Gallowgate Toon

Looked good until he was shifted to RW, honestly how can Barton not have played CM in that second half. Half the reason he's probably done that tackle is out of frustration of not playing in the position he should rightfully be in. If Shearer can drop Owen he has to drop Butt, it's clear as day he is a huge problem for us.

Repuation not the tackle, should be appealed and as he did get a fair share of the ball, it may be reduced to only 1 game, here's hoping.

Elabourate. Where do i start, he's shown potential in having a decent starting line up and making a correct substitution. However... He should have known that Duff would be left stranded a lot and therefore should have started Gutierrez. He seems to be oblivious to the fact that the reason we lose games is through Smith and Butt playing together. They are awful they offer nothing forward and are equally as bad defensively, they are supposed to be anchors but all they do is run round tire themselves out and leave gaping holes in front of our defence. The reason Gerrard had so much room is because, particularly in the first half hey ran out trying to protect our wingers and left the whole middle open. Granted this goes hand in hand with my first point that there wasn't going to be enough cover initially and Gutierrez is a very good tracker. Thirdly is his handling of the team after half time, the change of formation was questionble as i think he should have brought Gutierrez on for a straight Loven swap and keep the current formation working at least for a few minutes. Instead 4-4-2 and Barton our only cretive midfielder, who actually created things in the first half is shifted to RW? wtf? if he wanted some more defensive cover on that flank play Smith there don't waste our attacking talent. Consequently Barton has got frustrated and hit out, and harshly imo was sent off. Hopefully on review he only gets one game ban as he got the ball first, so it's not deemed as too 'dangerous', but again his reputation may preceed him. Granted for the next game he will start with Smith and Butt, and we'll again not win. Stopped reading after you contradicted yourselves within 3 sentences. I haven't actually i never said it was a fucking class staring line up have i? I said it was 'decent' which it was, but it could have been better, which it could of.

Elabourate. Where do i start, he's shown potential in having a decent starting line up and making a correct substitution. However... He should have known that Duff would be left stranded a lot and therefore should have started Gutierrez. He seems to be oblivious to the fact that the reason we lose games is through Smith and Butt playing together. They are awful they offer nothing forward and are equally as bad defensively, they are supposed to be anchors but all they do is run round tire themselves out and leave gaping holes in front of our defence. The reason Gerrard had so much room is because, particularly in the first half hey ran out trying to protect our wingers and left the whole middle open. Granted this goes hand in hand with my first point that there wasn't going to be enough cover initially and Gutierrez is a very good tracker. Thirdly is his handling of the team after half time, the change of formation was questionble as i think he should have brought Gutierrez on for a straight Loven swap and keep the current formation working at least for a few minutes. Instead 4-4-2 and Barton our only cretive midfielder, who actually created things in the first half is shifted to RW? wtf? if he wanted some more defensive cover on that flank play Smith there don't waste our attacking talent. Consequently Barton has got frustrated and hit out, and harshly imo was sent off. Hopefully on review he only gets one game ban as he got the ball first, so it's not deemed as too 'dangerous', but again his reputation may preceed him. Granted for the next game he will start with Smith and Butt, and we'll again not win.

Shearer's made some glaring errors again tbh, he's shown potential but tbh he is way out of his depth.

Quite pleased tbh mean they might try dead hard against Hull, Pulis won't let them be complacent.

We'll get more chance this game tbh Liverpool will play to win and i'd stick with 4-3-3 and attack them back. No point in going for the point imo, Jonas and Barton should start alongside either Guthrie or Smith, this will compensate for the lack of movement in the side and Barton will come and get the ball and it may spark all the hiders into life. Fancy we'll get a goal here whether that's enough i'm not sure, but the confidence alone from a goal would be great.

We saw the importance of 2 things today: 1. Mark Viduka and 2. A decent passing midfield that made our 4-4-3 work last season. Once Viduka went off our retention was poor and creativity disappeared. I thought his decision to take him off was poor and when I saw Carroll my heart sunk. At that point our midfield was hiding and we needed some drive, Barton for me was the obvious choice as he would have taken the game tothem. I think the midfield choice from the off was crap tbh Jonas and Guthrie should have started. Tonight showed how vital the midfield was last season. Today our 3 were too defensive from the off too afraid to run and lacking in creativity, being too predictable and lacking conviction. on the upside I don't think we'll be relegated and I thought Colo played well.

We saw the real Jonas against Man U, he had a team that was playing well with him so he wasn't trying hard to create, and he didn't have to worry about defesive duties either.

Meh we beat Pompey 3-0, and Boro are just shite. Fulham have a poor away record, 2 won all season? Can't see us losing any of them.

Did a predictor today, i honestly think we won't be relegated. I had us to beat Pompey, Fulham and Boro and nick a point at Villa. We finished 15th level on 40 points with Pompey, just better goal difference. The Mackems finshed in 17th with 37 and Hull went down with 35. Hull and Boro have horrible run ins for the rest of the season, and the mackems ain't too special either.

He doesn't have much of an end product though. Owen playing in that role is proven to have one. He doesn't when it comes to crosses, but remember Villa? He was in the box and on the byline for Martins second. His movement against Stoke got him into those areas and i think he'd have plenty of end product if he played in that position properly. He has all the attributes for it imo and his short passing range is pretty decent a la Spurs with the ball into Martins which should have been a pen.

Would play him behind Viduka and Martins when they are fit. I think he'd do a much better job than Owen who is good in that role, but i think Jonas can do better. Jonas did some good passes against Spurs post-substitution and he has intelligent movement a la Stoke when he ran into the channels frequently and caused problems. I think this role would suit him well and i'd even try it out if he was behind Owen and Oba, the pace and movement and skill that particularly Jonas has would have a lot of teams scared.

He like Owen needs good support, and with Krancjar out i can't see them threatening tbh.

Tbh i'd consider dropping Owen and get Colo back in. My team would depend on the fitness of Barton and Enrique but if they're fit. Harper Beye Bassng Colo Enrique Guthrie Smith Barton Jonas Martins Viduka If Jose is still out stick Duff LB, and if Barton's out get Jonas in his position and put Owen behind Oba and Duke.

To be fair, the system today might have worked in training. Training isn't really a good indicator of what formations and tactics work best, you have to try them out in a competitive match, unfortunately we don't have too many of them left. To be fair it didn't work against Stoke, so why would it work with a team that likes to play it out wide to very fast wingers. It makes that formation extremely ineffective.

Shearer was a legend as a player no doubt, but everyone here is clouding their judgement if they're saying he isn't responsible today. His formation was pants, as was his starting selection, no Guthrie? what was that all about seems to me Dowie is pulling more strings than Al.

I agree tbh, very very poor formation even though it didn't work against Stoke.

Well hope Guthrie comes on for Butt then.

SMITH?

I just don't understand why you would change it round again after our promising spell against Stoke for half an hour, why not just keep the same team and shape from then?

Just woeful tactics and everything. 4-3-3 works when players are in the correct position. S.Taylor should be CB Beye RB and R.Taylor should be LB.

Just play 4 at the back too, against this lot where they have pace upfront 3 at the back is suicide.

We didn't play 3-5-2 when we played well against Stoke, why change it? rocks for brains.

Well this is shit. Tactics are useless still, 4-3-3 not 3-5-2 please.