Vurnon Anita (now playing for RKC Waalwijk)

[Ronaldo]

Yeah, apart from his shooting he's been flawless.

[arnonel]

I really wish we had a perfect manager and 11 perfect footballers.

 

Alas

[Dokko]

Virgin Anita - according to my 6 year old. Along with Davide Santa & passit Cisse. Oh and Your-hand Can-buy. 

[Eddy Chibas]

Mentioned this in another thread.

 

Ideal time to blood him further in midfield 3 with Tiote & Cabaye. Tiote's physical presence would allow Anita to concentrate on what he does best ie. run/carry & link-up man through the middle third. I think his movement & burst-of-pace would kick-off our transition play through the middle.

 

Well schooled (in pass & move footy) & technically very neat. Good little footballer, sorely undervalued atm. No doubt has his eyes on a big prize too, WC Brazil. But he's not a big physical speciman ala Moussa, and he's not as physical (in attitude) as Perch, and Gutz is being afforded too much loyalty from the manager. He's in a difficult spot imho, which is a pity - good little player. Being a peripheral figure here behind Gutz (with Perch's 'tackle' value often preferred too) doesn't help his chances for inclusion at the business end of the qualy campaign. He deserves clarfication on this front. Understandable if a resquest for a move away eventuates.

[Mole_Toonfan]

That is all fine and dandy and all but that means one of Gouffran, Sissoko, Ben Arfa and Cisse won't play and Sissoko likely to be pushed out to the right.

 

Not sure i want that tbh.

[Hanshithispantz]

With Ben Arfa coming back though there isn't really room for him if we are to play with both Tiote and Cabaye. There probably would have been a decent case to play Sissoko in Jonas' role like with the 3 of them in centre but he's been just fine through the middle.

[Hanshithispantz]

I don't think Tiote put a foot wrong today personally, he got booked and everyone instantly assumes he's a wreckless nutcase and starts shouting at him

 

Having said that I think Anita could have done Tiote's job against Swansea's midfield and obviously is a far better option when we're on the ball.

[Dave]

I don't think Tiote put a foot wrong today personally, he got booked and everyone instantly assumes he's a wreckless nutcase and starts shouting at him

 

Having said that I think Anita could have done Tiote's job against Swansea's midfield and obviously is a far better option when we're on the ball.

 

[cubaricho]

I don't think Tiote put a foot wrong today personally, he got booked and everyone instantly assumes he's a wreckless nutcase and starts shouting at him

 

Having said that I think Anita could have done Tiote's job against Swansea's midfield and obviously is a far better option when we're on the ball.

 

Definitely the way I saw it.  Tiote wasn't horrible, but I think Anita would've been better, considering the opposition.

[SAK]

I don't think Tiote put a foot wrong today personally, he got booked and everyone instantly assumes he's a wreckless nutcase and starts shouting at him

 

Having said that I think Anita could have done Tiote's job against Swansea's midfield and obviously is a far better option when we're on the ball.

 

He had a poor first touch of the ball a few times and was put under press by Swansea players and lost the ball. With Anita that's less likely to happen.

[Mole_Toonfan]

Tbf i don't see the need to change anything, the way look at it is when everyone is fit right now this is the first choice XI: Krul, Debuchy, Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Gouffran and Cisse.

 

If Anita wants in then he will have to do so the old fashioned way, by forcing Pardew's hands with performances.

 

Same goes for Mbiwa, Marveaux, Haidara etc etc.

 

I still think Anita is a DM in the Britton mould and could play there for us if used properly but right now that is Tiote's berth and IMO rightly so.

 

 

[Elliottman]

Tbf i don't see the need to change anything, the way look at it is when everyone is fit right now this is the first choice XI: Krul, Debuchy, Taylor, Coloccini, Santon, Tiote, Cabaye, Ben Arfa, Sissoko, Gouffran and Cisse.

 

If Anita wants in then he will have to do so the old fashioned way, by forcing Pardew's hands with performances.

 

Same goes for Mbiwa, Marveaux, Haidara etc etc.

 

I still think Anita is a DM in the Britton mould and could play there for us if used properly but right now that is Tiote's berth and IMO rightly so.

