Birmingham Away Build Up

[Fredo]

I'm sorry but that is complete bollocks IMO. Poulsen was in the 'original' leaked team alongside Masch and even if that team was wrong Poulsen had played in the Europa the Thursday before and was on the bench at City so was clearly match fit (or fit enough).

It was a tactical **** up by Roy plain and simple. One which i'm hoping he'll learn from. No-one is saying 4-4-2 (or a variant of) cannot work but playing to number 9's, Jova and Kuyt out wide when they're clearly not suited to that role in a 4-4-2 against a City side who were always gonna play 3 in the middle was suicidal. It was plain it wasn't working after 5 minutes yet Roy persisted with it for the whole ninety. Highly perplexing for a man of his supposed football intelligence.

I'm an optimist but sometimes you've just got to say the manager got it wrong.

Spot on. He got it completely wrong and it was the main inspiration to a long post I made days after the match. As you said, it would have been excusable if it was made by a young coach, but Hodgson has got years of experience.

[Ben_Itez]

I went to the game and was typically pretty optimistic about our chances beforehand. Got texted the team on teh way to the ground and upon realising the formation and personnel forming it I promptly decided we'd get drubbed.

My football coaching experience extends to coaching the year 7's when in 6th form at school and if i realised that (and the people i was with) what does it say about Roy's tactical acumen?

What compounded it for me was how he stubbornly refused to change it even though it was plainly obvious to us all it wasn't working. City barely had to get out of second gear.

[Baracus]

We should never contemplate 442 until we have proper wingers.

And proper full backs who can defend

[Alex]

And proper full backs who can defend

Konchesky can defend, its just Johnson, who is looking alot more solid this season

[JohnDoe]

We should never contemplate 442 until we have proper wingers.

You mean like Arsenal did with Pires and Ljungberg?

[Dalglish]

Aside from having Torres available for the trip to the Midlands, Hodgson is also confident David Ngog will have recovered from a hamstring to take his place in the squad.

“David is much better,” said Hodgson.

“We were obliged to withdraw him from the France Under-21 squad and hopefully that he will be able to train on Friday.”

I bet Cameroon were happy we withdrew him from the French squad

[Shaggy]

Yeah I heard he'd selected Cameroon?

[Exiled_red]

I bet Cameroon were happy we withdrew him from the French squad

Yeah I heard he'd selected Cameroon?

It's only the U21's he can still play for either until he's played a competitive game at full international level.

I hope he picks France, as if he goes with Cameroon we'll keep losing him for the African cup of nations every couple of years (assuming he stays with us)

[Craig_H]

You mean like Arsenal did with Pires and Ljungberg?

Yeah, silly of me to think that Kuyt and Jovanovic arent in Pires and Ljungberg's league. Our pair are obviously easily as good, if not better...

[SB]

Think Babel is gonna be used soley as a striker this season, at least that's what Roy appeared to imply when he spoke about Babel?

So my midfield would probably be (same back line and keeper)

Poulsen Mereiles
Maxi Gerrard Aurelio

With Torres keeping their CB's honest.

Got a feeling that we might see Lucas start tho, with Meireles coming on later.
Torres

Don't know if it's been mentioned but Aurelio has injured his achilles

[-V-]

Don't know if it's been mentioned but Aurelio has injured his achilles

Probably only worth mentioning when he's actually fit to play. Thats what you call news. See it works in reverse with Fab

[SB]

Probably only worth mentioning when he's actually fit to play. Thats what you call news. See it works in reverse with Fab

So true though

[Mostar]

Probably only worth mentioning when he's actually fit to play. Thats what you call news. See it works in reverse with Fab

Brilliant post

[DannyMan2006]

I'm sorry but that is complete bollocks IMO. Poulsen was in the 'original' leaked team alongside Masch and even if that team was wrong Poulsen had played in the Europa the Thursday before and was on the bench at City so was clearly match fit (or fit enough).

It was a tactical **** up by Roy plain and simple. One which i'm hoping he'll learn from. No-one is saying 4-4-2 (or a variant of) cannot work but playing to number 9's, Jova and Kuyt out wide when they're clearly not suited to that role in a 4-4-2 against a City side who were always gonna play 3 in the middle was suicidal. It was plain it wasn't working after 5 minutes yet Roy persisted with it for the whole ninety. Highly perplexing for a man of his supposed football intelligence.

I'm an optimist but sometimes you've just got to say the manager got it wrong.

Say what you like, but the original team was 4231 with Mascher in. Masch dropping out forced him to change it. Poulsen may have been fit enough to play some part and that was why he was on the bench. Roy may also have felt that next to Masch, Poulsen could get away with being slightly off the pace - as he clearly was against Trabzonspur.

Having witnessed Poulsen and Lucas as a midfield pairing against the Turks he was probably under the impression that it would fail against City as it did against the Turks.

My only problem that night was the way we stuck with it for so long. At 2-0 and after we failed to socre after the flurry of chances, it should at an absoloute minimum have been changed then.

[DannyMan2006]

Anyways, back on track.

------------------Reina------------------
Johnson----Carra--------Agger--------Kon
------------Gerrard---Meireless-----------
Maxi-------------Babel----------Jovanovic
----------------Torres--------------------

I'd also consider

------------------Reina------------------
Johnson----Carra--------Agger--------Kon
------------Gerrard---Poulsen-------------
Maxi-----------Meireles---------------Babel
----------------Torres---------------------

Or maybe even switch Gerrard and Meireles around.