The thread about how we should play

[Unbelievable]

I'm still baffled why so many people keep insisting we played 4-4-2 last Saturday. There was loads of movement from the likes of Ben Arfa (freedom to roam all over the pitch) and Ba (dropping into midfield, running the channels), and Jonas played much more centrally than a wide midfielder in a 4-4-2 would.

[Revolution]

I wonder what our plan for Anita is. I thought considering the £6m paid he'd be a guaranteed starter and would see a long term move to 4-3-3, but I'm not so sure now.

 

And Unbelievable: It looked a 4-4-2 to me tbh. Especially in the first half, it was a fairly flat midfield 4 set out to contain. Ben Arfa roamed as he naturally does, but he always came back to the right side, he took it upon himself to dictate the game for us. In the second half we played with more freedom, Chelsea were seemingly happy to let us have it.

[Rich]

I'm still baffled why so many people keep insisting we played 4-4-2 last Saturday. There was loads of movement from the likes of Ben Arfa (freedom to roam all over the pitch) and Ba (dropping into midfield, running the channels), and Jonas played much more centrally than a wide midfielder in a 4-4-2 would.

 

It was very definitely 4-4-2 until half time, although I don't doubt that people roamed about a bit.

[ATB]

And btw. what happened with "play the ball after the deck" and "controlling the midfield"?

 

Wow Anita compared to Simpson at RB

[Shayno]

I was really hoping the ins and outs in the last transfer window would be finding that extra one or two players to fit a 4-3-3 system.

[AlanSkÃrare]

All because Demba has been given reassurances? I think so.

[Yorkie]

/ Having three wrong-footers on either wings leaves us completely unbalanced.

 

/ We don't have any great crossers of the ball

 

/ Ba and Cisse aren't a natural partnership, their individual attributes don't lend to one another

 

/ Ben Arfa, our flair player, is restricted by the fact he keeps receiving the ball too deep and too wide

 

/ Cabaye, our other flair player, is restricted by the fact that he is too deep and not allowed to attack

 

/ Having only two centre-mids doesn't allow us to boss the midfield like it does with three

 

/ The strikers become isolated and that is exacerbated by the lack of fluidity, and constant long balls

 

/ It's too rigid and predictable. The flat midfield doesn't allow the likes of HBA to drift over to the other wing and keep the opposition guessing.

 

/ The facts: By February the 4-4-2 had gone completely stale and we were picking up some shite results. We changed it and won six on the bounce. Now we've reverted back to it and are playing shite again. Quelle surprise.

 

 

 

... to name but a few reasons for why that formation doesn't work. It's a load of fucking bullshit and is the sole reason why we are losing.

[Tooj]

/ Having three wrong-footers on either wings leaves us completely unbalanced.

 

/ We don't have any great crossers of the ball

 

/ Ba and Cisse aren't a natural partnership, their individual attributes don't lend to one another

 

/ Ben Arfa, our flair player, is restricted by the fact he keeps receiving the ball too deep and too wide

 

/ Cabaye, our other flair player, is restricted by the fact that he is too deep and not allowed to attack

 

/ Having only two centre-mids doesn't allow us to boss the midfield like it does with three

 

/ The strikers become isolated and that is exacerbated by the lack of fluidity, and constant long balls

 

/ It's too rigid and predictable. The flat midfield doesn't allow the likes of HBA to drift over to the other wing and keep the opposition guessing.

 

/ The facts: By February the 4-4-2 had gone completely stale and we were picking up some shite results. We changed it and won six on the bounce. Now we've reverted back to it and are playing shite again. Quelle surprise.

 

 

 

... to name but a few reasons for why that formation doesn't work. It's a load of fucking bullshit and is the sole reason why we are losing.

 

[Dyeyzzon]

Heard some comments about Pards being scared to play it after a bumming at Wigan last season. The 4-3-3 didn't work out there as they played wide and really stretched us imo, which cancels out the compact midfield we attempted to create with the 4-3-3. But being scared to play what works well for most if it doesn't work well for one is utter cowardice like.

[Yorkie]

/ Having three wrong-footers on either wings leaves us completely unbalanced.

 

/ We don't have any great crossers of the ball

 

/ Ba and Cisse aren't a natural partnership, their individual attributes don't lend to one another

 

/ Ben Arfa, our flair player, is restricted by the fact he keeps receiving the ball too deep and too wide

 

/ Cabaye, our other flair player, is restricted by the fact that he is too deep and not allowed to attack

 

/ Having only two centre-mids doesn't allow us to boss the midfield like it does with three

 

/ The strikers become isolated and that is exacerbated by the lack of fluidity, and constant long balls

 

/ It's too rigid and predictable. The flat midfield doesn't allow the likes of HBA to drift over to the other wing and keep the opposition guessing.

