Striker shortage!

[Liahos]

----------------Given
Richards--Toure--Lescott--Sylvinho
----Ireland--De Jong--Barry
SWP--------------------------Bridge
--------------Bellamy


Just a thought.

are u trying to send a message to petrov?

Petrov is a luxury I don't think we can afford in a manchester derby. We need 11 players who track all the way back to our own byline and two foot crunch a pansy winger attempting to fill the void of another a pansy winger.

If thats the case, then we just place Bellamy on the left instead of petrov. I know he is our only striker but he's been playing brilliantly on the left so far. Great offensively and great tracking back. i really think left winger is the best fit for him on this team. Our back 4 is been top-notch and i don't think we should tinker it just because we need to re-arrange.


------------given------------
richards---toure---lescott---bridge
-----dejong ---zabaleta/ireland--------
SWP--------barry---------bellamy
---------ireland/zabaleta----------------

I

[Tokyo Blue]

----------------Given
Richards--Toure--Lescott--Sylvinho
----Ireland--De Jong--Barry
SWP--------------------------Bridge
--------------Bellamy


Just a thought.

are u trying to send a message to petrov?

Petrov is a luxury I don't think we can afford in a manchester derby. We need 11 players who track all the way back to our own byline and two foot crunch a pansy winger attempting to fill the void of another a pansy winger.

And yet under Sven at the fleapit he made both goals, playing that great through ball to Ireland for the first and crossing for Benjani to shoulder in the second. I know what you mean, though. Perhaps him being berbaflop's mate might pump him up a bit and get him working.

[Slim]

----------------Given
Richards--Toure--Lescott--Sylvinho
----Ireland--De Jong--Barry
SWP--------------------------Bridge
--------------Bellamy


Just a thought.

are u trying to send a message to petrov?

Petrov is a luxury I don't think we can afford in a manchester derby. We need 11 players who track all the way back to our own byline and two foot crunch a pansy winger attempting to fill the void of another a pansy winger.

If thats the case, then we just place Bellamy on the left instead of petrov. I know he is our only striker but he's been playing brilliantly on the left so far. Great offensively and great tracking back. i really think left winger is the best fit for him on this team. Our back 4 is been top-notch and i don't think we should tinker it just because we need to re-arrange.


------------given------------
richards---toure---lescott---bridge
-----dejong ---zabaleta/ireland--------
SWP--------barry---------bellamy
---------ireland/zabaleta----------------

I

I am not entirely a fan of Zabaleta's at rightback, I really don't want to see him as a striker. And you have Barry and Ireland around the wrong way in midfield. If you want Bellamy out wide left then I would suggest SWP up front and Weiss right in a rotating forwardline. Worked for Everton before everyone figured out they didn't have a striker that needed marking.

[Liahos]

----------------Given
Richards--Toure--Lescott--Sylvinho
----Ireland--De Jong--Barry
SWP--------------------------Bridge
--------------Bellamy


Just a thought.

are u trying to send a message to petrov?

Petrov is a luxury I don't think we can afford in a manchester derby. We need 11 players who track all the way back to our own byline and two foot crunch a pansy winger attempting to fill the void of another a pansy winger.

If thats the case, then we just place Bellamy on the left instead of petrov. I know he is our only striker but he's been playing brilliantly on the left so far. Great offensively and great tracking back. i really think left winger is the best fit for him on this team. Our back 4 is been top-notch and i don't think we should tinker it just because we need to re-arrange.


------------given------------
richards---toure---lescott---bridge
-----dejong ---zabaleta/ireland--------
SWP--------barry---------bellamy
---------ireland/zabaleta----------------

I

I am not entirely a fan of Zabaleta's at rightback, I really don't want to see him as a striker. And you have Barry and Ireland around the wrong way in midfield. If you want Bellamy out wide left then I would suggest SWP up front and Weiss right in a rotating forwardline. Worked for Everton before everyone figured out they didn't have a striker that needed marking.

Hmm, so that would look like:

--------------given-----------
-micah--toure--lescott---bridge

---dejong------barry------------

-----------ireland----------bellamy
weiss-----------------------------
-------------SWP----------------


Slim, that does look a lil bit better. I decided 2 be creative n put Zab up front cause he might be able to bang in a couple of headers from crosses.

[mr_nool]

If thats the case, then we just place Bellamy on the left instead of petrov. I know he is our only striker but he's been playing brilliantly on the left so far. Great offensively and great tracking back. i really think left winger is the best fit for him on this team. Our back 4 is been top-notch and i don't think we should tinker it just because we need to re-arrange.


------------given------------
richards---toure---lescott---bridge
-----dejong ---zabaleta/ireland--------
SWP--------barry---------bellamy
---------ireland/zabaleta----------------

I

I am not entirely a fan of Zabaleta's at rightback, I really don't want to see him as a striker. And you have Barry and Ireland around the wrong way in midfield. If you want Bellamy out wide left then I would suggest SWP up front and Weiss right in a rotating forwardline. Worked for Everton before everyone figured out they didn't have a striker that needed marking.

Hmm, so that would look like:

--------------given-----------
-micah--toure--lescott---bridge

---dejong------barry------------

-----------ireland----------bellamy
weiss-----------------------------
-------------SWP----------------


Slim, that does look a lil bit better. I decided 2 be creative n put Zab up front cause he might be able to bang in a couple of headers from crosses.

