So where do we play HBA?

[Nobody]

We always look most comfortable when we play a conventional 4-4-2. So as amazing as 4-2-3-1 or 4-1-4-1 could be, I think it would be a mistake.

 

I wouldn't want to take Nolan off the team sheet. He plays the part of captain well and his 8 goals speak for themself.

 

Tiote is a must and he doesn't favour the right side, so you have to be looking at slotting HBA in on the left wing or up front next to carroll.

 

I'd rather take off Shola/Loven/Ranger/Best than Jonas so I'd have him up with Carroll; at least initially to see if they can form a partnership. (obviously keane coming in would change this)

 

But I don't think it matters where he starts. The best thing he gives us is the ability to play these different roles, which means we can move him around when we're finding it hard to break down defenses.

 

Which is why he was such a massive blow (on top of him being our best player). We clearly signed him with the intention of him being able to play in pretty much every attacking role in the team. I even think Hughton said this after he had signed.

[Dr.Spaceman]

I personally think it would be foolish to get rid of Nolan from his position.  I'd be inclined to stick him on the wing to begin with and see where it goes from there.

 

Think we would be limiting his potential influence if we play him on the left wing, plus I like the Jonas + Enrique combo. Like I said Jonas will play better with a ball playing midfielder next to him coz he is not the typical English byline crossing winger.

 

I voted for the right, basically cos we've got nobody else any good there, assuming Barton is going to be used in the centre by Pards.

[ponsaelius]

Free role 

 

#10 shirt next season.

[Gallowgate Toon]

He's only effective on the wing when the game is stretched. As we saw against Stoke, his natural instinct is to head inside and when we're playing packed opposition it has a negative impact on our play because we need to stretch teams but cutting in makes it more congested, playing into our opponent's hands.

[Neil]

He's only effective on the wing when the game is stretched. As we saw against Stoke, his natural instinct is to head inside and when we're playing packed opposition it has a negative impact on our play because we need to stretch teams but cutting in makes it more congested, playing into our opponent's hands.

 

Erm.....

[juniatmoko]

i think jonas is crap... he should be on left flank.. until we found another left winger. while nolan is okayish in ACM role

[JH]

I personally think it would be foolish to get rid of Nolan from his position. I'd be inclined to stick him on the wing to begin with and see where it goes from there.

 

I think it would be foolish to build around Nolan. If HBA is better suited to that position, stick him there. Nolan isn't that good and I'd like to think as we progressed, he'd eventually be stuck on the bench.

[Yorkie]

Agreed, but if Ben Arfa's playing in the hole, it shouldn't effect Nolan's position in the team. Nolan's a CM, Ben Arfa would be ahead of him in the same side.

[JH]

                   Krul

Simpson  Willi  Colo  Enrique

                  Tiote

Barton                    WINGER

                   HBA

          Carroll   STRIKER

 

for me.

 

I just don't think Carroll as lone striker is the answer. We've shown in recent weeks that 4-4-2 is what we're best suited to.

[Pilko]

Barton    Tiote    Nolan    Jonas

   

                Ben Arfa

 

                            Carroll

 

or:

 

                    Tiote

Barton                            Ben Arfa

 

                    Nolan

 

          Ranger          Carroll

[RupertCommunicator]

                Harper

 

Simpson  Willi  Colo  Jose

 

                Tiote

Barton                    Jonas

            Nolan  HBA

 

                Carroll

[ElDiablo]

Primarily off Carroll, but with the licence to wander and with Nolan arriving from deep.

[Pilko]

The thing is, with Ben Arfa, Carroll, Nolan, Jonas, Barton, Tiote and Ranger in the attacking mix somewhere (not all starting at once ofc), that's a really energetic midfield and forward line we can look at. Even those who maybe aren't electric paced, there's bags of energy in there, plenty of drive and willingness to push forwards in there.

[cubaricho]

Wherever the hell he wants.

[colinmk]

Would like to see something along the lines of

 

                      Tiote

 

    Barton                Charlie Adam    Jonas

 

             

                      Ben Arfa free role

 

 

                              AC

 

 

or the same as Jonny Hall posted

 

                  Tiote

Barton                    WINGER

                  HBA

          Carroll  STRIKER

 

although I think if Tiote has an off day we'd be pretty screwed with this one.

[BottledDog]

Wherever the hell he wants.

 

[Colocho]

Went for behind the striker, but I'd personally like to see him play on the right, cutting inside onto his left like VdV has a lot this season.

 

With Ben Arfa coming inside from the right, Barton could move from the centre to the wing on the overlap, with Simpson sitting back.

[ElDiablo]

Wherever the hell he wants.

 

He'd probably ask to play right back.

[Guest sicko2ndbest]

Right wing where he started against Man City

 

          Carroll ANOther

 

Jonas Tiote Barton Ben Arfa

 

Is a very stong midfield. Amost as strong as

 

Duff Butt Nolan Guthrie

[N.A.G.A.S]

Repeating myself here, but, I still don't think you should be writing Nolan out of the team so quickly, his qualities may not be as obvious as an exciting winger, but we don't have any other players that pull the team together like he does.

