Bournemouth

[gene hughes]

Woland is a good sort (ish).

 

[Ryan]

I'd be astonished if the same team doesn't start again.

 

[eecheerow]

Id play
Mignolet
Moreno
Skrtel
Sakho
Clyne

Milner
Henderson

Coutinho
Firmino
Lallana

Benteke.

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Moreno started.

 

[Halmeister]

Yeah cheers, Woland. Even if you can't get them, this is much appreciated

 

[Frogfish]

I wouldn't be surprised at all if Moreno started.

I'd be extremely disappointed because there'd be no logic. A new LB plays well, starts to develop an understanding with his CBs and team mates and is then dropped. And if he is slated to start against Arsenal, as he surely should as the far better defender, then it makes even less sense.

 

[dmishra]

As soon as Arsenal got past Milner and Henderson, which they will, Can would get taken apart by their attackers. I think the 4-2-3-1 is a safer option in that game.

Sanchez and Walcott are still out, aren't they? I think their attack lacks dynamism without them - and I wouldn't fear them as much at all if they were out. I think we could take them if we could establish a pattern of fluency by the Bournemouth game.

Though yeah, I can understand people wanting to play for a point. The current team with Clyne, Gomez, Henderson, Milner and Benteke seems a lot more robust physically and better equipped to play the spoiling game if required.

 

[keniget]

I don't think we have the players to play a 4-2-3-1 really well. Milner and Henderson are both at their best when they're up and down the pitch, not when they're asked to sit and control the game.

 

[Mystic]

Sanchez and Walcott are still out, aren't they? I think their attack lacks dynamism without them - and I wouldn't fear them as much at all if they were out. I think we could take them if we could establish a pattern of fluency by the Bournemouth game.

Though yeah, I can understand people wanting to play for a point. The current team with Clyne, Gomez, Henderson, Milner and Benteke seems a lot more robust physically and better equipped to play the spoiling game if required.

Walcott started and Sanchez came on as a sub on Sunday, they'll be ready for our game. I'm just nervous of not giving them enough respect, their players, if allowed to play, can destroy us.

 

[Wiberg]

I cant imagine Brendan snubbing Ibe after the game in Stoke. It's a young player that needs confidence and this is just the game for him to get that. + he adds width which we need badly. I think Lallana lost his starting place in Stoke.

Mignolet
Gomez
Skrtel
Lovren
Clyne

Milner
Henderson
Can
Coutinho
Ibe

Benteke.

 

[Frogfish]

I don't think we have the players to play a 4-2-3-1 really well. Milner and Henderson are both at their best when they're up and down the pitch, not when they're asked to sit and control the game.

Yep. A couple of match analysis made the point that Henderson was often out of position and stranded upfield when Stoke attacked and that it was much better when Can came on.

 

[hamstrung_pigeon]

Walcott started and Sanchez came on as a sub on Sunday, they'll be ready for our game. I'm just nervous of not giving them enough respect, their players, if allowed to play, can destroy us.

No, both of them didn't start; came on as subs 9 minutes apart in the second half. That's not to say Walcott will be available 2 weeks later though. He could sprain a strand of hair this weekend.

 

[Mystic]

No, both of them didn't start; came on as subs 9 minutes apart in the second half. That's not to say Walcott will be available 2 weeks later though. He could sprain a strand of hair this weekend.

My bad, I was sure Walcott started, that might have been Charity Shield though, still, both will be fine to start come next Sunday.

 

[Bradley]

---------------Mignolet-----------------
Clyne-----Skrtel---Lovren---Gomez
--Henderson---Milner----Moreno
-------------Coutinho-----------
-------Firmino-----Benteke-----

Yeah, that's right I want Moreno to be the new Bale.

It's my thing for the season, a bit like people wanting Agger to play as DM.

 

[Oncy]

I don't think we have the players to play a 4-2-3-1 really well. Milner and Henderson are both at their best when they're up and down the pitch, not when they're asked to sit and control the game.

But Bournemouth..

 

[Mystic]

James Pearce did a Q&A today, some interesting tweets relating to some of the formations touched upon in here.

 

[juniormember]

Riiiiight, with Milner on the bench.

 

[Mystic]

Riiiiight, with Milner on the bench.

 

[Dirkus_Circus]

James Pearce did a Q&A today, some interesting tweets relating to some of the formations touched upon in here.

I actually think that might be the perfect role for Coutinho, out of the wash in the middle of the pitch and can cut in from the left as he pleases.

