alonso and sissoko staying proof of new formation?

[Neil Young]

I would play Henry in front of Tevez
Then we could really put the other teams to the sword.

He'll be coming inside from his favourite starting position on the left-wing.

[AFII]That's how I see it and I believe that's how Rafa have seen it too.[/AFII]

[Maestro]

He'll be coming inside from his favourite starting position on the left-wing.

[AFII]That's how I see it and I believe that's how Rafa have seen it too.[/AFII]

[tomasjj]

Sigh... I was trying to be funny.
If you put Henry in the middle, the formation chart can resemble a sword.
At least in my head...

[captainfog]

reina
finnan agger carra chiellini
alves masher alonso henry
--------gerard tevez-----
-------Eto'o Kuyt---------
-------Bent----------







lovely stuff

coudn't fail to win the league with that one

[philred10]

having seen nothing of him this is a complete ill educated hunch, the two players vying for the right mid spot will be lucas and pennant. with sissoko being retained centre mid will be mighty crowded and gerrard stank on the rm last season. that and our main transfer target seems to be on the left midfield maybe we already have the right sorted?

[Neil Young]

Sigh... I was trying to be funny.
If you put Henry in the middle, the formation chart can resemble a sword.
At least in my head...

A sword in your head...?

Yes, I can see that now you mention it. I'm not sure it was funny though.

[tomasjj]

A sword in your head...?

Yes, I can see that now you mention it. I'm not sure it was funny though.

Not when I had to explain it...

[hockin_monster]

Ooh, I noticed only this morning how there has been a dearth of team line-ups in recent days. I was just thinking what a good thing that was.

Ah well, nothing last forever.

------------Reina-----------
Finnan--Carra--Agger-Chiellini
---------Mascherano--------
-----------Alonso-----------
----------Sissoko-----------
----------Gerrard-----------
-----------Tevez-----------
--------------------------------------Henry

Lot's of strength in the middle there!!

On a more serious note ....

------------Reina-----------
Finnan--Carra--Agger-Chiellini
---------Mascherano--------
------Gerrard----Alonso-----
--Manchini--------Malouda--
------------Eto'o-----------

subs: Pennant, Kewell, Luis Garcia, Kuyt, Crouch, Voronin, Sissoko, Aurelio, Hyppia, Arleboa etc

Would be very happy with that

However.... a fit Kewell would replace Malouda, a fit Luis Garcia could replace Mancini, but Eto'o .........

If we play 433 we have to have an out and out striker and that's where I'll put all my money based on that formation.

[retroquestions]

reina
finnan agger carra chiellini
alves masher alonso henry
--------gerard tevez-----
-------Eto'o Kuyt---------
-------Bent----------







lovely stuff

coudn't fail to win the league with that one

I wouldn't doubt we'd win the league with that team either, especially playing 13 players!

[tomasjj]

I wouldn't doubt we'd win the league with that team either, especially playing 13 players!

Count them again.

[DeeGame]

I wouldn't doubt we'd win the league with that team either, especially playing 13 !

14 players actually

[Ryan_Derrick]

4-2-3-1

-----------Reina-----------
Finnan-Carra-Agger-Chiellini
----Mascherano-Alonso-----
--Mancini-Gerrard-Malouda--
------------Eto'o-----------

Nice!

[dww]

I was taking the piss. He hates playing wide. I personally thinks he's **** playing off the front man. So that leaves his ideal positiop as centre. But Rafa knows best.

should really have caught that.

I'm not so sure he hates RM, although he clearly much prefers CM, and he has definitely played some of his best games for us there. I think part of the problem is Rafa's implied criticism of him in the centre and the feeling that centre midfielders get more praise and he is a bit of a whore for the fan attention.

In a putative 4-2-3-1 formation I would envisage the two wide players being the ones to play closest to the forward leaving Stevie more free to roam.