... play HBA, Cisse whatever. I'd wait for it to stutter before changing. We make too many changes and concede 2 in the first half and we'll be back to square one.