Shak

The last two and a half games have seen us playing with some form of 4-3-3/4-5-1 formation. The results have been... mixed, at best. After a very good season so far it would seem a strange move to drastically change our system at this point, especially now when it appears we finally have a worthy strike partner for Ba at the head of a 4-4-2. But long term I do think it might be Pardew's vision for the team, and looking at how the squad is shaping up I have to say it has the potential to be pretty tasty. With everyone fit I think we have 9 players who I'd feel very comfortable starting in it. Krul Santon Colo Taylor Tiote Cabaye Ben Arfa Ba Cisse Tiote and Cabaye would both really benefit from being part of a 3 man midfield. They're a great little engine room but at times the gap between the midfield is much too big, hence a lot of our long ball assaults this year. Tiote's problems tend to arise from trying to do too much when in possession. Put him in a pure "destroyer" role with two others who are expected to do the creative work in there with him and we'd mask his weaknesses and accentuate his strengths. Cabaye's game seems to be more built around being the guy who drops deep to start attacks than it is being the player who picks out the final ball around the opposition penalty area. Even when playing alongside Tiote he seems unwilling to get into advanced positions and hurt teams in the final third. I think he'll benefit from having a another midfielder more advanced than him that he can link up with. The issue obviously is finding someone to fill the most advanced of the three midfield spots. Ideally we'd be looking at a tidy player with an eye for a final ball who'll also get beyond the striker and nick a few goals himself. Looking at our squad, the only player who I could see fulfilling this role is Vuckic. I like Jonas, but he's not a good long term option in the middle of the park IMO. Yes he runs a lot and his energy levels are great, but a lot of his movement isn't particularly intelligent and he's no real threat to score or produce a piece of quality in the final third. Guthrie could potentially do a job in this spot, but long term I'd see him more as a quality backup for Cabaye than a starter in this system. The problem obviously is that we don't know if Vuckic is ready yet, or if he ever will be for that matter. I admit I do have reservations about moving Ba out wide given how lethal he's been this year. However, some of his best play has come playing as the more withdrawn of the two strikers when he can find space between midfield and defense to work in. He's not going to be playing as an orthodox winger in any case, rather he'll try to find the ball in space out wide and cut infield. The same goes for Ben Arfa, who is absolutely made for this formation. Another nice thing about Ba is that in the event that Cisse misses some games then we can move Ba to the striker role and bring in Jonas/Obertan/a new signing to play the wide role rather than having to witness Shola or Best trying to lead the line. Cisse will play on the shoulder of the defense, giving Cabaye an option over the top if teams play a high line against us. Obviously, a potential issue from playing with two wide men like this is that unless you've got two full backs with both the energy and quality to consistently get up and down the field and contribute to the attacking play then often you're going to get caught playing too narrow. Your full backs need to provide an outlet if teams give you nothing in the middle, and having a dedicated holding player like Tiote and a player like Cabaye who sits relatively deep too gives both your full backs plenty of license to get forward without too much worry of leaving you exposed on the break. From what I've seen of Santon, he looks good enough. He absolutely needs to be on the right though. You want your full backs getting to the byline and whipping in crosses, not arsing about trying to get the ball on their stronger side. We need a left back, obviously. The links to Cissokho make a lot of sense, from what I know of him he can get up and down the flank all day. If not him then someone else who's good going forward. Ferguson actually makes some sense from what we already have, but honestly he seems more like good backup than a good starter, at least for a few years until he proves otherwise. In the summer I'd look for us to move on Shola/Best (ideally/realistically), Lovenkrands, Smith and Perch. Main target is a top quality left back. After that we need to find another CM. I'm not sure who this would be honestly, I'd trust Carr to find someone though. Then add another wide man (Hoilett would be great if he's going cheap) and a reserve CB. Possibly a reserve GK too if they think Elliot is no good. First team squad then looks like this: GK: Krul, Elliot/New GK RB: Santon, Simpson, R Taylor LB: New Signing, Ferguson, R Taylor CB: Colo, S Taylor, New Signing, Williamson CM: Tiote, Cabaye, New Signing (First Choice Trio) Guthrie, Vuckic, Gosling, Abeid Wingers: Ben Arfa, Ba, New Signing, Jonas, Obertan, Sammy Strikers: Cisse, Ba, Best/Shola Or maybe we should just stick with the 4-4-2?

Voted 'Happy'. The failure to bring in a CB was disappointing and may end up costing us a few points this season. However we've shelled out a fair amount for a prolific goal scorer who hopefully is going to be banging in goals for us for a number of years. Assuming Cisse lives up to expectations then we've improved the first team considerably. I don't think you can expect a whole lot more from a January window tbh.

Don't understand why we weren't looking at loans like, gambling our entire season on the health of Colo and Williamson is crazy. Not gutted that we missed out on Mariappa as I know nothing about him, but we needed someone. If there are bigger and better targets earmarked for the summer then great, still no excuse for not getting someone on loan in the meantime though. Colo going down would be a complete and utter disaster, at least with him there alongside Perch/Kadar we'd have some semblence of a chance of keeping it together.

He's never leaving man, he'll always be 3rd/4th choice... and that's being optimistic. He'll come off the bench aged 37 to score the winner in a cup final, and then he'll die on the field when the full time whistle blows.

Strange that we tried to move him on. Suppose with Shola and Lovenkrands we have enough alternative depth to cope without him, I can't imagine he's on big wages so can only assume we were trying to put him in the shop window for the summer.

Fuck that, let's get him for 1.8, they'll have no choice. Blatantly Mike who changed the threat title btw. My shit got shot down real goddamn fast. They only need you for like 6 hours a day while they're sleeping, but they couldn't say that outright.

Fuck that, let's get him for 1.8, they'll have no choice. Blatantly Mike who changed the threat title btw.

Jesus man, been sick all day here, last thing I need is fucking imagery like that. Lose yourself in my moose knuckle, Shaquille. You can stare, baby. Jesus man, I'm not even related to you. That's what makes it so nasty. Gay Mike scares me.

Jesus man, been sick all day here, last thing I need is fucking imagery like that. Lose yourself in my moose knuckle, Shaquille. You can stare, baby. Jesus man, I'm not even related to you.

Jesus man, been sick all day here, last thing I need is fucking imagery like that.

Didn't come across that one while I was there like.

The gays down there will be getting excited if it's Tav.

I know nothing about American Football, but isn't that dude another example of Randy Lerner's utter inability ti appoint the right man to the job? The Randy Lerner that runs Villa is like some sort of god compared to how he runs his NFL team.

Sam Matterface. I'd have made a point of bullying him if he'd gone to my school.

Loved this btw, everyone in the middle of losing their minds and along pops Wullie of all people with the optimistic view on things.

I'd actually prefer we sign someone on loan and then target someone better than Mariappa in the summer. But I've not even seen a hint of a rumour about us loaning anyone, and if we get nobody today and Williamson or (*gulp) Colo gets injured then we could really be in a lot of trouble. Very disappointing if this is our only iron in the fire.

I hope we ditch the 4-5-1 for this like. Might be worth another go when all the ACON guys are back, but at the moment we're better off in a 4-4-2.

I'd guess that Mariappa will be viewed as the long term 3rd choice, if he's not better than Williamson I'd be very disappointed.

Anyone think we'll appeal the ban if Pardew is so pissed about it?

Perch can jog on if we get a CB like. He's useless and we shouldn't just keep him around for the sake of having another body. We've got Abeid, Guthrie, Vuckic and Gosling who can cover CM, and Perch is a disaster at the back.

Love that he doesn't even entertain the idea that he might actually get a game.