 

 

 

There's a flaw in your theory. Jonas has been playing poorly to average all season. I dont remember coming away from a game this year thinking 'aye, Jonas was great today'. However he's never been in danger of losing his place - this is when he has had Marv come in and put in some really decent attacking performance.

 

Ask Danny Guthrie  if you can force AP's hand. He played some of the best stuff of his career last year when Tiote was gone and as soon as he was back Guthrie was on the bench.

 

Its pretty clear that Pards has his favorites and its becoming clear that he doesnt like to rotate in the league. Injuries aside, i'm not sure how Anita etc are going to get in.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I'm talking about from an ideal scenario, obviously Pards isn't likely to do that mind.

[Eddy Chibas]

That is all fine and dandy and all but that means one of Gouffran, Sissoko, Ben Arfa and Cisse won't play and Sissoko likely to be pushed out to the right.

 

Not sure i want that tbh.

 

That's all fine and dandy & all, (based on prev form) the lad hasn't deserved to be mostly shunted behind Gutz (a prime & lucky beneficiary of a lack of ruthlessness on the manager's part) and sometimes Perch. An opportunity in last few lge games has been lost, with Moussa's moonlighting upfront, Cabaye & Tiote respective returns, and Ben Arfa's continued absence (catalyst for Moussa's role upfront).  Would have been fucking good to see how a trio of Cabaye-Tiote-Anita would have looked over the last couple of lge game.

 

Tiote (physical presence, defensive workrate), Cabaye (passing range, playmaking qualities), Anita (efficient instinctive/quick passer, run & carry/link-up). That's a well balanced, and varied skill-set you like to see in a unit. It should have been given more of a chance very recently, and would've provided a very nice selection dilemma (when Ben Arfa is fit) before a ball is even kicked come matchday.

 

Who do you think will be Pardew's preferred options from the bench, when Pardew is lucky enough to have a selection dilemma. Will you be happy if the ball bounces the way i think it will ie. highly promising, well-schooled youngster playing second fiddle to 30+er whose legs are burning out, and Perch (dependable, but should be an emergency option)?

 

And he's got one of these pushy football-dads running his affairs too. If Anita was shite i wouldn't even be entering into this conversation, in this instance expressing a concern.

 

 

 

 

[Mole_Toonfan]

I don't think Anita is shit, far from it in fact i have defended him on here more times than i can count tbh.

 

I just think its Anita or Tiote as i wouldn't move Sissoko from his position and don't like the idea of him on the wings or/and dropping Gouffran.

 

While i agree it is something we should have tried before, the team mechanics have changed for me.

 

When Hatem is fit he should slot in on the right hand side, Sissoko behind Cisse and Gouffran on the left, for Anita to break in he will have to bench Tiote.

 

While i also agree it was unfair on him being dropped, that has nothing to do with Jonas as Sissoko and Tiote are the ones keeping him out the side not Jonas.

[Dave]

I think the formation and set up we're using now is showing enough promise to not want to change it. Worth persevering with.

[Hanshithispantz]

Yeah definitely, Ben Arfa should provide the extra bit of cutting edge we're lacking up top, other that it's as good as we can expect at the minute.

[Mole_Toonfan]

I think the formation and set up we're using now is showing enough promise to not want to change it. Worth persevering with.

 

I agree to me when everyone is fit the midfield squad looks like this ( i won't mention strikers and defenders because its not relevant to the discussion)

Cabaye(Bigi) Tiote(Anita)

Ben Arfa(Jonas) Sissoko(Marveaux) Gouffran(Obertan)

 

Obviously Marveaux, Obertan and Jonas to some respect can play in any of those advanced roles if necessary, Bigi or Anita could perform both Tiote or Cabaye's role if necessary you could even drop Sissoko back as a DM/CM if needed.

 

But i wouldn't change the set up for any player, if any one wants to break into one of these 5 slots then they will have to make the player who occupies that spot deem droppable.

 

But the formation should remain the same, unless of course we buy players in the coming years which means a change but i don't see that forthcoming.

 

 

 

[themanupstairs]

Mentioned this in another thread.

 

Ideal time to blood him further in midfield 3 with Tiote & Cabaye. Tiote's physical presence would allow Anita to concentrate on what he does best ie. run/carry & link-up man through the middle third. I think his movement & burst-of-pace would kick-off our transition play through the middle.

