Rich

Would be the worst thing ever seeing Chelsea celebrate winning the league at our place, and plus I'd actually prefer Man Utd to win it. Chelsea are fucking dire to watch, they've got awful support and they're the most plastic team in the country these days. At least Man Utd play proper football.

Dunno about that like. There's loads that needs doing at the club, absolutely loads, stuff that has apparently been neglected for years. Mort can't do it all alone, no chance. If it means more forward progress, then it'll be worthwhile.

As long as we have a real crack at them and seem up for it, I won't complain too much with a draw. I do think we'll win with a bit of a spring in our step though, 3-1.

If his season's over though, where's the harm? He's already played his major part in helping them win a cup (spit). Not defending Spurs or King in particular, just don't understand why a player can't drink if they're injured? I hope you're right though, in fairness, if the lad does drink like a fish and it does affect his ability to stay fit, then he wants a slapping with the money he's on. He doesn't seem the sort, mind, and is one of the few Spurs players who I thought would have a "proper" attitude.

Going drinking after winning a trophy. Disgrace, tbh.

So why didn't it work when Sam tried to play 4-3-3 with our players? Because he was playing 4-5-1? And that's just scratching the surface. It's a completely different formation with completely different team selections to what Allardyce was playing. Not to mention all of the other stuff like motivation, psychology, etc.

I think everyone would be and should be incredibly pissed off if Keegan doesn't get backed this summer, in fairness. I do expect him to get a decent wedge, in all honesty, he should be backed to the moon though if Ashley is serious about turning us into a top team. I have faith though, why would a bloke buy a football club and watch every game from the stands if he didn't want to "support" a quality side?

We have to at least try, I suppose. He's the sort of player we should be going for if he's available. Don't count anything out, Keegan's return has taught me that this season...

Arsenal were mainly playing a 4-5-1 thing until recently though. Yeah, when I've seen them recently, playing Bendtner up front with Adebayor, they've looked less effective. The switch to 4-4-2 hasn't helped them, but presumably Ade couldn't be expected to play an entire season up there on his own. It's been a few things that have initiated the change, if you ask me. First they lost Rosicky, then Eduardo, both two big players for them this season and they simply do not have adequate replacements. Van Persie looks off form/struggling for sharpness and Bendtner looks well out of his depth whenever I see him play, he's miles behind the rest of their first team technically, but I suppose that is to be expected with his style of play and his age. He'll probably catch on quick. Frustrating as hell to watch though, causes loads of their moves to break down when he's on the park. Arsenal have been at their best with Adebayor leading the line with Eduardo/Hleb off him and Rosicky/Fabregas bombing on. Speaking of the little Czech fella, they've missed him terribly since he got crocked against us in the FA Cup. Looking into that a bit more, they've only lost 2 of the 19 games he's played this season. Due back soon as well for them apparently. Fantastic footballer.

Arsenal were mainly playing a 4-5-1 thing until recently though.

Dont think he;d be as disciplined in geting back as barton or geremi would be to be honest. If we are to play with 3 exclusive forwards then our 18 yards box needs cprotecting without exception, he didntreally povide too much defensive protection when he has played in CM in the past. For me, Zog is exclusively a left winger. Who asked you!? (Only joking!) I just like N'Zogbia to be honest, I think he's a cut above more or less everything else in our squad and he's still got time on his side. I do think he's done his best work on the left-wing, as you've said, but I wouldn't write him off completely as being able to play more centrally. He wasn't as bad at left-back as I expected him to be and was still a standout player towards the start of the season (he's still the first choice LB for France U21's), I honestly think he gets a rough ride on here because he's a bit of a moody b******. People have been quick to forget just how important he has been at times here, for such a young player as well - same goes for Milner at times. i'm one who lauded him early on but haven't been impressed the last 2 years. Aye but not many have shone in the last two years. It's been fucking dire, for the most part. At least the lad has shown at a few points he is capable of real class, there are a lot of players in the squad who have never even shown us that - many of whom have been here a decent while too. Like Mick has been saying, with Keegan here and with us playing his way, he could be one of the main people to benefit from that style. It'll be a sad loss if he fucks off to the Smoke and does well, especially if it's for Spurs. It hurts me enough to see Woodgate there, N'Zogbia wearing that cockerel on his chest would rub me up the wrong way even more man!

They were saying he does have a footballing brain, funnily enough.

but with only 3 in midfield and maybe 4 against him and 2 full backs pushing on you need more than "good on the ball and works a bit"....does his stuff on the ball make him worth a place in a 3 man midfield ?...not in my opinion Perhaps not immediately, not with where his head is at and how Keegan is asking the lads in midfield to play (they've all picked up a good deal recently, too, although they couldn't have got much worse.) I do think he could become a real player in that sort of role and if he leaves I don't think he'll regret it, I think he'd probably prosper somewhere like Spurs. Suppose we'll just have to agree to disagree here.

I think I'll leave it now. Aye.

Dont think he;d be as disciplined in geting back as barton or geremi would be to be honest. If we are to play with 3 exclusive forwards then our 18 yards box needs cprotecting without exception, he didntreally povide too much defensive protection when he has played in CM in the past. For me, Zog is exclusively a left winger. Who asked you!? (Only joking!) I just like N'Zogbia to be honest, I think he's a cut above more or less everything else in our squad and he's still got time on his side. I do think he's done his best work on the left-wing, as you've said, but I wouldn't write him off completely as being able to play more centrally. He wasn't as bad at left-back as I expected him to be and was still a standout player towards the start of the season (he's still the first choice LB for France U21's), I honestly think he gets a rough ride on here because he's a bit of a moody bastard. People have been quick to forget just how important he has been at times here, for such a young player as well - same goes for Milner at times.

