Gallowgate End
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Posts posted by Gallowgate End
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Its fantastic we have such a good selection of firepower and striker options also judging by the amount of games Viduka misses Alan Smith even at £6 million will prove to be a very good buy. I also hope Big Sam continues with the policy of Viduka or Smith to partner Owen or Martins.
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The reason I'm bothering to post is to say this - many of the posters on here (and other forums) are saying much the same thing, get rid we'll replace him with Martins or A.N other, many Liverpool fans said the same when he left us - after spending £50m+ on Cisse,Baros,Crouch,Morientes,Pongolle and Bellamy we've had to spend a further £26m on Torres to have a striker that comes close to Owens ability.
The point is you won't know what you got until he leaves, I've seen posts on sites wherby toon fans are saying that they booed him - believe me lads, you'll regret it if you allow him to be driven out of your club - Do people REALLY believe that he's happy that he's hardly played in the last two years?
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AgreedI think I'd stick to 4-3-3 for this one but not the same personnel.
Given
Beye Rozehnal Faye Enrique
Geremi Butt Emre
Martins Viduka N'Zogbia
I think that's got a decent balance to it, with Geremi and Martins able to go wide right if needed and same for Emre and Zog on the left.
Butt to play DF, or alternatively Smith.
By far the best team i've seen.
Would be interesting to see N'Zogbia in that inside wing position.
Other then that the formation does not get the best out of Martins while I think Viduka is better with a partner 12 yards off him making the runs in behind (Michael Owen or Martins)
The variations of 4-3-3 and personal changes in the formation all won't get the best out or enough of our best attacking players.
I think it will be a mistake to continue with 4-3-3 and not change to 4-4-2 in my opinion but without Michael Owen its likely Big Sam will go with 4-3-3 just such a waste playing Martins deep and wide I feel.
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Sad news, and I wish him well. He's always come across as a real gentleman.
He was an excellent centre back as well, the best bar Woodgate.
Quite awful news get well Bob
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It's a sad fact, that i'm happy an injury is keeping a player out, but i am. Sam probably wouldn't have dropped him when he so obviously needs to be dropped.
Its a shame because Alan Smith is a fantastic option when Viduka is injured but we will only see the best of him alongside Owen or Martins not wide right or part of a central three though.
The versatility roles he has been given are ones he can't do well which does not do the team justice or himself.
I think Smith could really be used well in last 20 minutes of games coming on for Viduka.
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Its saying on the nufc site that "Alan Smith is reported to be carrying an unspecified injury, which may limit his involvement in Sunday's game and also England's upcoming double-header."
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Really hard game at SJP coming up on Sunday.
I was at Tottenham vs Everton few weeks back and tactically as an away side Everton really impressed me, played very much on the break everything going threw the creativity of Arteta's right foot with Osman bursting runs forward off the left supporting Johnson and Anichebie caused Tottenham a lot of trouble scoring 3 away goals.
Arteta was really head and shoulders above any of the players on the pitch that night though.
Everton will be the hardest team to come to SJP so far I feel.
Its important while Big Sam is "playing with his sides" that 4-4-2 is the formation he decides to play with ditching the central trio of Smith, Geremi and Butt.
Playing 4-4-2 allows Martins to play high up top where he can hurt teams alongside Viduka and not wasted deep and wide like last week leaving Viduka isolated and N'Zogbia must be allowed to thrive in his favored Left Wing role the benefits of playing 4-4-2 attacking wise are obvious with the players we have.
Selection wise with the return to fitness of Cacapa does he play him alongside Taylor or Rozenhal? The experience of Cacapa alongside Taylor is a partnership I would like to see get a good run of games, I was frustrated at Rozenhal defending last week even though it hasn't been picked out much but his awful positioning so high up the pitch for the first goal last week was dreadful and his attempts at marking one single man in the box for the second did not help.
Hope to see...
-------------------Given-----------------
-------------------------------------------
-------------Taylor---Cacapa-----------
---Beye-------------------------Enrique
-----------------Butt---------------------
-------------------------Emre------------
-----Geremi--------------------N'Zogbia-
------------------------Viduka------------
---------------Martins--------------------
Subs - Smith, Milner, Faye, Rozenhal, Harper
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I'll be very disappointed if we don't see Emre starting on Saturday. People were saying that the defence was looking solid until Man City, when with Cacapa out and Taylor in, we got done. Thing is though, any back four, no matter how good collectively and individually, is helped out by having a midfield and strikeforce who will keep the ball when we win possesion. Whatever you say about Viduka, he is a class footballer and when you knock it into him, the chances are he won't give it away cheaply. This is what we lack with a midfield of Geremi, Smith and Butt. What we've seen of Emre in his two years has been frustrating to say the least, but I've always liked his style of play and he is all about playing short passes, quick one-twos, creating space in the middle and occasionally taking people on. In the absence of Barton we desperately need someone to put his foot on the ball, keep the ball and at least allow us to try to impose something on the opposition. we just need somebody to keep the ball moving fluidly and reliably through the midfield, providing a link between our ball winners and our match winners.
