Altamullan Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Darlow Yedlin Lascelles Clark Dummet Ritchie Shelvey Hayden Atsu Mitrovic Gayle Has to be! Doubt it will be but this would be my preferred team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cubaricho Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Darlow Yedlin Lascelles Clark Dummet Ritchie Shelvey Hayden Atsu Mitrovic Gayle Has to be! Doubt it will be but this would be my preferred team. Hopefully with Lazaar in there at LB in the future (if he works out) and that would represent my best-case-scenario first team. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mighty__mag Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Darlow Yedlin Lascelles Clark Dummet Ritchie Shelvey Hayden Atsu Mitrovic Gayle Has to be! Yes ↑↑↑ ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Why are we bothering with 442 formations? Rafa won't go for it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mighty__mag Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 Why are we bothering with 442 formations? Rafa won't go for it. Not saying it was 442 vs Norwich, but we ended up with two strikers on the pitch and turned the game on its arse! Prior to the changes and late they were, we looked doomed. He will have his preference, but times will force him into changing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted October 4, 2016 Share Posted October 4, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. We don't, though. And he doesn't. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. We don't, though. And he doesn't. The 3 games we've lost this season Gouffran wasn't playing. And he often singles him out for praise, not the only one but he definitely seems to like him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Not what you said, though. And Benitez said, more than once, in the summer that he had no future here. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Not what you said, though. And Benitez said, more than once, in the summer that he had no future here. That was before he started playing him though, since giving him a chance hes been nothing but complimentary about how well hes played. Yes we got that draw against Villa with him in the side, thanks for pointing out my mistake though, where would I be without you. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ronaldo Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Incorrect. x Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Spaceman Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. We don't, though. And he doesn't. The 3 games we've lost this season Gouffran wasn't playing. And he often singles him out for praise, not the only one but he definitely seems to like him. Unbelievable how often some people don't read between the lines. "Here, senor, Gouffran is shit, I've been telling everyone in the media for the last few months, but please do take him off my hands for a few million more than he's worth. Please." He did the same with Sissoko, praising his work ethic in training ffs. Obviously nobody outside the clerb really knows how well he did on a day to day basis, but I bet his work ethic wasn't anything special when compared to rest of the squad. Rafa isn't Pardew or Carver and I don't think we'll ever see him throwing someone under a bus. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Why are we bothering with 442 formations? Rafa won't go for it. Yep. We can discuss this until the proverbial cows come home but as long as Rafa is in charge the only time we will see more than one out and out striker on the pitch is if we're chasing a game. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
madras Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Why are we bothering with 442 formations? Rafa won't go for it. Yep. We can discuss this until the proverbial cows come home but as long as Rafa is in charge the only time we will see more than one out and out striker on the pitch is if we're chasing a game. It's not really a 4-4-2. He's moved on already from early seasons ultra cautious, rigid 4-2-3-1 to what seems more like a 4-4-1-1. Playing Gayle, Perez or Diame behind Mitrovic or Murphy still plays into this. Even most teams that play a nominal 4-4-2 drop one of the front two back a bit when out of possession. I don't see Gayle, Perez or Diame as out and out strikers either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benwell Lad Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Why are we bothering with 442 formations? Rafa won't go for it. Yep. We can discuss this until the proverbial cows come home but as long as Rafa is in charge the only time we will see more than one out and out striker on the pitch is if we're chasing a game. It's not really a 4-4-2. He's moved on already from early seasons ultra cautious, rigid 4-2-3-1 to what seems more like a 4-4-1-1. Playing Gayle, Perez or Diame behind Mitrovic or Murphy still plays into this. Even most teams that play a nominal 4-4-2 drop one of the front two back a bit when out of possession. I don't see Gayle, Perez or Diame as out and out strikers either. Agree fully, there will be one of those off the "front" player in almost every Benitez starting XI. He wants 9 of his outfield players grafting while he considers the front man a luxury who is by and large exempt from other "duties". Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AyeDubbleYoo Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I see Gayle as an out-and-out striker, that's what makes formations including him and Mitrovic problematic. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. We don't, though. And he doesn't. The 3 games we've lost this season Gouffran wasn't playing. And he often singles him out for praise, not the only one but he definitely seems to like him. Unbelievable how often some people don't read between the lines. "Here, senor, Gouffran is shit, I've been telling everyone in the media for the last few months, but please do take him off my hands for a few million more than he's worth. Please." He did the same with Sissoko, praising his work ethic in training ffs. Obviously nobody outside the clerb really knows how well he did on a day to day basis, but I bet his work ethic wasn't anything special when compared to rest of the squad. Rafa isn't Pardew or Carver and I don't think we'll ever see him throwing someone under a bus. Ok then, so he plays him a lot and is the kind of player Rafa prefers, grafts, defensive etc.... Jumped on for the most little of things, the point was simply that in my opinion Rafa wont drop Gouffran for Atsu, knowing what kind of manager he is and how well he has done this season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRon Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 I love the idea of having Atsu and Ritchie on either side but I don't think Rafa will go for it, we have a 100% win record with Gouffran in the side and he always speaks very highly of him. Might be worth trying Atsu or Ritchie in the hole behind Gayle though considering he definitely wont go 4-4-2. Anything to get Diame out of the starting lineup. We don't, though. And he doesn't. The 3 games we've lost this season Gouffran wasn't playing. And he often singles him out for praise, not the only one but he definitely seems to like him. Unbelievable how often some people don't read between the lines. "Here, senor, Gouffran is shit, I've been telling everyone in the media for the last few months, but please do take him off my hands for a few million more than he's worth. Please." He did the same with Sissoko, praising his work ethic in training ffs. Obviously nobody outside the clerb really knows how well he did on a day to day basis, but I bet his work ethic wasn't anything special when compared to rest of the squad. Rafa isn't Pardew or Carver and I don't think we'll ever see him throwing someone under a bus. Gouffran isn't the long term answer, but it seems that Rafa is going to prefer him for now if only because he provides good defensive cover plus a goal threat. The striker's not going to get the service he'd like but it fits into Rafa's preferred formation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 God, this long wait without games is sooo boring Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
joeyt Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 At least after this international break there isn't another one for at least 3 weeks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
afar Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 We needed the break as a squad I feel, but my god, it's only been a few days and I'm sick of it. Getting spoiled for the number of games in this division. As far as the game is concerned, I think this is gonna be a tough one, they'll probably approach it much like Wolves did. We'll need to be better at breaking down teams at home, think that's the biggest lesson Rafa has probably learned over the first quarterish of the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ikon Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Need Atsu to start this one tbh. Someone who can do the unexpected if the opposition sits back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattoon Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 10 days, 10 fucking days, it's going to get postal in here at this rate. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobody Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 Ritchie is definitely getting injured playing for Scotland like. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiotes Witch Doctor Posted October 5, 2016 Share Posted October 5, 2016 10 day wait then I'm at work when the actual game is on Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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