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Life Without Ba (and Tiote)

BONTEMPI

by BONTEMPI
in Football

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Neil

Neil

Posted
Posted

Why no mention of Tiote in title?

 

Your midfield will IMO still cope OK without Tiote. Up front however it seems you're hoping that Best goes on a run which isn't especially likely given his lack of form (admittedly due to not being played that much). Ba has been sensational, but the downside to that - if there is one - is you've been more reliant on him than you have been on Tiote for overall positive contributions to the team.

 

That's in my view anyway. I think Tiote is a good player and has had some great, great games for you guys but equally insome  games I've seen this year, he's been nothing special and indeed rather poor. I think you'll do fine in the middle with Cabaye there and Guthrie, assuming he's back soon?

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Tiresias

Tiresias

Posted
Posted

I think the hope is not so much Best becomes prolific is that he can hold play up and feed Ben Arfa to become prolific. A lot to ask for him to suddenly find scoring form, and doubt he will suddenly come in and score loads, but will help. Cabaye needs to make sure he gets near the box and gets shots away, he's got more goals in him. Our problem is largely lack of goals from wings.

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54

54

Posted
Posted

This couldn't have came at a better time really (except if it was in the summer) as we have a relatively easy set of fixtures coming up, and two of them is the FA cup (if we beat Blackburn there will be another game in a couple of weeks) a set of games that he would have been rested for.

 

Edit: If he had to leave its the best time.

 

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Mole_Toonfan

Mole_Toonfan

Posted
Posted

Raylor is technically better aswell and doesnt the give the ball away at every possible fcking opportunity.......

 

Raylor isnt as bad as his LB has shown, in his rightful position on the right hes not that bad, id keep him there over Obertan tbh.....

 

Not the best option i know, but Pardew refuses to play Ben Arfa out there and we wont buy a decent winger so it will do.

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Yorkie

Yorkie

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Posted

With regards to the midfield, i think we'll be fine providing Guthrie is back and his new contract is still dangling off a precipice.

 

Both Cabaye and Tiote are machines when it comes to stamina and covering ground. However, whilst they both share that drive, their relationship is built from a contrast of craft and force.

 

Cabaye covers a lot of grass, but he's in the side because of his ability to find a pass and feed the strikers from the middle. He's said himself that he considers playing a "beautiful pass" to be his remit on the field. He likes a shot, too. Like Yohan, Cheick also patrols the middle third, but he's in there to break up the play and act as a breeze-block to opposition midfields. The two of them are dynamic enough to be one of the best partnerships in the league, but they've often buckled when playing against an extra midfielder; it's been against two where they've properly flourished. For instance, Cabaye's more of an attacking threat when he's got more space ahead of him for a shot (see Villa).

 

So Tiote leaves the side and Guthrie enters. For me, they can forge a similar duet - there's been evidence of it earlier in the season.

 

There's a bit of a switcharoo as Danny takes the job of craft/long-shot, and Cabaye babysits Tiote's brute force role. It won't be as efficient, but the philosophy is exactly the same. Sure, Guthrie's not as fit as them two and will probably be blowing out his arse for the last twenty minutes. But, providing the strikers press high up the field, he and Cabaye can work to mimic the beehive-like forcefield we employed to shut-out Manu. Players scurrying everywhere and not giving the opposition a moment.

 

For the next immediate game without Cheick, i'm fairly confident. I'm not sure how Warnock will send QPR out given Barton's absence - but i don't rate their midfield. Derry is slow across the ground and Taarabt fannies around too much for me. They've played 4-4-2 before this season and if they do something similar again, i can see us winning the midfield battle pretty easily, especially with Joey out of the picture. They look a poor side to me, vulnerable at all stages of the game, particularly the latter ones.

 

Midfield will be fine i reckon.

 

 

When it comes to replacing Ba, it's really a case of six-and-two-threes in Best and Ameobi. At times, both of them can be unplayable. Cliche, i know, but both are decent finishers and both can be a bit of a battering ram. At times i would say Best is the better target man, but then Shola will have a game like he did last night. At times i would say Shola is the better finisher, but then Best will bury a beaut like the one at home to Fulham.

 

At home, i think i would go with Shola, providing he's got his arse in gear and is prepared to run about. We play better when we press high up the field - and, such is his general all-roundedness, Ba is vital for us when it comes to defending from the front. He will put defenders under pressure when we've got the ball, and whoever replaces him needs to do the same thing. At home the momentum should be with us so i think Shola is the better shout, as i do think he's marginally more of a goal threat. Away from home, though, we need to keep possession more and we need a striker who's guaranteed to put the leg-work in - so i'd say Best is a better option.

 

Whether or not either of them are going to score enough goals is completely up in the air, but they'll certainly not match Ba's strike rate. We really just have to hope they perform.

 

One thing is for sure, if Ben Arfa's not ready for a stint in the side now, then he never will be.

 

 

So for me, the prognosis:

/ Midfield - should be okay, providing teams don't pack their midfields.

/ Attack - pretty big concern.

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BrettNUFC

BrettNUFC

Posted
Posted

Truth be told, I'd rather have a Guthrie and Cabaye CM partnership than any other against the lesser sides at home.

 

Totally agree. I wouldn't go as far to say Tiote is wasted in them games but Guthrie offers more in terms vision and creativity which you need against the lesser sides. Although i don't think Guthrie is anything special by any means but the form he's showed this season has been superb for me.

 

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