Pre-Season: Villareal (Home)

[SimonButtle]

That does seem true. I'd fancy a 532 myself with Baines and Coleman as wingbacks and johnny pushing up in the middle when need be.

thats what i would like to see us play, i know its quite old skool, but i really think it would work with the players we have

[Matt]

Matt, Felli were definitely good yesterday aswell. So glad to see him back to boss our midfield.

true, Coleman too but only for the 1st half (obviously Coleman has a good reason for not playing 2nd half).

Edited August 6, 2011 by Matt

[Ian C]

Team is really missing Arteta and Osman. With Coleman out now I'm really worrying. Who's left to create but Baines and possibly Barkley?

[Bailey]

Its a bit weird reading this thread all the way through as it starts off very positive, til about the time Coleman gets injured and then the majority of us turn into doom and gloom merchants again!

 

I thought we started very well and I was very impressed. We had a clear formation, clear rules of who played where and for the most part we looked comfortable & created chances (if we could have kept onside at least!) and Villareal didnt look like getting close really. Felli was outstanding, CB's were solid, and Barklay, Baines, Coleman & to a point Saha were looking sharp.

 

However, then Marchena came in with a shocking challenge (which didnt even result in a booking! - Ref was shite all game) and then instead of going like for like, we bring Cahill on, who was a passenger for the remaining 50minutes. I dont understand why he would see a formation doing well and looking solid, and then throw a massive spanner in the works?! From then on, we started to lose our shape, and when Felli went off we were all over the place. Beckford in a straight swap for Saha was also a stupid move because Beckford cant play on his own up front, and with Cahill neither supporting or in midfield the ball was just hoofed up to him with no-one around and that 2nd half we looked so poor, and reminiscent of the Bremen game.

 

I am going to try and ignore the last 45 minutes and pretend like they didnt happen for my own personal sanity, as I was genuinely impressed by the formation and the personell that Moyes selected (even Vic did a job on the left 1st half - passenger 2nd), my only critisisms would be that we did press high enough, it started brightly, but faded every know and then, and the fact that we didnt support the striker well enough some times in terms of bodies around him and the type of ball that was played forward to him. Saha didnt look as though he was on the same wave length as some of the other players, and while he does need to come deep to link the play, he also has to try and get in behind defences as that creates space for the midfield to attack into.

 

I would be fairly happy if that starting line-up played against Spurs, maybe bringing in players for Coleman (obviously) and Vic. If Gueye is fit then I would definitely have him starting on the left (as long as he is disciplined) and I guess it would probably have to be Billy on the right (although Osman would be the better defender against Bale - although please not Neville & Hibbert like it was as the end there!).

 

That first half performance gave me reason to be a little bit more optimistic so hopefully we can take that forward into the Spurs game.

[BoroBlue]

I personally don't have a problem with 4-5-1, i think it is the best formation for us, my problem is with us playing people out of position. Last night we had a forward playing left mid (Anichebe), 2 rightbacks playing right mid (Coleman then Neville), a centreback playing centre mid (Heitinga), a centre mid playing right mid then left mid (Barkley). I know last night was only a friendly and some players may have just needed game time but we seem to do it in competetive fixtures aswell. I appreciate we only have a small squad and some times we may need to play people out of position but how are the players going to gel and start playing as a team if we are constantly doing this. Also what message does it send to Bily or Gueye, for example, that Moyes would rather play someone out of positon than give him a game in his preferred position. I think what Moyes needs to do is be more consistent with his team selection and have a clear idea of who his first and second choice players in each postion and stick to it rather than constantly shuffleing his pack.

 

I mentioned in another thread about Jose Mourinhos theory of picking a formation, then having 2 players for each position in this formation. To take this 1 stage further if the proposal of changing the reserve league to a competetive under-21 league go through this will allow us have a 3rd choice player in each position too who is playing regularly and in a competitve league. Another advantage of this would be if the under-21 team is playing the same formation it would be good for progression into the first team as they will be used to playing that system.

 

I am not suggesting that we only play one formation as while our players will gell and know exactly what they are doing, they will also become very predictable to the oppostion, I am just suggesting that we have a bit more consistency with the positions that players are playing in.

[The Regulator]

Dear Ross Barkley,

 

Every time you have the ball at your feet, I get semi-erect.

 

Sincerely,

The Regulator

 

 

But no in seriousness after Coleman went off I was screaming at the box wondering why we made change after change that restricted us completely. I'm sorry but a midfield of Cahill, Rodwell, Neville and Heitinga?? 3 defensive midfielders and one attacking, we couldn't put a 2 piece jigsaw puzzle together with that let alone an attack!! I'm hoping Moyes was just giving game time to the people he thought maybe starting next week, and given Fellaini isn't up to fitness and Bily and Coleman won't be eligible I'm guessing next week we'll start with:

 

Howard

Neville Jagielka Distin Baines

Osman Heitinga Rodwell Anichebe

Cahill

Saha

 

Bench: Mucha, Hibbert, Fellaini, Barkley, Gueye, Beckford, Vellios

 

I honestly hope he starts Barkley but it seems Barkley will be playing a more advanced central role if Moyes has any faith in him. He was linking up play all the time, so calm in possession, he only gave the ball away once maybe twice the entire time he was on the pitch, and did anybody else notice for the opening 20 minutes all our players were looking to play it to Ross every chance they got? He's going to be an outstanding player, which makes me doubt Moyes brandishing him this season, in fact I think he'll make more sub appearances than anything.

 

But we still clearly need a winger, that left hand side is going to be so weak this season if we can't sort it out. Cheebs is not the answer!!