toptoon

Could be a pretty decent team. Think we'll win with that. Certainly have alot of energy in midfield and the down the flanks. Like Bigi sammy and Fergie... Tav & Abeid & Elliott look like they could be decent when i last saw them. Not sure what to expect from Ranger but he can be a handful. Shola ... well who knows. Marveaux could do with a goal to boost confidence and hopefully will be running the show. Elliott Tavernier Williamson Perch Fergie Bigi Abeid Marveaux Ranger Sammy Shola

I like Colo but his defending for their goal was very poor. Why didn't he just head the bloody ball away? Was too busy watching the man and not the ball. If Simpson, Taylor or Willo had done the same thing they'd be getting absolutely hammered. It is a red under the letter of the law but he's a little unlucky here. I don't think there was intent to hurt him, he is trying to stop himself and the media typically sensationalise everything and show the worst possible angle. I'd like to see photo's at other angles. Anyway i don't think we'll appeal going off AP's comments.

Looks about right to me. Fergie, Perch and Bigi unlucky to miss out. I might prefer Bigi to Anita in the center but haven't 100% made up my mind about this yet. Need to see more of them.

Krul Santon Taylor Colo Fergie Bigi Jonas Cabaye HBA BA Sammy Subs Harps, Willo, Perch, Anita, Simpson, Cisse, Shola

Krul Santon Taylor Colo Fergie Bigi Jonas Cabaye HBA BA Sammy Subs Harps, Willo, Perch, Anita, Simpson, Cisse, Shola

Good post!!! Very frustrated we didn't try to kick on from last season. Debuchy, Hoilett and a really good CB (as well as the promising squad players we picked up) non of which would have been particularly expensive and that would not be an unreasonable expectation after getting into europe and we'd have been should have been able to improve and challenge for that fourth spot again. It seems to have frustrated and demotivated some of our players too : ( If there was one thing that convinced me how important the midfield is it was watching man u dominate us there with their 4411 with Rooney linking up attack and midfield. To think we could have lined up for some our games with a far more balanced team: Krul Debuchy Taylor Colo Santon Tiote Jonas/Anita Cabaye Ben Arfa Hoilett (or similar type player) Ba/Cisse Very frustrated that Ba and Cisse are clearly two very good strikers but seemingly can't play well together. Pardew is trying to keep them both happy and find a system they are both happy in that works for the team. But so far although it's worked out for Ba with 6 goals it just hasn't worked out for us as a team and we are playing poorly. Would be very interesting to see how we would play in the 433 from last year. It's a really difficult situation as Ba is a really good striker but is clearly not happy playing on the top left of a 433 and he did look really out of place there. He's got that buy out clause hanging over him and is down to the last twelve months of his contract at the end of this season. I'd be tempted to force the issue with him i.e. get him to sign another contract without that clause.

Hmmmm Harper Simpson/Anita Willi Perch Santon HBA Cabaye Tiote Jonas Ba Cisse Keeper ?, Good?/Tavernier, Fergie, Obertan, Anita/simpson, Bigi, Shola Don't think he'll start Fergie unfortunately. Our midfield and strikers should do well. Think we will raise our game like last year and win. Ba is on fire and i expect him to rip them appart again and Cisse is looking sharper. HBA against Evra Tiote's looking good now, Cabaye has still got a way to go but still think he could do well against old Giggs old scholes/unfit fletcher. Their strikers should though too against our reserve CB's ffs if perch or willi limp off we are back to simpson playing there Everything points to a high scoring game ....so probably 0 - 0 .... no i fancy a thriller 3 goals for us and 1 or 2 for them

Would play Anita RB instead of Perch otherwise team is spot on. Hmmm who's going to score Ba or Cisse.... Bugger it both of them to score for us today ! In a 2 - 0 or 2 - 1 win ! Amazing how Bigi has just bypassed , Mehdi, Anita, gosling, Vuckik etc and now seems only behind Cabaye and Tiote in the pecking order for central midfield. Glad pardew has made this brave move, Bigi has been great and quite a find. I can see Tiote getting forward a bit more today.