SWP or Zabba as striker to bang in a couple of headers ... you better re-think that one.

[Slim]

Our midget army won't be nodding in a header any time soon, but all of them are pretty fucking decent at knocking a ball right through a defence. We did this last system with SWP, Robinho and Ireland all interchanging positions throughout the match and off the ball runs denoting who slotted in where.

[Bingo Lewis]

I would honestly stick Richards up front. he likes to play there, puts himself about, has pace, can run with the ball, can head, will hold the ball up well. I really think we are gonna struggle with just Bellemy up front on his own. Plus we might as well just cross into an empty box with Bellers, Richards would give us summat to aim at.

[Wooders]

UTD aren't sporting too many tall players themselves mind you

[Bingo Lewis]

UTD aren't sporting too many tall players themselves mind you

Bellemy V Vidic

nuff said

[john@staustell]

I would honestly stick Richards up front. he likes to play there, puts himself about, has pace, can run with the ball, can head, will hold the ball up well. I really think we are gonna struggle with just Bellemy up front on his own. Plus we might as well just cross into an empty box with Bellers, Richards would give us summat to aim at.

I remember us trying him in midfield for half a game in the WAFFA. Moved at half time as totally disastrous, gets altitude sickness if moved away from defence in the formation mate.

[Bingo Lewis]

I would honestly stick Richards up front. he likes to play there, puts himself about, has pace, can run with the ball, can head, will hold the ball up well. I really think we are gonna struggle with just Bellemy up front on his own. Plus we might as well just cross into an empty box with Bellers, Richards would give us summat to aim at.

I remember us trying him in midfield for half a game in the WAFFA. Moved at half time as totally disastrous, gets altitude sickness if moved away from defence in the formation mate.

attack and midfield are totally different mate. he hasn't got the passing or touch to be in midfield, but that isn't absolutely neccessary for a striker. Look at the goat /jason roberts / even Samba etc.
There has been many times when we're a goal down and City have switched to 3 at the back and micah has gone up front and caused a nuisance. He even scored against Everton @ goodison a few years ago.

[Ted Hughes]

Another problem. Rags are good at corners. Adebayor has been doing a great job winning almost everything at the near post (& proving what a useless wanker Jo was in that position at the same time). Someone has to be given that job now & I'm not sure who. The rags will be onto this, make no mistake, it'll be in their teamtalk unless we have a miraculous return from RSC.

Even if they don't play the ball there, they can cock us up by making us think they're going to & have us covering fresh air unless we have a reliable bloke there.

[Douglas Higginbottom]

Richards as a front man , please no! Any semblance of the beautiful game would disappear if we ever got to lumping the ball forward to somebody with no control to hold the ball up and no sense of what is going on around him. Our best bet will be to look to break from deep using the quick players we have and catch Vidic out where he is most vulnerable i.e on the floor. To try to take him on with Richards in the air is surely a non starter.
Don't forget if you play the ball past Vidic on the ground and try to run past him he just resorts to fouling and is a sending off candidate.

[lets all have a disco]

Richards as a front man , please no! Any semblance of the beautiful game would disappear if we ever got to lumping the ball forward to somebody with no control to hold the ball up and no sense of what is going on around him. Our best bet will be to look to break from deep using the quick players we have and catch Vidic out where he is most vulnerable i.e on the floor. To try to take him on with Richards in the air is surely a non starter.
Don't forget if you play the ball past Vidic on the ground and try to run past him he just resorts to fouling and is a sending off candidate.

Big Love DH,ive got yer back man.

[Bingo Lewis]

Richards as a front man , please no! Any semblance of the beautiful game would disappear if we ever got to lumping the ball forward to somebody with no control to hold the ball up and no sense of what is going on around him. Our best bet will be to look to break from deep using the quick players we have and catch Vidic out where he is most vulnerable i.e on the floor. To try to take him on with Richards in the air is surely a non starter.
Don't forget if you play the ball past Vidic on the ground and try to run past him he just resorts to fouling and is a sending off candidate.

Well whatever happens, we won't know until sunday. If we have Tev back then I'll be buzzing, and as much as I rate Bellers I just don't think him up front on his own will work against them lot.

[Rag_hater]

I feel we have enough midfielders who like to score and we wont miss Ade that much.

[shawzy]

Bellers and SWP linkup play ran Arsenal ragged.Theres no reason why not they can do the same at the swamp.
Lack of height in open play but from set pieces we have a few good headers in Barry, Lescott, Toure and Micah.

[Moonchesteri]

Is any of the kids good enough to get on the bench?

David Ball, given his record so far this season?
Robbie Mak?
Others, who?

[Slim]

Is any of the kids good enough to get on the bench?

David Ball, given his record so far this season?
Robbie Mak?
Others, who?

David Ball is in magnificent form, if they are the best option available then I suppose they have to be blooded somewhere.

I think we'll end up with SWP--Bellamy--Petrov but I would like to see Hughes think outside the box on this one because I don't believe this will give the filth as many problems as other combinations.

[Beeks]

David Ball is in magnificent form, if they are the best option available then I suppose they have to be blooded somewhere.

Ball is a very good shout actually