Agree totally.
Its vital we don't continue with the centre trio of Butt- Smith - Geremi - with the return to match fitness of Emre, for the reasons above Big Sam must start Emre if we are to see improvements on our lackluster midfield display against Manchester City on Saturday.
I know the partnership of Emre and Butt has been tried under previous managers but I would suggest there our best complementary centre two while Joey Barton is injured and it must be a Centre two and not a three if we are to see N'Zogbia thriving down the Left Wing and Martins higher up the pitch alongside Viduka and not wasted deep and wide of a three.
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Don't help after watching 90 minutes of a isolated Viduka a too deep Martins and a ultra defensive three in central midfield who offer very little creativity or forward running.
Or defending.
The high back line of the back four was as much to blame for the defeat as the lack of adventure of the midfield and forward line up I would agree.
Criminal to play such a high line against Elano the first goal highlighted that.
I was referring to the defensive capabilities of the midfield 3. They didn't get anywhere near Elano all day...Butt was a complete non-entity apart from a couple of fouls...didn't even manage to give anyone a proper kicking in the time honoured tradition of his former club. That peanut looking thing on the left was obviously scared of a booking, I thought he was supposed to be agressive...fuck knows what else he has going for him.
I agree.
Parker anyone
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Don't help after watching 90 minutes of a isolated Viduka a too deep Martins and a ultra defensive three in central midfield who offer very little creativity or forward running.
Or defending.
The high back line of the back four was as much to blame for the defeat as the lack of adventure of the midfield and forward line up I would agree.
Criminal to play such a high line against Elano the first goal highlighted that.
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If you read the whole article in the Chronicle (i think) he was merely saying that our defence were being too adventurous by not just clearing the ball out of play for the second goal. He has been taken out of context.
Don't get your knickers in a twist.
It's funny, I thought to myself yesterday that someone was going to pick up on those quotes.
My biggest gripe is the teams/formations/tactics he picks not so much his comments.
But comments of
"We got the goal, and then we were too adventurous. When you become too adventurous away from home, you pay the price"
Doesn't help after watching 90 minutes of a isolated Viduka a too deep Martins and a ultra defensive three in central midfield who offer very little creativity or forward running.
Just such a waste playing Martins so deep and playing such a good link man in Viduka so isolated and wasting the attacking abilities of N'Zogbia at left back.
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Sam Allardyce has blasted Newcastle United for being “too adventurous” in Saturday’s defeat at Manchester City.
"We got the goal, and then we were too adventurous. When you become too adventurous away from home, you pay the price and we gifted them the equaliser"
I found these comments quite astonishing.
The biggest frustration in the defeat on Saturday was not our Adventure but our Ultra defensive centre three (Butt, Smith, Geremi) which gave us nothing in balance going forward nor creativity to the isolated Viduka and the too deep and wide Martins along with the ridiculously high line by our back four.
You simply don't play 3 ultra defensive central midfielders if your going to play such a high line because as seen for there first goal its very easy to get threw the ultra defensive midfield three with one ball over/threw the back fours high line it wasn't only for the first goal but after when Shay Given had to pull of a one on one save due to the high defensive line and non productive defensive centre three in there duties.
4-4-2 is a must with the squad and players we have if we are to make the most of our best players, Martins needs to play high up the pitch alongside Viduka and not deep and wide and N'Zogbia now must be given license to go attack teams high up the pitch on the left side with Milner returning to his favored right side role.
I realize Big Sam is never going to bring back the Keegan or Robson times in terms of adventure and flowing football but the ultra defensive line ups and not getting the best out of our attacking players by giving them un complementary roles is very frustrating.
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3 defensive midfielders, not one of them got close to Elano's shadow all game. What a fucking player.
Elano was outstanding in the space between the Striker and Midfield today, fantastic finder of space and his creative forward passes were fantastic.
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Disappointing result and performance.
And another really disappointing team selection by Big Sam, Enrique needed his match fitness so should of played his consecutive game allowing N'Zogbia to play Left Wing also the threat of Martins was wasted by playing so deep and wide he needs to play up top with Viduka with N'Zogbia and Milner as wingers to provide if we are to course teams problems and have balance going forward.