Good post. Yes that Ince lad sounds like a good replacement we should try and replace Obertan for him in January. I'd rather we gave Sammy a run as supersub before Obertan. Pardew seems determined though to try and bring him through though. Flogging a dead horse really, not admiting defeat on that one. As has been said his has ton's of pace and good ability. In the Europa game he has half decent and fairly consistantly (for him) got down the wing and got the ball in the box which was 10 x more than Marveaux did in that game or any game thereafter. But Obertan's decision making and vision is horrendous we cannot have players giving the ball away as easy as he does so consistently.

Best move all round would be to sell Gosling for 2m

Marveaux does have alot to prove still it is true. Has shown glimpses he could be useful going forward. Jonas offers our team far far more. I'm not writing Marveaux off just yet but he has been poor lately i.e. even obertan who I do not really rate has offered more so far. I'd like to see more of Sammy, Mehdi bigi, fergie and Campbell in uefa cup games.

Thought Bigi was our best player tonight some great tackles, intelligent positioning and a great range of passing. Elliott I was unsure of before the match but he did pretty well. Shola a mixed bag but very unlucky not to score with a fantastic turn and shot which hit the bar. Yes we struggle to fit two excellent strikers in Ba and Cisse into our starting XI not sure how we would accommodate De Jong or Carroll as well. As much as I'd love us to sign them they are not a priority for me. I'd much prefer to spend the money on a hoillett type of player for forward left in a 433 As much as I really like Ba as a player and he would definately be in my starting XI doesn't change the fact he will only have 1 year left on his contract at the end of this season plus that buyout clause hanging over him. This may make Cisse the preffered striker if Push comes to shove. Personally though Ba would be second on my team sheet after HBA

Harper Anita. Taylor. Colo santon Bigi/Tiote Jonas Cabaye HBA. Ba Cisse Subs: Elliott, Williamson , perch, bigi/Tiote, sammy, shola, + 1

Mehdi Abeid, Romain Amalfitano, Sammy Ameobi, Shola Ameobi, Vurnon Anita, Gael Bigirimana, Adam Campbell, Rob Elliot, Shane Ferguson, Dan Gosling, Steve Harper, Sylvain Marveaux, Gabriel Obertan, James Perch, Davide Santon, James Tavernier, Steven Taylor, Haris Vuckic, Mike Williamson Hmmm i'd like to see: Harper Anita Taylor Willi Santon Bigi Perch Mehdi/Amalfitano Sammy Campbell Shola Expect we'll see Obertan, Marveaux, Vuckik, Gosling playing though. All who have a lot to prove. Marveaux in particular has a lot to prove. Obertan who i do not rate played ok and better than the anonymous Marveaux in the last euro game. Out of those four i'd only expect Marveuax though to have the ability to break into our first team. Shocking against Everton though, still has it all to prove. Will have to pray that Taylor, Willi, Santon and Anita come through unhurt because we have no real quality in depth to our squad and it is threadbare in places. Solid enough back 5 though that will need the full backs to work the channels with Sammy and Campbell who should they play i fancy to have a good game.

Looks about right to me. Although would play sammy if he is up to it. Also does Cabaye need more games or is it exhaustion he's suffering from ? Perhaps Anita or even Mehdi instead of Cabaye?

Harper 6 Not bad, not brilliant. At first i thought a really good keeper may have got that baines goal i.e. Krul last year. But perhaps i am being harsh. Glad we have him though. Perch 5 Got bummed at right back 1st half, looked much better in the middle after the break. Marv let him down 1st Half. Williamson 5.5 Fantastic in the air defensively i thought again, positioning very questionable at times though. Saylor 7 He had a very busy night. Looked really very good i thought. Battled hard for our cause, made runs from the back, looked fit and i really hope we can keep him fit. Not sure i'd play him in the Uefa games. Santon 7 Linked up well with HBA i thought at times and generally good. Marv 3 Very poor. Could have tried to help Perch alot more and offered next to nothing offensively either. Cabaye 6.5 Poor first half much better second half when he played further forwards. Would have ben a 6 but the assist to Ba is worthy of at least another half point Anita 6.5 Really like this lad battles, is quick, intelligent and plays simple passes well. Jonas 6.5 Battled well defensively as always and we really needed him. Jonas and Anita shored up our right flank 2nd half which we had been bummed on all first half. HBA 6 Class player some very good passing and runs but not really his night though gave the ball away in dangerous positions at least twice. Missed a one on one with the keeper. Cisse 5 Battled and had a few decent chances but couldn't score. Just not looking a goal threat at the moment or as sharp as lat season. Subs Ba 8.5 Changed the game completely good passing, creative, held the ball up, a complete menace to Everton and topped it off with two very cleverly taken goals which he makes look easy. Ameobi 6.5 Did well caused problems and got an assist. Well done Pardew for knowing exactly what to do second half tactically. First half a few players did let him down.