 

/ The facts: By February the 4-4-2 had gone completely stale and we were picking up some shite results. We changed it and won six on the bounce. Now we've reverted back to it and are playing shite again. Quelle surprise.

 

 

 

... to name but a few reasons for why that formation doesn't work. It's a load of fucking bullshit and is the sole reason why we are losing.

 

Some more:

 

/ The defenders are encouraged to pump it long because we don't have Jonas in his roaming role, receiving the ball from deep and passing it forward

 

/ Krul's kicking is absolutely shite, and that's exaggerated by the constant temptation to punt it long in a 4-4-2

 

 

 

It's the complete lack of fluidity that is the main crux of the problem really. The 4-3-3 was smooth and unpredictable, and everyone supported one another on the pitch - rather than having a 'zonal' job to do for each position. We mixed and matched and kept the opposition guessing; it was an incredibly difficult formation to suss and counter, because it kept on changing. So fucking frustrating.

[Deuce]

This needs a good bump. Formation is everything to this team.

[ElDiablo]

Drop Cisse/Ba for Marveaux against Everton.

[Wullie]

The crux of it is that Pardew is still too conservative and I don't really see that changing.

 

[Guest BooBoo]

This was the ideal game to play 433 really. More expansive against a limited side. I can u der stand us being more conservative against the better more dangerous sides.

[Dave]

With the transfer window now closed and coming off the back of a poor performance and result, could Pardew now decide to change things irrespective of what Ba thinks? I'm still not convinced it's all based around keeping one player happy, but it's possible he was just saying that stuff to keep him at the club. Doesn't matter now.

[Yorkie]

-------------------------------------- Krul --------------------------------------

 

Simpson ------------- Taylor ------------- Coloccini -------------- Santon

 

------------------------- Anita -------------- Jonas ---------------------------

 

--- Ben Arfa --------------------- Cabaye ------------------- Marveaux ---

 

--------------------------------------- Ba ----------------------------------------

 

 

Something along those lines is what i'd go for against Everton.

[Dave]

Pardew said he expects Tiote to be fit.

[Wullie]

I don't think it's anything to do with Ba, I just think that's how Pardew wants to play, that's how he played nearly all last season. As tight as possible, get it into the front men as early as possible, hope that the quality we've got will win us the game.

[Tooj]

Play Ben Arfa Marveaux either side of Ba or Cisse. Might as well give it a try.

[Dave]

Btw I'd drop Cisse before Ba at this point in time.

[colinmk]

I don't think it's anything to do with Ba, I just think that's how Pardew wants to play, that's how he played nearly all last season. As tight as possible, get it into the front men as early as possible, hope that the quality we've got will win us the game.

 

I hoped he was just waiting until the players we had were more settled to stop that but he does seem to think the 4-4-2 is the way forward.

[Beren]

Pardew said he expects Tiote to be fit.

 

Great news. Cabaye has been a bit too deep - though Bigi did commendably today.

 

Really love how comfortable Bigi looks on the ball and how well he reads the play off the ball. Big prospect

[Wullie]

I wouldn't drop either of them. Cisse is deadly with a pass into his feet and a sight of goal. How often has that happened so far?

 

It's just back to Wolves/mackems/Norwich and nobody was blaming the players then.

[Skeletor]

I don't think it's anything to do with Ba, I just think that's how Pardew wants to play, that's how he played nearly all last season. As tight as possible, get it into the front men as early as possible, hope that the quality we've got will win us the game.

 

Difference is Best did most of the leg work and link up with Ba whilst Ba concentrated on scoring the goals. Now we have two strikers in the same mould which makes 4-4-2 really awkward as they don't work for each other.

[Beren]

I don't think it's anything to do with Ba, I just think that's how Pardew wants to play, that's how he played nearly all last season. As tight as possible, get it into the front men as early as possible, hope that the quality we've got will win us the game.

 

I hoped he was just waiting until the players we had were more settled to stop that but he does seem to think the 4-4-2 is the way forward.

 

 

This early-ball shit has to stop btw. It's great sometimes, but mix it up. Pass it around the edge of their box, get in behind their defence from time-to-time. We're playing in such straight lines. It's so one dimensional. Really can't understand what Pardew is thinking.