Thespence Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 LOOK WHAT ALAN SAID: You’re constantly picking teams and going through formations: 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2, whatever. :frantic: :frantic: The full article: Alan Shearer relishing challenge at Newcastle United George Caulkin It has not taken long for the drug to take a grip on Alan Shearer. In the space of a week, his life has been transformed; the demands have been constant and respite has been impossible. If football management is an all-consuming profession, then managing the maelstrom that is Newcastle United must be particularly brutal, and Shearer has found the experience challenging. Typically, he is relishing it. With a squad to be energised, a club to be rejuvenated and relegation to be avoided, there have been no early nights for Shearer, Iain Dowie and Paul Ferris. The trio have been working at the training ground until 7 every evening, aside from Wednesday, when Shearer drove to Liverpool — whom his side play next month — for their Champions League tie with Chelsea. The responsibility is enormous, as is the detail to be absorbed, and everyone is looking to Shearer to take a lead. He has found time to consult Kevin Keegan, Sir Bobby Robson and Kenny Dalglish. There was a common theme to the conversations with his predecessors. “It was just the normal stuff — ‘how’s it going and are you enjoying it?’ To ring at any time and ‘welcome to the madhouse’,” Shearer said. For now, his appointment is temporary, although little feels short-term about his return to Newcastle. That includes his attitude. “I haven’t been able to switch off,” he said. “Not at all. Not one bit. Bang goes your relaxation time. But I expected that. And if anyone tells you that they can do this job and switch off and relax then I certainly don’t believe them. “I’ve not spent too much time in the house, put it that way. It takes over your thoughts, every waking minute. In fact, it’s every second, not minute. You’re constantly picking teams and going through formations: 4-4-2, 4-3-3, 4-1-3-2, whatever. “But I’ve really enjoyed what I’ve done this week. It’s been hard, but good. It’s been great, actually.” It is a response that will encourage fans. As with many of the men he has followed, Shearer has discovered that medical issues dominate at St James’ Park. Such is the paucity of Newcastle’s squad and so inadequate has been their team-strengthening, that they will travel to Stoke City tomorrow without a recognised left back; José Enrique has sustained a knee injury, while Steven Taylor (ankle) and Peter Lovenkrands (back) are also absent. “We’ve got one left back and one right back at the football club,” Shearer said. “It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you need more than that. For whatever reason, that’s what we’ve got, so we deal with it.” Damien Duff or Ryan Taylor may deputise for Enrique, while Steven Taylor’s unavailability is almost certain to mean a reprieve at centre half for Fabricio Coloccini. Much of Shearer’s efforts have been focused on restoring confidence to a side who are third from bottom of the Barclays Premier League. “I was involved in a relegation struggle at Southampton — almost every year,” he said. “It’s a tense and nervy situation to be in as I remember it, but it’s also tense and nervy when you’re at the top. That’s football. “The players have to be big enough and brave enough to handle that. They need to say, ‘Give me that ball, I’m not afraid to make a mistake.’ That’s the key — they have to believe in their own ability. They are at a huge football club and I’ve said to them I don’t mind mistakes in the right areas,as long as they’re trying things.” On Tuesday, Newcastle held an open training session and 7,500 fans turned up. “We have to take great heart from that,” Shearer said. “If the players didn’t know — and they should do — then it shows what this football club means to the people.” http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/premier_league/newcastle/article6069800.ece Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 “We’ve got one left back and one right back at the football club,” Shearer Keegan said. “It doesn’t take a genius to work out that you need more than that. For whatever reason, that’s what we’ve got, so we deal with it.” Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Positive news though, encouraging to hear him even entertaining different ideas on systems. Never thought we'd play anything other than a basic 4-4-2 under Kinnear/Hughton. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmk Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Aye good stuff. This squad isn't suited to a standard 4-4-2 imo. Don't have a striker who is a presence in the box so no-one for old-school wingers to aim at. Better suited playing through the middle trying to get Jonas linking up to Martins and Owen. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 4-2-3-1 is the future Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 It's just a shame he didn't get the job sooner, he's not got much of a window to get the formation right unless he out-geeks us all with a formation uber-geek masterclass. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 every formation needs fluidity aswell,rigidity is what we've had for the vast majority since souness arrived. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JH Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I think we'd do well in a solid 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I think we'd do well in a solid 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation. nee width Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisMcQuillan Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 I think we'd do well in a solid 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation. nee width Plenty of width if you put them on the goal line. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boosden Posted April 9, 2009 Share Posted April 9, 2009 Loads of width ............................1.............................. 