Lotus

Totally agree. I haven't seen it again other than live so may be wrong (will be watching the highlights later) but from memory wasn't Colo closer to N'Zogbia than Simpson? If that is right then surely it was him who was covering for Simpson by doing the RB's job and so Simpson should have been filling in for Colo in the middle rather than making his way toward N'Zogbia? As I said could be completely wrong, might have got it confused with the situation where Colo got across and headed N'Zogbia's cross out for a corner. Zog was running towards the box, no midfielders were anywhere near him, he had a free run, Colo went out to close him down, force him wide which he duly did. Simpson sort of doubled up on Zog but he allowed the Zog to be on top of him before he started running, then Zog just cruised past him. Given that Colo was pushing Zog wide i think Simpson could have started actually RUNNING earlier to match Zog, as it was, it looked like a really poorly timed sprint relay where the receiver is dead still until the other guy actually hands him the baton!

Of course he is, he is a "luxury" player that needs a lot of people around him to work their arses off so he can have a free role and do what he needs to do. But you can't run a whole team around 1 player, it just doesn't work. We have got where we are with a magnificent team work ethic. Ben Arfa would be much more suited to a team that can just afford to give him the freedom he needs, which is probably not going to be for a team in the Premiership. Yes he is an amazing talent, but when I watch him, I just don't get the feeling he fits in with what we are trying to do. Yes a class player, but when we are not prepared to run the team around him and ask him to fit in with what we want to do, he looks like he is struggling. I would be with you all and demanding he was playing if we were struggling, but we are having the best season in a long long time, so unfortunately there is no real argument to start him yet. You're wrong there. I do like a reply that is backed up with facts and points to try and add to the discussion. Well done you, you are right you have made me change my mind. What's Obertan's goals and assists ratio per starts compared to Ben Arfa's?

bizarre thing to say. sounds like a lower league club going to play a top premier side in the cup. I'm starting to think it's a ruse and he's going to go for 1 Demba up top, another Demba at LW and 3 across the middle (Guthrie, Perch & Jonas).

Of course he is, he is a "luxury" player that needs a lot of people around him to work their arses off so he can have a free role and do what he needs to do. But you can't run a whole team around 1 player, it just doesn't work. We have got where we are with a magnificent team work ethic. Ben Arfa would be much more suited to a team that can just afford to give him the freedom he needs, which is probably not going to be for a team in the Premiership. Yes he is an amazing talent, but when I watch him, I just don't get the feeling he fits in with what we are trying to do. Yes a class player, but when we are not prepared to run the team around him and ask him to fit in with what we want to do, he looks like he is struggling. I would be with you all and demanding he was playing if we were struggling, but we are having the best season in a long long time, so unfortunately there is no real argument to start him yet. You're wrong there.

I think Ben Arfa would be a real attacking threat on the right, cutting in, Ba as the short option, maybe for a give and go or threading through to Cisse looking for a ball in behind the CBs. He could cause real problems. Obertan isn't that kind of player. I'm not really sure what kind of player Obertan is but he isn't an incisive passer of the ball that's for sure. I think Obertan isn't prone to lose the ball as much as Ben Arfa but i think the reasons for that a fairly obvious. There must be something not right in training is all i can think of, something Ben Arfa isn't doing.

How would a stepladder help I use my real ladder to be honest. I'm not on speaking terms with my step-ladder. The arsehole.

He isn't moving very far, but his role would be hugely different. He would be expected to track back and cover all the time, which would completely change and affect his game. Absolute madness to ask Ba to do anything even slightly different to what he is doing now. As i said Ba isnt moving anywhere he's been playing that role all year long, he just joins up with the other striker when we are on the attack to make it a 4-4-2...... For proof look at his average position against Man Utd...... http://i45.servimg.com/u/f45/16/55/20/10/averag10.png Exactly where i put him in my formation. I'm fairly confident that with 13 players we'd beat anybody!

If Obertan starts showing some good form then people will be clamouring for him instead.

Might be worth putting Jonas on the RW to help out with Bale. If we put Ben Arfa on the LW we could also get some genuine crosses in to the box from either side. Think Santon would have a harder time of it but as they're good on either flank it's going to tough anyway!

Hope he improves so he can provide real competition for places.

He did better than previously. Some good play and some wasted. Hope he continues to improve.

There's more pattern to their attack, you can see they have a clearer idea of what to do in attack as a team than we do. Think we've been open to the ball in behind but that's been true for a while now. I do think we've got enough about to us to win this though, our best chance i think will be trying to play through the middle, i reckon we can do them there.

Aye that's exactly what i was thinking after re watching the match We were soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo bad last night Thankfully, in the final 3rd they were a little bit worse!

Is that he's so f**king arrogant to go with it that so pisses me off!

Is this really the most effective formation for the players we have available?

Well, you never know but i think Ba might be more effective being a little more central than that. As a suggestion: Back 5 ......................Cabaye...........Tiote........................ Ben Afa.........................Ba......................Jonas/Vuckic ...................................Cisse................................... A 4-2-3-1. All others points you've made seem logical to me.

That was very evident actually. He so rarely had any options for a good pass or through ball.

Agree. Tbf, the tactics we employed just exposed him today. I'm not sure that's entirely down to Pardew either because it seemed like our midfield stopped pressing hard which gave their midfield to time to pick a pass. I'm sure Pardew didn't tell the players to stand off at the same time as keeping a super high line!

Yeah I'm pig sick of it n'all. But it's not Krul's fault the defenders take the easy option and knock it back to him every single time. I think Krul is told to launch it actually.

I think so too. Don't think he had many options on the bench though tbh. I think i would have been tempted to take Shola off, put Best in the middle and play Obertan on the left (if he can cut inside he might be a little more inclined to take a man on). Think we could have countered then with Obertan and Ben Arfa down the flanks.

If you're not quick you have to have a good body position on the turn and anticipate the ball behind. He doesn't seem to have that habit which is a bit odd tbh!

It's odd how he never moves a little and lines up against a FB or even the shorter CB (Senderos in this case) but stands completely still while he gets beaten repeatedly to the ball by Hangaarland (sp). You see other CF drift off and go up against someone they know they can have a good chance against, like a FB on the far post. Not Shola though, dead centre every time!!!

I know, especially with a slow CB (williamson) but even more critically, when we're not pressurizing the ball sufficiently.

It's not just that he's slow, he stands so square on when a player is blatantly about to spin in behind him. It's a really bad habit!

I think it has been more individual player errors rather then the set up. Pen was dodgy, then Williamson and Simpson have not defended well at all. He should do something about Ameobi though because Shola is not contributing.