Fulham Post Match Gunderthumping

[DannyMan2006]

I think Carroll can play in that system fine, the players just need to get it into their heads that it's fine to cross a ball to him, but not fine to punt it up to him everytime they're in defence.

[Frenchie]

absolutely, he'd have nodded most of those crosses away

[yamiedo]

Just because we have a big man up front doesn't mean we have to play hoof ball from the back. All we need is to have Suarez as an inside forward/winger who delivers quality balls and another man on the other flank who can also provide that. Suarez and Johnson etc, crossing from the wings has looked very dangerous tonight and Carroll will usually be the man you'd expect on the end of them. Maxi can also add that. I saw somebody mention this system in a thread that I thought could work well without us changing the style of play we have


Carroll

Suarez and Top Class Winger or Kuyt

Gerrard Or Meireles (in the hole)

Spearing Lucas


As long as we don't encourage hoofing thee ball up from the back and encourage our swift pass and move that could work brilliant IMO.

[Mostar]

@OptaJoe
33 - This is how the PL table looks since Kenny Dalglish took charge of Liverpool in January. Challengers

[kris90210]

The remarkable thing about that table is the fact we have achieved those results with - what is on paper - a pretty weak team / squad.

Missing (arguably) our best midfielder (Gerrard) and best defender (Agger), and losing our best striker (Torres). Introducing 5 rookies successfully into the first team (Kelly, Spearing, Flanagan, Robinson, Shelvey). Absolute transformation. Completely overhauled the way we play. It's just an incredible feat.

[little dave hedgehog]

Just because we have a big man up front doesn't mean we have to play hoof ball from the back. All we need is to have Suarez as an inside forward/winger who delivers quality balls and another man on the other flank who can also provide that. Suarez and Johnson etc, crossing from the wings has looked very dangerous tonight and Carroll will usually be the man you'd expect on the end of them. Maxi can also add that. I saw somebody mention this system in a thread that I thought could work well without us changing the style of play we have


Carroll

Suarez and Top Class Winger/Kuyt

Gerrard/Meireles

Spearing Lucas


As long as we don't encourage hoofing thee ball up from the back and encourage our swift pass and move that could work brilliant IMO.

that also means 0 defenders in wide areas.

[Mostar]

The remarkable thing about that table is the fact we have achieved those results with - what is on paper - a pretty weak team / squad.

Missing (arguably) our best midfielder (Gerrard) and best defender (Agger), and losing our best striker (Torres). Introducing 5 rookies successfully into the first team (Kelly, Spearing, Flanagan, Robinson, Shelvey). Absolute transformation. Completely overhauled the way we play. It's just an incredible feat.

Shocking isn't it? He achieved 13 more points with kids and weak and thin squad than Cityh and their 150m+ outlay just this year alone.

The way we play is so spectacular that I have to pinch myself every little now and then as I cannot believe this is us Never in a million years I expected us to tear opposition apart in this style. Truly sensational.

Remarkable accomplishment by an outstanding manager..

[yamiedo]

that also means 0 defenders in wide areas.

I don't agree, having Spearing and Lucas allows our full backs to push on up the pitch. Suarez can push inside and Kuyt too. The full backs overlap to provide more width but remain in a support role to allow flexibility in defence while Lucas and Spearing keep back in those holding roles, protecting the backline.

It was used by Chelsea back when they had Robben and Duff as inside forwards/wingers while having full backs in support roles. Drogba pushing through the middle.

[little dave hedgehog]

you can't have fullbacks. you already listed 7 players, that means 3 at the back.

[yamiedo]

No I didn't Carroll up front, Kuyt Suarez Inside Forwards, Gerrard in the hole, Spearing and Lucas holding, 6.

I only mentioned Mereiles as an alternative option to Gerrard, I meant rotate between those two and rotate between Gerrard/Quality winger/Kuyt, Maxi and Suarez in the wide roles.


--------------Carroll--------------
--Suarez-------------------Kuyt--
--------------Gerrard-------------
----------------------------------
--------Lucas-------Spearing------

That'd be a strong midfield and allow the full backs to get up the pitch to support the inside forwards or winger. Obviously signing another winger would be great and possibly another creative playmaker in the middle. That's what Id be aiming at. I think Carroll would be effective. Obviously there'd be plenty room for rotation for the likes of Meireles and Maxi.

[RichC]

someone once said you can't win the league with kids, a whisky swilling, bacon faced slightly demented manager proved that theory wrong 15 years or so ago.

The youngsters we've got coming through if they continue as they have been and playing the style of football we have been might well prove this fact again in the not too distant future.

Really think we've got something building at the club again and in the next couple of seasons we'll see how good we really can be.

[Rowan]

Not yet. If they carry on next year and the year after then I'll get worried!

Gutted he's with England this summer as a lack of a break will likely see him pick something up next season, then after that it's the Euros with the seniors so we're talking a long time without a break for a young lad. He'll have to be managed very carefully.

There may be a half decent call of shenanigans on our part. Pretend he's injured for the last few and he can't go off with the under 21s.

I think Carroll will have a blast the way we played yesterday (and have for the last couple of months to be fair). Tons of headers to be scored. Hard to say who'd miss out to accommodate him though.

[Exiled_red]

There may be a half decent call of shenanigans on our part. Pretend he's injured for the last few and he can't go off with the under 21s.

I think Carroll will have a blast the way we played yesterday (and have for the last couple of months to be fair). Tons of headers to be scored. Hard to say who'd miss out to accommodate him though.

It's interesting to see now, because for ages we've been talking about the lack of depth and quality (which is still a problem in some areas) but now we're looking at the squad with some big players missing and are asking are they going to get back into the side.

[kingfunk]

HELP!! I can't stop singing the................maxi...... maxi rodriguez..... run down the line for me da da da da da.. da da da da da....

[Reece]

HELP!! I can't stop singing the................maxi...... maxi rodriguez..... run down the line for me da da da da da.. da da da da da....

Haha same here - that and the Suarez song have been in my head all morning