mrmojorisin75

Others have said it but 2 of Colback, Anita and Sissoko have to go imo. Bring in Perez and De Jong. He'll never do it like, I reckon it'll be Anita out, probably for fucking Tiote, and maybe Thauvin benched if he wants an extra attacker.

Spend on what? We've got a bench full of attacking players McLaren won't play and we can't score goals

Just glanced at the Ryder article today and noticed this: "It all depends on how jumpy you are but it’s easy to criticise when a team is bottom of the table. The West Ham game wasn’t pretty but with better cohesion, better service and better finishing, Newcastle could have taken something from the game." So if we'd played an entirely different game we could have got something? No shit Sherlock.

Has to start every game he's fit for, every time he plays he shows more than the other attackers on the pitch, and arguably more defensive qualities than some of the defenders. Kid's a natural tbh.

I'm not diving into this until about half the games are up, everything is a horrible mess atm but we've had a number of tough fixtures and two where a man has been sent off. I expect us to beat Watford then get reamed for two games, at that point we really need to be looking to kick on having played all of the top 4 from last year. Lose to Watford it takes a different complexion though, they need to fucking win a game to get some confidence.

I don't think it's anyone's ideal choice but nonsensical is bullshit tbh considering the lineups we've witnessed so far. You're going to be asking one of them to play a role they're desperately unsuited to man. The solution to us being unable to score goals is to change the balance of our team, not just imbalance it in another way. Do you mean DM? Do we need a fucking DM at home to Watford like if our attacking line up consists of Aarons, Perez, De Jong and Thauvin? I don't think so. And that ignores the fact the two players we've asked to play it so far are shit anyways, for the most part. You need one of your CM's to be a bit more responsible, you can't just have them both go hell for leather bombing forward, you'll get caught on the break very easily and you'll struggle to build anything from the back as you've nobody in CM who can drop deep and get attacks started and nobody sitting deep to offer an option and recycle possession when attacks are looking like breaking down. I'm not talking about putting in a destroyer ala Tiote, but I really don't think you can just tell your entire midfield to just go out and attack. Can't think of any teams who do tbh. Problem isn't that we're playing with a sitter, the problem is that we're playing with two of them. Anita or (preferably) Colback, one of them has to go. But the answer isn't just putting out the most attacking lineup conceivable. Yeah, the ideal would be to drop Colback but apparently that can't happen so I'd Anita has to go then take Colback out as well and let Wijnaldum sit deeper. He can easily play that role. In sacrificing him you'd arguably have a much stronger attacking lineup.

Anita's entire game is looking for the ball, are you f***ing high? He's good at almost nothing else but wanting the ball, taking the ball and moving it on without losing it. If that's the case - why doesn't he lead the team in pass attempts per 90 minutes? why does he make less passes per 90 minutes than Tiote? In fact, it's remarkably similar to serial hide and seek competitor Colback. And he's just going to pass to Colo & Mbemba in any case. You're the only person on this forum who thinks that stats alone prove a fucking thing. This shite you've just posted, how many forward passes does tiote complete? How many chances does he create? What does he do in the opposition box with the ball? I know the answer, those numbers mean nothing, he's as bad at the things you criticise Anita and Colback for, worse probably.

Didn't see the game last night but this is bullshit. Shit players don't regularly play for France Nah, it's not. He's been here what 3 years nearly? If he's had 10 good games in that time you'll be lucky. He's fucking gash.

Anita's entire game is looking for the ball, are you fucking high? He's good at almost nothing else but wanting the ball, taking the ball and moving it on without losing it.

If Pardew can't have England then I'd comfortably settle for Liverpool like

The King says hi

Exactly man. Sissoko and Wijnaldum are our most dynamic midfielders, play them central behind 4 attackers and see what happens. The alternative is to repeat what we've seen so far. No, there're definitely other alternatives. Go on then...

I don't think it's anyone's ideal choice but nonsensical is bullshit tbh considering the lineups we've witnessed so far. You're going to be asking one of them to play a role they're desperately unsuited to man. The solution to us being unable to score goals is to change the balance of our team, not just imbalance it in another way. Do you mean DM? Do we need a fucking DM at home to Watford like if our attacking line up consists of Aarons, Perez, De Jong and Thauvin? I don't think so. And that ignores the fact the two players we've asked to play it so far are shit anyways, for the most part.

Exactly man. Sissoko and Wijnaldum are our most dynamic midfielders, play them central behind 4 attackers and see what happens. The alternative is to repeat what we've seen so far.

He's fucking shit, there are countless players in the league that have 5 good games a season and they all play for bollocks clubs. Sell.

I agree with what's been said about the Anita role in possession, it works and he does what is asked of him well enough, the problem is how disfunctional everything in front of him is in both attacking and defending. This is not to say he's some sort of great player but he plays his limited role well enough imo.

I don't think it's anyone's ideal choice but nonsensical is bullshit tbh considering the lineups we've witnessed so far.

Thanks TCD http://m.bleacherreport.com/articles/1343162-8-world-football-tactical-terms-you-need-to-know-in-2012/page/2

You can carry a slow, immobile player if the rest of the team is a cohesive unit and has enough pace to cover the areas he can't. We are not even close to being able to do this, except maybe at home against the likes of Watford where we'll have the ball. De Jong looks classy and clearly knows where the goal and how to exploit space but up against a team with pace we can't afford him in there when the likes of Colback/Anita/Sissoko/Thauvin/Wijnaldum/Cisse are offering so little.

I think he's going to have to change his approach or he'll not see out the season, unless we start scoring goals we're down. Pardew had the knack of getting 1 goal wins at the right time, SMC doesn't appear to have that.

I think that's a separate, and very valid issue. At the moment though, McClaren is just picking a poor combination of players, he can certainly do better with what he's got available. Yeah I'm the same as you Tron. He's keeping our best attacking players on the bench and playing a system with two midfielders who contribute nothing going forward and that isolates the attack from the defence and seemingly relies on Sissoko and Wijnaldum getting up and down the pitch at pace the entire match. He's continued the overly cautious Pardew approach and is also sticking with players not performing.

Back 5 Sissoko Wijnaldum Thauvin De Jong Aarons Perez

A Pardew favourite and indeed probable signing. Who knew?

A bit better than Colback atm but potential to improve if playing alongside someone who is not a worse version of himself. About sums him up for me. Neither should vs Watford. Sissoko and Wijnaldum CM pairing and the rest should be attackers.

This is how I feel, he will probably do well at home against poorer teams but he looks like a passenger every time I see him play. He'd literally need to be scoring every game to make his inclusion worthwhile when we're already carrying so much useless shit in the team as it is. Were the other 9 outfield players functioning well then yeah maybe but atm we can't afford him in the team away from home or against better sides imo.