Ratings...
Given - made some top saves could not of saved the goals (7)
Beye - showed his energy and tackling skills but Petrov got in behind him far to many times (5.5)
Taylor - poor game by his high standards seemed to struggle not having a Striker close to dominant (5.5)
Rozenhal - massively at fault for the first goal in no mans land so high up the pitch, he is so poor at defending the space in behind which is such a important part of defending, Elano was just playing the threw passes behind him so easily (4)
N'Zogbia - his lack of defensive positioning is obvious the sooner Big Sam moves him Left Wing the better (5.5)
Butt - should of played deeper and picked up Elano more he gave far too many passes away and too many freekicks (5.5)
Geremi - neat and tidy performance produced a fantastic delivery pass for Martins over the top (6)
Smith - work rate was good as always and won so many 50-50 balls and headers but lacked any sort of forward movement or quality passing (6)
Milner - provide some good moments and his work rate helped but seems uncomfortable not wide in a 4-4-2 (6)
Martins - fantastic movement touch and finish for the goal but was wasted so deep and wide thanks to Big Sam (6)
Viduka - needs a partner to thrive Big Sam prevented that needed delivery from wide Big Sam prevented that (6)
Big Sam - playing Martins so deep and wide does not get the best out of him and playing Viduka so isolated does not get the best out of him, playing N'Zogbia left back when Enrique was fit and needed the 2nd consecutive start for his fitness and playing 4-3-3 with the main tactic of containing the opposition does not get the best out of our team and does not get the best out of our attacking talent of Martins, Viduka, N'Zogbia, Milner.
4-4-2 is a must...
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If Viduka isn't fit will Smith start over Ameobi? Assuming we play 442.
Evening Chronicle says Ameobi picked up a groin injury against Arsenal "kids
" which apparently doesn’t look good so going by that yes Smith only role in the team should be up top when Viduka is not fit.
Hopefully Viduka is fit to play though.
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I think its likely Big Sam will revert back to 4-3-3 and ditch 4-4-2 with the loss of Michael Owen, we could see a similar 4-3-3 formation we played away against Bolton, with Viduka up top with two off the sides of him likely to be Martins in a uncomfortable role for him and maybe N'Zogbia instead of Milner this time will be pushed up further with the return of Enrique and Emre to the left side.
Its clear Big Sam favors 4-4-2 with Michael Owen in the side but with Martins starting or coming on he seems to either play him off the sides in a 4-3-3 like against Bolton or when coming on against Aston Villa.
----------------------Given-----------------
----------------Taylor----Rozenhal---------
--------Beye----------Butt-----------Enrique
----------------Geremi----Emre---------------
-------------Martins----------N'Zogbia-------
---------------------Viduka------------------
Would prefer to see 4-4-2 though with N'Zogbia and Milner in there favored positions as Wingers and Martins in his best role being played threw the middle off Viduka.
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Sounds like Wenger is struggling for Centre backs with Senderos the only real centre half in his Squad for tonight.
So he is set to give all round midfielder Alexandre Song a start alongside Senderos at Centre back...
I hope Big Sam is postive and plays Viduka rather then resting him for this one, Viduka and Martins could really do some damage against Song and Senderos.
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I am certain Big Sam will have a particular game plan in mind for Arsenal maybe a 3 in the Centre with Abodalaye Faye holding or a different version of his Bolton sides that were so successful against Wenger team, Big Sam certainly knows what tactics help stop Wenger flowing sides from his Bolton vs Arsenal days I am sure we will see a different formation and tactics then what we saw against West Ham at Home for this one.
Maybe...
-----------------Given-----------------
Beye---Taylor--Rozenhal--Enrique
-------Geremi---Faye---Emre---------
-------Martins--Smith--N'Zogbia-------
Subs - Viduka, Milner, Butt, Cacapa, Harper
Resting for Man City - Owen, Viduka, Milner, Butt, Harper
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Rafa Benitez believes Sam Allardyce may have a memory problem if he thinks Liverpool have struggled in the Premier League in recent seasons.
The Newcastle boss reportedly stated the Spanish tactician was only clinging onto his Anfield post due to his impressive UEFA Champions League achievements.
However, Benitez is happy with The Reds' two third-placed finishes in the last two seasons and has told Allardyce to worry about his own business on Tyneside.
"I want to say two things," Benitez told the club's official website.
"Firstly, I think he should be more worried about his own business because he must have more problems than to waste time talking about other managers.