I wonder if Brendan would go for Benteke/Ings if we set up like this against Bournemouth.

 

[Buddha]

If it's going to work Can needs a run of games there and we'll need to suck up the inevitable teething issues.

As others have said, most post match analyses highlighted how exposed Henderson left Gomez by being caught up field regularly vs Stoke.

 

[Brizzle]

Also worth remembering this Arsenal set of AMs was nullified by Reece Oxford and Mark Noble at the weekend so I'd have faith in Can with the support of Hendo and Milner being up to the task. Especially with 2 solid full backs which I think is going to really show rewards this season.

 

[dmishra]

I don't think we have the players to play a 4-2-3-1 really well. Milner and Henderson are both at their best when they're up and down the pitch, not when they're asked to sit and control the game.

I agree, and I've been making the same point for a while. It's why I also suggested playing 3 in midfield.

I was just saying that the squad has players who're more physical and disciplined than last season - if we're going to put men behind the ball, and try to play a spoiling game, I think Clyne, Milner, Gomez, Benteke will be a lot more upto it than Johnson, Gerrard, Moreno and Sterling.

That is an option we can consider when going against teams who we fear might take us apart. I'm not sure we should have that fear just yet against Arsenal though.

 

[Pesam]

Those that have expressed surprise at how average Bournemouth looked against Villa have overlooked a couple of factors. One main one is that their best midfielder Harry Arter was out injured and is likely to miss the game against us....he was a huge part of their success last season.

Even with Arter Bournemouth would have found it tough against Villa. I mentioned last season, when we played them in the FA Cup, that their defence is average by Championship standards but they get away with it because their midfield (which was the best in the league by a country mile last season) kept possession so well that their defence rarely came under sustained attack.

This season Bournemouth will come up against much better midfields/forwards than last season and this will put pressure on their defence which in turn will force them to deploy a 5th midfielder on many occasions (including against us). I fully expect them to drop King, play Wilson up front on his own and bring in the pacy Gradel.

With the extreme pace of Gradel and Wilson our defence should not push up too high a line. We don't need to go out all guns blazing, we can comfortably beat Bournemouth whilst still keeping a solid looking defence/midfield.

I would keep the defence the same; Clyne should match Gradel for pace and Gomez should pick up Wilson who likes to loiter wide right before making his move onto through balls. If we play Milner in front of Gomez he will be switched on enough to cover Gomez if he gets dragged inside.

...........................................Ming....................................
Clyne.................Skrtel.....................Lovren.............Gomez
...............................Can............Henderson...............
..................Coutinho.........Firmino...........Milner..........
......................................Benteke.....................................

I'm a big fan of both Ibe and Lallana but I'm also a fan of picking the best team based on the opposition. In theory we should be able to pick almost any 11 and beat Bournemouth but the line up above IMO will ensure victory and curtail Bournemouth's attempts to hit us with quick counter attacks.

 

[Aidan O' Neill]

I'm guessing if it's 4-4-2 diamond that Firmino could also play as part of the front 2 if needed.

 

[Mystic]

I'm guessing if it's 4-4-2 diamond that Firmino could also play as part of the front 2 if needed.

Yeh, that would seem likely, I'd love to see Firmino and Benteke play upfront together.

 

[Ryan]

Can as a DM will work when we've got possession.

Can as a DM when we don't have possession will be a trainwreck to begin with. He's nowhere near diligent, disciplined, or clever enough yet to play that role well. Good players and side will completely rape him.

 

[Gary25]

Not underestimating Bournemouth but surely this is the ideal game to start Firmino? Give him 60-65 minutes.

 

[Jack D Rips]

We play Bournemouth on Monday. Please stop talking about the Arsenal game until Tuesday.

 

[Squiggles]

Can as a DM will work when we've got possession.

Can as a DM when we don't have possession will be a trainwreck to begin with. He's nowhere near diligent, disciplined, or clever enough yet to play that role well. Good players and side will completely rape him.

In fairness he adapted well to playing CB better than the majority of us anticipated. I get what you're saying because he does like to wonder and he doesn't have the pace to reposition and cover, but the DM role surely gives him the most minutes in the side for his development and it shouldn't prove costly against Bournemouth. There's little the way of options given the Lucas situation, which Rodgers would be wise to resolve.

 

[Halmeister]

Any luck with the search @Woland ?

 

[Squiggles]

If you buy into bib theory, todays training suggests Firminho, Gomez, Milner, Can set to start. Lallana was in orange with all the other rejects. No sign of Henderson.