Your 5-A-Side City Team

[MaineRoadMemories]

Okay so choose your favourite City side to play 5-A-Side.

Rules.........
1. Can be from any era since you have supported the club 2. Fly Keeper so anyone can be in goal. 3. 1 substitute required

I started supporting in 1985/86 season so my team would be...

Niall Quinn - I'd use the big guy as my fly keeper and go all out for attack from the back

Distin - breaks from the back with pace and could score a couple of villa-esq type goals

Curle - another speed merchant and would be the penalty taker

Kinkladze - Nobody will be getting that ball off him up front as he dribbles his way through the opposition

Robinho - Made for 5-A-Side footy, would have a field day running up and down the pitch

Sub: Anelka - deadly finishing and great pace

All out attack with pace is what I'd go for. Was tempted to field an all rounder box-to-box 5 but changed my mind

[Somerset Blue]

Q: Are we playing 'head height' rules?

[Chinners]

Gread thread idea MRM!!

Attended first game in 1976!

How anyone wouldn't or indeed couldn't have Paul Cooper as their fly keeper in a 5-a-side team is beyond me. Little fella with low centre or gravity, not to mention his record at saving penalties, vital for the shoot-out scenario.

Andy Morrison at the back/defensive midfield. Powerhouse that will prowl the edge of the goal semi circle like a panther on heat.

In midfield/attack, SWP on the right, again his size dictating he'd do the business at this level ... no probs. The other certainty in any side you choose to pick imo.

On the left, a supprise choice in Adrian Heath. Again, not blessed in height and his goal scoring record could only improve 263,533% to when he played in the mansize edition.

Up at the front, spearheading the attack, the one & only Lee One Pen. As Cooper is vital for the defence, Lee One Pen represent the opposite up the other end. Barrel-chested, would knock opponents over. Like a set of bookend's, could you imagin them against each other?

This side really should piss on any other suggestions . . . but just in case, I'll plump for John the Budgie. Make him lie down in front of goal and you ain't going to conceed [strike]m[/strike]any

[Beeks]

GIVEN (Class)
TOURE PEARCE (Toures brain, Psychos brawn)
KINKY MCNAB (Skillful Gio and hardman Nelly)
BELLAMY (terrier and rapid)

Subs

Anelka (Lethal)
Bernabia (playmaker)
Power (Can play in defence or midfield)

[Dronny]

S Given - Not a problem with smaller nets about coming off his line...he'd save a bullet

P Lake - Total utility player, left side, right side or v. comfortable bringing the ball out
D Watson - Nails, now't got past Big Dave....grrrr

A Benarbia - Dribbling ability to put a 2 month old bairn to shame

F Lee - low centre of gravity, deadly in the box, takes a mean pen and happy to put himself about....a lot

Sub : C Bell....cos he's my hero!

[Blue Since 76]

Weaver in net - always fancied himself as an outfield player

Never really seen the need for defenders in 5-a-side, it's more like basketball, so you just need to keep the ball and score when you have it. Therefore:

Benarbia [strike]& Berkovic[/strike]- remember some of the football they played in the Championship? (Edit - apparently, playing with 6 is cheating, so sorry Eyal, you're dropped)

Robinho & SWP - both made for football at this level

Up front - Goater. On a 5-a-side pitch, he'd never be more than 18 yds from the goal and couldn't be offside, so he'd be deadly.


As a reserve side for when we're playing the Dog & Duck and it's going to get a bit tasty:

Eric Nixon - From that forearm smash he did on a centre forward, he could look after himself

Andy Morisson - the ball or the man can pass. But not both

Mike Doyle - Just tell him their best player is a rag

Pablo Zabaleta as the midfield enforcer

Was considering Das Bomber up front, but I think it's a fight off in the changing rooms between Adebayor & Bellamy for the last position.

Wouldn't fancy playing that lot without thick shin pads. And a helmet.

[Ted Hughes]

Given, Pearce, Kinkladze, Marsh, Lee. Sub Robinho

Would've gone for Ali B but imo Rod & Kinky were better. FHL for shooting power & accuracy + effort (close run with Tueart). Pearce because nobody would want to go past him in a confined space.

[pepsi_dave]

I'm gonna go with someone elses theory about not needing defenders for 5 aside.

Given - Nothing more needs to be said!!
Ireland - Can do the whole defence thing if he needed to, but he's brilliant at finding space which is crucial in 5-a-side and can find a pass and a shot.

Kinkladze - Great for keeping the ball, could win a 5-a-side match all by himself just by keeping the ball at his feet...... forever!

Benarbia - Basically for similar reasons to kinkiy, but imagine the two of them together with their wizdary and benarbias ability to find a perfect pass out of nowhere.

Tevez - Would terrorize people and both in attack and in defence!!!

Robi - On the Bench.....

That team would terrorize the 5-a-side world!!!!!

[ronk]

Given

de Jong
Ireland
Tevez
Robinho

[Steve]

Given

de Jong
Ireland
Tevez
Robinho

That's my team! But with P. Schmeichel in goal. I would probably replace Tevez with Kinkladze, or Zabaleta depending on the opposition.

[HeyMark]

Started supporting city early 90s.

James
SWP
Ireland
Kinkladze
Rossler

Sub- Horlock

[Vhero]

Given
Kinkladze
Goater
Robinho
Barry

Sub - Quinn

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

Robinho would be absolute must. Check this video of 8 year old Robinho playing futsal and you'll understand where his dribbling skills come from. I'd suggest futsal as extra practise for anyone playing football by the way. Good fun and improves your passing and dribbling.

[youtube]Iw_6nAo2rZg&feature=PlayList&p=FEDBBCBBD6966E66&index=0[/youtube]

[ant london]

Given

Bernarbia

Ireland

Robinho

Fowler

[Robinho_Is_GOD]

Dave Watson
Colin Bell
Ali Benarbia
Robinho
Georgi Kinkladze

Wouldn't need a goalie, that lot could keep the ball perfectly well between them and score enough goals.