"Secondly, has he forgotten Liverpool winning the Super Cup, FA Cup and Champions League as well as reaching another Champions League final, a Carling Cup final and twice finishing third in the Premier League?
"Maybe he doesn't have a great memory."
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11661_2744624,00.html
Well said Rafa.
RafaThe former Bolton boss let fly a scathing attack on Benitez, suggesting the Spaniard lacked the right mentality to lift the Premiership title.
Allardyce redeems himself by saying that from the six British teams involved in the competition, Liverpool have the best chance of lifting the Champions League.
But its his comments regarding Liverpools Premiership credentials that are likely to cause the most controversy. The Newcastle boss also sensationally claims that Benitez would have been sacked were it not for his side?s success in Europe.
Rafa would be very lucky to be in a job if he hadnt got to two Champions League finals, because theyve has some very, very poor finishes in the Premier League, he told Zoo magazine.
While they are a very good Champions League team, theyre not a Premier League-winning side yet. They dont have the mentality to win that yet.
Being a foreigner, Rafa doesnt understand its supposed to be Premier league first, Champions League second.
Very disappointing on Big Sam part
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“Emre is training but he is not match fit"
“The same applies to Jose Enrique who will not be involved on Sunday, but who will go with us next week to Arsenal and Manchester City”
Both Emre and Enrique have been training and are Fit but not "Match fit/Lack of games" means they won't be involved...
Quite bizarre as Enrique has been left out of the Reserve squads and has been training for weeks and Emre played two games in a week for Turkey just a week ago...
Play em Sam
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i hope taylor comes in at CB otherwise Roze is in for another tough time and Ashton in particular may have a field day.
Agree I thought Roze and Cacapa as a partnership struggled with the Derby number 9 Howard ariel ability...
People may critizise Steven Taylor but in the air he is certainly dominant.
I also think its important for the progression of Steven Taylor he starts consistently at Centre Back alongside the experience of either Rozenhal or Cacapa.
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I honestly think Enrique being fit is probably more use for us on sunday, then the likes of Owen/Viduka. If we can get him in at left-back, then Zoggy going into left midfield, and having Milner on the right instead of Smith would be fantastic.
Fully agree.
Midfield was our biggest failure on Monday night, balance mostly was the issue along with alot of other things but with Jose Enrique slotting into Left Back and N'Zogbia playing his favored Left Wing role with Milner on the Right it should certainly help the balance that was lacking against Derby.
Hope to see...
Given
Beye Taylor Rozenhal Enrique
Milner Geremi Emre N'Zogbia
Martins Viduka
Subs- Harper, Cacapa, Faye, Smith, Owen
Normally I am confident but West Ham have some good good players Bellamy, Ljungberg and most of all Scott Parker the dreadful performance on Monday night against a woeful Derby side still haunts me so all I am hoping for is a positive performance.
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With Manchester United midfield you could play Owen and Martins up top because there Midfield is so strong and you have Ronaldo, Nani and Scholes to make up for Owen and Martins lack of ability outside the box.
But for us with our Midfield I think you have to play a Owen and Viduka partnership most games and play threw Viduka with him being your focal point of attacks with Owen playing on the shoulder of the defenders and getting the goals.
I know Obafemi Martins is a fantastic player but I think when Mark Viduka is fully fit after a good amount of games this season I think we will see Viduka being quite unstoppable with Owen as a partnership.
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Meanwhile, Jose Enrique and Mark Viduka will both face late fitness tests becuase of their respective hamstring injuries.
And Sam added: "Jose has a slight hamstring problem but we'll have to wait and see how he is.
"Mark Viduka is still a little way off because he hasn't trained with the rest of the lads yet and we'll have to wait until Monday probably before deciding if he plays."
Could be...
Harper
Beye Taylor Rozenhal N'Zogbia
Geremi Smith Butt Milner
Owen Martins
Todays Games (International weekend)
in Football
Posted
From the highlights could of well got the hat trick if he had of wanted to take the penalty.
- 23 minute Martins received a high lofted ball from the right controlled from the inside left cut in to power with his right foot keeper made a great save and tipped it onto the bar.
- 32 minute long ball over the right back Martins with one touch burst past him then smashed it in the far top corner with his left foot.
- 52 minute Martins sprung the really high offside trap burst away and put it onto his right to slot home under the keeper.
- 90 minute Martins set his partner threw with a one touch threw pass his partner got taken down got a penalty and took it instead of Martins fired high.
First goal was quite fantastic.
Am I allowed to post the highlights link on here???