I've just made Madras submit in three separate threads. This has been the best day ever.

Sneaky late edit there!! I have to admit, that's mainly what I see the current midfield doing - albeit in what is essentially the human version of slow motion. If N'Zogbia was the most attacking of a midfield three, which is what I initially proposed, then what else would you be expecting of him? As long as he's chasing down, tracking a few runs and making sure their midfield don't get time to play what else can we really ask of him!?

So N'Zogbia could be good at that role then? Glad we agree, you big troll

Peace and love and all that man, we've just beat the real scum 4-1.

right then bit by bit watch how much ronaldo makes moves into the middle,yes you'll not see him throgh the middle from a goal kick but is he on the right or left ? ronaldo will switch side to side and roony tevz switch forward/deep and both pull wide. of course ferguson sends them out with a formation (did i say he didn't ?) but thir fluidity (like ours as the entertainers) means the players are clever footballers,moving,dragging the oppos away,moving into space. the comparison i'm trying to draw is man utd (defensivly solid,scholes through the middel ,then flux)and most other teams who if you listen to the radio you know whos got the ball purely by where it is ie until recently "newcastle attack on the right" meant it was milner..now it's not (i know milners out but you know what i mean) The last paragraph is what I'd hope for too from us, that's what I was trying to say. But this formation is still fairly rigid at the moment, Geremi sticks to the right, Barton sticks towards the left and Butt sits behind them two. Martins is the only one all over the place and Owen is working right up the centre (as I think Dave said earlier), Viduka is the fulcrum - but even he's been moving around far more than he had been under Allardyce. All signs are positive really, and I apologise for the tangent, as we should all just be enjoying this tonight - think I was just after a bit of a joust really, for whatever reason. If we play anything like Man Utd next season, then it should be brilliant to watch. I think I'd actually prefer to see us give this whacky formation a proper crack ahead of a "4-4-2 with two wingers who can cross, etc." in the modern Premiership, the flexibility it potentially offers is brilliant. Of course it won't work all the time though.

Ronaldo is pretty much playing as a striker this season tbf. Check his assists. The fact he's so remarkable is because he scores so many goals playing mainly as a winger, that's why people are so in awe of him. There's been nobody else like him. I'm not denying he will have switched flanks or played up the middle at some points, but he's mainly utilised on the right hand side. "Check his assists" is base level stuff, man.

So you cannot learn to track back, or cover, or take up defensive positions... righto then. I might as well pack in the coaching now if I can't teach people how to do that. I do agree desire plays a big part, but if Laurent Robert can learn to track back (and he fucking did learn to, probably more to our detriment than anything funnily enough) then I'd assume N'Zogbia could. I'd say they'd be some of the most basic things for a player to pick up. Michael Owen is the best example I can come up with for someone who was previously thought to have absolutely no flexibility/defensive attributes, he was merely a fox in the box and couldn't do anything else - now he's the main man, playing in behind the strikers and helping out defensively, closing down, harrying, bringing the ball out of defence. If you'd have told me Owen would be playing the role he is now to this level, while still scoring goals at the start of the season I wouldn't have believed you. If Owen can do that (a player who openly admits he's lazy) then I'd assume N'Zogbia could manage something similar. He would still be the most attacking of the three central midfielders (as Barton is now), the defensive responsibility isn't that great, harrying/pressuring the ball would be the main thing he'd have to do to help the team defend.

The claws are out now like. I was there, you cheeky twat. I was merely commenting on the "disagreeing" bit. Of course they fucking float about man, but Ronaldo/Nanin are still wingers who play in the same areas, Tevez is still the main striker and Rooney still plays off the front man, the central midfielders still play in central midfield. The movement has been fantastic for years man, not just since Christmas - what a comment - but they still play with a formation. Are you telling me Alex Ferguson sends out his front six and says "just play anywhere lads, you'll be reet". He doesn't. They've got their positions, but they've also got a bit of a licence to roam if necessary, which they'll do more when things aren't working out. You'll rarely (if ever) see Ronaldo positioned down the middle from a goal-kick, having swapped with Tevez, will you? They've got their positions and they go from there, it's just that the system is so good it looks so disorganised when they're sweeping forward. I can't be arsed to go digging, but I'm fairly confident that Ferguson and Man Utd have a formation, a system and the players know their roles exactly, the front six don't all have a free role. I've watched them absolutely loads this season, in all competitions, because they play the best football in the league, I'm not basing all this on nowt.

That's only up to March 5th, as well. Everyone else might have been dirty as fook since then, we've only had 3 yellow cards... Clutching at straws?

Man Utd don't even have a formation beyond midfield iyam. Tevez, Rooney, Ronaldo, Nani et al just play where they want. Apparently it works fairly well for them... They do usually start out in set positions I think, and the changes usually occur when they aren't getting any joy, but that's the sort of thing that we need to be looking at doing ourselves. Like you've said, it helps that they're f****** brilliant. nah..man utd are fluid throughout the game rergardless of if it's working or not. Being fluid and not having a formation are entirely different things, they certainly don't "play where they want", like. The shape only really changes when they're chasing the game or after a goal, the "fluidity" is merely the movement off the ball more than anything when attacking, isn't it? i'm still disagreeing with you. think of the mauling up here, they had six forward players who'd pop up all over. Well you're wrong again, then