 

IMO you need experience in the middle and not the kind that Jailbird Barton has.

 

But I'd love to be proven wrong.

[RupertCommunicator]

I agree that Nolan has to be in the team somewhere.  He isn't a striker, so he obv has to be in the middle somewhere.  Him and Barfa could both play off Carroll as a three man attack with Tiote shoring up behind.  Because Barton is so effective on the right yet a natural CM, he could drop in to help Tiote when necessary.

[Gallowgate Toon]

Ben Arfa should be our link man between midfield and attack and as a consequence we should just keep the midfield the same with Barton on the right, Jonas on the left and Nolan and Tiote in the centre midfield with a 4-4-1-1 formation. We should really build our attack around HBA and keeping that midfield would create a really fluid offensive set-up imo while keeping a solid defensive structure.

 

I wouldn't consider HBA a 'direct threat' in terms of goalscoring as i don't think he has a consistent striker's instinct. To compensate having only one striker in the box, in Carroll, Nolan can play to his own strengths which is arriving in the box from deep a la Tim Cahill. I think this'll be fairly safe in terms of defence as Tiote as we've already seen, is perfectly capable of covering Nolan's position.

 

Having Barton out wide means we keep a consistent source of ammunition for Carroll's aerial ability but also someone who has the ability to feed Ben Arfa through, if he gets on his bike. As Barton is a deep winger, he can always help Tiote with tracking back by covering inside without exhausting himself.

 

The player who i think HBA will have the best impact on is Jonas, i think he'll be a lot more positive in his play when he isn't constantly double marked, HBA will free up space for him, isolating him with the fullback which should hopefully let Jonas get to the byline/edge of 18 yard box, meaning his poor crossing ability with his left foot is nullified to an extent. The other positive for Jonas is that Ben Arfa will provide some movement up front, particularly in the channels, HBA can get wide and deliver a ball again preventing Jonas from having to use his left (as much).

 

Ben Arfa can roam and i think he's the sort of player who pops up literally everywhere. He's got the dribbling ability ability to come deep and run at defenders, has the intelligence to use space well and the pace to run off the defender's shoulder opening a variety of possibilities and most importantly space for our other offensive players.

 

In theory, it could be awesome obviously football doesn't work that way but imo on paper, that's a really decent attacking line up that would give a lot of defences a tough time.

[Theregulars]

Clone him and everywhere. With Harper/Krul/anyone in goal, it won't matter.

[Unbelievable]

Ben Arfa should be our link man between midfield and attack and as a consequence we should just keep the midfield the same with Barton on the right, Jonas on the left and Nolan and Tiote in the centre midfield with a 4-4-1-1 formation. We should really build our attack around HBA and keeping that midfield would create a really fluid offensive set-up imo while keeping a solid defensive structure.

 

I wouldn't consider HBA a 'direct threat' in terms of goalscoring as i don't think he has a consistent striker's instinct. To compensate having only one striker in the box, in Carroll, Nolan can play to his own strengths which is arriving in the box from deep a la Tim Cahill. I think this'll be fairly safe in terms of defence as Tiote as we've already seen, is perfectly capable of covering Nolan's position.

 

Having Barton out wide means we keep a consistent source of ammunition for Carroll's aerial ability but also someone who has the ability to feed Ben Arfa through, if he gets on his bike. As Barton is a deep winger, he can always help Tiote with tracking back by covering inside without exhausting himself.

 

The player who i think HBA will have the best impact on is Jonas, i think he'll be a lot more positive in his play when he isn't constantly double marked, HBA will free up space for him, isolating him with the fullback which should hopefully let Jonas get to the byline/edge of 18 yard box, meaning his poor crossing ability with his left foot is nullified to an extent. The other positive for Jonas is that Ben Arfa will provide some movement up front, particularly in the channels, HBA can get wide and deliver a ball again preventing Jonas from having to use his left (as much).

 

Ben Arfa can roam and i think he's the sort of player who pops up literally everywhere. He's got the dribbling ability ability to come deep and run at defenders, has the intelligence to use space well and the pace to run off the defender's shoulder opening a variety of possibilities and most importantly space for our other offensive players.

 

In theory, it could be awesome obviously football doesn't work that way but imo on paper, that's a really decent attacking line up that would give a lot of defences a tough time.

 

Good post. The only thing really missing in our attacking setup in the way you've described above is somebody who excels at taking direct free kicks, as with Carroll's arial ability and Ben Arfa's quality at dribbling and running at defenders we are bound to get into a few good FK positions every match. A dead ball specialist* who could really worry the opposition whenever they foul is in the final third would be something to look out for when we try to strengthen other positions. A lot of matches are decided by set pieces, and I feel we don't have much to offer currently in terms of a direct threat from set pieces (other than Raylor who is hardly ever on the pitch)..

 

* Not David Beckham please

[Cunning_Linguist]

Is he gonna get in the team after tonights performance?