Say we DON'T sign a creative midfielder...

[Skirge]

We do not have the right players here to play a three man midfield, Emre can be creative yes but with what other two players along side him?

 

Geremi - Emre - Barton

We would get overran, I just wish Sam would stick to a 4-4-2.

[NSG]

Ronny Gill sayin Emre will return against Boro.

[STM]

Emre may be the only one on the list who is good enough at this point, but that is not consistent - he disappears far too much, and clearly isn't technically a great player.

 

 

 

If your trying tell me that Emre isn't good technically then your off your head. Apart from Nobby noone in a our squad has the abilty on the ball that Emre does.

 

Can't argue on the consistancy side though, spot on. However, i think Allardyce's set up would suit him better and he would have extra fitness and motivation.

 

I don't think he's that great techniclaly. At set pieces he was predominantly poor, and he never created as much as some performances hinted at.

 

I'm not saying he's s****, just that he's a decent player, no more.

 

I think Emre is so gifted it's untrue. He just never seems to find any consistance in his games, especially set pieces. I honestly believe that if Allardyce can get the right combination of that midfield at home we are in for big things. Emre has the abilty to be apart of it.

[Guest jamesmartinsmith]

Emre is an incredibly intelligent footballer. He just needs to be cemented into this role and not put in holding positions like he was under Roeder.

[Guest firetotheworks]

I really like Emre, his reactions when dribbling in particular are top notch, but as someones said before hes too inconsistent. Ive also got doubts that Emre would work in Allardyces system.

[Parky]

We don't need one, we need more players like Alan Smith who graft and give 100% rather than some fancy fucker strolling around and not getting stuck in...

 

Baggiooo's idea of a backlash.

[Baggio]

Barton, Emre and Geremi in a midfield 3 when we're at home and against the weaker teams away, swap Emre for Butt against the better teams away.

[Northern Monkey]

Emre may be the only one on the list who is good enough at this point, but that is not consistent - he disappears far too much, and clearly isn't technically a great player.

 

 

 

If your trying tell me that Emre isn't good technically then your off your head. Apart from Nobby noone in a our squad has the abilty on the ball that Emre does.

 

Can't argue on the consistancy side though, spot on. However, i think Allardyce's set up would suit him better and he would have extra fitness and motivation.

 

I don't think he's that great techniclaly. At set pieces he was predominantly poor, and he never created as much as some performances hinted at.

 

I'm not saying he's s****, just that he's a decent player, no more.

 

I think Emre is so gifted it's untrue. He just never seems to find any consistance in his games, especially set pieces. I honestly believe that if Allardyce can get the right combination of that midfield at home we are in for big things. Emre has the abilty to be apart of it.

 

i truly hope so, but i just don't see it. i suppose time will tell, but if he does get his chance, at least there'll be no more excuses if he doesn't do it, because despite my reservations, it's undeniable that Allardyce is a gazillion times the manager Roeder ever was.

 

If Emre fails to produce, only the player can be blamed. If he DOES produce as you think he can, i'll happily eat my (jauntily-tilted) sombrero and admit i was wrong.

[Parky]

Technically Dave would be screaming by now to merge this thread with my playmaker one the charlatan. 

[Optimistic Nut]

Emre-Geremi-Barton would be my midfield three.

[Dave]

Nonsense and you know it.

[Dave]

Gah, Nut.

 

That was aimed at Parky.

[Rich]

Barton, Emre and Geremi in a midfield 3 when we're at home and against the weaker teams away, swap Emre for Butt against the better teams away.

 

My opinion on things, too.

 

We were crying out for at least one of Barton/Emre on Saturday, in place of Butt first and foremost.

[Northern Monkey]

Barton, Emre and Geremi in a midfield 3 when we're at home and against the weaker teams away, swap Emre for Butt against the better teams away.

 

My opinion on things, too.

 

We were crying out for at least one of Barton/Emre on Saturday, in place of Butt first and foremost.

 

i thought Butt was better than Geremi.

[juniatmoko]

Emre problem is not on his ability to play creative role... but i think he is having poor ability to dive to crunching tackle... hey... at least he can save his legs next time... when he do proper dive.. hopefully diouf can come here at least teach our players to dive

[Guest jamesmartinsmith]

Milner -- Emre -- Barton -- Duff

 

Geremi at right-back if we don't get one.

