[quote author=ibromurph link=topic=41677.msg1166702#msg1166702 date=1283205274]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=41677.msg1166696#msg1166696 date=1283204954]
[quote author=ibromurph link=topic=41677.msg1166680#msg1166680 date=1283204394]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=41677.msg1166675#msg1166675 date=1283204101]
[quote author=ibromurph link=topic=41677.msg1166666#msg1166666 date=1283203801]
[quote author=spider-neil link=topic=41677.msg1166660#msg1166660 date=1283203242]
two holding midfielders is a good tactic when the players are xabi and mascherano. I didn't think anything was wrong with our setup after all it brought us within touching distance of the league, I just think if roy is going 4-4-2 we have to have better wide players or the fullbaks HAVE to get forwards, I can't see the formation being a success otherwise I really don't.
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I'm of the opinion that we weren't really in touching distance of the league given that we were never within 3pts of them till the end. It was a season where we recieved the "luck of champion" ten-folds and still couldn't go on to win it with Rafa's ideologies (of Player A relying on Player B, who relies on Player C).
There was so many red cards for our opponents, so many tight decisions going our way and yet we could not close the deal because Rafa's tactics depended on everyone being fit for every game, else the whole team would suffer in some way, shape or form. It's an ideology which is best suited for cup competitions where you can get players fit and rested in between rounds, but for a league campaign in England (where you need 85 odd points to win it), however close, we would have never won it with Rafa.
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hmmm, don't know which side of the fence I fall there as a couple of decisions would have seen us champions, the disallowed stoke goal, the last minute everton freekick (at home), that's all it would have taken but yes, rafa's caution ultimately cost us the league.
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A few more decisions? haha. I think we got our fair share of luck and then some. Besides, that Stoke decision was in like August!
Anyway, like you said, with our current personnel, a 4-5-1 or 3-6-1 (because lets face it, we've only got 1 real quality forward) might just be our best bet going forward right now, but I'm happy Roy played a 4-4-2 as I'd like to see us get back to that eventually and he'll have (hopefully) learnt which players just aren't cut out for that demand, after the game.
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4-4-2 and grin and bear the teething problems? not sure I agree with that, with man city and spurs all gunning for CL places our margin for error is pretty much nil. use tactics the players are used to, tactics that suit the personnel on the books and attempt to win as many points as possible, 4-4-2 at man city seemed like an experiement that went badly wrong, you use preseason for experiments.
going back to wingers, have we had a winger of any class since macca fucked off to real? a lot of that is down to buying absolute shit like nunez but how much of that is also due to being an overly cautious team?
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Hell no! Not grin and bear it. We'd end up 10th if we stuck to it. What I meant was that I was glad he used it in that one game (which we were expected to lose anyway) and Roy had a chance, first hand, to find out how far away we were from actually having a side that could play that formation. Hence, he'll be able to get back to the usual formation, but also bring the necessary players in (whilst shipping out the unadaptable players), to eventually get us back to the 4-4-2.
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you're right, if the man city game showed roy we don't have the personnel for 4-4-2 then at least the defeat counted for something. the next 24 will in all likelihood show which direction roy will choose (4-4-2 or 4-5-1) if he manages to secure a big forward then he will go 4-4-2 (the forward in support of torres) if he buys an out and out striker I think he will go 4-5-1 with gerrard behind torres and cole on the left (the out and out striker as back up for torres).
