buzza

It would do a lot for our confidence and the fans, to have a resounding win over this lot. It's not as though they have a much better team or are playing superbly, they have been awful at home so we should take advantage and get at them from the off. My main worry is how we will defend against Carrol if he is fit enough to play, come on. If he does I would really like taylor to be in the team so that there is some sort of aerial competition for him. I would even sub Janmaat for mbemba on the right as he is as good a defender but adds more prescence in the air. Now that Mitr's suspended I thin SMc should take a chance on the SDJ and Ayoze combination and move Wiji back into the holding two. I'm not that bothered between who he drops from jack and anita as they are both similar. I can't see wijnaldum letting us down in the centre, in fact I think his distribution and his forcefull running will make us even more dangerous. Mbemba----Tayls-----Colo------Haidara -------------Wijnld---Colback------------- Sissoko---------Djong------------Thauvin ---------------------Ayoze--------------------

I'd like to see the size of his hood... fnarr!

It will be a difficult game but I would think we can beat them, not sure how we will handle carrol if they bring him on. perhaps look to put Taylor in the middle and shift mbemba to full back?

A shareholder doesn't want a nice bloke who he can emphasize with, he wants someone who will make him money at all cost. Love him or hate him Fat boy is squarely in the latter category, not surprising 88% of shareholders voted for him to continue at the helm...

I would like to try out the following: ------------------------------Krul--------------------------------- Janmaat-------Mbemba--------Colo--------------haidara ----------------Wijnaldum------Colback-------------------- --Sissoko----------------DeJong--------------Thauvin-- -----------------------Ayoze (or Cisse)----------------

Prefer colback to be benched or to play? my own preference is colback plays, Anita flatters to decieve for me...

problem Mclaren has is that both of them are so similar and he really needs one of them to push on up the field a little bit. The fact that our centre backs now pull out wide and the full backs move up and past the half way line means that the "pivots" (two holding CMs) drop into that space between our area and centre circle to receive the ball, our problem is that both of them seem to play only sideways and drop far too deep, one of them should be playing a more "cabaye" like role slightly further forward. The solution is simple, and by what is being prnted about de jong, and may come about on Monday: Drop one of anita/colback, bring Wijnaldum back into midfield and put de jong into the No10 spot.... VOILA!

Just let him back into the No10 spot, he works his arse off, is very technical, can hold the ball up and bring others into play as well as scoring a few!!! Drop Wiji back a slot replacing Jack or Anita and hey presto... top team when defense is on form!

Got to agree with that, also Anita and Colback as the central midfielders means we are always naturally going to sit deep. We have so many midfielders but none of the combinations we've tried so far strikes the right balance. Agree completely, until we find something more imposing (both offensively and defensively) than Anita and Colback we will find it hard. Any defensive injuries/suspensions and we are knackered...

Agree completely, wijnaldum needs to drop into the two middle player section and one of anita or colback get dropped. bring ayoze or SDJ into the No10 spot. Probloem solved, we all see it clearly apart from Mclaren who thinks Wiji's position os No10 (Wiji has said his preferred place). He is playing very well in that position also, bit of a conundrum really, would be good to try it out though...

I would go with match fitness in mind: ----------------------------Darlow------------------------- Janmaat--------Lascelles-------Colo--------Dummet (if fit) --------------------------Tiote------------------------------- aarons---------DeJong--------Ayoze--------Thauvin --------------------------Mitrovic-------------------------- bench: krul, Taylor, mbemba, Wiji, Cisse, Obermong, Colback

I don´t know which game you were watching, he won just about everything in the air and held the ballup really well, the times he got dispossed was because he didn´t have the options around him. I was very impressed for his first match completely alone up front against Manu. Cannot complain. At all!

Defense was much better today. midfield was better aswell, mitrovic helping out immensely until he ran pout of steam on 75 mins. Holds the ball up well also. Very controlled game from Ayoze, much better tan obermong on other wing... Wijnaldum has some great football visión and knowhow on the field, very impressed by him both attack wise and defense. Haidara´s crosses were awful but he defened a bit better today.

we would become the Masters of corners then....

If we are going to go there with the right attitude we should attack them from the off. I would quite like to see but doubt we will see it: ---------------------------Krul--------------------------- Mbemba------Tayls-----Colo---------------Haidara ---------------Anita---------Colback--------------- Aarons-------------Wiji----------------------Thauvin -------------------------Mitrovic---------------------- Bench: Darlow, Willo, Tiote, Ayoze, Cisse, DeJong

From his interview quotes looks like he'll be playing at some point on saturday.

Sissoko and jaanmat out, we need to frighten them (or try to) with some pace and power i.e. Aaarons, flaurian & mitrovic. If not i think we will be rather funky doodle doooed!

If Van gaal has watched our previous two games you just know that he will have Felaini up front against us... How will we counter with our midfield midgets...LOL I have rethought my initial line up and would go with: -----------------------------Krul----------------------------------- Mbemba--------Taylor-----------Colo---------------Haidara -------------------Sissoko-------Colback----------------------- Aarons-----------------Wjni----------------------Ayoze -------------------------------Mitrovic---------------- We may as well go all out against this lot, even have thauvin and obermong as pacy subs to bring on in final fifteen.

Froggy's alright, been on here for a while I think? Good to have some insight from outsiders tbf... Anyway, back to the game, how the funk are we going to fit Thauvin into the team? Bench with a 70 minute cameo? We writton off Aarons then? My team for saturday: Anita------Taylor------Mbemba------Haidara ------------Colback------wijnaldum----------- --Aarons------------Ayoze-----------Obermong -----------------Mitrovic--------------------------- You could put mbemba at right back and bring in Pensionio Collocini if you like....

Taken from the spanish saying "pivote" which means holding midfielder or defensive midfielder staying just ten yards in front of defense.

If we do sign thauvin then it will be a marked improvement on the recent malaise, Steve must be the one asking for certain position to be filled so I would pass the buck on to him if he is blind to our defensive needs. He must see what we all see with colo, willo and haidara to a certain extent. Any centre back would make me happy, even Dunk from the championship would Mark intent.

The second Part of the Spanish charity Shield, Bilbao to give those barca bums another whupping! Can't wait... Actually I'd probably prefer Barca to get a couple of goals before Athletic get another Aduriz cracker to put the thing to bed. Beers on a Monday night, great!

Any of Tino's three against barca, majestic!

He is a fat one but still, he probably only need one helicopter for transportation. LOL!

Please god, just once make this a rumour that comes true!