[Baggio]

I thought Butt was better than Geremi too, I think his problem was with nobody in midfield able to bring the ball forward Geremi took it upon himself to do it only to be poor at it, Butt on the other hand just stuck to the simple things that he does well.

[AyeDubbleYoo]

I still don't think it's over for Duff yet either, when he gets back fit he'll be a useful creative outlet. I'm not sold on the 433 either, but it seems as though Sam is set on it.

[Parky]

We have to be careful the midfield doesn't become watercarriertastic.

 

Geremi

Smith

Butt

(Faye)

[Rich]

Barton, Emre and Geremi in a midfield 3 when we're at home and against the weaker teams away, swap Emre for Butt against the better teams away.

 

My opinion on things, too.

 

We were crying out for at least one of Barton/Emre on Saturday, in place of Butt first and foremost.

 

i thought Butt was better than Geremi.

 

Think you've missed the point a bit here, was referring to the fact that it was a home game against opposition that we should be beating and so it might make sense to take out the midfielder who offers the least going forward, i.e. Nicky Butt.

 

As for the comment itself, Butt did a few more sliding tackles than Geremi, but his passing was useless and he offered nowt going forward at all. There is no need for him to be played at home against the likes of Villa, especially in a role where he doesn't seem to be the archetypal defensive midfielder. I'm not sure what instructions he was under, but to me he didn't seem to be playing either role particularly well and put in a decidedly "Parker" performance. Lots of sliding about and commitment, but killed the tempo of the game whenever he got the ball and his passing was atrocious, both short-range and long-range. He did have a couple of quality moments, as he always does, but that isn't enough to justify his selection in my eyes. People do love graft though, as Baggio keeps saying.

 

Allardyce didn't really have a choice, mind, with the performance at Bolton and the injuries.

[Baggio]

No shit.

[Guest jamesmartinsmith]

I still don't think it's over for Duff yet either, when he gets back fit he'll be a useful creative outlet. I'm not sold on the 433 either, but it seems as though Sam is set on it.

Aye, I'd rather play 4-4-2.

[Baggio]

That last one was aimed at Parky for stating what i've been telling people for a while now, not at Janitor. As for going 4-4-2, Sam is a strict 4-3-3 man 95% of the time so you might as well get that out of your head now.

[Rich]

That last one was aimed at Parky for stating what i've been telling people for a while now, not at Janitor. As for going 4-4-2, Sam is a strict 4-3-3 man 95% of the time so you might as well get that out of your head now.

 

I thought it worked for both posts, myself

 

As for 4-4-2, we did switch to it when Owen came on, but looked no better for it at all, not sure if we can play it effectively with Butt/Geremi in the middle and Smith and Milner on the flanks, it's not the most exciting-looking four I've ever seen at SJP. We're crying out for Emre already, and for Enrique to allow N'Zogbia to move further up the park. Those two players in the mix should make a massive difference to the midfield.

[Northern Monkey]

Barton, Emre and Geremi in a midfield 3 when we're at home and against the weaker teams away, swap Emre for Butt against the better teams away.

 

My opinion on things, too.

 

We were crying out for at least one of Barton/Emre on Saturday, in place of Butt first and foremost.

 

i thought Butt was better than Geremi.

 

Think you've missed the point a bit here, was referring to the fact that it was a home game against opposition that we should be beating and so it might make sense to take out the midfielder who offers the least going forward, i.e. Nicky Butt.

 

As for the comment itself, Butt did a few more sliding tackles than Geremi, but his passing was useless and he offered nowt going forward at all. There is no need for him to be played at home against the likes of Villa, especially in a role where he doesn't seem to be the archetypal defensive midfielder. I'm not sure what instructions he was under, but to me he didn't seem to be playing either role particularly well and put in a decidedly "Parker" performance. Lots of sliding about and commitment, but killed the tempo of the game whenever he got the ball and his passing was atrocious, both short-range and long-range. He did have a couple of quality moments, as he always does, but that isn't enough to justify his selection in my eyes. People do love graft though, as Baggio keeps saying.

 

Allardyce didn't really have a choice, mind, with the performance at Bolton and the injuries.

 

I thought Butt played the firefighting role well - a role he was forced to play by the tactics we employed, and the inability of his team mates (very much including Geremi) to keep the ball.

 

If we are going off that one performance, Geremi shouldn't get a start before Butt. But we aren't, and we know he'll get played. Just hopefully he'll be in a formation he's actually suited to soon.