Agree with the above team except I'd bring in Williamson for Perch just for this one. Everton very good in the air particularly Felanni who destroyed Man u in the air, man u were very fortunate they lost only one nil. I'd also like to see Campbell on the subs bench. Big games for Bigi (should he play) Jonas and Pardew tactically. Jonas has been ordered to play deeper and defend with Santon making runs but it is obvious we need Jonas to be more of an attacking threat at times. Not very confident about this one we desperately need an inform Tiote, but if Ben Arfa's on the pitch I feel there is hope as he can create and can hopefully be the difference.

Krul Anita Saylor Colo Santon Tiote Jonas HBA Cabaye Marv Ba Ba looks alot sharper than Cisse thus far. Playing the two of them together isn't really working. We need the extra man in midfield. Time to make a brave decision Alan and drop one of them for this game.

Agreed. Ba looks sharp though, is working hard and that goal against Spurs was pretty awesome, he's not getting much created for him. But Ben Arfa looks to be the only player we have who can create against our opposition. We need another one of him for the left hand side of a 433 and Ba and Cisse can battle it out for the striker spot. Cisse was sensational at the back end of last year but doesn't look all that sharp since the break. We definitely need more creativity from the left. It would be interesting to see young Campbell there and see if Sammy can do a job there also. Marveux is good in flashes but not convinced he's be better than Jonas. To think we could have got Hoilett or Johnson to play there really does frustrate me as along with Debuchy it really would have made us a force to be reckoned with in my opinion.

Must admit downbeat by transfer window. Rb, CB and right sided player that could play in the forward three of of a 433 Krul Debuchy. Taylor colo. santon Cabaye. Tiote. Jonas/Anita HBA. Hoilett Cisse/ba Is how i'd hoped we may line up. Obviously that is not possible now. Got a Brief glimpse of Campbell away in Greece and was very impressed and excited. What sort of job could he do in place of Hoilett in above team for those who have seen more of him ?

Is he right or left footed ?

Krul 4.5 lucky not to have given a penalty away and been sent off Simpson 5.5 ok Williamson 5.5 ok Coloccini 5.5 ok Tav 5.5 ok Perch 5.5 ok Bigirimana 5.5 hit and miss. Good at times but some wayward passing. Obertan 6.5 By far his best game for us. Worked hard really took the game by the scruff of the neck. Some good, some ok and some poor crosses. Big improvement. Gosling 5 poor at times. Lack of confidence still or just a poor player ? He seems to have the ability, things just do not seem to click for him. Vuckic 6.5 Good goal, got involved, could have had a hatrick, shooting poor in general but found space well. Marveaux 6 Still not sure how good this guy is. Decent squad player at the very least, but could he hurt the top teams hmmm probably not. Might be better more central. Ba 6 Worked hard but efforts came to nothing tonight. Saving it for Villa hopefully. Where's Mehdi ?Looked good pre season!

I think your probably right with that formation. Although Cisse scored two wonder goals here last season he doesn't seem very sharp at all this season thus far. There will be goals. 2 - 1 win !

Though he did more in his 10 minutes or so than Cisse did all match. He looked very quick, bright, intelligent good movement and good first touch. Looking forward to seeing more of him.

:DReally worries me if Ben arfa gets injured, he's our only really creative player/winger. Against spurs he was our only player who looked capable of creating anything and hurting them. If he gets injured then who on the right? Marveaux looked very poor today and i'm not surprised he wasn't on the bench if he's been like that in training. I like Sammy but can he create against top premiership teams? Ditto for amafilato. Debuchy our number one priority transfer wise, but i'd love it if we did manage to sign Adam Johnson (and Carroll too ) .