 

Well schooled (in pass & move footy) & technically very neat. Good little footballer, sorely undervalued atm. No doubt has his eyes on a big prize too, WC Brazil. But he's not a big physical speciman ala Moussa, and he's not as physical (in attitude) as Perch, and Gutz is being afforded too much loyalty from the manager. He's in a difficult spot imho, which is a pity - good little player. Being a peripheral figure here behind Gutz (with Perch's 'tackle' value often preferred too) doesn't help his chances for inclusion at the business end of the qualy campaign. He deserves clarfication on this front. Understandable if a resquest for a move away eventuates.

 

Good post

[Cajun]

Marveaux just doesn't work in Jonas's position imo. Anita despite being a slightly different player would be much more effective.

 

For me Marv should only play when Sissoko is injured. The lad has no work rate.

[Gallowgate Toon]

That's not exactly true like, Marveaux was excellent in Kharkiv, tracking back in the last minutes of the game etc but he's not particularly intelligent in his defensive duties. I agree with your general sentiment though, I think he can only play wide in certain situations and should mainly play as an attacking midfielder.

 

Cabaye  Sissoko

      Marveaux

 

Would be a very interesting midfield 3 to try at some point (preseason).

[Gallowgate Toon]

I think Anita and Marveaux have been treated poorly since the new lads came in mind, for all Pardew's skill as a man manager it's been bad form how he's just dumped them. They were both very good in our poor run and they would hardly be detrimental to the team if they got more than 5 minutes here and there in the league. We should rotate Tiote and Anita anyway but that's just not going to happen.

[Guest firetotheworks]

For the last few games a fair few people have said that Tiote hasn't put a foot wrong. Honestly, I really must be seeing things completely differently because to me he still looks a level below the rest of the players out there, minus Jonas.

 

I honestly don't care that much about his style, he's a bull in a china shop, but if he can use that to good effect then all the better. It's his unnecessary risk-taking and basic to idiotic passing that do my head in.

 

It wasn't noticed much in his first season because we had a team that had Smith, Nolan, Barton, Simpson, Carroll, Williamson etc in it. It meant we rarely dominated possession, especially away from home, so it suited him to just break things up and play a simple pass. We now have Cabaye, Sissoko, Gouffran, Cisse, Yanga-Mbiwa, who can all pick a pass, keep the ball and can potentially dominate teams. In that scenario, Tiote's strength from that first season aren't needed as much and we need someone that can also pick a pass, keep hold of the ball and be able to do it quickly and accurately. I don't think Tiote is that player.

 

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I've cited these examples a few times now. When Man City and Spurs were building their teams, they had De Jong and Palacios, who both looked good and are natural destroyers. As their teams got better, those players looked out of place. Tiote either needs to develop his game to suit us changing, or we need someone better.

[Mole_Toonfan]

For the last few games a fair few people have said that Tiote hasn't put a foot wrong. Honestly, I really must be seeing things completely differently because to me he still looks a level below the rest of the players out there, minus Jonas.

 

I honestly don't care that much about his style, he's a bull in a china shop, but if he can use that to good effect then all the better. It's his unnecessary risk-taking and basic to idiotic passing that do my head in.

 

It wasn't noticed much in his first season because we had a team that had Smith, Nolan, Barton, Simpson, Carroll, Williamson etc in it. It meant we rarely dominated possession, especially away from home, so it suited him to just break things up and play a simple pass. We now have Cabaye, Sissoko, Gouffran, Cisse, Yanga-Mbiwa, who can all pick a pass, keep the ball and can potentially dominate teams. In that scenario, Tiote's strength from that first season aren't needed as much and we need someone that can also pick a pass, keep hold of the ball and be able to do it quickly and accurately. I don't think Tiote is that player.

 

I'd love to be proven wrong, but I've cited these examples a few times now. When Man City and Spurs were building their teams, they had De Jong and Palacios, who both looked good and are natural destroyers. As their teams got better, those players looked out of place. Tiote either needs to develop his game to suit us changing, or we need someone better.

 

[Guest Phil K]

No need to panic. The goals will come, and the result yesterday was a joke. Need others apart from Cabaye to start scoring and helping Cisse out though