What Tactics Should We Use

[NicoBernetini]

Ask him he will tell you.

Who defined Gerrard position behind the striker?

And Reina in goal?

[david291177]

riena
arbeloa carra agger dossena
benny gerrard masher babel
torres keane

just a simple 442, take the shackles off and ****ing go for it for once

[saj]

On the box he came in

Funny guy

[saj]

Ask him he will tell you.

Who defined Gerrard position behind the striker?

And Reina in goal?

No one did - that's my point. Gerrard can play a multiple positions and play them well, whereas Benayoun can't. I guess Benanyoun just sent you a text message to tell you that playing in the hole is his favourite and best position

[gentingfrmhell]

reina
carra skertel agger dossena
babel xabi masher reira
gerrard
torres

i would go for this formation. pace on the flanks and direct, while not sacrifacing the gerrard torres partnership.

[NicoBernetini]

No one did - that's my point. Gerrard can play a multiple positions and play them well, whereas Benayoun can't. I guess Benanyoun just sent you a text message to tell you that playing in the hole is his favourite and best position

No, its just he plays there for his country which he happens to captain and also his best performances for west ham were in that position and he did tell me when i was talking to him last week actually.

[cled the red]

reina
carra skertel agger dossena
babel xabi masher reira
gerrard
torres

i would go for this formation. pace on the flanks and direct, while not sacrifacing the gerrard torres partnership.

So we spunk £20.3 million on Robbie Keane to sit on the bench?

[saj]

No, its just he plays there for his country which he happens to captain and also his best performances for west ham were in that position and he did tell me when i was talking to him last week actually.

Where and when did you meet him? I smell a bit of BS here.

And he played in the hole for West Ham? I think you might be wrong here - I work with 2 east enders who have been lifelong hammers fans and just asked them if he ever played in the hole: their reply was - never. He played on the wing and just used to cut in all the time.

[Tomovich]

The best formation with our current squad would be this for me:

---------------------Reina

--Carragher -- Skrtel -- Agger -- Dossena

----------Mascherano -- Alonso

-------Gerrard ----- Keane ----- Riera

---------------------Torres

In this formation Carragher and Dossena can move forward easily to support midfield when in possession (although I think that Degen/Arbeloa would be better suited for this since Carragher isn't really a genuine passer). I also think that we need quality footballers at the back who can go forward and make decisive passes when needed.

Mascherano and Alonso should be enough to cover the defensive tasks in midfield with Gerrard coming back when needed. Keane behind Torres since I think that's his more natural position.

Bench: Cavalieri, Hyypia/Arbeloa (because he can play in more than one position), Lucas, Benayoun/Kuyt, Nemeth/Babel (although I have problems putting Babel on the bench).

When we are in trouble (behind) then I think it's easy to convert the formation to a 3-2-1-3-1 formation with Agger taking Alonso's place who's going one line up, this without fiddling with substitutions:

---------------------Reina

-------Carragher -- Skrtel -- Dossena

-----------Mascherano -- Agger

---------------------Alonso

-------Gerrard ----- Keane ----- Riera

---------------------Torres

Or Agger can form the three-man guard with Dossena replaced by Lucas.

[dww]

Reina
Arbeloa Caragher Agger Dossena
Mascherano Lucas
Gerrard Keane Reira
Torres

I think Lucas might be the closest thing we have to Barry. The slight change of emphasis in the deep areas for me might bring more out of other people. While Skrtel has played well I think we miss the passing out of defense that Agger brings.

I'd hope putting Gerrard out right would give Keane more room to operate and they would occupy the same positions less and be obliged to make different runs.