1.......................................................... ...........................................................1 1.......................................................... ............................................................1 1............................................................ ............................................................1 1............................................................ ..............................................................1 1............................................................ ..........................1................................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thespence Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 More from Al: Shearer believes that Viduka has a big role to play in the run-in, and even hinted at a return to the three-pronged attack that served Kevin Keegan so well at the end of last season. “A fit Mark Viduka would be massively important. “He, along with Michael and Oba, at this stage last year when they were playing together up front – they were the main reason we got out of trouble last year.” http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/04/10/shearer-could-turn-to-damien-duff-at-left-back-61634-23356663/2/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sicko2ndbest Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I think we'd do well in a solid 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation. How many times did you count the number of 1's you had put in that formation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Optimistic Nut Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 I think we'd do well in a solid 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 formation. How many times did you count the number of 1's you had put in that formation 10? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eaststar Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 wat about the Kazahstan 10-0-0 formation? Owen marshalling the middle of defence would be SWEET Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NG32 Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Loads of width ............................1.............................. 1.......................................................... ...........................................................1 1.......................................................... ............................................................1 1............................................................ ............................................................1 1............................................................ ..............................................................1 1............................................................ ..........................1................................... We've actually done that many times this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 More from Al: Shearer believes that Viduka has a big role to play in the run-in, and even hinted at a return to the three-pronged attack that served Kevin Keegan so well at the end of last season. “A fit Mark Viduka would be massively important. “He, along with Michael and Oba, at this stage last year when they were playing together up front – they were the main reason we got out of trouble last year.” http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/04/10/shearer-could-turn-to-damien-duff-at-left-back-61634-23356663/2/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest saintscoobz Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Encouraging stuff. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorkie Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 Can't say i'm fond of the fellow, but if Shearer wants to try it out, i say chuck The Big AC in there and give it a shot. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Viduka's played his last game for us, infact, i'd have expected him to jack it in by now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnnypd Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 More from Al: Shearer believes that Viduka has a big role to play in the run-in, and even hinted at a return to the three-pronged attack that served Kevin Keegan so well at the end of last season. “A fit Mark Viduka would be massively important. “He, along with Michael and Oba, at this stage last year when they were playing together up front – they were the main reason we got out of trouble last year.” http://www.journallive.co.uk/nufc/newcastle-united-news/2009/04/10/shearer-could-turn-to-damien-duff-at-left-back-61634-23356663/2/ very encouraging Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Montey Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 My version of the "all-for-one-and-one-for-all" formation would be: 1111 1 o 1 1111 1 Note, the 'o' is the ball. If we just have a huddle around the ball as soon as we get possession and just sit on it for 90 minutes (i.e. the ball doesn't move an inch), it might be a boring game to watch but at least we're guaranteed to get 7 points from the last 7 games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steggy Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 My version of the "all-for-one-and-one-for-all" formation would be: 1111 1 o 1 1111 1 Note, the 'o' is the ball. If we just have a huddle around the ball as soon as we get possession and just sit on it for 90 minutes (i.e. the ball doesn't move an inch), it might be a boring game to watch but at least we're guaranteed to get 7 points from the last 7 games. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wyn davies Posted April 10, 2009 Share Posted April 10, 2009 My version of the "all-for-one-and-one-for-all" formation would be: 1111 1 o 1 1111 1 Note, the 'o' is the ball. If we just have a huddle around the ball as soon as we get possession and just sit on it for 90 minutes (i.e. the ball doesn't move an inch), it might be a boring game to watch but at least we're guaranteed to get 7 points from the last 7 games. thought this was binary maths for a mo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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